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+ real projects, 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)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.
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
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.
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