Shopify Website Cost to Set Up and Open Online Store

Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce solutions available today, offering a range of features and tools to help you create a professional website quickly and easily. But how much does it cost to build a shopify website?

In this article, we will delve into the different Shopify packages available, their inclusions, and additional costs you might need to consider. We will also provide useful tips to help ensure that your venture is successful. Whether you’re starting a new online business or want to migrate an existing one to Shopify, this guide will help you make informed decisions and find the best Shopify plan for your needs.

Is there a fee to sell on Shopify?

Yes, businesses will be charged to sell on Shopify. The cost of setting up and managing an online store with Shopify depends on the package you choose. Three plans are available – Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify – each offering different features and price points. All plans include unlimited products, 24/7 support, and secure payment processing. 

Apart from subscription fees, there are also additional costs to consider when using Shopify, such as processing fees, domain name registration charges, and credit card payment transaction fees. These may vary depending on your needs and the type of plan you select. 

Overall, shopify website prices can vary based on which package you choose. However, investing in Shopify brings a lot of benefits to businesses over other e-commerce platforms, such as: 

– An easy-to-use platform – no coding skills are required and it takes only minutes to set up your store. 

– A highly customizable design – you can personalize the look and feel of your store to fit your brand. 

– Built-in marketing tools – Shopify provides built-in SEO, secure shopping cart and payment gateways, promotional features such as discount codes, multi-currency support, and more. 

– A reliable hosting solution – Shopify stores are hosted on the shopify.com domain, which is well-known for being highly secure and reliable. 

– An intuitive interface – easily manage your store thanks to a user-friendly dashboard that allows you to add products, process orders, and accept payments quickly.

Total costs to selling online on Shopify

Total costs to selling online on Shopify

Shopify packages

The Shopify packages range from $29 to $299/month and offer various features tailored to the needs of different businesses. However, All Shopify packages come with a 14-day free trial so you can test the platform before committing to any fees.

Basic Shopify plan

Basic Shopify plan – The Basic Shopify plan includes all essential features to get your store running quickly and easily. 

– Unlimited products and bandwidth 

– Abandoned cart recovery 

– Discount codes/ gift cards

– Sell on social media platforms

– Custom domain name registration 

– 24/7 customer support.  

This plan is ideal for entrepreneurs just starting out and comes with a $29 setup fee per month. Shopify offers features such as unlimited products, access to 24/7 support, secure payments, shipping and fraud analysis. 

Shopify plan

Shopify plan has a $79 setup fee per month. In addition to the features available in Basic Shopify, the Shopify plan offers: 

– Real Time Carrier Shipping 

– Advanced Reporting Tools 

– Professional Reports & Invoices 

The Shopify Plan is designed for established businesses wanting more customization options and offers additional features such as staff accounts, a discount code engine, professional reporting tools, gift cards and abandoned cart recovery. 

Advanced Shopify Plan

Advanced Shopify Plan – This is the most comprehensive package offered by Shopify and comes with a $299 setup fee per month. For larger companies looking for advanced functionality, the Advanced Shopify Plan is best suited. 

It includes all the features of the other two plans plus additional advanced tools such as abandoned cart recovery, fraud analysis, third-party calculated shipping rates, up to fifteen staff accounts and more. 

Overall, Shopify offers a range of packages that cater to businesses of all sizes and budgets, making it a great option for anyone looking to start or grow their online store.

Shopify website build cost

Setting up a Shopify website comes with expenses on domain names, themes, and apps to personalize your online store.

Domain Name

One of the critical elements in establishing an online store is securing a domain name that reflects your brand identity. Shopify simplifies this process by offering a free myshopify.com domain for all its plans. 

This domain name is ideal for new businesses starting their online journey, providing a straightforward and cost-effective solution. However, if you want a more personalized domain name, Shopify allows you to purchase a custom domain at an annual cost ranging from $11 to $81, depending on the type of domain you choose. 

Moreover, if you already have a registered domain name, Shopify makes it easy for you to link it to your store at no additional cost, saving you time and money in the process.

Themes and Design

Your website only has 50 milliseconds (0.05 seconds) to make a good first impression. Trust is key in attracting shoppers, and your branding plays a crucial role in establishing it. 

Thankfully, ecommerce platforms like Shopify offer user-friendly templates that can quickly get your online store up and running. With Shopify Themes, you can easily customize your layout, colors, and style with minimal effort and cost. 

Whether you need a homepage, product pages, shopping cart, checkout page, FAQ or About pages, these templates have got you covered.

With over 100 free themes and 70 premium themes available, you can find the perfect design for your brand. Premium themes range from $150 to $350 in price.

Shopify transaction fees

Transaction fees are an important Shopify website cost category that impacts your bottom line. These fees apply to all transactions processed by third-party payment services, and the percentage depends on the Shopify plan you choose. 

The Basic Shopify plan incurs a 2% fee, the standard Shopify plan incurs a 1% fee, and the Advanced Shopify plan only incurs a 0.5% fee. Alternatively, if you opt to use Shopify Payments, you can avoid additional fees altogether.

Shopify credit card rates

When running a Shopify store, don’t forget to factor in credit card rates. These rates have a direct impact on Shopify store costs and your profit margin.

Shopify charges a fee each time you accept credit card payments, which tends to be higher than other payment methods due to the associated risks.

The credit card rates vary depending on your Shopify plan. For the Basic Shopify plan, online credit card payments are charged at 2.9% + $0.3 while offline payments are charged at 2.7%. On the other hand, online and offline payments for more advanced plans are charged slightly lower at 2.6% + $0.30 and 2.5%, respectively.

Shopify POS payments

This is one of the important Shopify website cost types to note for businesses. If your business requires in-person payments, Shopify provides two options for point-of-sale (POS) systems: Shopify POS Lite and Shopify POS Pro. 

The POS Lite option is available on all Shopify plans and enables you to manage customer profiles, products, and orders, with in-person credit card transaction fees being charged on transactions made through the POS Lite system.

Alternatively, Shopify POS Pro is available on all plans for an additional cost of $89 per month and per location. This premium version of the POS system provides advanced features such as staff management, multiple location management, and advanced reporting. 

Note that you will still be charged for credit card transactions made, regardless of the POS system you choose. Both options offer seamless integration with your online Shopify store, providing a unified system for all of your sales and inventory management needs, whether online or in-person.

Add-on and extension

No single ecommerce software can fully cater to the needs of all ecommerce businesses. As such, you may need to customize your website with additional features. 

Shopify allows you to supplement your store with applications, enriching its ecommerce capabilities and enhancing the user experience. Shopify App Store boasts a vast selection of thousands of apps, including numerous free Shopify apps. 

Shopify provides over 3000 apps for businesses to use to enhance their online stores. These apps offer additional features and integrations that are not provided by Shopify, such as email marketing, customer service tools, and inventory management systems. 

With thousands of options to choose from, you can easily enhance your online store with email marketing, social media selling, social proof, and superior SEO. 

Conclusion

Setting up a Shopify website to open an online store incurs certain costs, including domain name registration, theme customization, app integrations, and payment systems. However, Shopify’s pricing plans are designed to cater to the varying needs and budgets of businesses, making it a flexible and affordable option for businesses of all sizes. 

With its user-friendly platform, extensive app library, and excellent customer support, Shopify provides an excellent solution for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence and sell their products or services effectively. 
Ultimately, shopify website development cost is an investment in your business’s future, as it provides the tools and resources needed to establish a successful online store and grow your business over time.