Ecommerce Website Development Cost in India: What You Really Pay

Many store owners budget for the build, then get a surprise in the first month when platform fees and payment charges arrive. Ecommerce website development cost in India has three parts: the build you pay for once, the running costs you pay every month or year, and a fee on every order. This guide explains each one, using the prices Shopify, WooCommerce and Razorpay publish, so you can compare quotes properly. All prices are as listed in November 2026, and they do change, so check the current figures before you decide.

1. The three costs every online store has

• The build: setting up the store, the design, product pages, checkout and testing. This is the number most quotes show.
• Running costs: the platform plan or hosting, the domain name, paid apps or plugins, and maintenance.
• Costs on every order: payment gateway fees, any platform transaction fee, plus courier and packing.

Two quotes can look far apart only because one includes things the other leaves out. Ask for all three in writing.

2. What decides ecommerce website development cost in India

• Products and variants: twenty products are quick to load. Thousands of products with sizes and colours need bulk uploads and much more checking.
• Platform: a hosted platform, an open source one or a custom build (more on this below).
• Design: adapting a ready made theme costs less than designing every screen around your brand.
• Checkout and payments: UPI, cards, netbanking and cash on delivery all need setting up and testing.
• Shipping: courier links, pin code rules, delivery charges and return handling.
• Tax and invoices: GST invoices and tax settings. Ask your chartered accountant what your business needs.
• Links to other software: billing, stock or CRM systems add development and testing time.
• Content: product photos and descriptions are real work. Check who is doing them.

3. Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom build?

Shopify is a hosted platform, so hosting and security updates are part of the plan. Its India pricing page lists Basic at ₹1,499 a month billed yearly (₹1,994 billed monthly) and Grow at ₹5,599 a month billed yearly (₹7,447 billed monthly). India is not on Shopify's list of Shopify Payments countries, so stores here use a third party provider such as Razorpay, and Shopify charges a fee on those sales: 2% on Basic and 1% on Grow.

WooCommerce is a free, open source plugin for WordPress with no monthly subscription. You pay for what sits around it: hosting, a domain and any paid extensions. WooCommerce's own pricing page estimates $25 to $350 a month for hosting most stores and $29 to $299 a year per extension. You also need someone to look after updates and backups.

A custom build is written from scratch for your business. It usually has the highest build cost and needs a developer for changes, so it makes sense only when your needs truly cannot be met by the other two.

4. Payment gateway fees: the cost on every order

Razorpay lists a 2% platform fee on most domestic payments, including UPI, cards, netbanking and wallets, and 2.15% on corporate or business credit cards. GST of 18% applies to the fee, not to the sale. There is no setup fee and no annual maintenance charge. Other gateways publish their own rates, so compare a few.

Here is what that means on a ₹1,000 sale:

• Razorpay fee at 2%: ₹20
• GST on that fee: ₹3.60
• Shopify's third party fee on the Basic plan (2%): ₹20, if you are on Shopify

So one ₹1,000 sale costs ₹23.60 in payment charges on WooCommerce, or ₹43.60 on Shopify Basic. Cash on delivery avoids the gateway fee, but couriers usually charge extra for it and returned parcels cost you money too.

5. A worked example: ₹1,00,000 in monthly sales

This is simple arithmetic from the listed prices, not a forecast. It assumes every sale is paid online through Razorpay at 2%.

• Shopify Basic: ₹1,499 plan + ₹2,360 Razorpay fee and GST + ₹2,000 Shopify fee = ₹5,859 a month.
• Shopify Grow: ₹5,599 plan + ₹2,360 Razorpay fee and GST + ₹1,000 Shopify fee = ₹8,959 a month.
• WooCommerce: ₹2,360 Razorpay fee and GST, plus whatever you pay for hosting, extensions and upkeep.

None of these include apps, the domain, courier charges or marketing, and any tax on the plan itself would be extra. Run the same sums with your own sales figures before you choose a platform.

6. Costs that quotes often leave out

• Product photography and descriptions.
• Domain and hosting renewals after the first year.
• Paid apps or plugins for reviews, filters, invoices or WhatsApp messages.
• Maintenance, backups and security updates.
• Packing, courier charges and returns.
• Marketing. A new store gets few visitors on its own, so plan for Meta ads, search or both from the start.

7. Questions to ask before you pay

1. Will the store, the domain and the customer data be in my name, with my logins?
2. Which platform are you using, and what will I pay it each month after launch?
3. Which paid apps or plugins does the quote assume?
4. How many products will you upload, and who writes the descriptions?
5. Does the price include setting up the payment gateway, courier and GST invoices?
6. Will you place real test orders on a phone before launch?
7. Who fixes problems after launch, and what does that cost?

8. How B'Skale can help

We quote online stores separately rather than giving one fixed price, because the ecommerce website development cost in India depends so much on your products, platform and integrations. Our website development team in Bangalore will tell you what the build costs, and what you will keep paying each month after it. If you want a clear number for your store, get in touch for a free 30-minute call.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ecommerce website cost in India?

There is no single price, because a small catalogue on a ready made theme and a custom store linked to your billing software are very different jobs. Get quotes for the same scope, then add platform fees, payment charges and yearly renewals before you compare them. We quote online stores separately for this reason.

Is Shopify or WooCommerce cheaper in India?

Shopify Basic is listed at ₹1,499 a month billed yearly, plus a 2% fee on sales through a third party payment provider. WooCommerce itself is free with no monthly subscription, but you pay for hosting and any paid extensions. Which works out cheaper depends on your sales and on who will handle the technical work.

What are payment gateway charges in India?

They vary by provider. Razorpay lists a 2% platform fee on most domestic payments and 2.15% on corporate or business credit cards, plus 18% GST on that fee, with no setup fee or annual maintenance charge. Check the current rate card before you sign up.

Do I need my own website if I already sell on Instagram or a marketplace?

Not always. Instagram or a marketplace can be enough to test whether people want your products. Your own store starts to make sense when you have repeat buyers, want to run ads to your own pages or want your own customer list.

How long does it take to build an online store?

It depends mostly on the number of products and the links to courier or billing software. The most common delay is waiting for product photos and descriptions, so prepare those early and ask for a written timeline before you pay.