E-commerce platform cost comparison

E-commerce platform pricing comparison

Choosing an e-commerce platform is about more than the monthly subscription. To compare the real cost of setting up and maintaining an online store, you need to account for payment processing, transaction fees, apps, themes, hosting, shipping tools, and the amount of work required to run the store.

The main platforms worth comparing are Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix and Squarespace.

I'll compare them from the perspective of a business owner, using US-dollar pricing as the baseline. The best choice depends on your sales volume, technical skills, and the complexity of your store.

1. Platform pricing at a glance

The following figures are advertised US pricing from current or recently updated platform pages. Most listed entry prices assume annual billing; monthly billing can cost more. Taxes, add-ons, and payment fees are additional unless noted.

Sources: official Shopify pricing, WooCommerce pricing, BigCommerce pricing, Wix plans, and Squarespace commerce fees.www.shopify.com+4

2. What each platform actually costs

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1. Shopify

Best all-round hosted solution

Subscription: Basic $29/mo, Grow $79/mo, Advanced $299/mo with annual billing.

Other costs: Online card processing starts at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on Basic. Paid apps, premium themes, and third-party payment-provider fees can increase your bill.

Setup and maintenance: Relatively straightforward, with hosting, checkout, security, and core store management handled for you.

Source: Official Shopify pricing.www.shopify.com+4

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2. WooCommerce

Best for flexibility and ownership

Subscription: The core plugin is free. WooCommerce estimates hosting at $25–$350/mo for most stores.

Other costs: Extensions commonly cost $29–$299 per year each. You may also pay for a domain, premium theme, development, backups, and security services.

Setup and maintenance: More control over your store and hosting, but you or your developer are responsible for updates, compatibility, and troubleshooting.

Key advantage: No WooCommerce platform revenue share or additional platform transaction fee; payment processors still charge their own fees.

Source: Official WooCommerce pricing.woocommerce.com+1

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3. BigCommerce

Best for scaling merchants

Subscription: Core $29/mo, Growth $79/mo, and Scale $299/mo with annual billing.

Other costs: Card processing starts at 2.89% + $0.29 per transaction. BigCommerce also applies additional fees to certain orders processed through payment providers outside its embedded-provider program.

Setup and maintenance: Hosting is included. Advanced integrations, custom design, and sales-volume thresholds may increase total costs.

Key advantage: Useful built-in commerce capabilities and no additional order fee when using eligible embedded payment providers.

Source: Official BigCommerce pricing.www.shopify.com+4

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4. Wix

Best for a simple, visually designed store

Subscription: Ecommerce plans start around $29/mo with annual billing, depending on the plan and location.

Other costs: Payment processing, premium apps, domain renewal after any introductory offer, and custom development.

Setup and maintenance: Generally beginner-friendly, with hosting, templates, and site editing included.

Key advantage: A visual website builder that makes it easier to combine a storefront with landing pages, content, and other business pages.

Source: Wix ecommerce plans.www.shopify.com+5

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5. Squarespace

Best for design-focused brands

Subscription: Commerce pricing varies by plan and region. Compare the current entry-level selling plan with the next tier.

Other costs: Payment processing, premium extensions, and potentially a platform transaction fee on lower-tier plans. Squarespace's current fee documentation lists 3% for the Business plan and 0% for Commerce Basic and Commerce Advanced on physical-product sales.

Setup and maintenance: Hosting and visual site editing are included, reducing infrastructure work.

Key advantage: Attractive templates and a cohesive website-building experience for boutiques, artists, and service businesses.

Source: Official Squarespace fee guide.support.squarespace.com+1

3. The hidden costs that matter most

A platform with a low subscription can become more expensive as your store grows. Compare these six cost categories before committing.

For WooCommerce, infrastructure and maintenance require particular attention. Hosted platforms reduce that workload, but premium apps and custom features can still add substantially to monthly costs.woocommerce.com+2

4. Example: estimating your monthly store cost

Consider a hypothetical store with $10,000 in monthly sales and 200 orders, using a US card-processing rate of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

Illustrative baseline for Shopify Basic

$379/month

Before apps, domain, taxes, advertising, shipping costs, and other operating expenses.

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Platform subscription

Annual-billing rate

$29

Percentage processing fee

2.9% × $10,000

$290

Fixed processing fees

$0.30 × 200 orders

$60

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Total estimated monthly cost

$379

Based on Shopify's published Basic annual-billing price and starting US online card rate. Actual rates, plan eligibility, and payment-provider charges can differ.www.shopify.com+4

You can adjust the assumptions below to estimate your own costs.

