Ishrafil Khan 
Thinking of selling online? The first question is always the same: how much will an eCommerce website cost? In India in 2026 the honest answer ranges from about ₹60,000 to well over ₹3,00,000 to build, plus monthly running costs that many sellers forget to budget.
This guide breaks down real price ranges, compares Shopify, WooCommerce and a custom Laravel store, lists every running cost, and shows how to pick the right option for your business. It's based on online stores I've built for beauty, health-food, pet-care and marketplace businesses in India and Qatar.
eCommerce website cost at a glance
- Starter store (up to ~200 products, one payment gateway, standard shipping): ₹60,000 – ₹1,20,000
- Growth store (custom design, variants, inventory, coupons, WhatsApp/SMS updates): ₹1,20,000 – ₹3,00,000
- Advanced platform (multi-vendor marketplace, B2B pricing, subscriptions, ERP/POS sync, apps): ₹3,00,000+
These are build costs. Add hosting or platform fees, payment gateway charges and maintenance, covered below. For non-store websites see the general guide to website cost in India in 2026.
What every online store needs
An eCommerce site is several systems working together. Each one adds scope, which is why stores cost more than business websites:
- Product catalogue with categories, filters, search and variants (size, colour, weight)
- Cart, checkout and guest checkout
- Payment gateway: Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree or PhonePe, with UPI, cards, net banking and wallets
- Cash on delivery rules and COD verification
- Shipping integration such as Shiprocket or Delhivery, with pincode serviceability checks
- GST-compliant invoices
- Order management, returns and refunds
- Customer accounts, order tracking and email/SMS/WhatsApp notifications
- Coupons, offers and abandoned-cart reminders
- Admin dashboard with sales reports
- SEO for product and category pages, and fast mobile performance
Option 1: Shopify
Typical build cost: ₹40,000 – ₹1,50,000 for setup, theme customisation and apps.
Running cost: a monthly Shopify subscription, paid apps (often several), and possible extra transaction fees depending on your plan and payment provider.
- Good for: launching fast, D2C brands with a standard catalogue, owners who don't want to manage hosting.
- Watch out for: monthly app costs that add up, limited control over checkout, and costs that grow with your sales. You rent the platform; you don't own the code.
Option 2: WooCommerce (WordPress)
Typical build cost: ₹50,000 – ₹1,50,000.
Running cost: hosting (₹5,000 – ₹30,000/year), premium plugins and regular updates.
- Good for: stores that also need a strong blog or content site, small to mid-sized catalogues, owners who want to own their site.
- Watch out for: plugin conflicts, security updates and slow speed as the store grows. It needs good hosting and regular maintenance.
Option 3: Custom store (Laravel)
Typical build cost: ₹1,20,000 – ₹3,00,000+.
Running cost: VPS or cloud hosting (₹12,000 – ₹60,000/year) and a maintenance plan. No platform fees or per-sale commission.
- Good for: unique business rules (B2B pricing, wholesale, subscriptions, multi-vendor, bookings), large catalogues, ERP or POS integration, and brands planning to scale.
- Watch out for: higher upfront cost and a longer build. Choose an experienced developer and insist on owning the code.
Not sure about the backend? Read Laravel vs .NET: which backend should your business choose?
Monthly and yearly running costs
- Domain: ₹800 – ₹2,000/year
- Hosting or platform subscription: ₹5,000 – ₹60,000/year depending on option and traffic
- Payment gateway fees: commonly around 2% per transaction for cards and wallets; check current UPI and card rates with your provider
- Shipping: per-order charges from your courier aggregator, plus COD fees
- SMS, WhatsApp and email notifications: small per-message costs that grow with orders
- Maintenance: 15–20% of the build cost per year for updates, security and small changes
- Marketing: SEO, content, Google Shopping and social ads, usually your biggest ongoing cost
What makes an eCommerce quote go up
- Custom design instead of a theme
- Large catalogues with many variants or bulk imports
- Multi-vendor or marketplace features
- B2B features: wholesale prices, quotes, credit limits
- Subscriptions or recurring orders
- Integrations with ERP, POS, accounting (Tally, Zoho) or warehouse systems
- Multiple languages or currencies, or selling outside India
- A mobile app alongside the website
Which option should you choose?
- Testing an idea or a small D2C brand: Shopify, to launch quickly.
- Content-led store or tight budget with ownership: WooCommerce on good hosting.
- Unique workflows, big catalogue or long-term growth: custom Laravel, with no platform fees eating your margin as you grow.
A useful test: add up three years of subscription, app and commission costs for Shopify at your expected sales, and compare it with a custom build plus hosting. Growing stores often find custom becomes cheaper.
How long does it take?
A starter store takes 3–5 weeks, a growth store 5–8 weeks, and a marketplace or custom platform 8–16 weeks. The biggest delay is usually product data: photos, descriptions and prices. Prepare them early.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum cost of an eCommerce website in India?
A professionally built starter store usually begins around ₹60,000. Cheaper options exist, but they are typically bare templates with little customisation, SEO or support.
Is Shopify cheaper than a custom website in India?
Shopify is cheaper to start. Over several years, subscriptions, paid apps and transaction fees can make it more expensive than a custom store, especially as sales grow.
Which payment gateway is best for an Indian online store?
Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree and PhonePe are all widely used and support UPI, cards and net banking. Compare current fees, settlement time and COD support for your business.
Do I need GST registration to sell online?
Rules depend on your products, turnover and whether you sell through marketplaces. Check with your CA before launch; your store should generate GST-compliant invoices either way.
Can you migrate my store from Shopify or WooCommerce to a custom site?
Yes. Products, customers and orders can be migrated, with 301 redirects set up so you keep your Google rankings.
Get an exact quote for your online store
Share what you sell, roughly how many products you have and any special requirements. I'll recommend the right platform and send a fixed-price quote and timeline within 24 hours. No obligation.
Get your free eCommerce quote → or see online stores I've built in my portfolio.
