Ecommerce Website Cost in India (2026): Real Prices for Hyderabad Businesses, Plus a Free Calculator
An ecommerce website in India costs ₹15,000–₹60,000 for a simple template store, ₹60,000–₹2.5 lakh for a professionally built Shopify or WooCommerce store, ₹2.5–₹8 lakh for a custom-designed D2C brand store, and ₹8–₹25 lakh+ for a multi-vendor marketplace or custom platform. After launch, budget ₹3,000–₹30,000 a month to run it, plus about 2% payment gateway fees and 18% GST on most services. Most Hyderabad small businesses launch a good store for ₹60,000–₹1.5 lakh.
Ecommerce website cost in India: quick answers
If you only have a minute, this table answers the questions Hyderabad business owners ask us most. Every number is explained further down the page, and the calculator lets you plug in your own products and sales.
| Question | Short answer (September 2026) |
|---|---|
| Cheapest way to start selling online? | A one-page or social store (Shopify Starter, a payment-page store or a WhatsApp catalogue) for ₹0–₹15,000 setup. Fine for testing, not for a brand. |
| Typical small-business store in Hyderabad? | ₹60,000–₹1.5 lakh one-time for a Shopify or WooCommerce store with 50–200 products, payments, shipping and basic SEO. |
| Custom D2C brand store? | ₹2.5–₹8 lakh, 8–14 weeks, with custom design, integrations and speed work. |
| Marketplace like a mini Amazon? | ₹8–₹25 lakh+ and 4–9 months. Validate demand first. |
| Shopify cost per month in India? | Basic ₹1,499, Grow ₹5,599, Advanced ₹22,680 (paid yearly), plus 18% GST and a 2% / 1% / 0.6% third-party transaction fee. |
| Payment gateway charges? | Razorpay standard pricing is 2% per successful payment + GST, with no setup or annual fee. |
| Is GST charged on website development? | Yes, 18% if your vendor is GST-registered. If you are registered too, you can usually claim it back as input tax credit. |
| Yearly maintenance? | Roughly 10–20% of the build cost per year, depending on platform and how much changes. |
| How long to build? | 1–3 weeks for a template store, 3–6 weeks for a professional store, 2–3 months for custom. |
| Hyderabad vs Bengaluru or Mumbai pricing? | Hyderabad agency quotes usually run 10–25% below Bengaluru and Mumbai for the same scope. |
Ecommerce website cost in India at a glance (2026)
There is no single price because “ecommerce website” covers everything from an Instagram seller’s checkout page to a marketplace with hundreds of vendors. The fairest way to compare is by the kind of store you need. The ranges below are one-time build costs and typical running costs before GST, based on published Indian agency price lists, Shopify India’s official pricing and the quotes we see from Hyderabad clients.
| Store type | Who it suits | One-time build | Monthly running cost | Time to launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social or one-page store | Home sellers, Instagram and WhatsApp businesses testing a product | ₹0–₹15,000 | ₹400–₹1,500 | 1–3 days |
| DIY template store | Owners who will build it themselves on Shopify, WooCommerce or a website builder | ₹15,000–₹60,000 | ₹2,000–₹6,000 | 1–3 weeks |
| Professional store (freelancer or agency) | Most retailers, boutiques and D2C starters with 50–500 products | ₹60,000–₹2,50,000 | ₹3,000–₹15,000 | 3–6 weeks |
| Custom D2C brand store | Funded or fast-growing brands that need custom design, ERP sync and speed | ₹2,50,000–₹8,00,000 | ₹15,000–₹60,000 | 8–14 weeks |
| Marketplace, B2B portal or headless build | Multi-vendor platforms, distributors, manufacturers, enterprise | ₹8,00,000–₹25,00,000+ | ₹50,000–₹2,00,000+ | 4–9 months |
What you are really paying for: build, run and sell
Every online store has three kinds of cost, and quotes usually show only the first one:
- Build (one-time): design, development, product upload, payment and shipping setup, testing.
- Run (monthly): platform or hosting, apps and plugins, payment gateway fees, maintenance, backups and security.
- Sell (monthly): ads, SEO, WhatsApp and email messages, product photos, discounts and the time you spend answering customers.
A ₹25,000 store that costs ₹12,000 a month to run and gets no traffic is more expensive than a ₹90,000 store that runs for ₹5,000 a month and converts. Compare options over twelve months, not on the first invoice.
How much does an ecommerce website cost in Hyderabad?
