Ecommerce website cost in India
The full cost of an online store in India in 2026: what moves the build price, Shopify versus WooCommerce running costs, Razorpay and UPI fees, shipping integrations and monthly overheads.
By the Zuptek team · Published 25 October 2026
Ecommerce website cost in India has two parts: a one-time build price, which depends on catalogue size, design and integrations, and running costs that never stop. The running costs are easy to check because the platforms publish them: Shopify’s Basic plan in India is Rs 1,994 a month billed monthly or Rs 1,499 a month billed yearly (Shopify pricing), Razorpay’s standard plan charges a 2% platform fee on domestic payments plus GST on the fee (Razorpay pricing), and shipping aggregators charge per parcel.
The build price is the smaller part of the decision. What you pay every month and every order decides whether the store makes money. This guide explains what moves the build price, sets out Shopify and WooCommerce running costs side by side, what Razorpay, UPI and cash on delivery actually cost, shipping integration fees, and what goes into three typical budgets. For a build estimate based on your own requirements, see our ecommerce development page.
Key takeaways
- The build price rises with catalogue size, custom design, B2B features and integrations such as Tally or an ERP. Get a fixed quote against a written scope.
- Shopify costs more per month and adds a transaction fee when you use a third-party gateway; WooCommerce costs more in maintenance time.
- Razorpay’s standard plan charges a 2% platform fee on cards, net banking, wallets and UPI, and up to 3% on international cards, with 18% GST on the fee.
- Cash on delivery is free to accept and expensive to deliver: courier COD fees, delayed remittance and returns all eat into margin.
- Budget for product photography, content and marketing. Stores with no traffic budget fail regardless of how good the build is.
Ecommerce build cost by store size
| Store type | Products | What is included | What drives the build cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch store | Up to 50 | Shopify or WooCommerce, theme customisation, Razorpay, UPI, COD, Shiprocket, GST invoices, analytics, training | Theme customisation, product upload, payment and shipping setup |
| Growth or D2C store | Up to 300 | Custom design, filters, bundles, reviews, WhatsApp order notifications, abandoned cart recovery, Google Merchant Center feed | Custom design, apps or plugins, catalogue structure |
| B2B or custom store | 300 and up | Login-based pricing, minimum order quantities, quote requests, Tally or ERP integration, custom features | Custom development and integrations |
| Marketplace migration | Any | Products, customers, orders, redirects, SEO parity | Catalogue size and URL count |
Zuptek quotes each store as a fixed, itemised price after a short scoping call; the website cost calculator gives a first estimate. Freelancers often charge less and may exclude GST setup, shipping integration and training, so compare scope as well as price. For non-store sites, see our website development cost guide.
Shopify vs WooCommerce: build and running costs
| Cost item | Shopify | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | Basic Rs 1,994 a month billed monthly (Rs 1,499 billed yearly), Grow Rs 7,447 (Rs 5,599 yearly), Advanced Rs 30,164 (Rs 22,680 yearly) (Shopify) | Free software |
| Hosting | Included | Paid separately; choose hosting sized for a store, not the cheapest shared plan |
| Theme | Free themes or a paid premium theme | Free or a paid premium theme |
| Apps and plugins | Mostly monthly subscriptions for reviews, GST invoices, WhatsApp, upsells | Mostly free or annual licences for equivalent plugins |
| Platform transaction fee with a third-party gateway | 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, on top of gateway fees (Shopify) | None |
| Gateway fees | Set by the gateway; Razorpay standard is 2% plus GST on the fee | Same gateways, same rates |
| Maintenance | Minimal; platform handles updates and security | Core, theme and plugin updates, backups and security, by you or a care plan |
Shopify’s transaction fee is the hidden cost. At Rs 3 lakh of online sales a month on Basic, 2% is Rs 6,000 a month, more than the plan fee. Check in your Shopify billing whether the fee applies to your COD orders. The full decision is laid out in Shopify vs WooCommerce for Indian businesses.
Payment costs: Razorpay, UPI and cash on delivery
Payment gateways. Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree and PhonePe Payment Gateway all integrate with both platforms. Razorpay’s standard plan lists a 2% platform fee per successful transaction for domestic cards, net banking, wallets and EMI, up to 3% for international cards, and 18% GST on the fee (Razorpay pricing). Settlement timing and the price of faster settlement are listed on each gateway’s pricing page.
UPI. UPI carries zero MDR, but Razorpay’s standard plan still lists its 2% platform fee on UPI payments (Razorpay pricing). Check your gateway’s current UPI rate before modelling margins, and prefer gateways that show UPI intent flow on mobile.
