What is The Cost of Shopify vs WordPress?
Ready to start selling online?
You’ve heard about Shopify and WordPress, but not sure which one is best for you?
Which platform will actually cost you less to run your store and are there any hidden or unexpected expenses?
By the end of this guide, you’ll understand the true cost of Shopify vs WordPress for ecommerce, both in your first year and over the life of your online business.
I’ll walk you through subscription fees, transaction costs, app expenses, and all the charges that add up when you’re running an online store on either platform.
How Shopify Pricing Works
Quick Answer: Shopify uses an all-in-one monthly subscription starting at $39/month for the Basic plan. You’ll pay platform fees, transaction fees (unless using Shopify Payments), and app costs on top of your base subscription.
Shopify plans can be billed annually or monthly for your store subscription.
Everything you need to run an online store is included in the base price: hosting, security, shopping cart, and checkout.
The Basic plan ($39/month) gives you everything to launch your first online store.
You can sell unlimited products, accept credit cards, and manage inventory.
Most small businesses start here, especially if they just want to test an product idea without a large upfront investment.
If you choose to be billed annually, Shopify offers a discount that brings the monthly cost down slightly.
The Shopify plan ($105/month) adds professional reports, better shipping rates, and lower credit card fees.
This makes sense once you’re doing consistent sales each month.
Advanced Shopify ($399/month) includes the lowest transaction rates and advanced reporting features.
You’d choose this plan when you’re processing significant monthly revenue and need detailed analytics for your business.
Understanding Shopify Transaction Fees
Here’s where costs get tricky.
Shopify charges two types of fees on sales: credit card processing fees and transaction fees.
If you use Shopify Payments (their built-in payment processor), you pay 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction on the Basic plan, 2.7% + 30¢ on Shopify, and 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced for their processing fee.
If you use a third-party payment gateway like PayPal or Stripe, Shopify adds an extra transaction fee: 2% on Basic, 1% on Shopify, and 0.5% on Advanced.
This is on top of whatever your payment processor charges.
Apps and Add-Ons Can Cost Extra on Shopify
The Shopify App Store has thousands of apps.
Many are free, but the ones that add serious functionality typically cost $10 to $50 per month each.
Common apps for email marketing, advanced shipping, subscriptions, and customer reviews can easily add $50 to $150/month to your total costs.
How WordPress Ecommerce Pricing Works
Quick Answer: WordPress software itself is free. For ecommerce with WooCommerce, you’ll pay separately for hosting ($15-100/month), a domain, SSL certificate, premium themes, and any extensions you need. There are no platform fees or transaction fees to WordPress.
WordPress takes a different approach. The software costs nothing, but you assemble the pieces yourself and pay for each component.
Standard shared hosting won’t cut it for ecommerce.
You need hosting that can handle traffic spikes, secure transactions, and fast page loads.
Managed WordPress hosting designed for WooCommerce runs $15 to $50 per month for small stores.
As you grow, you might spend $50 to $100/month or more for dedicated ecommerce hosting with better performance.
Basic WooCommerce is Free
WooCommerce is the most popular ecommerce plugin for WordPress, and it’s completely free to install.
You can sell unlimited products without paying WooCommerce a monthly subscription or taking a cut of your sales.
This is the biggest cost difference between the platforms. Shopify has monthly fees no matter what. WooCommerce doesn’t charge you based on your sales.
While WooCommerce is free, many store owners need paid extensions for specific features.
Subscriptions, bookings, memberships, and advanced shipping calculators typically cost $50 to $200 per year each.
Budget $100 to $400 annually for the extensions most online stores need to operate professionally.
Premium WordPress themes built for WooCommerce cost $30 to $100 as a one-time purchase. Some theme developers charge annually for updates and support. Custom theme development can run $2,000 to $10,000+ if you want a completely unique design for your store, but most businesses start with a premium theme.
Comparing Payment Processing Fees
Quick Answer: Shopify charges 2.5% to 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction with Shopify Payments, plus extra fees if you use other processors. WordPress with WooCommerce lets you choose any payment processor with no additional platform charges—you only pay the processor’s standard rates.
Payment processing is where your costs scale with revenue.
Shopify Payment Processing
With Shopify Payments on the Basic plan, you pay 2.9% + 30¢ per online credit card transaction. That means a $100 sale costs you $3.20 in processing fees. If you sell $10,000/month, you’re paying roughly $320/month just in credit card fees.
Choose a third-party processor like PayPal, and Shopify adds their own 2% transaction fee on top. So you’re paying PayPal’s 2.9% + 30¢ AND Shopify’s 2% fee. That $100 sale now costs you $5.20 instead of $3.20.
