The Full Cost of Building an Ecommerce Website in 2026

Ecommerce accounted for 20.5% of global retail sales in 2025, with projections reaching 22.6% by 2027. If you're planning to launch an ecommerce website to tap into this growth, then you’re probably wondering: How much will it cost? 

Whether you're building from scratch or using a platform, ecommerce website cost varies based on your approach and business needs.

This guide breaks down ecommerce website costs by business type, helping you identify the right approach and budget for your specific situation.

Let’s get started.

The first step in determining the full cost of building an ecommerce site is understanding what you actually need to run an online store. 

An ecommerce website is made up of the same basic components, but the price difference depends on which options you choose. You can either set each one up yourself or use an ecommerce platform like Shopify or Wix, which bundles many of these elements into a monthly subscription. The options you choose affect both cost and the level of control and customisation you have.

Here are the core elements and their roles in a website.

Ecommerce website development costs vary dramatically based on your business size, technical needs, and growth plans. The approach you choose determines not only your initial investment, but your ongoing monthly expenses and scalability potential.

At the most basic level, you can launch with a marketplace storefront for under $500 monthly. A simple ecommerce store for testing product ideas costs little upfront but comes with higher commission fees. Small businesses typically invest $500-$5,000 using website building platforms like Shopify or Wix, which bundle hosting, design, and payment processing into monthly subscriptions.

Building an ecommerce site with custom features typically starts at $5,000 for growing businesses that need flexibility beyond standard templates. These custom solutions require developer expertise but offer greater control over branding,SEO optimization, integrations, and unique functionality. However, the total cost of an ecommerce website can increase rapidly, so upgrade it slowly.

The sections below break down the complete costs for each business stage. Navigate to the section that matches your current situation.

For solopreneurs building a simple ecommerce website, the most affordable approach is selling on established marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, or AliExpress. Your store lives under the marketplace’s web address and template, and the platform handles hosting, most functionality and payment processing. You only need to create a merchant account and set up product pages. This eliminates many cost considerations and design factors, and significantly streamlines the launch timelines for an ecommerce store.

Best Approach: Marketplace storefront

The only certain cost is the merchant account subscription, which is a monthly fee that depends on factors such as the number of items sold. Alternatively, marketplaces take a commission or referral payment from your sales. 

This puts your ecommerce costs between $50 and over $500 per month, with potential increases as sales grow.

They also offer other services like fulfilment and storage, and charge accordingly. If your monthly expenses become too high, it may be more sensible to reconsider your business model and opt for a custom-built website with ecommerce functionality.

When This Works:

• You're testing product ideas before building a full website
• Your business earns under $50K per year
• You're selling 10-100 products
• You need to launch quickly without technical skills
• You're comfortable with lower margins in exchange for simplicity

For small businesses, ecommerce website development costs typically range from $500 to $5,000, depending on complexity. The most budget-friendly and efficient route is using SaaS platforms or ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce, and Squarespace for building an ecommerce site.

Best Approach: All-in-one ecommerce platform

You can either set everything up yourself or hire developers to assist with web development and the setup process. The cost range is broad because it depends on the complexity and design goals of your project. Since you won't be on a marketplace anymore, you'll need to set up your own domain name, design elements, and add functionality.

A simple single-page or template-based site could be $500. A basic 5-page site without custom features typically costs around $1,500, but more complex sites with 5-10 pages and custom code can range from $2,500 to $5,000.

When This Works:

• Your annual revenue is $50K-$500K
• You need a professional appearance without custom development
• You want to launch within 1-2 weeks
• You require standard ecommerce features (cart, checkout, inventory)
• You plan to handle marketing and content yourself

For medium-sized businesses that require greater flexibility and scalability, open-source platforms like WordPress, Magento or WooCommerce are a good fit for building an ecommerce website from scratch. The open-source platforms are free. However, these platforms typically require technical knowledge, so hiring a developer is often necessary.

