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Shopify Website Cost in 2026: What a Store Costs to Build and Run

By Jon Kennedy, Founder · Reviewed by Lidia Yurieva

9 minutes to read
Published 24 Jun, 2026 · Updated 19 Oct, 2026

Quick answer: a Shopify website costs a monthly plan plus whatever you spend to set it up. Plans start at $29 a month billed yearly ($39 monthly) on Basic, as of October 2026. If you hire help, store build and redesign packages on shopexperts have a median of $2,500, and half sit between $1,150 and $5,000 (52 packages). Themes, apps and card fees come on top.

AI Summary

A Shopify website has two costs: Shopify's own fees and the cost of setting the store up. Plans run from $29 a month on Basic to $299 on Advanced, billed yearly, with Plus from $2,300. Setup is $0 if you do it yourself. On shopexperts, store build packages have a median of $2,500: $1,600 from freelancers and $3,500 from agencies. Theme customization packages have a median of $548 and migrations $2,250.

How much does a Shopify website cost?

Shopify website cost comes in two parts: what you pay Shopify every month, and what you spend once to get the store built. The first is fixed and public. The second depends on who does the work, and that is where the numbers below come from: package prices listed by experts on shopexperts, as of October 2026.

CostWhat it covers2026 figure
Shopify planBasic, Grow, Advanced or Plus$29 to $299 a month billed yearly ($39 to $399 monthly); Plus from $2,300 a month
Card processingShopify Payments, online cards2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, down to 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced
ThemeFree Shopify themes or a paid third-party themeFree, or the price on the Theme Store listing
AppsReviews, email, subscriptions and so onSet by each app developer
Expert setup or buildStore build and redesign packages on shopexpertsMedian $2,500; half between $1,150 and $5,000
Ongoing help (optional)Monthly support retainers on shopexpertsMedian $1,950 a month

Shopify prices are from shopify.com/pricing (US, October 2026). Expert prices come from the Shopify expert cost data, which explains how they were collected.

Shopify store cost per month: plans and fees

Shopify bills a plan every month. Paying yearly costs less per month.

PlanBilled yearlyBilled monthlyOnline card rateFee if you use another payment provider
Basic$29 a month$392.9% + 30¢2%
Grow$79 a month$1052.7% + 30¢1%
Advanced$299 a month$3992.5% + 30¢0.6%
PlusFrom $2,300 a month2.25% + 30¢0.2%

New stores get 3 days free, then $1 a month for the first 3 months. Basic suits most new stores. A higher plan pays off once its lower card rate saves more than the extra plan cost. Shopify plans and pricing compares the plans in full, including staff accounts and when an upgrade pays for itself.

Shopify store setup cost: what experts charge to build a store

This is the part that varies. On shopexperts, 43 experts sell 52 fixed-price packages for building or redesigning a Shopify store.

Store build and redesign packagesPackagesMedianMiddle 50%
All52$2,500$1,150 to $5,000
From freelancers23$1,600$1,200 to $2,500
From agencies29$3,500$1,200 to $10,000
Sold as setup or launch20$1,500$799 to $2,850
Sold as a redesign14$1,875$1,499 to $3,500

Ten of the 52 cost under $1,000, 28 sit between $1,000 and $5,000, and 14 are $5,000 or more. The cheap end is setup on an existing theme: settings, products, payments and shipping. The top end adds custom design, custom sections and a project team.

Related work is priced separately:

Package typePackagesMedianMiddle 50%
Theme customization and updates18$548$238 to $798
Store migration to Shopify18$2,250$1,500 to $4,625
B2B and international setup5$1,500$900 to $1,500
App and feature setup6$424$324 to $487

If you are moving from another platform, read the Shopify migration cost guide; for changes to a theme you already have, see Shopify theme customization cost.

DIY, freelancer or agency

Three ways to get a store live, and what each really costs:

  • Do it yourself. You pay the plan, a theme if you buy one, and your apps. The cost is your time. It suits a small catalogue on a free theme, if you are comfortable in the Shopify admin. The Shopify store setup checklist covers every step.
  • A freelancer. Store build packages from freelancers have a median of $1,600. Experts in the Store Setup & Management category list a median starting price of $300 for smaller jobs. Best for a defined launch on an existing theme.
  • An agency. Agency store build packages have a median of $3,500, and a quarter of them are $10,000 or more. You pay for design, development and project management working together.

Browse Shopify store setup experts for a launch, or Shopify store redesign experts if you already have a store that needs rebuilding.

What makes a Shopify website cost more

  • Catalogue size and structure. Hundreds of products with many variants, metafields and collections take far longer to set up than a few dozen.
  • Theme work. Changing settings on a theme is quick. Custom sections, custom templates or a fully custom theme are development work.
  • Moving from another platform. Products, customers, orders, redirects and SEO all have to move, which is why migrations are priced on their own.
  • B2B and selling abroad. Wholesale pricing, customer-specific catalogues, several markets and currencies add configuration.
  • Apps and integrations. Each app needs setting up, and connecting an ERP, 3PL or CRM is a project of its own.
  • Design. Brand work, custom imagery and copy are often quoted separately from the build.