WordPress Payment Processing Options
WooCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees. You connect directly to Stripe, PayPal, Square, or any other payment gateway, and you only pay their standard rates.
Most processors charge 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction, same as Shopify Payments. But there’s no additional platform fee eating into your margin. On that same $10,000/month in sales, you’re saving Shopify’s transaction fee—which could be $200/month if using a third-party gateway.
Personally, I’d recommend either use the payment processing service through your existing bank or Stripe.
Monthly Costs: Shopify vs. WordPress Pricing
Quick Answer: Shopify costs $468 to $4,788 in year one depending on plan and apps. WordPress with WooCommerce costs $180 to $1,200+ depending on hosting quality and extensions. Both exclude payment processing fees, which scale with sales.
Here’s what a typical online store can end up spending.
| Expense | Shopify Basic | Shopify Standard | WordPress + WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform/Subscription | $468/year ($39/month) | $1,260/year ($105/month) | $0 (free software) |
| Hosting | Included | Included | $180-$600/year |
| Domain | $15/year | $15/year | $15/year |
| SSL Certificate | Included | Included | $0 (free with hosting) |
| Theme | $0-$350 (one-time) | $0-$350 (one-time) | $0-$100 (one-time) |
| Apps/Extensions | $600-$1,800/year | $600-$1,800/year | $100-$400/year |
| Total Year One | $1,083-$2,633 | $1,875-$3,425 | $295-$1,115 |
These numbers assume moderate app/extension usage and don’t include payment processing, which adds 2.5-3% of your total sales on both platforms.
The technical difference is that WordPress doesn’t charge you a monthly platform fee. You’re paying for the infrastructure (hosting) but not for permission to sell.
Shopify bundles everything together, which is convenient but more expensive, especially if you’re just starting out and sales are low.
Ongoing Costs and Long-Term Budgeting
Quick Answer: Shopify ongoing costs are $468-$4,788/year for subscription plus $600-$1,800/year for apps. WordPress ongoing costs are $180-$600/year for hosting plus $100-$400/year for extensions. Your choice of platform can mean a $1,000+ annual difference.
After you launch, here’s what you’ll pay to keep your store running month after month.
Shopify Recurring Costs
Your Shopify subscription renews every month at the same rate (or annually). If you started on Basic at $39/month, you’re paying $468/year forever unless you upgrade or downgrade. Apps also renew monthly. If you’re using five paid apps at an average of $20/month each, that’s another $1,200/year.
WordPress Renewal Costs
WordPress hosting renews annually, and promotional rates usually expire after year one. A hosting plan that started at $15/month might jump to $25/month, but it’s still cheaper than Shopify’s base subscription. WooCommerce extensions renew yearly. Most charge for ongoing updates and support, so budget for these costs annually.
Payment Processing Is Forever
Both platforms cost you roughly 3% of every sale in payment processing. This scales with your revenue and never goes away. On $50,000 in annual sales, you’re paying about $1,500 in credit card fees regardless of which platform you use.
Unexpected Costs and Surprise Expenses
Quick Answer: Shopify’s costs include transaction fees on third-party gateways, app subscriptions that add up fast, and higher-tier plan requirements as you grow. WordPress costs include premium hosting needs, developer fees for customization, and security maintenance.
The following expenses can catch people off guard.
Common Unexpected Costs on Both Platforms
If you want to use PayPal because your customers trust it, Shopify charges you an extra fee. Same with Stripe if you’re outside the US and Shopify Payments isn’t available in your country. This transaction fee costs businesses thousands per year in unnecessary charges. It’s Shopify’s way of pushing you toward their own payment system.
You start with one app for email marketing. Then you add one for reviews. Then advanced shipping. Before you know it, you’re spending $100 to $200/month on apps.
Understanding the hidden costs of web design helps you spot these expenses before they surprise you.
But in the end, it’s all part of the cost of doing business. The important thing is to know about them upfront.
WordPress gives you flexibility, but that often means hiring a developer for custom work. Even small tweaks can cost $100 to $500. If your theme breaks after a WordPress or WooCommerce update, you’re paying someone to fix it. Shopify handles all technical updates automatically.
You’re responsible for keeping WordPress, WooCommerce, and all plugins updated. If your store gets hacked, cleaning it up can cost $500 to $2,000. Many store owners pay $50 to $150/month for managed WordPress maintenance to avoid these problems.
