How much does an online store cost? Real numbers for 2026
A line-by-line look at what you’ll actually pay to run an online store, how monthly fees, per-sale fees and self-hosting compare, and two example budgets you can adapt.
Shopping Master team · · 6 min read
An online store can cost as little as $0 a month in platform fees plus card processing on each sale, or several hundred dollars a month once you add a premium plan, paid apps and a custom theme. For most small US stores, the real costs come down to six items: the platform plan, payment processing (around 3% of each card sale), a domain, the apps and tools you add, shipping supplies, and your own time. Here’s each one, with published list prices and two example budgets.
Three ways platforms charge you
Before comparing prices, understand the pricing models. The cheapest-looking option isn’t always the cheapest at your sales volume.
- Monthly fee: a fixed subscription, whatever you sell. Predictable, and it gets cheaper per order as you grow.
- Per-sale fees: some platforms take a percentage of each sale, sometimes only when you use an outside payment provider. Cheap while sales are low, expensive as they grow.
- Self-hosted: the software is free (WooCommerce, for example), but you pay for hosting, premium plugins and often a developer’s time.
Many platforms combine the first two. Payment processing is a separate cost, and it applies to all of them.
1. The platform plan
Here are the entry plans of common platforms. These are list prices published by each provider (November 2026, monthly billing unless noted), and they change often. For each one we list the cheapest plan that can take payments.
| Platform | Entry plan | Extra fee on sales |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Basic: $39/mo ($29/mo billed yearly) | 2% if you don’t use Shopify Payments |
| Wix | Core: $36/mo ($29/mo billed yearly) | None added |
| Squarespace | Basic: $25/mo ($19/mo billed yearly) | 2% on Basic; none from Core ($39/mo, or $29/mo billed yearly) |
| BigCommerce | Core: $39/mo ($29/mo billed yearly) | 2% with payment providers outside its embedded list |
| WooCommerce | Free plugin, plus hosting | None from WooCommerce |
| Shopping Master | Free: $0; Pro: $15/mo; Business: $35/mo | None, on any plan |
Check what the entry plan leaves out. A custom domain, product reviews, gift cards or abandoned-cart emails can mean a higher plan or a paid app. On Shopping Master, the Free plan includes unlimited products, discount codes and CSV exports of your orders, customers and products; Pro adds your own domain, reviews, gift cards, digital downloads, abandoned-cart recovery and exportable reports (compare plans). For a closer look at each platform, see Shopify alternatives in 2026.
2. Payment processing: the cost nobody avoids
Every card payment carries a processing fee, whichever platform you use. Stripe’s standard US pricing is 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card payment, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% when currency conversion is needed, with no monthly fee (Stripe pricing, as of November 2026).
Example: on a $40 order paid with a US card, the Stripe fee is $1.46 (2.9% of $40 is $1.16, plus 30¢). Across 100 orders like that, you pay about $146 in processing. That’s a normal cost of doing business, but a 2% platform fee on the same $4,000 in sales would add another $80. We explain the difference in how to sell online without transaction fees.
3. Domain, apps and tools
- Domain: a yearly fee paid to a registrar. A standard .com is a modest line item; watch for first-year promotions that renew at a higher price. Hosted platforms give you a free address to start, and you can connect your own domain later.
- Apps and plugins: reviews, upsells, subscriptions, pop-ups. On some platforms each one is its own monthly subscription, so add them up before you choose a platform.
- Email marketing: many email tools have a free tier for small lists and paid tiers as the list grows.
- Theme: free themes are fine for most new stores; premium themes are usually a one-time purchase.
- Photography: a light box and a recent phone go a long way. A professional shoot is a one-time cost for when you’re ready.
4. Shipping supplies and postage
If you sell physical products, budget for boxes or mailers, tape, labels and filler and, once you ship often, a label printer and a postal scale. Postage depends on weight, size, distance and carrier. Whether you charge it to the customer, absorb it or offer free shipping over an amount, it’s a real cost on every order. Weigh a packed sample of each product before you set your shipping rates, not after.
5. Your time
The cost most new store owners leave out is their own time: photographing products, writing descriptions, answering messages, packing orders and running promotions. Track it for the first month. If an hour of packing earns you less than you’d accept as a wage, that’s a signal to raise prices, simplify packaging or batch your shipping days. Tools that save time belong in this line too: automatic order emails, abandoned-cart reminders and, increasingly, an AI assistant connected to your store.
Two example monthly budgets
These are example numbers, not quotes; yours will differ with your products and volume. Both assume orders averaging $40, paid with US cards through Stripe.
| Cost (example) | Just starting: 25 orders | Growing: 120 orders |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | $1,000 | $4,800 |
| Platform plan | $0 (Shopping Master Free) | $15 (Shopping Master Pro) |
| Card processing (2.9% + 30¢) | $36.50 | $175.20 |
| Domain (example: $20 a year) | $0 (free address) | $1.67 |
| Email tool | $0 (free tier) | $20 |
| Packaging supplies | $30 | $110 |
| Total monthly cost | $66.50 | $321.87 |
Postage isn’t in the table because most stores charge it to the customer or build it into their prices; if you offer free shipping, add your average postage per order. For comparison, a platform that took a 2% fee on these sales would add $20 to the first budget and $96 to the second, every month.
How to keep costs down
- Start on a free or low-cost plan and upgrade only when a feature pays for itself.
- Prefer platforms that don’t take a cut of your sales; the difference grows with every order.
- Count apps before you install them, and remove the ones you don’t use.
- Raise your average order value with bundles and a free-shipping threshold, so fixed costs per order shrink.
- Offer local pickup to nearby customers: no postage and less packaging.
- Keep refunds and chargebacks low with clear photos, size guides and policies. They cost fees and time.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start an online store for free?
Yes. Shopping Master’s Free plan has no monthly fee, needs no card and includes unlimited products. You pay Stripe’s processing fee only when a customer pays by card. Inventory, packaging and a domain are separate costs.
What’s a realistic monthly budget for a small online store?
It depends on volume, but many small stores run on the platform fee plus about 3% of card sales plus packaging. In our examples, a store with 25 orders a month spent about $67, and one with 120 orders spent about $322.
Is it cheaper to self-host with WooCommerce?
The software is free, but hosting, premium plugins, security and your time aren’t. For a store without a developer, a hosted platform is often cheaper overall once you count the hours.
Does Shopping Master charge transaction fees?
No. Shopping Master takes no commission on your sales, on any plan. Stripe’s standard processing fees apply to card payments, and they go to Stripe.
Start with $0 in platform fees: create your store on the Free plan and upgrade only when you need more. Create your store for free