One of the most common questions we get is: "How much does a Shopify store cost in India?" The answer depends on several factors, and there are costs people often forget to account for. This guide gives you the full, honest picture — no surprises.
The costs involved in a Shopify store
There are four main cost categories:
- Shopify's monthly subscription
- Domain name
- Store setup / design costs
- Payment gateway fees
1. Shopify monthly subscription (paid to Shopify)
Shopify offers three main plans for Indian businesses:
- Basic — ₹1,994/month: 2 staff accounts, basic reports. Good for new stores.
- Shopify — ₹5,497/month: 5 staff accounts, professional reports, lower transaction fees.
- Advanced — ₹22,679/month: For large stores with high sales volumes.
For most new and small Indian businesses, the Basic plan at ₹1,994/month is sufficient.
Tip: Shopify offers a significant discount if you pay annually instead of monthly. On the annual plan, the Basic plan works out to roughly ₹1,596/month.
2. Domain name
You'll want your own domain name (e.g., yourbrand.in or yourbrand.com) instead of the default yourstore.myshopify.com address.
- .in domain: ₹700–₹900/year
- .com domain: ₹900–₹1,200/year
You can buy this directly from Shopify, or from providers like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains.
3. Store setup and design costs
This is where costs vary the most. You have three options:
Option A: Do it yourself
Cost: ₹0 (just your time)
Shopify has many free themes and a drag-and-drop editor. If you're comfortable with technology and have the time, you can set up a basic store yourself. Expect to spend 15–30 hours learning and setting everything up.
Option B: Hire a freelancer
Cost: ₹5,000–₹25,000 (one-time)
Freelancers on platforms like Upwork or local networks can set up your store. Quality varies widely — always ask for past work samples and references.
Option C: Hire a Shopify implementation service
Cost: ₹15,000–₹50,000+ (one-time)
A dedicated Shopify service (like myPeedika) sets up everything professionally — theme, products, payments, shipping, SEO basics — and delivers in 7 days. You also get post-launch support.
4. Payment gateway fees (per transaction)
Every time a customer buys from your store, the payment gateway takes a small percentage. Typical rates in India:
- Razorpay: 2% per transaction (standard plan)
- PhonePe Payment Gateway: ~2% per transaction
- PayU: ~2% per transaction
These fees are charged by the payment gateway, not by Shopify. So if a customer pays ₹1,000, you receive approximately ₹980.
Note: Shopify also charges its own transaction fee (0.5%–2% depending on your plan) if you use a third-party gateway. On the Basic plan, this is 2%, which is why many stores switch to the Shopify plan (which reduces this to 1%) once they reach higher sales volumes.
Full cost breakdown: realistic example
Here's what a typical new Indian Shopify store costs in the first year:
- Shopify Basic plan (annual): ~₹19,152
- Domain name (.in): ~₹900
- Store setup (myPeedika): ₹15,000
- Payment gateway fees: varies (e.g., 2% on ₹2 lakh in sales = ₹4,000)
Total first-year cost: approximately ₹35,000–₹40,000 (excluding payment gateway fees, which depend on your sales)
From year 2 onwards: approximately ₹20,000–₹22,000/year (just Shopify subscription + domain + any support).
Optional costs to be aware of
- Paid apps: Some apps from the Shopify App Store cost ₹500–₹2,000/month. Most stores don't need paid apps to start.
- Email marketing tools: Klaviyo, Mailchimp etc. Free tiers available.
- Monthly support: If you want ongoing help managing your store, support plans start from ₹3,500/month.
- Custom development: If you need custom features built, this costs extra.
Is a Shopify store worth the cost in India?
For most businesses, yes — absolutely. Consider this: a physical shop in a mid-sized city costs ₹20,000–₹50,000/month in rent alone. Your entire Shopify store costs ₹2,000–₹5,000/month and can reach customers across India.
Even if you sell just ₹30,000/month online, the ROI on a ₹15,000 setup cost is clear within the first month.
Want to know the exact cost for your store?
Every business is different. Book a free 20-minute call with us and we'll give you a transparent quote for your specific requirements — no surprises, no pressure.