Watch out for these specific cost traps:
- App or extension subscription creep (adding one more “essential” tool each month)
- Payment gateway fees that don’t match what’s advertised
- Storage overages or bandwidth limits on cheaper hosting
- Developer emergency fixes that cost $150/hour
- Security breaches requiring full site rebuilds
How Costs Change as Revenue Grows
Your revenue dramatically changes which platform makes financial sense.
At $0-5K/month in sales, WordPress would cost less.
At $5K-20K/month, costs are similar.
Above $20K/month, WordPress often costs less due to no platform fees.
When you’re just launching your online store, every dollar counts. WordPress with WooCommerce lets you start lean. You can run a professional store for $20 to $40/month in hosting and skip expensive apps until you’re making consistent sales. Shopify costs $39/month minimum, plus apps, even if you sell nothing.
At $5,000-20,000/month, you need better hosting, security, and features. WordPress hosting might jump to $50/month, and you’ll add $200-400/year in extensions. Shopify becomes more attractive here because everything is managed.
Once you’re doing serious volume above $20,000/month, Shopify’s transaction fees and monthly costs can exceed $500-$1,000/month when you factor in apps and higher-tier plans.
WordPress scales more affordably because there’s no revenue-based platform fee.
Potential Costs of Apps and Plugins
Quick Answer: Shopify apps average $20-50/month each and bill monthly. WordPress extensions average $50-200/year each and bill annually. Both platforms require add-ons for professional functionality, but WordPress extensions cost less over time.
Both platforms make you pay extra for advanced features. Let me show you what that actually costs.
Typical Add-On Costs Compared
Common Shopify app costs:
Email marketing ($10-50/month), Product reviews ($10-20/month), Advanced shipping ($15-40/month), Subscriptions ($20-50/month), Abandoned cart recovery ($10-30/month).
A typical Shopify store uses 5 to 10 paid apps, costing $50 to $200/month total. That’s $600 to $2,400 per year in recurring app fees.
Common WooCommerce plugin costs:
Email marketing ($0-100/year with many free options), Product reviews (Free – built-in), Advanced shipping ($50-100/year), Subscriptions ($199/year), Abandoned cart ($0-100/year with many free options).
A typical WooCommerce store spends $100 to $400/year on extensions—significantly less than Shopify’s monthly app charges.
Monthly billing feels smaller, but adds up faster.
A $20/month Shopify app costs $240/year.
A similar $99/year WooCommerce extension saves you $141 annually.
Multiply that across 5 to 10 apps, and you’re looking at $500 to $1,500/year in savings with WordPress.
Custom Development and Design Costs
Quick Answer: Shopify custom theme development costs $5,000-15,000+. WordPress custom development costs $3,000-12,000+. Both platforms charge similar rates for professional design work, but WordPress offers more flexibility for complex customization.
If you want a unique store design or custom features, you’ll pay developers on either platform.
Shopify has clean code and good documentation, which makes it relatively affordable to hire developers. Hourly rates run $75 to $150 for experienced Shopify developers. Basic theme customization (changing colors, layouts, adding sections) might cost $500 to $2,000. A fully custom Shopify theme starts around $5,000 and goes up from there.
WordPress developers charge similar rates: $75 to $150/hour. The platform offers more flexibility, so complex ecommerce builds can be cheaper because you’re not fighting platform limitations. A custom WordPress ecommerce site typically costs $3,000 to $12,000 depending on features and design complexity.
Most businesses start with a premium theme and only invest in custom work once they’re making consistent revenue.
If you’re just launching, a $100 theme works fine.
When you’re ready to invest in custom design, understanding what affects web design costs helps you budget appropriately.
Long-Term Costs and Platform Lock-In
Quick Answer: Over 3-5 years, WordPress typically costs $2,000-$5,000 less than Shopify for similar functionality. However, leaving Shopify costs $2,000-$8,000 in migration fees while leaving WordPress costs only $500-$2,000. These long-term considerations matter.
Let’s say about three years into your ecommerce business, you want to switch platforms away from Shopify / WordPress, here’s what that would look like.
Migration Costs Matter
Shopify owns your data, your theme, and your checkout process. Moving to another platform means rebuilding almost everything from scratch. You can export product data, but custom code, app integrations, and checkout customizations don’t transfer.
Migration agencies charge $2,000 to $8,000 to move a Shopify store to WordPress or another platform.
With WordPress, you own everything. Your database, your files, your theme code—it’s all yours. Moving to a different host or even a different ecommerce platform is much easier. You can typically migrate a WordPress store for $500 to $2,000, and sometimes you can do it yourself with plugins.
If Shopify raises prices (they have before), you don’t have many options. Leaving means rebuilding your entire online business. This hidden cost of platform lock-in should factor into your long-term decision.