For a professional Shopify or WooCommerce store with about 100 products, payments, shipping, GST invoices and basic SEO, Hyderabad agencies typically quote ₹70,000–₹1.8 lakh, and experienced freelancers ₹35,000–₹90,000. Hyderabad sits below Bengaluru and Mumbai because office and salary costs are lower, while the city has a deep pool of developers from its IT sector.
| City | Professional 100-product store (agency) | Custom D2C store | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyderabad | ₹70,000–₹1,80,000 | ₹2,50,000–₹7,00,000 | Strong developer pool; many agencies in Madhapur, Kondapur, Ameerpet and Banjara Hills |
| Bengaluru | ₹90,000–₹2,50,000 | ₹3,50,000–₹10,00,000 | Most D2C-specialist agencies; higher rates |
| Mumbai | ₹1,00,000–₹3,00,000 | ₹4,00,000–₹12,00,000 | Premium for fashion and luxury brand work |
| Delhi NCR | ₹80,000–₹2,20,000 | ₹2,50,000–₹8,00,000 | Wide range; many Gurugram and Noida firms |
| Chennai | ₹70,000–₹1,80,000 | ₹2,50,000–₹7,00,000 | Similar to Hyderabad; strong in B2B |
| Tier-2 cities (Vijayawada, Warangal, Vizag) | ₹40,000–₹1,20,000 | ₹1,50,000–₹5,00,000 | Cheaper, but check custom-work depth and support |
What Hyderabad businesses usually need (and spend)
Hyderabad’s online sellers are not one market. A Begum Bazaar wholesaler, a Banjara Hills designer label and a Gachibowli D2C startup need very different stores. This is how needs and budgets typically line up by area and business type:
| Area | Typical sellers | What the store needs | Common budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Begum Bazaar, Koti, Abids, Sultan Bazaar | Wholesalers, FMCG distributors, electricals, stationery | Bulk and tiered pricing, GST invoices with business GSTIN, minimum order quantity, WhatsApp ordering | ₹1–₹3 lakh |
| Charminar, Laad Bazaar, Pathergatti | Bangles, pearls, attar, bridal accessories, Irani and Hyderabadi specialities | Strong photos and video, Urdu or Hindi content, insured shipping, international orders for NRI buyers | ₹60,000–₹1.5 lakh |
| Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Film Nagar | Designer labels, jewellery, home décor, premium gifting | Custom design, lookbooks, appointment booking, BIS hallmark (HUID) details for gold jewellery | ₹1.5–₹5 lakh |
| Ameerpet, Kukatpally, KPHB, Dilsukhnagar | Apparel and saree stores, electronics, mobile accessories, coaching material | Large catalogues, sizes and variants, COD controls, fast mobile checkout | ₹60,000–₹2 lakh |
| Gachibowli, HITEC City, Kondapur, Financial District | D2C startups, SaaS-plus-product brands, subscription boxes | Subscriptions, analytics, CRM and ERP sync, performance for paid ads | ₹2.5–₹8 lakh |
| Secunderabad, General Bazaar, Paradise | Textiles, sarees, bakery and sweets, pharmacy-adjacent retail | Local delivery zones, same-day slots, FSSAI details for food | ₹60,000–₹1.8 lakh |
| Jeedimetla, Balanagar, Patancheru, Medchal, Kompally | Manufacturers and B2B suppliers | Request-a-quote, dealer logins, price lists by customer, Tally or Zoho sync | ₹1.5–₹6 lakh |
Hyderabad-specific factors that change your quote
- Language: a Telugu, Hindi or Urdu storefront (full or partial) adds ₹10,000–₹40,000 for translation, fonts and testing. It also helps you show up for searches in those languages.
- Festival and wedding peaks: Sankranti, Ramzan, Bonalu, Dasara and Bathukamma, Diwali and the wedding season can multiply traffic. Hosted platforms absorb this; self-hosted WooCommerce needs better hosting for those weeks.
- Cash on delivery habits: many Hyderabad buyers still prefer COD. Budget for COD verification, partial-prepaid and return-to-origin (RTO) controls, which are apps or custom work.
- High-value products: pearls, gold and silver jewellery and electronics need insured shipping, clearer return rules and stronger product proof (video, certificates).
- Local delivery: bakeries, restaurants, florists and grocers often need pin-code or locality-based delivery slots across GHMC, which adds setup time.
Ecommerce website cost by platform: Shopify vs WooCommerce vs custom
The platform decides both your build cost and what you pay every month for years. This comparison uses professional-build prices in Hyderabad and each platform’s own published fees where they exist.
| Platform | Professional build | Monthly platform cost | Platform transaction fee | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | ₹50,000–₹3,00,000 | ₹1,499–₹22,680 (yearly billing) + GST | 2% / 1% / 0.6% on top of your gateway fee | Fast launch, low tech effort, D2C brands | Fees stack as sales grow; paid apps add up |
| WooCommerce (WordPress) | ₹40,000–₹2,50,000 | Hosting ₹300–₹6,000 + paid plugins | None | Content-rich stores, full control, businesses already on WordPress | You own updates, security and speed |
| Website builders (Wix, Hostinger and similar) | ₹15,000–₹60,000 | ₹500–₹3,000 | Varies by plan | Very small catalogues, simple stores | Limited Indian integrations and SEO depth |
| Payment-page and one-page stores | ₹0–₹15,000 | ₹0–₹1,500 | Usually the gateway fee only | Testing a product, social sellers | Not a full store; weak for SEO |
| Adobe Commerce / Magento Open Source | ₹4,00,000–₹20,00,000 | ₹10,000–₹1,00,000 (servers + support) | None (open source) | Large catalogues, complex B2B | Needs specialist developers; costly to maintain |
| Custom (Laravel, Node.js, Next.js) | ₹2,50,000–₹25,00,000 | ₹5,000–₹1,00,000+ | None | Marketplaces, unique workflows | Long build, you depend on the team that wrote it |
Shopify pricing in India (official rates, September 2026)
Shopify now publishes Indian rupee prices. These are the rates on Shopify’s India pricing page on 29 September 2026. New stores currently get a 3-day free trial and then ₹20 a month for the first three months.
