The Full Cost of Building an Ecommerce Website in 2025

Online sales are expected to make up nearly a quarter of global retail by 2027.* If you're planning to launch an ecommerce website to tap into this growth, you’re probably facing one of the biggest questions in the process: How much will it really cost? 

This guide breaks down ecommerce website pricing into the variables, attributes, and rates for each of the elements required to get an online store up and running. With these insights, you'll be in a better position to set a more accurate budget for your ecommerce website project.

Let’s get started. 

The best way to calculate ecommerce website cost is to start with the tools, solutions, and services you’ll need to meet your business requirements. This includes evaluating elements such as the domain name, ecommerce platform, add-ons, supporting solutions, and infrastructure providers. Based on these factors, you might get estimates like the one below.

You can evaluate these elements individually before finally drawing up a conclusive ecommerce website budget from their cumulative costs.

Let’s look at the components of the cost. When building an ecommerce website, there are several crucial elements that you need for the website to function effectively and securely, each of which contributes to the overall expense. 

Understanding what each component entails and how much it costs can help you plan your budget effectively. Below are the common key components:

• Domain Name
• Domain Hosting
• SSL Certificate
• Website Buiding and Design 
• Branding
• Payment Gateway
• Other Software and Plugins 

Domain Name Registration

A domain name is your website's address on the internet. It’s the unique name that customers use to access your ecommerce site. Domain name registration is the process of securing a unique name for your website through a domain registrar, an accredited organisation responsible for managing domain names. 

This is probably one of the cheapest aspects of building your ecommerce website. 

You can register yours for as little as USD 10-20 per year. Promotional offers can be even more affordable, sometimes as low as USD 1 per year.

Since you’re probably planning to run the ecommerce site for the long haul, you might want to go for the maximum domain registration period of 10 years – which usually totals around USD 50 - 150. 

Below is a comparison of domain registration prices across popular providers. Please note that the information is accurate as of January 2025 but may have been updated since.

If you plan to use an ecommerce website builder, many platforms offer a domain name for free or at a low price for the first year, with higher renewal rates in following years. Always check the renewal costs, as the initial price can be much lower than future rates.

Alternatively, you can purchase websites and domains from existing businesses if your desired domain isn't available, though it can be costly, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars for a desirable domain.

Domain Hosting 

Domain hosting is the service that stores your website’s data and makes it accessible to users via the internet. There are several types of hosting services to consider, each with different costs, benefits, and technical requirements. 

• Ecommerce Platform Hosting (Starting USD 15–30 per month): Solopreneurs and small ecommerce businesses using SaaS platforms like Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, and BigCommerce don't need separate hosting. These platforms include hosting as part of their subscription costs. 
• Shared Hosting (USD 5–10 per month): Shared hosting lets your website share a server with others, making it cost-effective but potentially slower with limited resources. It's ideal for small ecommerce stores or new sites with low initial traffic. 
• Virtual Private Server or VPS Hosting (USD 5–35 per month): VPS hosting divides a physical server into multiple virtual servers, each with dedicated resources. This means your portion of the server is isolated, improving performance and customisation. It is ideal for ecommerce businesses with moderate traffic and the need for faster load times. 
• Dedicated Hosting (USD 50–200+ per month): Dedicated hosting gives you exclusive use of an entire server, providing full control over configurations and faster performance. It is best for large-scale ecommerce websites. 
• Cloud Hosting (Pay as you go): Cloud hosting stores your website on a network of virtual servers, rather than a single physical server. It is ideal for growing ecommerce stores with fluctuating traffic. You pay only for the resources you use. 

A hosting provider may offer a range of hosting types, whether it is shared, VPS, dedicated, or cloud hosting. Examples of providers include Hostinger, GoDaddy, DigitalOcean, Cloudways, WP Engine, and Kinsta.

When picking a provider, you should also consider uptime guarantees of ideally 99.9% or higher, bandwidth limits, customer support, and security features such as daily backups and malware protection. Keep in mind that cheaper options may require more hands-on management.