Three-Year Cost Projection
Shopify Basic plan:
$1,404 in subscription + $1,800 in apps + $50 in domain = $3,254 (excluding payment processing). Add payment processing on $150K total sales (3 years): $4,500. Total three-year cost: $7,754
WordPress:
Hosting $720 (3 years at $20/month average) + Extensions $600 (3 years) + Domain $45 + Theme $60 = $1,425. Add payment processing on $150K total sales: $4,500. Total three-year cost: $5,925. Difference: $1,829 saved with WordPress over three years.
If you’re not technical and don’t want to manage hosting, updates, or security, Shopify’s convenience might be worth paying $50-100/month more. If you value simplicity over savings and would rather focus entirely on selling, Shopify makes sense even at a higher cost.
Making the Right Choice for Your Budget
Quick Answer:
Choose Shopify if you want hands-off ecommerce and don’t mind paying extra for convenience.
Choose WordPress if you want lower costs, complete ownership of your website and don’t mind managing technical details or hiring help.
Here’s how I’d think through this decision.
When Each Option Makes Sense
Shopify makes sense if you want to launch fast to test a new product without hiring a developer, value having everything in one place with 24/7 support, don’t want to think about hosting or security or technical maintenance, and you’re okay paying monthly fees for predictability and convenience.
WordPress makes sense if you want to minimize ongoing costs especially when starting out, you’re comfortable hiring technical help occasionally or learning some basics yourself, you want complete control over your store and data, and you plan to scale significantly and want to avoid platform fees eating into margins.
When you’re figuring out how much a website costs, remember that ecommerce sites need bigger budgets than simple business sites.
Both platforms will cost you more than you initially think.
Plan for apps, extensions, and payment processing from day one.
Common Cost Mistakes to Avoid
Here are the mistakes I see business owners make repeatedly.
The first mistake is people compare the $39/month Shopify plan to $20/month WordPress hosting and think Shopify is “only” $20 more expensive. But they forget that Shopify charges extra transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments. On $10,000/month in sales, that 2% fee costs you $200/month—ten times the base subscription difference.
$3/month shared hosting can’t handle an online store. Your site will load slowly, crash during traffic spikes, and frustrate customers.
Invest in quality managed WordPress hosting ($20-50/month) from day one. The better performance pays for itself in conversions.
Whether you choose Shopify or WordPress, you’ll need apps or extensions. Budget $50 to $150/month (Shopify) or $100 to $400/year (WordPress) for the add-ons that make your store professional.
If you want to avoid getting overcharged for your website, know these costs upfront.
Your store won’t stay small forever (hopefully). Plan for what each platform costs at $10K/month, $25K/month, and $50K/month in sales. Shopify’s percentage-based fees scale with your success. WordPress hosting scales too, but the increases are smaller.
The second mistake is realizing that after the first few years, moving your website is will be very high risk.
If several years pass and you want to move your website from Shopify / WordPress, somewhere else, the disruption to your business, cost and lost SEO rankings cold cause a severe drop in sales that could take years to recover from.
The third mistake is not realizing that you don’t own 100% of your website on Shopify. Yes you own the words, images and videos, but not the design, code or SEO rankings.
Additional Resources Worth Reading
Before you commit to either platform, you could check out these guides:
How to budget for a new website walks you through creating a realistic ecommerce budget.
The hidden cost of cheap web design explains why the cheapest option often costs more over time.
Comparing web design prices gives you market context for what professional ecommerce development actually costs.
Website maintenance costs breaks down what you’ll need to budget annually for either platform.
And if you’re also considering Wix, our Wix vs WordPress cost comparison covers another popular option.
Conclusion and My Recommendation
Key factors to consider before choosing:
- Your technical comfort level and willingness to learn.
- Monthly revenue projections for years 1-3.
- Budget for apps, extensions, and payment processing.
- Long-term growth plans and scalability needs.
- Migration flexibility if you need to switch later.
So what’s my recommendation?
If you are testing a new product/online business, I’d recommend testing it on Shopify first. It’s the quickest, least technical way to test out your idea. Then once you have some cash flow, consider a custom WordPress website with Woocommerce, so you have full ownership and lower long-term costs.
If you already have a set of products that you know will sell, then consider a custom WordPress website with Woocommerce from day one.
Looking for a professionally built WordPress ecommerce site that balances cost, performance, and flexibility, take a look at our web design services.
We handle the technical setup, build you a custom store with WooCommerce, and include everything you need to start selling from day one.
No surprise costs, no locked-in platforms, just an ecommerce site that works for your business.