| Plan | Paid yearly (per month) | Paid monthly | Yearly + 18% GST | Fee on third-party gateways | Staff accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | ₹1,499 | ₹1,994 | ₹1,769 | 2% | Owner only |
| Grow | ₹5,599 | ₹7,447 | ₹6,607 | 1% | Up to 5 |
| Advanced | ₹22,680 | ₹30,164 | ₹26,762 | 0.6% | Up to 15 |
| Plus | From ₹1,75,000 | — | — | 0.2% | Unlimited |
Why Indian Shopify stores pay two transaction fees
Shopify’s own payment system, Shopify Payments, has not launched in India. So every Indian Shopify store uses a third-party gateway such as Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree or CCAvenue and pays two fees on each order: the gateway’s fee (Razorpay’s standard rate is 2% + GST) and Shopify’s third-party transaction fee for your plan. On ₹2 lakh of monthly sales on the Basic plan, that is about ₹4,000 to Shopify and ₹4,000 to the gateway, plus GST on both. WooCommerce and custom stores avoid the Shopify part but pay for hosting and maintenance instead.
When upgrading from Basic to Grow pays for itself
Grow costs ₹4,100 a month more than Basic on yearly billing, but cuts Shopify’s fee from 2% to 1%. The break-even is simple: ₹4,100 ÷ 1% = about ₹4,10,000 of monthly online sales. Below that, stay on Basic. Above it, Grow is cheaper even if you never use the extra staff accounts.
Source: Shopify India pricing page and Razorpay pricing page, both checked 29 September 2026. Rates change; confirm before you budget.
WooCommerce cost in India
WooCommerce itself is free, which is why it looks cheaper. The real costs are hosting, a theme, paid plugins and upkeep:
- Hosting: ₹300–₹800 a month for a small store on good shared or cloud hosting; ₹2,000–₹6,000 for managed WooCommerce hosting that copes with festival traffic.
- Theme: free to about ₹6,000 one-time for a premium theme.
- Plugins: ₹5,000–₹25,000 a year for GST invoices, shipping, COD controls, reviews, backups, security and speed.
- Maintenance: 12–20% of the build cost a year, or a care plan of ₹2,000–₹8,000 a month. Skipping updates is how WooCommerce stores get hacked.
WooCommerce makes most sense when content and SEO matter (blogs, guides, many category pages), when you want no platform fee on sales, or when you already run a WordPress site.
Custom ecommerce development cost
A custom-built store (Laravel, Node.js, Next.js or a headless front end on Shopify or Medusa) starts around ₹2.5 lakh for a focused D2C store and runs to ₹25 lakh+ for a multi-vendor marketplace with seller dashboards, commissions, payouts and mobile apps. Choose custom only when a real business rule cannot be handled by Shopify or WooCommerce, such as vendor payouts, rental or booking logic, dealer-specific pricing at scale or deep ERP workflows. Insist on owning the code repository and documentation from day one.
