Platform Cost Comparison
WordPress vs Shopify — Real Cost Comparison
WordPress and Shopify are the two most popular ways to build a website in 2026. Both can run a successful online business — but their cost structures are very different. WordPress front-loads cost into the build, then runs cheaply. Shopify keeps build cost low, then charges monthly forever. Based on projectcostestimator.com's data from 600+ project quotes and rate benchmarks, here is the full year-by-year breakdown.
Skip the marketing pages. This is what you actually pay across build, hosting, plugins, apps, transaction fees, and maintenance — for both platforms, side by side, over 3 years.
Get Your Estimate (Both Platforms)Quick Answer
A WordPress store costs $2,500–$12,000 to build with $5,000–$18,000 over 3 years; Shopify $2,000–$15,000 to build with $5,500–$25,000 over 3 years. Our engine applies a 1.0× multiplier to WordPress and 0.85× to Shopify on identical scope — the 15-point swing on a $10K project saves $1,500 up front. Median builds: WordPress $7,250, Shopify $8,500. WordPress runs cheap after launch (hosting $15–$80/mo, 0% transaction fees); Shopify keeps build low but charges $39–$399/mo plus 0–2% transaction fees and apps. Based on our dataset of 600+ project quotes and public rate benchmarks across 6 markets.
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See sponsorship details →WordPress + Woo against Shopify: build cost against three-year cost
USD on a log scale, because the bands span more than one order of magnitude. Bar runs from the stated minimum to the stated maximum.
| Project type | WordPress + Woo min | WordPress + Woo max | Shopify min | Shopify max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build, one-time | $2,500 | $12,000 | $2,000 | $15,000 |
| Three-year total | $5,000 | $18,000 | $5,500 | $25,000 |
At-a-Glance Comparison
WordPress + WooCommerce
- Build cost$2,500 – $12,000
- Monthly hosting$15 – $80
- Annual plugins$300 – $1,500
- Transaction fee0%
- 3-year total$5,000 – $18,000
Shopify
- Build cost$2,000 – $15,000
- Monthly platform$39 – $399
- Annual apps$600 – $2,400
- Transaction fee0% – 2%
- 3-year total$5,500 – $25,000
3-Year Total Cost — Real Numbers
Comparing for a typical small-to-mid ecommerce store: 50–200 products, $300K/year revenue, 3 person team. Lower numbers assume DIY maintenance, fewer apps. Higher numbers assume professional ongoing maintenance.
| Cost Category | WordPress + Woo | Shopify Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Initial build (one-time) | $3,500 | $3,000 |
| Theme / template | $0–$200 | $0–$350 |
| Hosting (3 yrs) | $1,440 | Included |
| Platform fee (3 yrs) | $0 | $1,404 |
| Plugins / apps (3 yrs) | $1,500 | $2,400 |
| Transaction fees (3 yrs, $300K/yr) | $0 | $2,700–$18,000 |
| Maintenance (3 yrs) | $1,800 | $1,200 |
| Domain + SSL (3 yrs) | $45 | $45 |
| 3-Year Total (typical) | $8,300 | $10,700 |
Numbers are typical-case midpoints. Use the calculator for your exact scope and region.
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From $79/mo →Pick WordPress When…
- ✓Content marketing is central — blog, SEO, long-form articles drive your traffic
- ✓You need complex pricing rules (B2B tiers, member-only pricing, custom quotes)
- ✓Revenue is high enough that 1–2% transaction fees become significant
- ✓You want full ownership of code, content, and customer data
- ✓Your team or your developer already knows WordPress
Pick Shopify When…
- ✓Time-to-launch matters — Shopify gets you live in 2–6 weeks vs 4–10 weeks
- ✓You want zero infrastructure to manage (no hosting, no security patches)
- ✓Built-in payments, shipping, and tax are higher value to you than customization
- ✓You will use Shopify Payments (avoiding the transaction fee)
- ✓You need access to Shopify's ecosystem of integrations and apps
The Verdict: WordPress vs Shopify on Cost
On pure cost, WordPress (WooCommerce) wins for content-led and high-revenue stores, and Shopify wins for fast-launch product stores. A WordPress store costs $1,200–$12,000 to build plus $80–$250/month to run, but you own the stack and pay no platform transaction fees. A comparable Shopify store costs $2,500–$25,000 to build plus $39–$399/month in plan fees and typically $50–$200/month in apps — and 0.6–2% transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments. Over 3 years, a mid-size store totals roughly $18,000–$35,000 on WordPress versus $25,000–$55,000 on Shopify. We recommend WordPress when content marketing drives your traffic or your margins are fee-sensitive, and Shopify when launch speed and zero infrastructure management are worth the premium. Most stores under 500 products fit Shopify; catalogs with complex pricing rules fit WordPress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WordPress cheaper than Shopify?
Year 1 is roughly tied. WordPress has lower monthly fees (~$30/mo for managed hosting + plugins) but higher build cost ($2,500–$8,000). Shopify has lower build cost ($2,000–$6,000) but higher monthly fees ($39–$399/mo plus app subscriptions). After 3 years a WordPress + WooCommerce store typically costs $200–$800 less than equivalent Shopify on Basic plan, but $1,500+ more than Shopify if you need 10+ apps.
When should I pick WordPress over Shopify?
Pick WordPress when content marketing and SEO are central to your strategy (blog-first, content-heavy categories), when you need full data ownership without paying transaction fees, when you have unique pricing logic (B2B tiers, member-only pricing), or when you already have a WordPress team. Pick Shopify when you want fastest time to launch, easiest checkout optimization, and built-in payments/shipping/tax without configuration.
What is the real total cost of WordPress vs Shopify after 3 years?
For a small ecommerce store with $200K/year in revenue: WordPress + WooCommerce typically totals $7,000–$12,000 over 3 years (build + hosting + plugins + maintenance). Shopify Basic + 5 essential apps typically totals $7,500–$13,000 over 3 years (build + Shopify fees + app subs + transaction fees). Shopify Plus stores cost dramatically more ($25,000–$60,000 over 3 years just in license).
Which platform has lower transaction fees?
WordPress with WooCommerce has zero platform transaction fees — you only pay your payment processor (Stripe/PayPal at 2.9% + 30¢). Shopify charges 0.5%–2% additional transaction fee unless you use Shopify Payments (their own processor, then 0%). For a $500K/year store on Shopify Basic with non-Shopify payments, that is $5,000/year in extra fees you would not pay on WordPress.
Ready to build on WordPress or Shopify? Three ways
The right path depends on budget, not preference. These bands come from our own published cost data.
Do it yourself
$0–$500
A Shopify store you set up yourself — fastest route to selling online.
Hire a freelancer
$500–$5,000
Custom design and setup without agency overhead — the sweet spot for most small-business sites.
Browse Fiverrdevelopers →Custom project
$5,000+
Scope it properly before you talk to anyone — our calculator prices your exact feature list so quotes can't inflate.
Price my project →Disclosure: some links above are partner links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Recommendations come from our cost data, not from who pays us.
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Configure your project once — see prices for both WordPress and Shopify side-by-side.
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