E-commerce Website Cost & Build Guide (2026)
What an e-shop costs to build in 2026, WooCommerce vs Shopify, and what to get right on payments, shipping, and SEO so your store sells from day one.
Building an e-commerce website is one of the most searched goals for business owners - and one of the most misunderstood purchases. An e-shop isn't "a site with a cart": it's a store that has to be found on Google, earn trust, take payments cleanly, and deliver without complaints. Here's what it really takes and what it costs in 2026.
WooCommerce vs Shopify
| Criterion | WooCommerce | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Build cost | €1,800 - €5,000 one-off | €1,000 - €3,000 + subscription |
| Monthly cost | Hosting €20-50 | €36-384/mo + fees |
| Ownership | Full - it's yours | Rented platform |
| SEO flexibility | Full control | URL-structure limits |
For most businesses we recommend WooCommerce: full ownership, freedom over SEO, and no per-sale platform tax.
What Your E-shop Must Include
1. Payments your customers trust
Card, PayPal, Apple/Google Pay - and, in many markets, local methods and cash-on-delivery still matter.
2. Shipping and fulfilment
Automatic rates by weight/destination, carrier labels, and free-shipping thresholds (the most effective lever for raising average order value).
3. SEO structure from day one
This is where the game is won or lost. Categories that match real searches, clean URLs, unique product descriptions (not the supplier's copy), and Product schema for prices and ratings in Google. See e-shop SEO.
4. Speed on mobile
70%+ of shopping starts on mobile. Every second of checkout delay costs ~7% of sales.
5. Legal & compliance
Terms, returns policy, GDPR, cookies - all configured from the build, not "later".
What an E-shop Costs to Build
- Basic e-shop (up to ~100 products, standard features): €1,800 - €2,500
- Mid-tier (many categories, filters, ERP/carrier integrations): €2,500 - €4,000
- Complex (B2B pricing, multilingual, custom features): €4,000+
See our pricing and the general website cost guide.
FAQ
How long does it take?
Basic e-shop: 4-6 weeks once products, photos, and copy exist. The usual delay isn't development - it's product content.
I have a store that doesn't sell. Rebuild or fix?
If the base is healthy (WooCommerce, sensible structure), e-shop SEO and conversion work often suffice. If it's on a closed platform or technically broken, a redesign with migration is the cleaner path.
How will the e-shop get customers?
A mix: SEO for categories and products for steady organic flow, Google Shopping/Ads for instant sales, and email for repeat orders. See SEO vs Google Ads.
Start Right
Tell us what you sell and where you're targeting - we'll reply with a platform recommendation, itemized cost, and timeline. Free quote here.