Ecommerce website cost breakdown: where the money goes
Ask any vendor for an itemised quote. Two quotes of ₹1 lakh can hide very different scopes. This is what each line usually costs in Hyderabad, excluding GST:
| Component | DIY | Freelancer | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain name (.com or .in, per year) | ₹500–₹1,200 | ₹500–₹1,200 | ₹500–₹1,200 |
| Hosting or platform (per month) | ₹300–₹1,500 | ₹300–₹2,500 | ₹1,500–₹6,000 |
| Theme or template | ₹0–₹6,000 | ₹0–₹15,000 | Usually included |
| UI/UX design (home, category, product, cart) | — | ₹8,000–₹30,000 | ₹20,000–₹1,50,000 |
| Store setup and development | Your time | ₹15,000–₹60,000 | ₹35,000–₹2,00,000 |
| Product upload (per 100 products, with variants) | Your time | ₹2,000–₹5,000 | ₹3,500–₹10,000 |
| Product photography (per product, white background) | Phone + light box | ₹150–₹400 | ₹250–₹600 |
| Payment gateway integration (Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree) | App / plugin | ₹3,000–₹10,000 | Included to ₹15,000 |
| Shipping integration (Shiprocket, Delhivery, NimbusPost) | App / plugin | ₹3,000–₹10,000 | ₹5,000–₹20,000 |
| GST invoices and tax setup | App / plugin | ₹2,000–₹8,000 | ₹5,000–₹15,000 |
| WhatsApp order updates | App | ₹5,000–₹12,000 | ₹10,000–₹25,000 |
| On-page SEO setup (titles, schema, sitemap, speed) | Basic | ₹5,000–₹20,000 | ₹15,000–₹40,000 |
| Legal pages (terms, privacy, returns, shipping) | Templates | ₹2,000–₹5,000 | ₹5,000–₹15,000 |
| Analytics, Meta Pixel and Conversions API | Basic | ₹3,000–₹8,000 | ₹8,000–₹20,000 |
| Testing, training and launch support | Your time | ₹2,000–₹10,000 | ₹10,000–₹30,000 |
Product photos and content: the line most budgets miss
On most Indian stores, photos and product descriptions decide sales more than design does. For a 120-product catalogue, clean white-background photos at ₹250 each cost about ₹30,000, and a one-day model or lifestyle shoot in Hyderabad typically costs ₹10,000–₹40,000 including a basic studio. Product descriptions cost ₹100–₹500 each to write well; Telugu or Hindi versions add 40–60%. If you are short on budget, spend here before you spend on custom animations.
Monthly running costs after launch
Running costs are where online stores quietly lose money. This is a realistic monthly budget for a small store selling ₹1–₹5 lakh a month:
| Running cost | Typical monthly cost | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Platform or hosting | ₹800–₹6,000 | Shopify plan, or WooCommerce hosting quality |
| Apps and plugins | ₹1,000–₹5,000 | Reviews, COD tools, WhatsApp, subscriptions, filters |
| Payment gateway | About 2% of online sales + GST | Razorpay standard rate; negotiable above ₹5 lakh a month |
| Shopify transaction fee (Shopify only) | 0.6–2% of sales | Your Shopify plan |
| Shipping | From ₹20–₹26 per 500 g floor rate; ₹45–₹100 per order is common after zones, COD and GST | Weight, zone, courier, COD share, returns |
| Maintenance and support | ₹2,000–₹15,000 | Platform, number of changes, care plan |
| WhatsApp and SMS messages | ₹500–₹5,000 | Order volume; Meta charges per marketing message (about ₹0.86 in India) |
| Marketing (ads, SEO) | ₹10,000–₹1,00,000+ | How fast you want sales; the store alone brings no traffic |
Worked example: first-year cost of a Hyderabad saree boutique store
An illustrative Ameerpet saree boutique moves 120 products online on Shopify Basic, built by an agency, and averages ₹2,50,000 of online sales a month. Shipping is charged to customers, so it is left out.
| Item | Calculation | Year-one cost (incl. GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Store build (agency, Growth package) | ₹89,999 + 18% GST | ₹1,06,199 |
| Shopify Basic, yearly billing | ₹1,499 × 12 + GST | ₹21,226 |
| Apps (reviews, COD, WhatsApp, filters) | ₹1,500 × 12 + GST | ₹21,240 |
| Domain | .com for one year | ₹900 |
| Product photography | 120 products × ₹250 | ₹30,000 |
| Shopify third-party fee | 2% × ₹2,50,000 × 12 + GST | ₹70,800 |
| Razorpay gateway fee | 2% × ₹2,50,000 × 12 + GST | ₹70,800 |
| Small changes and support | ₹1,000 × 12 + GST | ₹14,160 |
| Total, year one | ₹3,35,325 |
That is about 11.2% of first-year online sales of ₹30,00,000. From year two, without the build and photos, running costs fall to roughly 6.6% of sales. If the boutique is GST-registered, most of the GST in this table can be claimed back as input tax credit. Notice that transaction fees (₹1,41,600) cost more than the platform and apps combined. That is why the plan choice and gateway rate matter more than a few thousand rupees on the build.
These are the costs that surprise Hyderabad store owners in the first year. None is large alone, but together they often add 20–40% to the budget people planned.
Renewal prices
Domains and hosting are often cheap in year one and two to three times more on renewal. Check the renewal price, not the offer price.
App and plugin creep
Each ₹500–₹2,000 app looks small. Ten of them is ₹10,000 a month. Review subscriptions every quarter.
Stacked transaction fees
On Shopify in India you pay the gateway and Shopify. At higher sales, the plan choice changes your margin more than the build price.
COD and returns (RTO)
Cash-on-delivery orders that come back cost you two-way shipping and packaging. Budget for COD confirmation, partial prepaid or RTO-prediction tools.
GST on everything
Build, platform, apps, gateway fees and courier bills all carry 18% GST. Register for GST early if it makes sense so you can claim input tax credit.
Speed fixes after launch
Cheap themes stuffed with apps load slowly on Indian mobile networks. Fixing Core Web Vitals later often costs ₹15,000–₹60,000.