Store cost calculator

Monthly sales revenue ($)

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Monthly platform subscription ($)

WooCommerce core — $0 platform fee

Shopify Basic — $29

Shopify Grow — $79

Shopify Advanced — $299

Processing rate (%)

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Fixed fee per order ($)

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Other monthly costs ($)

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Include hosting, apps, domain allowance, and maintenance. For WooCommerce, add hosting here.

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Estimated monthly platform, processing, and additional costs

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Estimated annual cost

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This is a simplified estimate, not a quote. It excludes any additional transaction fees, taxes, chargebacks, shipping, marketing, and setup costs. Check your selected platform's actual payment terms.

5. Which platform is the best value?

• Choose Shopify if you want to launch quickly and minimize technical maintenance.
• Choose WooCommerce if flexibility, content marketing, ownership, and control over recurring costs are priorities—and you can manage the technical side.
• Choose BigCommerce if you need built-in commerce features and expect to scale, but model its sales thresholds and payment-provider rules carefully.
• Choose Wix if you want an accessible website builder for a smaller store.
• Choose Squarespace if brand presentation and visual design matter more than advanced commerce customization.

There is no universal cheapest platform. The winner depends on your order volume, required features, payment fees, and maintenance needs.

6. Let's narrow it down for your business

I can create a more accurate side-by-side first-year and ongoing cost comparison if you tell me a little about your store.

1. Are you starting from scratch or migrating a store?

Starting a new store

Moving an existing store

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2. Expected monthly sales revenue

Under $1,000

$1,000–$10,000

$10,000–$50,000

$50,000+

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3. Approximate product catalog size

Under 100 products

100–1,000 products

Over 1,000 products

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4. Who will handle technical maintenance?

I prefer a no-code, managed solution

I can handle basic technical tasks

I have developer support or technical skills

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5. Where will the business operate?

United States

United Kingdom

European Union

Other country

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6. Which capabilities do you need?

[Compare my options]

Comparing e-commerce platform pricing requires looking beyond the monthly subscription fee . Total cost of ownership (TCO) includes hosting, domain names, payment processing rates, transaction surcharges , and paid extensions or apps.

1. Shopify

Best for dedicated e-commerce, ranging from small startups to massive high-volume operations.

• Basic Plan:≈$2 9 /month (billed annually) or$3 9 /month (billed monthly). Suited for solo founders or small stores.
• Shopify Plan:≈$7 9 /month (billed annually) or$1 0 5 /month (billed monthly). Includes more staff accounts and lower credit card rates.
• Advanced Plan:≈$2 9 9 /month (billed annually) or$3 9 9 /month (billed monthly). For scaling businesses needing advanced custom reporting.
• Transaction/Processing Fees: If you use Shopify Payments , you pay standard card processing rates (roughly 2.1 5%−2.9%+$0.3 0 per transaction depending on the tier) with zero extra transaction fees . Using a third-party gateway adds a 0.2% to 2.0% penalty fee on top of the processor's rate.
• Maintenance/Hidden Costs: Premium third-party apps (for reviews, loyalty programs, advanced shipping) can add$1 0 to$1 0 0+/m o n t h.commerce-ui.com+1

2. WooCommerce (Self-Hosted WordPress)

Best for maximum customization, content-heavy hybrid sites, and absolute ownership.

• Platform Cost: Free open-source plugin, but you must pay separately for hosting and infrastructure.elementor.com
• Domain & Hosting: Domain ($1 2−$2 0 /year) and managed WordPress/WooCommerce hosting anywhere from$5 to$1 0 0+/m o n t h.elementor.com
• Transaction/Processing Fees: No platform transaction fees, but payment gateways like Stripe or PayPal charge standard rates (≈2.9%+$0.3 0 per transaction).elementor.com
• Maintenance/Hidden Costs: Premium themes or extensions (subscriptions, advanced bookings, specialized security, or robust cloud search like Algolia ) can run anywhere from$1 0 0 to over$1,0 0 0 /year. Technical maintenance or developer retainers are often required.woocommerce.com+1

3. Squarespace

Best for aesthetic, portfolio-driven, or service-plus-product blended sites.

• Core/Basic Commerce Plan:≈$2 9−$3 6 /month (billed annually). Features zero transaction fees on sales and standard builder tools.
• Advanced Commerce Plan:≈$4 9−$6 5 /month (billed annually). Includes advanced shipping, subscription sales, and abandoned cart recovery.
• Transaction/Processing Fees: Standard credit card processing rates (≈2.5%−2.9%+$0.3 0 ) apply. Lower-tier or legacy non-commerce plans paired with business features can trigger additional platform transaction surcharges up to 3%.squarespace.com+1

4. Wix

Best for beginners wanting an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder with integrated shopping.

