How Much Does an E-Commerce Store Cost in 2026? Complete Price Guide
"How much does an online store cost?" is one of the most common questions we hear from clients. Unfortunately, the answer isn't straightforward — the price depends on dozens of factors, from the chosen platform to the number of products and required features.
In this article, we bring you a complete breakdown of real e-commerce costs for 2026. No marketing fluff — just concrete numbers.
Three Paths to an Online Store
You essentially have three main options:
- Ready-made platform (Shoptet) — the most popular Czech e-commerce platform
- International SaaS (Shopify) — a global leader with a massive ecosystem
- Custom-built e-commerce — full control, but a higher investment
Each option has its place and its ideal customer. If you're interested not just in prices but also in the features and limits of each solution, read our comparison of Shoptet vs. Shopify vs. custom e-shop. Let's look at the actual numbers.
Shoptet — E-Commerce Pricing on the Most Popular Czech Platform
Shoptet dominates the Czech market with over 30,000 active stores. Its advantage is clear: Czech-language support, native integration with local shipping carriers and payment gateways.
Shoptet Monthly Plans
- Free — up to 50 products, basic features, subdomain
- Basic (499 CZK/month, ~20 EUR) — custom domain, 500 products
- Standard (999 CZK/month, ~40 EUR) — 3,000 products, extended analytics
- Business (1,999 CZK/month, ~80 EUR) — unlimited products, B2B features
- Premium (custom pricing) — for large stores with revenue over 200,000 EUR (5M CZK)
Realistic Total Costs on Shoptet
On top of the monthly plan, factor in:
- Custom template: 600–2,400 EUR (15,000–60,000 CZK) one-time
- Add-ons: 8–80 EUR/month (200–2,000 CZK/month) each
- Accounting system integration: 200–800 EUR (5,000–20,000 CZK)
- SEO setup: 400–1,200 EUR (10,000–30,000 CZK)
Realistic first-year cost on Shoptet: 1,600–6,000 EUR (40,000–150,000 CZK)
Shopify — Pricing for a Global Solution
Shopify offers a more sophisticated admin interface and a huge App Store. However, in Central Europe, you may run into localization challenges.
Shopify Monthly Plans
- Basic: ~32 EUR/month (~800 CZK)
- Shopify: ~85 EUR/month (~2,100 CZK)
- Advanced: ~330 EUR/month (~8,300 CZK)
Hidden Costs of Shopify in Europe
- Localization and translations: 400–1,600 EUR (10,000–40,000 CZK)
- Local shipping carrier integrations: require paid apps
- Local invoicing compliance: additional apps or custom solutions
- Transaction fees: 0.5–2% per order (if not using Shopify Payments)
Realistic first-year cost on Shopify: 2,400–8,000 EUR (60,000–200,000 CZK)
Custom-Built E-Commerce Store
If you need specific features, ERP integrations, or a completely unique design, a custom solution is the only way to go.
Custom E-Commerce Price Ranges
- Small store (up to 500 products): 3,200–8,000 EUR (80,000–200,000 CZK)
- Medium store (custom features, integrations): 8,000–20,000 EUR (200,000–500,000 CZK)
- Large store (marketplace, B2B): 20,000–80,000 EUR (500,000–2,000,000 CZK)
Add monthly costs for hosting (40–200 EUR / 1,000–5,000 CZK) and maintenance (80–400 EUR / 2,000–10,000 CZK).
Comparison Table: E-Commerce Cost by Platform
| Parameter | Shoptet | Shopify | Custom Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial investment | 200–2,400 EUR (5,000–60,000 CZK) | 400–2,000 EUR (10,000–50,000 CZK) | 3,200–20,000 EUR (80,000–500,000 CZK) |
| Monthly costs | 20–120 EUR (500–3,000 CZK) | 32–340 EUR (800–8,500 CZK) | 120–600 EUR (3,000–15,000 CZK) |
| First-year costs | 1,600–6,000 EUR (40,000–150,000 CZK) | 2,400–8,000 EUR (60,000–200,000 CZK) | 4,800–28,000 EUR (120,000–700,000 CZK) |
| Time to launch | 2–4 weeks | 2–6 weeks | 2–6 months |
| Local localization | Native | Requires customization | As specified |
| Scalability | Medium | High | Maximum |
| Platform dependency | High | High | None |
What Impacts E-Commerce Costs the Most?
1. Number of Products and Categories
A store with 50 products and one with 10,000 products are entirely different projects. A larger catalog requires advanced filtering, search, and variant management.
2. Integrations
Connecting to accounting software, warehouse management, ERP, or CRM can account for 30–50% of the total project cost.
3. Custom Design vs. Template
A template-based design saves tens of thousands. The question is whether you can afford that when your competitors are investing in unique design.
4. Payment Gateways and Shipping
Integration with payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, or local gateways is standard. More complex is connecting multiple shipping carriers with automatic price calculation.
Where Not to Cut Corners
Based on our experience with dozens of e-commerce projects, we recommend never skimping on these essentials:
- Mobile optimization — over 70% of visitors come from mobile devices
- Page load speed — every extra second reduces conversions by 7%
- SEO foundation — without it, customers won't find you on Google
- Security — SSL, backups, and updates are non-negotiable
- Quality product photography — it dramatically impacts sales
Which Option Should You Choose?
Shoptet is ideal for local businesses that want to start selling quickly and don't need non-standard features. Its advantage is native local support and ecosystem. See our Shoptet e-commerce development services.
Shopify pays off if you plan to sell internationally or want to leverage a wide ecosystem of apps. Learn more about our Shopify e-commerce solutions.
Custom-built is the way to go when you have specific requirements, need integration with enterprise systems, or want maximum control over performance and functionality. Explore our custom e-commerce development offering.
Summary
E-commerce costs in 2026 range from 1,600 EUR (40,000 CZK) for a simple Shoptet store to hundreds of thousands for a custom-built solution. The key is defining your actual requirements and budget before choosing a platform. A cheaper solution upfront can be more expensive in the long run if it limits your growth — and we break down why in our article on why a cheap e-shop is actually the most expensive one.
If you're unsure which solution is right for you, don't hesitate to get in touch — we'll be happy to help you choose based on your budget and goals.