Migration
Moving from a builder or a custom script to Shopify or WooCommerce later, with redirects to keep your Google rankings, can cost ₹25,000–₹1.5 lakh.
Security and backups
Self-hosted stores need backups, a firewall and updates. One hacked checkout costs more than years of a care plan.
Compliance pages and details
Grievance officer, returns policy, seller details and product labelling are legal requirements, not extras. Budget time for them.
Your own time
Uploading 300 products, writing descriptions and answering WhatsApp queries is real work. Price your hours before choosing DIY.
8 factors that decide your ecommerce website cost
1. Number of products, variants and categories
A 30-product store and a 3,000-product store need different filters, search, bulk upload and data cleaning. Variants (size, colour, fabric) multiply the work. Expect product upload at ₹20–₹100 per product depending on variants and SEO copy.
2. Design: template, customised or fully custom
A good premium theme customised to your brand is enough for most businesses. Fully custom design adds ₹50,000–₹2 lakh and is worth it when your brand story, product configurators or conversion testing justify it.
3. Integrations with the tools you already use
Tally, Zoho Books, Zoho Inventory, a POS system, a CRM or a warehouse partner each need setup and testing. A simple connector app may cost ₹1,000–₹3,000 a month; a custom two-way sync can cost ₹30,000–₹1.5 lakh.
4. Payments, COD and checkout
UPI, cards, net banking, EMI and pay-later come with most gateways. Costs go up for partial COD, one-click checkout tools, subscriptions and international payments.
5. Languages
English-only is cheapest. Adding Telugu, Hindi or Urdu means translated content, local fonts, right-to-left layout for Urdu and more testing, typically ₹10,000–₹40,000.
6. B2B and wholesale features
Dealer logins, customer-specific price lists, minimum order quantities, credit terms and request-a-quote flows are common for Hyderabad manufacturers and wholesalers. They add ₹25,000–₹2 lakh depending on the platform.
7. Speed, traffic and festival peaks
If you plan to run ads or expect festival spikes, budget for performance work and better hosting. A slow store wastes every rupee you spend on ads.
8. Who builds it, and who owns it afterwards
DIY is cheapest in rupees and most expensive in time. Freelancers are cost-effective but support varies. Agencies cost more and should give you process, testing and support. Whoever you choose, make sure the domain, store account, gateway and ad accounts are in your name.
Free ecommerce website cost calculator (India, with GST)
Choose your platform, builder and features, then enter the sales you expect. The calculator shows a build range, what the store will cost to run each month, and which Shopify plan is cheapest at your sales level.
One-time build (incl. 18% GST)
—
Running cost per month
—
Year-one total
—
Running cost as % of sales
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Platform + fees per order
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Estimates only, based on Hyderabad market rates and Shopify India and Razorpay published pricing (September 2026). Shipping, ads and stock are not included. Monthly figures include 18% GST, which GST-registered businesses can usually claim back.
What each budget actually gets you
Use this to sanity-check a quote. If someone promises the right-hand column for the left-hand budget, ask what is being left out.
| Budget (one-time) | Realistic platform | What you get | What you usually do not get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under ₹25,000 | Payment-page store, website builder, Shopify DIY | A working checkout, a few products, UPI and cards | Custom design, SEO setup, integrations, support |
| ₹25,000–₹60,000 | Shopify or WooCommerce with a theme | Branded theme, up to ~50 products, gateway, shipping app, legal pages | Photography, advanced SEO, custom features |
| ₹60,000–₹1,50,000 | Shopify or WooCommerce, professionally built | Customised design, 100–300 products, payments, shipping, GST invoices, WhatsApp updates, on-page SEO, analytics, training | Fully custom design, ERP sync, apps |
| ₹1,50,000–₹4,00,000 | Shopify (Grow) or WooCommerce with custom work | Custom design, conversion-focused product pages, integrations, speed work, B2B or subscriptions | Marketplace features, mobile apps |
| ₹4,00,000–₹8,00,000+ | Custom or headless | Unique workflows, deep ERP and CRM sync, performance engineering, dedicated support | Guaranteed sales (nobody can promise these) |
Ecommerce website packages from Digital Masters 360, Hyderabad
We publish our prices because most agencies don’t. These are fixed quotes for the scope listed; if your store needs something outside it, we tell you the extra cost before we start.
Launch Store
₹39,999 + GST, one-time
For first-time sellers and home businesses
- Shopify or WooCommerce, branded theme
- Up to 50 products uploaded
- Razorpay / PayU / Cashfree + UPI and COD
- Shiprocket or courier app setup
- GST invoices, legal and policy pages
- Google Analytics 4 and Search Console
- Live in about 2–3 weeks
- 30 days of free fixes
Growth Store
₹89,999 + GST, one-time
For boutiques, retailers and D2C starters
- Everything in Launch Store
- Customised design for home, category and product pages
- Up to 200 products with variants
- WhatsApp order and delivery updates
- COD confirmation and RTO controls
- On-page SEO, product schema and speed tuning
- Meta Pixel + Conversions API
- Telugu or Hindi pages (optional add-on)
- Live in about 4–6 weeks, 60 days of support
Brand Store
From ₹1,79,999 + GST, one-time
For growing brands, wholesalers and manufacturers
- Everything in Growth Store
- Fully custom design and conversion-led product pages
- 500+ products or B2B price lists
- Tally, Zoho or ERP integration
- Subscriptions or dealer logins
- Launch ad and SEO plan for the first 90 days
- Live in about 8–12 weeks, 90 days of support
What is included in every package
- You own everything: the domain, store account, payment gateway, Google and Meta accounts are created in your name.