• Core / Business Plans: Range from≈$2 9.7 7 to$3 9.7 7 /month (annual commitment). Includes basic e-commerce functionality, secure checkout, and customer accounts.
• Business Elite Plan:≈$1 5 9.7 7 /month for massive storage, advanced reports, and priority scalability.
• Transaction/Processing Fees: Standard payment gateway rates apply through Wix Payments or third-party processors, with no added Wix-specific percentage transaction cuts on core plans.wix.com

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your expected sales volume or number of products (SKUs)
• Whether you need advanced features (like subscriptions, B2B wholesale, or POS integration)
• Your comfort level with technical maintenance vs. an all-in-one hosted dashboard

I can help narrow down the ideal platform and outline a precise budget for your store.

Launching and running an online store involves fixed platform fees, variable transaction costs, and optional add-ons (like custom design, themes, and specialized apps).commerce-ui.com+2

1. Hosted All-In-One Platforms (e.g., Shopify)

Best for dedicated e-commerce businesses scaling up sales.stylefactoryproductions.com

• Platform Subscription:
  • Basic Plan: ~$29 to $39/month (billed annually or monthly).
  • Standard/Grow Plan: ~$79 to $105/month for small teams/growing stores.
  • Advanced Plan: ~$299 to $399/month for high-volume operations.shopify.com+2
• Transaction & Credit Card Fees: Standard card processing sits around 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on lower plans. If you use an external payment gateway instead of Shopify Payments, expect an additional 0.4% to 2.0% penalty fee.easyappsecom.com+1
• Add-ons & Hidden Costs: Premium themes cost a one-time fee of $180 - $350. Third-party app subscriptions for marketing, reviews, and advanced inventory can range from $35 to over $350+/month depending on store complexity.launchmystore.io+1
• Launch Total (First Year): ~$600 – $1,500 for a lean setup; much higher if heavily relying on paid apps.

2. Self-Hosted & Open Source (e.g., WooCommerce via WordPress)

Best for maximum customization, content-heavy blogs paired with shops, or tech-savvy owners.eseospace.com

• Platform Subscription: The WooCommerce plugin itself is $0/month (free).eseospace.com
• Hosting & Infrastructure: High variance depending on traffic—basic managed WordPress hosting ranges from $10 - $40/month ($120 - $480/year), while high-performance enterprise setups can cost $150 - $350+/month.omnisend.com+1
• Domain & Security: Domain registration is roughly $10 - $20/year. An SSL certificate may cost $0 (if included free with your host) up to $50 - $180/year.linkedin.com+1
• Transaction & Credit Card Fees: Payment gateways like WooPayments or Stripe charge standard card rates around 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction with zero platform cuts.eseospace.com+1
• Add-ons & Hidden Costs: Premium extensions or plugins (for bookings, advanced shipping, or specific subscriptions) typically run $29 - $299/year per plugin. Developer fees for custom troubleshooting can easily add hundreds or thousands if you can't code it yourself.eseospace.com+1
• Launch Total (First Year): ~$200 – $1,000+ depending heavily on your hosting tier and premium plugin requirements.omnisend.com

3. Website Builders with E-commerce (e.g., Squarespace & Wix)

Best for portfolios, local businesses, or creators adding a light storefront.support.squarespace.com+1

• Platform Subscription:
  • Squarespace (Core/Basic Commerce): ~$25 to $42/month. Advanced Commerce is ~$65 - $72/month.
  • Wix (Core/Business Plans): ~$30 to $40/month.wix.com+2
• Transaction & Credit Card Fees: Basic entry-level tiers sometimes tack on a 2% extra transaction fee on top of standard payment processing (2.5% to 2.9% + $0.30), which disappears entirely on higher-tier e-commerce plans.squarespace.com+1
• Add-ons & Hidden Costs: Custom templates are mostly free or built into subscription costs, but advanced functions (like professional digital product delivery fees or member portals) may deduct a minor percentage or require upgraded tiers.squarespace.com+1
• Launch Total (First Year): ~$400 – $900/year covering plan subscriptions and your custom domain.wix.com+2

Cost Comparison at a Glance

To help narrow down the most cost-effective path for you, tell me:

• What kind of products are you planning to sell (physical goods, digital downloads, services, or dropshipping)?
• What is your expected monthly sales volume or revenue goal for the first 6 months?