Ecommerce Website Cost in 2026: Custom Build vs Shopify
Shopify starts at $29/month; a custom ecommerce site runs $3,500–$25,000+ to build. Here's the honest 2026 cost comparison — and the point where custom becomes cheaper.
Shopify is cheaper to launch — plans run $29–$299/month plus transaction fees — while a custom ecommerce site costs $3,500–$25,000+ to build but has no platform or transaction fees. Shopify wins for speed and simplicity; a custom build wins on performance, control, and total cost once your store does real volume, typically breaking even in 18–24 months.
What Shopify actually costs
- Basic: $29/month. Shopify: $79/month. Advanced: $299/month. Plus (high volume): from $2,300/month.
- Transaction fees: 0.5–2% on every sale unless you use Shopify Payments.
- Apps & themes: most stores add paid apps (reviews, subscriptions, upsells) and a premium theme — this adds up fast and is the cost people forget.
The appeal is real: you can launch in days, with no developer and low upfront cost. The trade-off is recurring fees that scale with your success, plus limits on how far you can customize the checkout and experience.
What a custom ecommerce site costs
- Small starter store: $3,500–$6,000 one-time.
- Medium store (500+ products, integrations): $6,000–$12,000.
- Large / complex (custom checkout, advanced filtering, loyalty): $12,000–$25,000+.
- Ongoing: hosting and maintenance around $50–$200/month — no platform fee, no per-sale transaction cut.
Custom costs more upfront but removes the recurring platform tax, gives you full control of performance and the checkout, and scales without hitting a plan ceiling. On a modern stack it's also faster and better for SEO — the same argument we make in Next.js vs WordPress.
The break-even: where custom gets cheaper
Short-term, Shopify is clearly cheaper. But its monthly plan, app fees, and transaction cuts compound as you grow. A custom build's cost is mostly one-time, so past a certain volume the lines cross — typically 18–24 months in, and sooner if you're paying transaction fees on high revenue. If your store is doing meaningful volume, run the two-year total, not the launch cost.
What about headless commerce?
Headless splits the storefront (a fast, custom front end) from the commerce engine (which can still be Shopify or another backend). You get custom-build performance and design freedom while keeping a proven engine for payments and inventory. It costs more than plain Shopify and suits brands that need a distinctive, fast storefront without rebuilding the whole commerce backend.
Which should you choose?
- Choose Shopify if: you're launching, testing an idea, want it live fast, and don't need a custom experience. Lowest risk to start.
- Choose custom (or headless) if: performance and SEO are a competitive edge, you need a checkout or feature Shopify won't allow, transaction fees are eating real money, or you're past the break-even on volume.
A useful path for many brands: start on Shopify to validate, move to custom or headless once volume justifies it. We build both as part of our web development service, and our business website cost guide covers non-store sites.
Weighing Shopify against a custom store?
Tell us your product count, volume, and what Shopify won't let you do. We'll give you an honest recommendation and a fixed quote if custom is the right move.
Get an honest recommendation →Frequently asked questions
Is a custom ecommerce website cheaper than Shopify?
Not upfront — Shopify starts at $29/month and launches in days, while a custom store costs $3,500–$25,000+ to build. But Shopify's monthly plans, app fees, and 0.5–2% transaction fees compound as you grow, so a custom build (no platform or transaction fees) usually becomes cheaper 18–24 months in, sooner if you're doing high revenue.
How much does it cost to build a custom online store?
A small custom starter store runs $3,500–$6,000, a medium store with 500+ products and integrations $6,000–$12,000, and a large or complex store with custom checkout, advanced filtering, or loyalty features $12,000–$25,000+. Ongoing hosting and maintenance is roughly $50–$200/month, with no platform or per-sale transaction fees.
When should I move from Shopify to a custom store?
Move when transaction and app fees are eating real money, when you need a checkout or feature Shopify won't allow, or when performance and SEO have become a competitive edge. Many brands validate on Shopify first, then rebuild custom or go headless once volume justifies the one-time investment — usually past the 18–24 month break-even.
What is headless commerce and is it worth it?
Headless commerce separates a fast, fully custom storefront from the commerce engine (which can still be Shopify or another backend). You get custom-level performance and design freedom while keeping a proven engine for payments and inventory. It costs more than plain Shopify and is worth it for brands that need a distinctive, high-performance storefront without rebuilding their entire backend.
Keep reading
Have an idea? Let's build it.
Tell us about your project — our team reads every message and gets back within 24 hours with honest answers and a fixed quote.
- — Free discovery call, no obligation
- — Fixed quote against a written scope
- — You talk directly to the engineers