- No markup on third-party fees: you pay Shopify, hosting, apps and the gateway directly.
- Training: a recorded walkthrough in English or Telugu so your team can add products, run discounts and handle orders.
- Optional care plan: updates, backups, small changes and monthly speed checks from ₹4,999 a month. No lock-in.
How long does it take to build an ecommerce website?
A professional Shopify or WooCommerce store takes 3–6 weeks when the owner sends products and approvals on time. Delays almost always come from missing product data, photos or KYC documents, not development. A typical timeline for a Growth-level store:
| Week | What happens | What we need from you |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Discovery, competitor review, sitemap, platform and app choices | Product list, prices, logo, any brand colours |
| Week 2 | Design of home, category, product and cart pages | Feedback within 2 working days |
| Weeks 3–4 | Build, product upload, payments, shipping, GST invoices, WhatsApp updates | Photos, descriptions, gateway KYC documents |
| Week 5 | Testing on real phones, test orders, speed and SEO checks | Two or three people to place test orders |
| Week 6 | Launch, analytics check, training, first-week fixes | Announcement to customers, first ad budget |
Documents to keep ready for payment gateway activation
Gateways such as Razorpay, PayU and Cashfree verify your business before they release payouts. Keep these ready to avoid a one-to-two-week delay: business PAN, GST certificate (or other business proof if you are not registered), a bank account in the business name or a cancelled cheque, the owner’s PAN and Aadhaar, and a live website with contact details, terms, privacy, refund and shipping policies. Gateways check the website, so policies must be published before activation.
Legal and compliance checklist for Indian online stores
Compliance is cheap to set up correctly at the start and expensive to fix after a complaint. This checklist covers what most Hyderabad stores need. It is general information, not legal advice; confirm specifics with your CA or lawyer.
| Rule | What it means for your website | Typical cost to comply |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 | Show your legal name, address and customer care details, appoint a grievance officer and show their contact, and publish clear return, refund, exchange, warranty and delivery terms | Mostly content work; included in good builds |
| Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules | Product pages for packaged goods must show declarations such as MRP, net quantity, manufacturer or importer and country of origin | Product data work; ₹5–₹20 per product if outsourced |
| GST | Tax invoices with GSTIN, HSN codes and correct rates; registration rules differ for your own website and for marketplaces | GST invoice app ₹0–₹1,500/month; CA fees extra |
| Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and DPDP Rules, 2025 | Clear privacy notice, consent for marketing messages, secure handling of customer data, breach response; obligations are being phased in, with most applying from May 2027 | Privacy notice and consent setup ₹5,000–₹25,000 |
| RBI card rules | Never store card numbers yourself; let the gateway handle tokenisation | Nil if you use a proper gateway |
| BIS hallmarking (HUID) | Gold jewellery sold must carry a HUID hallmark; show it on product pages to build trust | Content work |
| FSSAI | Food sellers must hold an FSSAI licence or registration and should display the number | Licence fees vary by business size |
| Advertising standards (ASCI) and CCPA guidelines | No misleading claims, fake discounts, hidden charges or dark patterns in checkout | Copy review; included in good builds |
10 ways to reduce your ecommerce website cost without hurting sales
- Start with a customised theme, not custom design. Spend the difference on photos and ads.
- Pay Shopify yearly. It is about 25% cheaper than monthly billing.
- Pick your Shopify plan by maths, not features. Basic until about ₹4.1 lakh of monthly sales, then Grow.
- Negotiate the gateway rate once you cross ₹5 lakh a month in online payments.
- Audit apps every quarter and remove anything you have not used in 30 days.
- Upload products yourself using a spreadsheet template, and pay only for the first 20 to be done properly as examples.
- Shoot products in batches of 50–100 to get a better per-product rate.
- Reduce COD returns with WhatsApp order confirmation and a small prepaid discount; each prevented return saves two-way shipping.
- Register for GST early if your turnover and plans justify it, so you can claim back GST on the build and running costs.
- Get a fixed-scope quote in writing with a list of what is excluded. Change requests are where budgets explode.
