Online shop costs, explained transparently
The short answer: in 2026, a professional online shop costs from €2,990 to build plus ongoing costs for the platform, payments and maintenance. The long answer with every factor, the platform differences and honest numbers: right here.
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Design and scope determine the price
This shop example shows how product presentation, categories and custom design affect the project scope – and therefore the cost.
Shop costs by scope
Typical market ranges in Germany – and our starting price for comparison.
| Shop type | What’s included? | Typical market price | At Perfect Web |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter shop | Up to ~50 products, standard payment methods, shipping rules, legally compliant shop pages | €3,000 – €8,000 | from €2,990 |
| Growth shop | Larger range, variants, customer accounts, advanced payment & shipping logic | €8,000 – €15,000 | individual |
| Shop with integrations | Inventory management (ERP), POS, marketplaces, B2B pricing, special processes | €15,000+ | individual |
All figures exclude VAT. The fixed price for your project is agreed in writing before work begins.
These 6 factors determine the price of a shop
So you can assess every quote correctly – including the competition’s.
Range size & variants
20 simple products are an afternoon’s work; 2,000 items with size and colour variants are a project. Data quality matters too: clean product data from your side saves real money.
E-commerce platform
WooCommerce has low running costs, Shopify charges monthly fees plus transaction costs, Shopware/Magento require more setup effort. Your choice of platform shifts costs between “one-off” and “ongoing”.
Design ambition
A customised professional theme or a completely bespoke shop design? The former is the economical choice for most starters – the latter pays off when the brand is your core asset.
Payment methods & integrations
Standard payment methods are set up quickly. Connections to inventory management, POS systems, DATEV accounting or marketplaces are custom integrations – priced according to effort.
Legal compliance
T&Cs, withdrawal rights, unit prices, the “button solution”, GDPR: in German e-commerce, formal mistakes can lead to costly cease-and-desist letters. Correctly implemented mandatory pages are always included with us – with cheap offers they often aren’t.
Marketing & visibility
A shop alone sells nothing – visitors cost extra: SEO, Google Shopping, ads. Plan the budget in from the start; we’ll tell you honestly what makes sense in your case.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions about online shop costs
How much does a small online shop cost?
A professional shop with a manageable range (up to approx. 50 products), common payment methods and legally compliant shop pages starts at €2,990 with us. With reputable providers, small shops typically cost between €3,000 and €8,000 – significantly cheaper offers almost always cut corners on legal compliance or mobile quality.
Online shop developmentWhat are the ongoing costs of an online shop?
Realistically: hosting/platform €10–50 per month (WooCommerce) or from ~€36 plus transaction fees (Shopify), plus payment provider fees per sale (approx. 1.5–3%), and optional maintenance. A shop is an ongoing business, not a one-off purchase – we’ll show you the total cost honestly.
Get a free estimateWhy does a shop cost more than a normal website?
Because it does more: payment processing, shipping logic, product management, customer accounts, legal obligations and considerably more testing. A website informs – a shop handles transactions. The difference in effort is real, not margin.
Website costs for comparisonShould I build my shop myself with Shopify or hire an agency?
Doing it yourself works – if you have the time and can properly handle design, product data, payment methods, shipping rules and German legal requirements on your own. Most people underestimate that last point: cease-and-desist letters cost more than any agency. Honest recommendation after a 15-minute call.
Request adviceWill I get a binding total price before the project starts?
Yes. After the initial consultation we define your range, platform and features – then you receive a written quote with a fixed price for development and a transparent breakdown of the ongoing costs. No surprises, promise.
Request a free quoteRequest a free shop estimate
Briefly describe what you sell and how many products – you’ll receive an honest price range with a platform recommendation. No sales pressure.
