Online stores
, 2 min read
Shopify, WordPress or a custom online store: the real cost in India
The cheapest store to start is not always the cheapest to run. How the three common options charge you, and which one fits a small brand in India.
Every small brand that wants to sell online ends up choosing between the same three options. Each one charges you in a different way, so the price you see on day one is rarely the price you pay over three years.
Shopify
Shopify is a hosted store you rent by the month. You pay a monthly plan, plus paid apps for features the plan does not include, and possibly a paid theme. Depending on your plan and payment gateway, Shopify may also take a small transaction fee on each sale, on top of what the gateway charges. Check Shopify’s current India pricing page before you decide, because plans and fees change.
- Good: fast to start, reliable, no servers to look after.
- Watch: monthly cost that grows with apps, and fees that grow with sales.
- Ownership: you own your products and customer list, but you rent the store.
WordPress with WooCommerce
WooCommerce is free software that turns a WordPress site into a store. The software costs nothing, but you pay for hosting, often for premium plugins and a theme, and for someone to keep it updated. There is no platform fee on your sales.
- Good: no monthly platform fee, full control, huge choice of plugins.
- Watch: regular updates are essential, and every plugin adds weight and risk.
- Ownership: you own all of it, including the hosting account.
A custom built store
A custom store is built for you, with only the features you need. It costs more to build than setting up a template, but there is no platform fee and no stack of paid apps, and it can be much faster on a phone.
- Good: fast, exactly what you need, no per sale platform fee.
- Watch: changes go through a developer unless an admin panel is included.
- Ownership: you own the code, the domain and the hosting.
How to compare them fairly
| Cost | Shopify | WooCommerce | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building it | Low to medium | Low to medium | Medium |
| Monthly platform fee | Yes | No | No |
| Fee on each sale | Possibly | Gateway only | Gateway only |
| Paid apps or plugins | Often | Often | Rarely |
| Updates and upkeep | Handled for you | Your job | Light |
Add up three years, not one month. That is where the options really separate.
Which suits a small brand in India
If you want to test an idea quickly and sell a few products, Shopify gets you started fastest. If you want control and no platform fees and have someone to maintain it, WooCommerce works well. If you already sell steadily and want a fast store with no monthly platform cost, a custom build usually costs less over time.
Our online store package starts at ₹10,000 in India, priced on scope, and includes the catalogue, cart, checkout, payment gateway, a basic admin panel for products, prices, stock and orders, and training. We will tell you if Shopify would suit you better.