SSL Certificates

Some website builders and hosting providers offer free SSL certificates with their plans, but if not, purchasing one is essential. An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is crucial for authenticating and securing your ecommerce website, and protecting sensitive customer information, such as credit card details. The cost of an SSL certificate can vary depending on the type and provider:

• Standard SSL Certificates (USD 10-50 per year): These are the most basic type, providing encryption for a single domain. 
• Wildcard SSL Certificates (USD 40 - 100+ per year): These certificates cover your main domain and all its subdomains, making them ideal if you have multiple subdomains. 
• Extended Validation SSL Certificates (USD 60-300 per year): EV certificates offer the highest level of validation, displaying your business name in the browser’s address bar to enhance trust.  

You can purchase SSL certificates directly from providers like DigiCert or Comodo.

Website Building and Design 

The next step is to focus on your website's layout and design. This includes the structure, navigation, content arrangement, responsiveness (how it adapts across different devices), and overall user experience. Web design also involves custom coding and technical aspects, such as implementing ecommerce functions or creating specialised pages.

Effective web design can have has a significant impact on user experience and checkout conversion rates. The cost of web design varies depending on whether you use a pre-built theme, a custom design, or a combination of both.

Many ecommerce platforms offer a variety of pre-designed themes, with options ranging from free or low-cost to more expensive ones. Typically, standard ecommerce themes sold on these platforms or marketplaces like ThemeForest range in price from around USD 20 to over USD 100, while premium themes can cost between USD 100-500.

For more advanced design features, you might consider hiring a professional, which would add to the overall cost. Hiring a professional web designer typically costs USD 75 per hour on average. For a complete website, costs range from USD 500–5,000.

Branding

Branding is all about differentiating your company. This is where you design your visual identities, such as logos, colour schemes, typography, and other brand assets used on your website and designed to reflect your company’s values, culture, and mission.

How to Get Branding Done:

• DIY or In-house: One option is to create your branding in-house using online tools like logo makers and design platforms. Costs for web-based logo makers such as Tailor Brands and Looka range from USD 4-100+, design tools like Canva and Adobe Illustrator offer both free versions and paid plans ranging from USD 20 - 100 per month, and templates from platforms like Creative Market and GraphicBurger are priced between USD 2 and USD 500. Altogether, the total cost for tools and services typically falls between USD 100 - 1,000 or more. 
• Outsource: Another approach is to outsource branding to freelancers. Rates for various professionals are around USD 100- USD 150 per hour, totalling USD 1,500 - 20,000 for full branding projects.
• Branding Agency: Large enterprises often hire branding agencies that provide a comprehensive, turn-key service with a full team of designers, copywriters, strategists, and PR experts. This service typically costs between USD 5,000- USD 80,000

Payment Gateways 

Payment gateways are crucial for handling transactions on your ecommerce website. Their cost structures vary, with transaction fees being the primary expense. Domestic payments typically incur fees of about 1% to 3%, while international transactions often start at 3% to 5%.

Most payment gateways waive monthly fees, but some charge around USD 25. 

For reference, here are the common payment gateway providers and their fees

Some ecommerce website builders include payment gateways as part of their offerings. However, they often charge additional transaction fees. It's worth noting these fees when selecting your platform.

Ecommerce Software and Plugins

Once you've customised your ecommerce site design and added the best payment processing gateways, you can switch your attention to the store functionalities. The objective at this point is to identify all the desired features that have been left out of the default system and then maybe try to work them in yourself. 

There are various methodologies you could use to set up those custom features, and each has its own impact on the ecommerce website costs.  

• Using Pre-Built Plugins: Platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce provide extensive app stores featuring thousands of plugins. You can also discover plugins on various websites like Codecanyon. Prices typically range from free to USD 20 - 200. Be sure to check whether the plugins are a one-time purchase or require a monthly subscription.
• Customising Integrations for Medium-Sized Stores: Some stores may require technical adjustments to integrate additional features effectively. This may involve hiring developers to configure plugins. Developer rates on freelance websites start from around USD 15 -30 per hour. Combined with the price of premium plugins, the total costs for advanced integrations are typically around USD 2,500.
• Developing Custom Plugins for Enterprises: Large enterprises often need fully customised plugins to meet complex operational requirements. These plugins are developed in-house or outsourced to professional teams and integrated via APIs. Depending on the complexity, the cost of developing custom plugins ranges from USD 500 to USD 10,000. 