DIY vs freelancer vs agency vs in-house: cost and risk compared
| DIY | Freelancer | Agency | In-house developer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | ₹15,000–₹60,000 | ₹30,000–₹1,50,000 | ₹60,000–₹8,00,000+ | ₹30,000–₹80,000 salary per month in Hyderabad |
| Time to launch | Depends on your time | 2–6 weeks | 3–12 weeks | Hiring time plus build |
| Quality risk | High if you are new | Varies widely | Lower with a clear process | Depends on one person |
| Design, SEO, ads, photos | You learn each | Usually development only | Usually one team | Needs more hires |
| Support after launch | You | Depends on availability | Contracted | Yes, while they stay |
| Best for | Testing an idea | Clear, small scope | Brands that want it done right | Large, constantly changing stores |
Questions to ask before you pay any advance
- Can I see two live stores you built, and speak to one owner?
- Will the domain, store, gateway and ad accounts be in my name from day one?
- What exactly is excluded from this quote?
- How many design revisions are included?
- Who uploads products, and how many?
- Which paid apps or plugins will I need, and what do they cost each month?
- What happens if the store is slow or breaks after launch? For how long is support free?
- Will you set up GST invoices, legal pages and analytics?
- Do I get the source code, theme files and admin passwords at handover?
- What is the payment schedule, and what does each milestone deliver?
Red flags in ecommerce website quotes
- “Lifetime free hosting” or unlimited everything for a one-time ₹10,000.
- The vendor registers the domain or Shopify account in their own name.
- No mention of payment gateway KYC, legal pages or GST invoices.
- Guaranteed sales or “page one on Google in 30 days” promises.
- A custom-coded store for a simple catalogue, which locks you to that developer.
- 100% payment upfront with no milestones.
Ecommerce website vs marketplaces (Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho) and ONDC
Most successful Hyderabad sellers use both: marketplaces for reach and a website for margin, repeat buyers and brand. The cost structures are very different:
| Channel | Setup cost | Cost per order | Who owns the customer | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Own ecommerce website | ₹15,000–₹8 lakh+ | Gateway ~2% + platform fee (if any) + shipping | You: data, WhatsApp and email list | Brand, margins, repeat orders |
| Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho | Low (listing and catalogue work) | Category-based referral or commission, fixed and shipping fees | The marketplace | Reach and discovery, especially outside Hyderabad |
| ONDC via a seller app | Low | Seller-app and network fees, usually lower than marketplace commissions | Shared via the seller app | Local and hyperlocal orders, experimentation |
| Instagram and WhatsApp only | Near zero | Your time plus payment links | You, but hard to scale | Testing products, small batches |
A practical path: prove demand on Instagram, WhatsApp or a marketplace, then build your own website once you have 20–30 repeat customers and know which products sell. Your website then turns one-time marketplace buyers into repeat buyers you don’t pay commission on.
Is an ecommerce website worth it? The break-even maths
Instead of asking “how much does a website cost”, ask “how many orders do I need to cover it?” Use this formula:
Break-even orders per month = monthly fixed costs ÷ (average order value × gross margin − fees, shipping and packaging per order)
Example: a Kukatpally kidswear brand
Average order value ₹1,800, 45% gross margin (₹810 per order). Gateway and Shopify fees of 4% plus GST (₹85), shipping ₹70 and packaging ₹30 leave ₹625 per order. Fixed monthly costs are Shopify Basic, apps and small support (₹4,719 incl. GST) plus ₹25,000 of ads, a total of ₹29,719. Break-even is 48 orders a month, about 1.6 a day. Every order above that is profit that also builds a customer list you own.
The build cost is paid once. If a ₹90,000 store brings 20 extra profitable orders a month above break-even, it pays for itself within a few months. If you cannot see a path to break-even orders, fix the product, price or marketing plan before spending more on the website.
AI search and your online store: does it change the cost?
Shoppers now ask Google AI Mode, ChatGPT and Gemini for product advice, and platforms are adding ways to sell inside AI chats; Shopify now lists selling in AI chats as a feature on its plans. You don’t need a separate “AI store”. You need clean product data that machines can read: complete titles, prices, availability, GTINs or SKUs, product schema, honest reviews, a Google Merchant Center feed and FAQs that answer real buyer questions. In a good build this adds little cost, perhaps ₹5,000–₹20,000 of setup, and it helps both normal Google search and AI answers. Read our AI SEO services guide for how we approach it.
Ecommerce websites for businesses across Hyderabad
We work with sellers across Hyderabad, Secunderabad and the wider Telangana region, in person or online. Areas we regularly work with include:
- Ameerpet
- Abids
- Banjara Hills
- Begum Bazaar
- Begumpet
- Chanda Nagar
- Charminar
- Dilsukhnagar
- Financial District
- Gachibowli
- HITEC City
- Himayatnagar
- Jubilee Hills
- Kokapet
- Kompally
- Kondapur
- Koti
- KPHB
- Kukatpally
- LB Nagar
- Madhapur
- Malakpet
- Manikonda
- Mehdipatnam
- Miyapur
- Nampally
- Narsingi
- Secunderabad
- Somajiguda
- Tellapur
- Tolichowki
- Uppal
- Jeedimetla
- Shamshabad
Frequently asked questions about ecommerce website cost in India
How much does an ecommerce website cost in India?