Cash on delivery. Accepting COD costs nothing at checkout. Delivering it does. Couriers and aggregators charge a COD handling fee, remit the cash after a delay, and COD orders are more likely to be refused at the door, leaving you to pay shipping both ways. OTP verification apps, COD surcharges and prepaid discounts reduce this and should be in every build.
Shipping integration costs
Aggregators such as Shiprocket, Shipway, iThink Logistics and NimbusPost plug into both platforms and charge per shipment. Shiprocket, for example, lists plans from free to Rs 799 a month with average shipment costs of Rs 36 to Rs 45 depending on plan (Shiprocket pricing); actual rates depend on weight, zone and COD. Direct contracts with Delhivery, Blue Dart or DTDC need minimum volumes but can be cheaper at scale. Integration itself is usually part of an agency build; the per-parcel cost is yours forever, so negotiate it as volume grows.
Ongoing costs of running an online store
| Cost | How it is charged | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Platform or hosting | Monthly or yearly | Shopify plan (from Rs 1,499 a month billed yearly) or WooCommerce hosting |
| Apps and plugins | Monthly or yearly | GST invoicing, reviews, WhatsApp, abandoned cart |
| Maintenance or care plan | Monthly | Mostly WooCommerce |
| Domain, email, SSL | Yearly | Register in your own name |
| Gateway fees | Per transaction | Razorpay standard: 2% domestic, up to 3% international, plus GST on the fee |
| Shiprocket or courier fees | Per order | Depends on weight, zone and COD share |
| Returns | Per returned order | Usually highest on COD orders |
| Packaging | Per order | Branded boxes cost more |
| Marketing | Monthly | Ads, SEO, content; without it the store has no visitors |
Add these up per order and per month before you set prices. Payment, shipping and returns are charged on every order, so they matter more than the build price over a year.
Three worked budgets
Home-based food brand, 20 products, mostly COD. Shopify Basic or WooCommerce on modest hosting, a launch build, a small set of apps, and a Meta ads budget. The biggest risks are COD refusals and shipping cost per parcel, so the budget should include OTP confirmation and a prepaid discount from day one.
D2C skincare brand, 60 products, mostly prepaid. A growth store build, Shopify Grow or managed WooCommerce, review and upsell apps, and a larger ads budget. With most orders prepaid, gateway fees and any Shopify transaction fee are a percentage of almost every rupee sold, so model them at your expected monthly sales before choosing the plan.
Industrial supplier, 400 SKUs, B2B pricing. A custom WooCommerce build with login pricing and Tally sync, a care plan, minimal gateway fees because most orders are invoiced, and SEO to bring buyers to category pages. Zuptek’s business SEO plans run from Rs 9,999 to Rs 34,999 a month.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Shopify website cost in India?
The build depends on design and features; get a fixed quote against a written scope. The Shopify plan costs from Rs 1,994 a month on Basic billed monthly, or Rs 1,499 a month billed yearly, and stores using a third-party gateway pay Shopify’s transaction fee (2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced) plus gateway fees (Shopify pricing).
How much does a WooCommerce website cost in India?
WooCommerce itself is free. You pay for the build, hosting sized for a store, premium plugins where needed, and maintenance, either your own time or a care plan. Use our website cost calculator for a first estimate.
What are the monthly costs of running an online store in India?
Fixed costs for platform or hosting, apps and maintenance; per-order costs for gateway fees (2% on Razorpay’s standard plan for domestic payments, plus GST on the fee), shipping, COD handling and returns; and whatever you spend on marketing.
Is Shopify cheaper than WooCommerce in India?
Shopify is cheaper in time. In cash it usually costs more for a small store, mainly because of the plan fee and the transaction fee on third-party gateway payments. WooCommerce is cheaper in cash if you can maintain it or pay for a modest care plan.
How much does Razorpay charge per transaction?
On the standard plan, a 2% platform fee per successful transaction for domestic cards, net banking, wallets, EMI and UPI, and up to 3% for international cards, with 18% GST on the fee. Confirm the current rate on Razorpay’s pricing page.
Can I build an ecommerce website for Rs 10,000?
You can open a Shopify or WooCommerce store yourself on a small budget, with a free theme and your own time. You will not get custom design, GST-compliant invoicing, COD safeguards, shipping integration or tracking set up properly. Most owners who start this way pay for a rebuild once orders arrive.
Get a fixed price for your store
Zuptek builds Shopify and WooCommerce stores for brands across India, with Razorpay, UPI, COD, GST invoicing and Shiprocket set up as standard. Tell us your catalogue size and how you sell today and we will send a fixed, itemised quote. See our ecommerce development page, request a free store audit if you already sell online, or contact us on WhatsApp.