Why the price is never just the plan
Shopify is one of the most popular ways to start an online store in India, and for good reason. It is reliable, secure, and lets you start selling quickly. But many brands are surprised by the real cost once the store is live, because the monthly plan is only one part of the bill.
Here is every cost worth planning for, so you can budget properly and avoid paying for things you do not need. Prices change regularly, so always check Shopify's current India pricing page and each app's listing for up-to-date figures.
1. The Shopify plan
Shopify charges a monthly or yearly subscription, with plans at different levels. Higher plans add features such as more staff accounts, better reports, and lower transaction fees when you use third-party payment providers. Most new brands start on a basic plan and upgrade when the business needs it. Yearly billing is usually cheaper than paying monthly.
2. Domain
You will need your own domain, such as yourbrand.in or yourbrand.com. Domains are a small yearly cost, and you should always register yours in your own name.
3. Theme
Shopify offers free themes and paid premium themes. A good free theme can be enough to start. Premium themes add features and design options, but many brands end up with a theme packed with features they never use, which can also slow the store down. A custom-designed theme costs more but makes your brand look distinctive rather than like every other store using the same template.
4. Apps
Apps are where Shopify costs most often creep up. Reviews, subscriptions, upsells, WhatsApp notifications, loyalty programmes, shipping tools, and more each come with their own monthly fee. Individually small, they add up quickly, and too many apps can slow your store down. Install only what you genuinely need, and review your apps every few months.
5. Payment gateway and transaction fees
In India, you will usually use a payment gateway for cards, UPI, net banking, and wallets, which charges a percentage on each transaction. Depending on your plan and setup, Shopify may also charge its own transaction fee when you use a third-party gateway. Cash on delivery has its own hidden costs, such as higher returns. Factor all of this into your margins.
6. Shipping and logistics
Shipping aggregators, packaging, and return handling are real costs of running a store, even though they are not part of Shopify itself. Packaging also shapes the unboxing experience, which matters for D2C brands. Our guide to the packaging design process covers this.
7. Design and development
This is the biggest variable. A simple store set up on a free theme costs far less than a fully custom store with a unique design, custom product pages, integrations with your inventory or order systems, and carefully written product content. What you need depends on how many products you have, how distinctive your brand needs to look, and how much of the setup you can do yourself.
8. Content and photography
Good product photos, product descriptions, and brand content are what actually sell online. Many brands underinvest here and then wonder why their store does not convert. Budget for them from the start.
9. Ongoing costs
After launch, plan for app subscriptions, marketing, content, occasional design and development changes, and the time it takes to manage orders and customer service. Our guide on what a great e-commerce website needs explains where to focus.
How to avoid overspending
Start with the plan you need today, not the one you might need in two years. Use as few apps as possible. Choose a theme for speed and clarity rather than features. Spend on what customers actually see and feel: product photos, clear product pages, a smooth checkout, and good packaging. And when your needs go beyond what Shopify does well, a custom build can sometimes be cheaper over time than layers of apps.
Shopify stores at Outlier Labs
At Outlier Labs, we build e-commerce stores on Shopify, and custom builds when your needs go beyond it, with clear product pages and fast mobile loading. For Boston Mattress, an 80-year-old mattress maker selling online for the first time, we created a new identity, a premium e-commerce store, and an order management system.
If you are planning an online store, tell us about your products and we will recommend the right setup for your budget.
