Plan a realistic India online store total cost — not only the advertised platform fee. Enter orders and average order value, then compare hosted (Shopify / Dukaan-class) vs WooCommerce + hosting annual totals from the same inputs. Payment gateway % and GST on the fee are shown as explicit lines. Edit assumptions, copy or export the plan, and verify prices at checkout.
The costs that grow with every order
By ScaleSaathi Editorial · Assumptions checked 23 Oct 2026 · Sources
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Planning estimates only. Edit any assumption. Numbers stay in your browser. Not a quotation.
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Same-input annual comparison
Planning estimate from scalesaathi.in online store cost calculator. Verify prices before paying.
Hosted vs Woo vs marketplace (typical ranges)
Public list prices dated 23 Oct 2026 — not lab tests. Verify live carts.
| Path | Who it fits | India payment / GST note | Starting price shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Basic (yearly) | D2C sellers wanting managed hosting and app ecosystem | 3rd-party gateway + Basic 2% provider fee; GST often on Shopify fees | ₹1,499/mo yearly class + apps + % fees — verify |
| Dukaan Growth (yearly) | India-first builders; WhatsApp / local ops lean | Service fee % capped per order + gateway; GST on sub | ~₹8,000/yr class + service fee — verify |
| WooCommerce + hosting | Owners who accept WordPress maintenance | Razorpay/UPI via plugins; you own hosting renewals | Core free; hosting + setup + plugins — verify |
| Marketplace (Meesho/Amazon-class) | Test demand before owning checkout | Category commissions dominate; fees vary sharply | Commission % — verify seller central |
Why the advertised store plan is not your ecommerce budget
An online store is an operating system for orders. The visible subscription may be small, yet the seller still needs catalogue work, photography, payment processing, shipping, support, returns, apps and marketing. Soft “₹X–₹Y first year” ranges hide the two costs that scale with sales: payment gateway percent and any platform transaction or builder service fee. This calculator keeps a total-cost model and surfaces those lines — plus GST on the gateway fee — so an India seller can compare hosted and Woo paths honestly.
How the model works
- Annual GMV = monthly orders × average order value × 12.
- Gateway fee = GMV × your gateway % (default 2% Razorpay-class public band, dated 23 Oct 2026).
- GST on gateway fee = 18% of that fee when the toggle is on (common on Razorpay invoices).
- Shopify path adds Basic yearly subscription (default ₹1,499/mo × 12) and Basic 2% third-party provider fee on GMV.
- Dukaan path adds Growth yearly planning subscription and a capped per-order service fee.
- Woo path adds domain, hosting intro vs renewal, maintenance and a higher setup default — no platform % fee.
Apps and marketing use the same monthly inputs on every own-store path so the comparison is fair. Edit any assumption after you load a scenario.
India UPI / Razorpay fees: what to expect
On Razorpay’s public pricing page (checked 23 Oct 2026), standard domestic instruments are listed around a 2% platform fee per successful transaction, with 18% GST on the fee. UPI bank-to-bank MDR is zero by policy, but the gateway’s platform fee still applies on that standard public card unless your dashboard shows a negotiated or promotional rate. RuPay credit-on-UPI, corporate cards and international cards publish higher bands — raise the gateway % if those dominate your mix. Always verify the live rate card before you treat a spreadsheet as truth.
Marketplace vs own store
Marketplaces (Meesho, Amazon, Flipkart-class) can reduce build cost and supply demand, but commissions and fulfilment rules replace a clean owned-checkout margin model. Use the Marketplace fork for a brief commission planning view (default 15% of GMV — editable), then compare it with Shopify / Dukaan / Woo columns that share the same order and AOV assumptions.
Useful checks before you act on the result
- Replace the 2% gateway default with your actual payment quote or dashboard rate.
- Add shipping, packaging and photography if they are not already inside setup or marketing.
- Test payment confirmation, refunds, RTO and settlement matching before launch.
- Ask what happens to gateway fees on refunds and how long settlements take.
- For Woo: confirm who owns updates, backups and security after launch.
Online store cost calculator FAQ
How much does an online store cost in India in the first year?
It depends on orders, average order value, platform choice, apps, marketing and payment fees. This calculator builds an annual GMV from your orders and AOV, then compares Shopify Basic (yearly), Dukaan Growth (yearly) and WooCommerce plus hosting using the same inputs, with payment gateway percent and GST on the gateway fee shown as separate lines. Treat the totals as planning estimates and verify every figure at checkout.
What payment gateway fees should I plan for in India (UPI / Razorpay)?
Public Razorpay standard domestic pricing checked 23 Oct 2026 lists about 2 percent platform fee per successful transaction plus 18 percent GST on that fee (not on GMV). UPI bank-to-bank MDR is zero by policy, but the gateway platform fee still applies on Razorpay’s standard public card. Edit the gateway percent to match your dashboard, MCC or promotional window.
Why is Shopify Basic not just the monthly subscription?
On Shopify India pricing checked 23 Oct 2026, Basic billed yearly is shown around 1,499 rupees per month, but India stores also pay third-party payment provider fees (2 percent on Basic) on top of your payment gateway, plus apps, theme or setup work, marketing and GST where applicable. This tool annualises those lines from the same sales assumptions.
Hosted store vs WooCommerce — which is cheaper?
There is no universal winner. Hosted platforms bundle hosting and reduce maintenance time; WooCommerce can look cheaper on subscription but needs hosting, updates, plugins and more owner time. Compare year-1 and year-2 totals from the same orders and AOV in this calculator, then factor skills and risk — not only the headline plan price.
Should I sell on Meesho or Amazon instead of my own store?
Marketplaces can reduce store-build cost and supply demand, but they take category commissions and control the customer relationship. Use the Marketplace fork for a brief commission planning view, then compare it with an owned-checkout path. Verify live seller-central fees for your category.
Do apps, abandoned cart tools and returns change the budget?
Yes. Paid apps and email or SMS recovery tools show up in the monthly apps line. Abandoned-checkout recovery may be included in some hosted plans but still needs content and offer testing. Returns, RTO and failed-delivery allowances should be reserved as a percent of GMV — toggle the returns ops line to see the impact.
Does the estimate include GST?
Turn on GST on gateway fee to add 18 percent of the payment gateway fee (common on Razorpay invoices). Optionally add GST planning on the hosted platform subscription. This is budget arithmetic, not tax advice — check your GSTIN treatment on each invoice.
Are these numbers a quotation?
No. They are editable planning estimates from public pricing pages dated in Sources (Shopify India, Dukaan, Razorpay, Hostinger bands via the Website Cost Calculator facts). Verify at checkout and in written proposals. ScaleSaathi does not claim lab tests of these platforms.
Related tools and guides
- Website Cost Calculator — first-year site budget with hosting intro vs renewal.
- Website Platform Selector — WordPress vs builders vs store platforms.
- Hosting Plan Finder — when the Woo path needs a hosting decision.
- All free tools
Sources (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Shopify India pricing (Basic/Grow/Advanced; 3rd-party fees): shopify.com/in/pricing
- Dukaan pricing (plans + capped service fee): dukaan.fun/pricing
- Razorpay public gateway pricing (domestic fee + GST on fee): razorpay.com/pricing
- WooCommerce start (core free; hosting extra): woocommerce.com/start
- Hostinger India hosting intro vs renewal bands (Woo hosting defaults): hostinger.in/web-hosting
All calculator defaults are planning estimates assembled from the sources above. They are not lab tests and not quotations. Verify at checkout.