"How much does an online store cost?" is one of the most common questions I get 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.
The short version: an e-commerce store costs roughly €1,600 to €8,000 in its first year, depending on the platform and scope. A cheaper start exists, but you usually pay for it later, in limits that start holding you back.
In this article, I give you a complete breakdown of real e-commerce costs for 2026. No marketing fluff, just concrete numbers. There's also an interactive calculator further down that gives you a ballpark figure from a few questions. If you need a presentation website rather than a store, I have a separate guide on how much a website costs.
This article covers the price. The full founding process, trade licence, VAT, legal requirements and launch, is in how to start an e-shop.
Quick Answer: How Much Does an E-Commerce Store Cost?
| Solution | Initial investment | First-year cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoptet | from €3,200 | €1,600-6,000 | A fast start on the Czech market |
| Shopify | €400-2,000 | €2,400-8,000 | Selling cross-border |
| Custom store | from €5,600 | from €5,600 | Custom features, ERP, full control |
These figures assume a store built by a professional, not a template configured by yourself. With me, a Shoptet or Shopify build starts at €3,200 and a custom React/Next.js store at €5,600, details on the custom e-shop page.
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 my 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 (0 CZK/month), up to 10 products
- Basic (440 CZK/month), up to 100 products
- Business (1,490 CZK/month), up to 1,000 products
- Profi (2,490 CZK/month), up to 5,000 products
- Enterprise (4,690 CZK/month), up to 50,000 products
- Premium (from 12,000 CZK/month), up to 100,000 products
Shoptet prices exclude VAT and were checked on 26 August 2026.
Realistic Total Costs on Shoptet
On top of the monthly plan, factor in:
- Custom template: €600-2,400 one-time
- Add-ons: 8-80 EUR/month (€8-80/mo) each
- Accounting system integration: €200-800
- SEO setup: €400-1,200
Realistic first-year operating cost on Shoptet: €1,600-6,000 (plans, add-ons, and setup combined). Note that a professionally built Shoptet store with custom design starts from €3,200; the lower end of this range applies to self-built stores on a ready-made template.
The most common budgeting mistake is comparing platforms by their monthly fees alone. Most of the first-year budget goes to one-time items, a custom template, accounting system integration, and SEO setup. Plan around the total first-year cost, not the plan fee times twelve.
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: 499 CZK/month with annual billing, 670 CZK with monthly billing
- Grow: 1,370 CZK/month with annual billing, 1,830 CZK with monthly billing
- Advanced: 7,130 CZK/month with annual billing, 9,510 CZK with monthly billing
- Plus: from EUR 2,100/month on a three-year term
Shopify prices were checked on 26 August 2026; paid apps and integrations are separate.
Hidden Costs of Shopify in Europe
- Localization and translations: €400-1,600
- 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
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): from €5,600 (€5,600-8,000)
- Medium store (custom features, integrations): €8,000-20,000
- Large store (marketplace, B2B): €20,000-80,000
Add monthly costs for hosting (40-200 EUR / €40-200) and maintenance (80-400 EUR / €80-400).
Comparison Table: E-Commerce Cost by Platform
| Parameter | Shoptet | Shopify | Custom Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| My entry price for delivery | from €3,200 | from €3,200 | from 140,000 CZK |
| Platform plan | 0-4,690 CZK; Premium from 12,000 CZK | 499-9,510 CZK; Plus from EUR 2,100 on a three-year term | no platform plan |
| Other operating costs | add-ons and integrations | apps, transactions and integrations | hosting, maintenance and further development |
| 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 |
How Much Does It Cost to Set Up an Online Store?
"Setting up a store" and "running a store" are two different numbers, and they get confused more than anything else. Setup cost is what you pay before the first order arrives, and it breaks down into four items:
- Platform setup, a matter of hours on Shoptet and Shopify; part of the build for a custom store
- Design, a custom Shoptet template runs €600-2,400; on Shopify add local translations at €400-1,600
- Filling in products, the most underestimated item, see below
- Basic SEO setup, €400-1,200
In total: a professionally built Shoptet store starts at €3,200, while a self-built store on a ready-made template can start far lower. On Shopify, expect €400-2,000 for setup; on a custom store, setup is part of the build from €5,600.
You only get below that if you configure everything yourself. That's a legitimate choice, just budget dozens of hours of your own time instead of money.
Descriptions, photos and categories for two hundred products take more hours in practice than getting the store itself running. When you plan the budget and the launch date, treat content as its own line item, not as something that "happens along the way".
E-Commerce Build Cost: One-Time vs. Monthly
The cost of building an online store comes from two separate money flows, and it pays not to mix them:
One-time (the build):
- Shoptet or Shopify build: from €3,200
- Custom store in React/Next.js: from €5,600
- Migration from an old platform: €1,000-2,400 depending on data volume
Ongoing (running it):
- Platform plan: Shoptet 0-4,690 CZK/month (Premium from 12,000 CZK); Shopify 499-9,510 CZK/month depending on billing (Plus from EUR 2,100 on a three-year term)
- A custom store has no platform plan; hosting, maintenance and further development are budgeted around the operation
- Optional monthly care: €200-800/mo (SEO, content, technical maintenance, minor edits)
The build is a one-off investment; the care package is optional, you decide whether you want ongoing support or prefer to run the store yourself. No contract, monthly cancellation. Full breakdown on the custom e-shop page.
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.
Connecting accounting, warehouse, ERP, or CRM systems can account for 30-50% of the total project cost. Write down every system your store must connect to before requesting quotes, only then will the offers be comparable and free of surprises.
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 my experience with dozens of e-commerce projects, I 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 my 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 my 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 my custom e-commerce development offering.
🧮 Get a Ballpark Figure in Seconds
Don't feel like working through tables? Open the price calculator, answer a few questions (project type, number of products, languages, integrations) and get an indicative range straight away. No commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an e-commerce store cost? In 2026, budget €1,600-6,000 for the first year on Shoptet, €2,400-8,000 on Shopify, and from €5,600 for a custom store. The difference comes mainly from design, integrations and product count, not from the platform fee itself.
How much does it cost to set up an online store? A professionally built Shoptet store starts at €3,200; on Shopify, expect €400-2,000 for setup. The range is wide because it covers everything from a ready-made template to a fully custom design.
How much does a custom e-commerce build cost? A Shoptet or Shopify build starts at €3,200 with me, and a fully custom React/Next.js store at €5,600. Scope, integrations and content volume drive the final number.
How much does it cost to run an online store per month? Shoptet plans run 0-4,690 CZK/month, with Premium from 12,000 CZK. Shopify runs 499-9,510 CZK/month depending on billing, with Plus from EUR 2,100 on a three-year term. A custom store has no platform plan, but hosting, maintenance and further development still need a budget. Optional care is €200-800/mo.
What's the cheapest way to start selling online? Shoptet's Free tier with ten products, if you set everything up yourself. It's a legitimate way to validate demand, just account for the limits, and for the fact that your own time isn't free.
Is a custom store worth it, or is Shoptet enough? For most sellers starting out on the Czech market, Shoptet is enough. A custom build pays off once you need ERP integration, non-standard features, or the platform's limits start holding back your growth.
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 I break down why in my article on why a cheap e-shop is actually the most expensive one.
Shoptet for a fast local start, Shopify for international sales, custom development for specific features and full control. Decide based on requirements you define upfront, the cheapest entry point can end up the most expensive if it limits your growth.
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.