Example: a first-year Shopify website budget

An illustration, using the figures above. A small brand on Basic, billed yearly, that hires a freelancer for a standard build:

ItemFirst-year cost
Basic plan, 12 months billed yearly$348
Store build package at the freelancer median$1,600
Total before theme, apps and card fees$1,948

The same store on Grow, billed yearly, pays $948 for the plan. With an agency build at the agency median, the build alone is $3,500. Theme, apps and card fees depend on your choices and your sales, so add them on top.

Setup pricing traps to watch for

  • The templated setup. A low price for a "complete store" that turns out to be a default theme with your logo dropped in. If nobody asks about your products, customers or goals before quoting, expect a template.
  • Themes and apps pushed before your needs are clear. A good expert recommends a theme and apps after they understand the store, and explains why.
  • No written scope. The quote should list what is included and what is not, page by page. Vague scope is where disputes start.
  • Full payment upfront. Pay by milestone, against delivered work.
  • A retainer as a condition of the build. Setup is a project. Ongoing support should be your choice.

How to hire a Shopify store setup expert covers how to vet a shortlist, and Shopify store setup mistakes lists what goes wrong most often.

Shopify store setup experts

Awais Javed
AJ

Awais Javed

PRO
Front-End DeveloperOttawa, CanadaFrom $295
5.00(19 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
100

I'm a Shopify developer with years of hands-on experience building and scaling e-commerce stores — from custom theme development to conversion rate optimization and third-party integrations. I've worked with brands like Après Nail and through platforms like Storetasker, delivering solutions that look great and perform even better. I specialize in Liquid programming, frontend development, and UI/UX enhancement. Whether you need a full theme build, a tricky app integration, or a speed and SEO overhaul, I bring a detail-oriented approach that gets results — not just code. I leverage AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot throughout my workflow — drafting Liquid logic faster, QA-testing edge cases, and generating content-ready section structures. This means faster turnaround, fewer revisions, and more value for your budget. My background spans custom store builds, GA4 + GTM tracking setups, Klaviyo integrations, loyalty app configurations, A/B testing, and cross-functional collaboration with design and marketing teams. I treat every project like it's my own store on the line. I'm a Computer Software Engineering graduate and Growth Collective certified in Creative Website Design (Shopify). Let's build something that converts.

Packaged services
Shopify Speed Optimization,Shopify Theme Migration,Shopify CRO Audit,Shopify Accessibility Audit & Fix
View ProfileGet a Free Quote
Dreams To Life, LLC
DT

Dreams To Life, LLC

AgencyWashington, United StatesFrom $100
5.00(6 reviews)
shopexpertsscore
90

Dreams To Life, LLC is a trusted Shopify development agency specializing in custom store builds, theme customization, and advanced troubleshooting. With years of experience supporting eCommerce brands, we deliver scalable, high-performance Shopify solutions that drive growth and conversion. Our team combines deep technical expertise with a strong understanding of UX, design, and business strategy, allowing us to turn creative visions into powerful, functional online stores. Core Expertise: Full Shopify store setup & custom development Theme design, optimization, and maintenance App integrations & API development Speed optimization and technical debugging Migration to Shopify / Shopify Plus Ongoing support & store management At Dreams To Life, we focus on quality, reliability, and results — helping clients transform ideas into thriving online businesses.

Packaged services
$50 to build Store for Newbies
View ProfileGet a Free Quote
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Frequently asked questions

How much does a Shopify website cost?
Two parts: a Shopify plan from $29 a month billed yearly ($39 monthly) on Basic, and the cost of setting the store up. Doing it yourself costs your time. On shopexperts, store build and redesign packages have a median of $2,500, and half sit between $1,150 and $5,000, as of October 2026.
How much does a Shopify store cost per month?
Shopify plans cost $29 (Basic), $79 (Grow) or $299 (Advanced) a month billed yearly, or $39, $105 and $399 billed monthly. Plus starts at $2,300 a month. Apps you add are billed on top, as are card fees on each sale.
How much does it cost to start a Shopify store?
The minimum is the plan: new stores get 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months, then the plan price. A free theme and free apps keep the rest at zero if you set it up yourself. Hiring a freelancer for a standard build adds a median of $1,600 on shopexperts.
How much does it cost to have someone build a Shopify store?
On shopexperts, store build packages have a median of $1,600 from freelancers and $3,500 from agencies (52 packages, October 2026). A quarter of agency packages are $10,000 or more, and many of those include custom design.
What does Shopify store setup cost include?
Usually store settings, theme setup and branding, product and collection setup, payments, shipping, tax basics and the core apps. Custom design, custom sections, migrations and integrations are normally priced separately.
Is it cheaper to build a Shopify store yourself?
In cash, yes: you pay only the plan, a theme if you buy one, and apps. It suits a small catalogue on a free theme. Paying an expert makes sense when the catalogue, design or integrations go beyond what you can set up with confidence.
How much does a custom Shopify website cost?
Custom work is priced as development. Custom development packages on shopexperts have a median of $1,000. Many store build packages at $5,000 and above include custom design, branding or a theme built from scratch.
Do I need Shopify Plus for my store?
Most stores do not. Plus starts at $2,300 a month and is built for high-volume stores and features such as checkout customization before payment and expansion stores. See the Shopify Plus cost guide before you upgrade.

Get quotes from Shopify store setup experts

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