Best Approach: Open-source platform with a developer

Ecommerce website development costs increase significantly when you need custom features and integrations. However, this setup usually offers a more tailored user experience, better integration capabilities, improved control, and a stronger infrastructure, which can lead to better performance.

• Hosting: You'll need to manage your own hosting through providers like DigitalOcean or WP Engine, using hosting options designed for higher traffic. This typically includes  VPS hosting ($50-$100/month), which helps your site run faster and more reliably than basic hosting, or cloud hosting ($100–$200/month), which helps prevent slowdowns or crashes when traffic suddenly increases. You can also run your ecommerce site on a self-hosted server.
• SSL Certificate: Purchase separately from providers like DigiCert for $40-$100+ /year. Some hosting providers include basic certificates in their plans.
• Professional Branding: Invest $1,000-$5,000 for a comprehensive brand identity, including a logo, colour schemes, and brand guidelines, to ensure a consistent presentation across your custom site.

When This Works:

• Your annual revenue is $500K-$5M
• You need custom features not available in standard platforms
• You require specific integrations with business systems
• You want complete control over customer experience
• You have a budget for ongoing technical maintenance
• You plan to scale significantly over the next 2-3 years

One of the key decisions affecting ecommerce website development cost is whether to use a DIY website builder or hire a professional developer. Your choice impacts both immediate costs and long-term flexibility.

➡️ DIY Website Builders - Simple ecommerce needs on a predictable monthly budget.

DIY website builders, such as Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace, let you easily create a website using templates and drag-and-drop tools. Monthly costs typically range from $25 to $300+, with basic plans offering limited customisation. These platforms work well for ecommerce website creation when you need to launch quickly and have straightforward requirements.

➡️ Freelance developers - Highly customisable features

Freelancers provide a fully customised website tailored to your specific needs. Costs start from $3,000 to $10,000, with the potential to exceed $50,000 for complex projects. This approach makes sense when your business has validated its model and needs specific features that templates can't provide.

➡️ Development Agencies - Complex ecommerce builds that require strategy, integrations, and long-term support.

Development Agencies offer comprehensive services including strategy, web design, development, and ongoing support. Projects typically start at $20,000 and can exceed $100,000. Agencies suit businesses with complex requirements, multiple integrations, or those lacking internal technical resources.

➡️ Building from Scratch - Maximum control and flexibility with low startup costs, but higher technical effort and potential hidden expenses.

Building from Scratch using open-source tools like WordPress.org or Joomla offers the most control but requires significant time and technical skill. While the software is free, you'll need to budget for hosting ($5-$ 100/month), plugins ($10-$ 500), and potentially hiring assistance for complex features.

Focus on Essentials: When you're just starting out, stick to the core features you actually need. Spending on extra functions too early usually means more technical headaches and wasted budget on features you're not even using yet.

Use Templates: Before building from scratch, check available templates. You might find one that fits your vision. Pre-designed templates can significantly cut design costs whilst still offering a professional look.

Consider Open-Source Platforms: If you're comfortable with tech, open-source options like WooCommerce can be very affordable. They're free, but you'll need to handle web hosting and setup.

Explore Free or Low-Cost Tools: There are many free or low-cost plugins for tasks such as inventory management and shipping. For example, Analytics provides free in-depth data to track performance and Tawk.to offers free live chat services.

Spending to build your business? You’ll need a reliable way to manage business finances, especially when handling international payments, inventory purchases, or marketing expenses.

A business account separate your personal and business finances, making it easier to track expenses, control costs, and simplify tax reporting. If you're operating in or targeting global markets, a multi-currency business account is a smart move.

Statrys is a payment service provider offering business accounts for companies registered in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

With a Statrys business account, you can:

• Keep business transactions separate for better visibility, easier financial planning, and smoother accounting and tax filing
• Receive, hold and send payments in multiple currencies with FX fees as low as 0.1%
• Easily integrate with Shopify, Stripe, PayPal, and Xero accounting software
• Get support via phone, website chat, WhatsApp, WeChat and email