Other Costs to Watch Out For

In addition to the costs mentioned above, there are other potential expenses beyond the initial development. Some of these may be unexpected or hidden, but they can accumulate over time:

• Updates & Maintenance: You may need software updates and bug fixes for security and compatibility. The associated costs can accumulate over time.
• Re-Designs: As you start using your website, you may realise that it does not meet your needs or align with your target audience’s behaviour or your business objectives. This can lead to the need for redesigns to better serve your goals and improve user experience.
• Legal Compliance Fees: Meeting legal requirements, such as data protection or accessibility, often involves additional costs for compliance measures. Failing to comply could also result in penalties.
• Support Costs: Post-launch support, including troubleshooting, is often necessary. However, these services typically come with extra charges if they are not covered by your initial contract.

There are several options available to build your website, from using a website builder to hiring a web designer or a full-service agency. The best choice depends on your business size, needs, and budget. 

In this section, we’ll explore which option might be most suitable for businesses of different sizes—whether you're starting a small online store, running a medium-sized business, or planning on a large enterprise—and the associated costs.

Solopreneurs

For solopreneurs, the simplest route is building an ecommerce storefront on an already established online marketplace like Amazon, AliExpress, or eBay. Here, you’ll only need to create a merchant account and set up product pages.

The only cost is the merchant account subscription, which depends on the number of listed items. Alternatively, some platforms may be free but take a commission from sales. This puts your ecommerce costs between USD 0 and over USD 500 per month, with potential increases as sales grow.

Small to Medium-Sized Businesses

Small to medium-sized businesses can benefit from SaaS (software as a service) ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce, and Squarespace.

These platform subscriptions start at around USD 15–30 per month. You can build your store by tweaking a pre-built template, which takes a few hours. Some templates are free, while premium ones cost USD 60–200.

Expect transaction fees from the platform's payment gateway and processing. Overall, total monthly costs can range from USD 30 to 1000+ per month.

Medium-Sized Businesses Specifically

For medium-sized businesses needing more flexibility, open-source platforms like WooCommerce or WordPress are ideal, though unlocking their full potential may require custom coding. Hiring a freelancer for said development can cost between USD 40–125 per hour, averaging around USD 75, with total development costs ranging from USD 1,500 to USD 3,500.

You'll also need to budget for essentials like SSL certificates and any premium themes or plugins. Overall, the total cost for a medium-sized ecommerce store could range from USD 1,500 to over USD 20,000, depending on your choices.

Enterprises

Enterprise-level ecommerce sites often require significant customisation to handle large product catalogues, complex customer journeys, omnichannel experiences, and high traffic. These sites are typically built and maintained by full-service web development agencies using self-hosted open-source platforms like Adobe Commerce, WooCommerce, or PrestaShop.

Building from scratch takes over 200 hours, involving custom functionalities, third-party integrations, and deployment. Costs for developing an enterprise-level ecommerce site can range from USD 5,000 - 90,000 or more.

One of the key decisions that will impact your ecommerce website cost is whether to use a DIY website builder or hire a professional developer. 

• DIY website builders: Platforms like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace offer a range of templates and drag-and-drop tools that allow you to build a website without coding skills.  Building your website on a DIY platform can also be much quicker. These platforms are generally more affordable but offer limited customisation. Costs typically range from USD 30-700.
• Professional development: Hiring a developer allows you to create a fully customised website tailored to your specific needs. However, this comes at a higher price, ranging from USD 1,500 to 12,000 per year, with the potential to exceed USD 50,000 USD for more complex projects.
• Building your site from scratch: Building your website from scratch offers the highest level of control and customisation. However, it involves a steep learning curve and requires ongoing maintenance, security management, and setup time. Costs vary depending on the tools used. Basic setups using free or low-cost tools can range from USD 80 - 300 per year, while advanced setups with premium tools can cost between USD 400 - 1,500 per year. Although hosting costs could start low, the significant investment in time and resources should be considered.

