A professional Shopify store usually costs $300–$3,000 to build (one-time) plus $40–$200 per month to run. The monthly part is your Shopify plan and apps; the one-time part is design, setup and products. A simple DIY store can start under $100, while a fully custom agency build can pass $10,000.
1. Shopify cost at a glance
Every Shopify store has two kinds of cost: a one-time cost to design and launch it, and a monthly cost to keep it running. Here is what most small and growing brands actually spend:
| Type of store | One-time build | Monthly running cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY starter store | $0 – $300 | $40 – $80 | Testing an idea, very small catalogue |
| Professional setup (theme-based) | $300 – $1,500 | $50 – $150 | Small businesses moving from Instagram or Facebook |
| Custom-designed brand store | $1,500 – $5,000 | $100 – $300 | Brands running ads and focused on conversions |
| Advanced / high-volume store | $5,000 – $20,000+ | $300 – $2,500+ | Large catalogues, custom features, Shopify Plus |
These are typical market ranges. The exact price depends on how many products you have, how custom the design is, and which features (payments, translations, subscriptions) you need.
2. Shopify plan fees
Your Shopify subscription is the one cost you can’t avoid. Shopify offers several plans, billed monthly or at a discount when paid yearly:
- Basic – everything a new store needs. Roughly $29–$39/month.
- Shopify (Grow) – better reports and more staff accounts. Roughly $79–$105/month.
- Advanced – lower card fees and advanced reporting for growing stores. Roughly $299–$399/month.
- Shopify Plus – for high-volume brands. Starts at around $2,300/month.
For most new stores, Basic is enough. Upgrade only when your sales volume makes the lower card fees on higher plans worth it.
3. Theme costs
The theme controls how your store looks. You have three options:
- Free themes ($0) – clean and fast, but many stores look the same.
- Premium themes (usually $180–$400 one-time) – more layouts and features, made for specific industries like fashion or electronics.
- Custom design – built for your brand on top of a theme or from scratch. This is where most of the design budget goes, and where conversions improve the most.
A good rule: if you plan to run paid ads, invest in design. A store that looks cheap loses visitors in seconds – no matter how good the ad is.
4. App costs
Apps add features Shopify doesn’t include by default. Typical examples:
| App type | Typical monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Product reviews | $0 – $30 |
| Email & SMS marketing | $0 – $100+ (grows with your list) |
| Upsells & bundles | $10 – $50 |
| Translation / multi-language | $0 – $40 |
| WhatsApp chat & order notifications | $0 – $30 |
Most stores need 3–6 apps, which usually adds $20–$150 per month. Be careful: too many apps slow your store down and quietly increase your bill.
5. Payment & transaction fees
Every time a customer pays, the payment provider takes a small fee – typically around 2–3.5% plus a small fixed amount per order, depending on your country, plan and payment method. Buy-now-pay-later options (like Tabby, Tamara or Klarna) usually cost the merchant more per order, but often increase average order value.
If you use a third-party gateway instead of Shopify’s own payments (where it is available), Shopify may add an extra transaction fee on top. Check this before choosing a gateway – it can make a big difference at scale.
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6. Design & development: DIY vs freelancer vs agency
This is the biggest difference between a $300 store and a $5,000 store. Here is how the three routes compare:
| DIY | Freelancer | Agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | $0 – $300 | $300 – $3,000 | $1,500 – $15,000+ |
| Time to launch | Weeks (your time) | 2 – 6 weeks | 2 – 8 weeks |
| Design quality | Basic template | Varies a lot | Custom, conversion-focused |
| Payments, tracking, SEO | You set it up | Sometimes included | Usually included & tested |
| Support after launch | None | Depends on the person | Team & contract |
At Pak Web Service we sit between a freelancer and a big agency: a 16-person team with flat prices. Our custom Shopify store packages start from $790 (Growth $1,490, Premium Brand $2,490+), with design, payments, tracking and SEO set up and tested – and we have built 3,400+ stores over the last 10 years.
7. Shopify costs in the UAE, UK & Europe
United Arab Emirates & Saudi Arabia
- Customers expect cash on delivery and buy-now-pay-later options such as Tabby and Tamara; in Saudi Arabia, Mada cards matter.
- Arabic and English stores convert best – budget for translation and right-to-left design if you target local shoppers.
- Plan for VAT (5% in the UAE, 15% in Saudi Arabia) to be shown correctly at checkout.
United Kingdom
- Shoppers expect fast checkout with Apple Pay, Google Pay and often Klarna or Clearpay.
- Prices are usually shown including 20% VAT, and clear delivery and returns pages are essential for trust.
European Union
- Local payment methods matter: iDEAL (Netherlands), Bancontact (Belgium), SEPA and Klarna across many countries.
- Selling across EU countries means handling VAT rules (often through the EU One-Stop-Shop) and GDPR-compliant cookie and privacy pages.
- Multi-language and multi-currency setup usually adds to the build cost but pays off in conversions.
Store-building costs are similar in every country – what changes is the payments, tax and language setup. A good developer builds these in from day one.
8. Hidden costs most people forget
- Domain name – about $10–$20 per year.
- Product photos – often the biggest difference between a store that sells and one that doesn’t.
- Copywriting – product descriptions and policy pages.
- Email marketing – free at first, then grows with your subscriber list.
- Ongoing maintenance – new banners, product uploads and fixes, often $100–$300 per month if you outsource it.
- Marketing budget – a store needs traffic. Plan ads or SEO from the start.
9. How to keep your Shopify costs low
- Start on the Basic plan and upgrade only when sales justify it.
- Pay yearly to get Shopify’s annual discount.
- Use fewer, better apps – remove anything you don’t actively use.
- Invest in design once instead of redesigning every few months.
- Choose a fixed-price package so you know the full cost before work starts.
10. Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to start a Shopify store?
Use the Basic plan, a free theme and only the apps you really need. You can launch for under $100 – but expect to spend more on design and photos if you want the store to convert well.
Is Shopify cheaper than WooCommerce?
Shopify has a fixed monthly fee but less maintenance. WooCommerce has no platform fee but needs hosting, plugins and more upkeep. For most small brands the total cost is similar; Shopify is easier to run, WooCommerce gives more control.
How long does it take to build a Shopify store?
A theme-based professional store usually takes 7–14 days. A fully custom design takes around 2–4 weeks, depending on the number of products and features.
Do I need to pay monthly for a Shopify store?
Yes. You always pay a Shopify plan fee, plus any paid apps. Design and setup is a one-time cost.
How much does a Shopify store cost in the UAE?
Building costs are similar to other countries. The main extras are local payment setup (COD, Tabby, Tamara), Arabic translation and VAT configuration, which a developer should include in the quote.
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Anees has spent 10+ years building online stores. His team of 16 has delivered 3,400+ Shopify and WooCommerce stores for brands in the Gulf, Europe and South Asia.