As your ecommerce website nears completion, we recommend finalising it with a well-planned marketing strategy to boost brand awareness, generate leads, attract customers, and drive growth.

We include marketing in the website-building costs because it can start even before the site is complete. Pre-launch campaigns can build brand awareness, followed by a soft launch to gather feedback and refine your business ahead of the main launch.

By the time your store goes live, you'll have created buzz, built mailing lists, and can start personalised messaging. Implement a CRM to manage leads, conversions, and customer retention. SEO, influencer marketing, and affiliate programs will further drive growth.

Here’s a breakdown of the marketing costs.

Pre-launch Campaigns

• PPC: The cost of Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can range from USD 100 to USD 10,000 per month, depending on your investment. On average, the cost-per-click is around USD 4.22.*
• Influencer marketing: Influencers typically charge around USD 0.01–0.05 per follower, depending on their reach and engagement. For example, Nano influencers (1k-10k followers) charge USD 10-100 per post, while Mega influencers (500k+ followers) charge USD 10,000+.
• Press releases: A freelance writer may charge between USD 150 and 1,000 per press release, with a skilled writer costing between USD 500 and 2,500. 

Post-launch Campaigns

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO agencies charge ecommerce websites about USD 100 - 250 an hour, which ultimately translates to USD 2,500 per month. The average cost of search engine optimisation, on the other hand, is said to be USD 3,000 per month. 
• Social media marketing: On average, businesses spend anywhere between USD 500 - 10,000 per month. It is important to distinguish between social media marketing and social media management because they require different pricing plans. 

Lead Conversion

• Customer Relationship Management: CRM systems for small businesses usually start at USD 10 - 30 per user every month, while enterprise-level CRM systems typically sell their advanced features for USD 20 - USD 150 per user every month. 
• Email marketing: The cost of email marketing ranges between USD 10 - 500 per month for small businesses, USD 250 to 1,200 for medium businesses and USD 5,000 - 15,000 for large enterprises.

• Choose the Right Platform: Start by evaluating your budget and technical requirements to select a platform that balances affordability and scalability. Prioritise essential features and avoid overspending on nice-to-have functionalities. Pre-designed templates can significantly cut design costs while still offering a professional look. Additionally, choose platforms that include built-in integrations for payment processing, shipping, and inventory management to eliminate the need for costly third-party tools.
• Leverage Open-Source Solutions: For tighter budgets, open-source platforms like WooCommerce (a free WordPress plugin) offer an economical option. Many free or low-cost plugins for tasks like inventory management, shipping, and customer reviews can enhance their functionality without breaking the bank. 
• Explore Free or Low-Cost Tools: Plenty of tools can help you optimise your ecommerce site without major expenses. For example, SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or RankMath are affordable, while Google Analytics provides free in-depth data to track performance and Tawk.to offers free live chat services.*
• Opt for Migration-Friendly Solutions: As your business evolves, you may need to switch platforms to accommodate new needs or technologies. A migration-friendly platform ensures that your data, customer information, and product catalogue can be transferred smoothly, reducing downtime and minimising costs associated with complex migrations. 
• Monitor and Analyze Costs Regularly: Continuously reviewing your expenses is key to identifying areas where you can save. 

Evidently, it's not cheap to build an ecommerce website. And let's not even mention the many hours that you'll be committing to the project. 

The most effective way to gain a competitive edge is by analysing your competitors' infrastructure and ensuring that you invest in a system that is equally strong or better. Identify their weaknesses and use those insights to develop a more effective offering. If building a website from scratch isn't your expertise, you may also want to consider buying established websites.

Now that you've learned all about the costs you need to build an ecommerce website, it may be time to consider defining your brand and starting an ecommerce business in 2025.