An ecommerce website in India costs ₹15,000–₹60,000 for a simple template store, ₹60,000–₹2.5 lakh for a professionally built Shopify or WooCommerce store, ₹2.5–₹8 lakh for a custom D2C store and ₹8–₹25 lakh+ for a marketplace. Running costs are usually ₹3,000–₹30,000 a month plus about 2% payment gateway fees and 18% GST.
How much does an ecommerce website cost in Hyderabad?
Hyderabad agencies typically charge ₹70,000–₹1.8 lakh for a professional 100-product Shopify or WooCommerce store, and experienced freelancers ₹35,000–₹90,000. Custom D2C stores cost ₹2.5–₹7 lakh. Hyderabad pricing is usually 10–25% lower than Bengaluru or Mumbai for the same scope.
What is the cheapest way to build an ecommerce website in India?
The cheapest option is a one-page or social store using a payment-page tool, Shopify's entry options or a WhatsApp catalogue, costing ₹0–₹15,000 to set up. A DIY Shopify or WooCommerce store with a theme costs ₹15,000–₹60,000. These suit testing; a brand usually needs a professional build.
How much does Shopify cost per month in India?
On yearly billing Shopify costs ₹1,499 a month for Basic, ₹5,599 for Grow and ₹22,680 for Advanced; monthly billing is ₹1,994, ₹7,447 and ₹30,164. Add 18% GST. Because Shopify Payments is not available in India, Shopify also charges 2%, 1% or 0.6% on orders paid through a third-party gateway.
Is Shopify or WooCommerce cheaper in India?
WooCommerce is usually cheaper upfront and has no platform fee on sales, but needs paid hosting, plugins and regular maintenance. Shopify costs more each month and adds a transaction fee, but hosting, security and updates are handled for you. At low sales Shopify is often simpler; at high sales WooCommerce can be cheaper to run.
What are payment gateway charges for an ecommerce website in India?
Razorpay's standard pricing is 2% per successful payment plus GST, with no setup fee or annual maintenance charge. Other gateways such as PayU, Cashfree and CCAvenue have similar headline rates, and most offer custom pricing above about ₹5 lakh of monthly volume.
Is GST applicable on ecommerce website development?
Yes. Website design and development services attract 18% GST when the vendor is GST-registered, as do Shopify subscriptions, apps and gateway fees. If your business is GST-registered, you can usually claim this GST as input tax credit. Ask your CA about your case.
What is the yearly maintenance cost of an ecommerce website?
Expect roughly 10–20% of the build cost per year, or a care plan of about ₹2,000–₹15,000 a month. Shopify stores need less technical maintenance; WooCommerce and custom stores need regular updates, backups and security checks.
How long does it take to build an ecommerce website?
A template store takes 1–3 weeks, a professional Shopify or WooCommerce store 3–6 weeks, and a custom store 2–3 months or more. Most delays come from missing product data, photos or payment gateway KYC documents.
How much does a multi-vendor ecommerce website like Amazon cost in India?
A basic multi-vendor marketplace using ready-made scripts or plugins costs around ₹1.5–₹5 lakh, while a custom marketplace with seller dashboards, commissions, payouts and apps costs ₹8–₹25 lakh or more and takes 4–9 months. Validate seller and buyer demand before building one.
What hidden costs should I budget for an online store?
Common hidden costs are domain and hosting renewals, paid apps or plugins, stacked transaction fees, cash-on-delivery returns, GST on every service, product photography, speed fixes, security and backups, migration later, and your own time.
Do I need GST registration to start an ecommerce website?
It depends on your turnover, what you sell and whether you sell through marketplaces, which have different rules from your own website. Payment gateways can onboard some unregistered businesses with other proof. Confirm your requirement with a CA before launch.
Can I build an ecommerce website in Telugu?
Yes. Shopify and WooCommerce support Telugu, Hindi and Urdu storefronts through translation apps or plugins. A full or partial Telugu store typically adds ₹10,000–₹40,000 for translation, fonts and testing, and helps you reach buyers who search in Telugu.
Should I sell on Amazon and Flipkart or build my own website?
Most sellers do best with both. Marketplaces bring reach but charge commissions and fees and keep the customer relationship. Your own website costs more to start but gives better margins, repeat orders and a customer list you own.
Who owns the ecommerce website after an agency builds it?
You should. Insist that the domain, Shopify or hosting account, payment gateway and Google and Meta accounts are registered in your business name from day one, and that you receive admin access, theme files and any source code at handover.
Is an ecommerce website worth it for a small business?
It is worth it when you can reach your break-even orders: monthly fixed costs divided by the profit left per order after fees, shipping and packaging. For many small Hyderabad stores that is 30–60 orders a month, which is realistic with some marketing and repeat customers.
About this guide
Written by Chenna Reddy, founder of Digital Masters 360, a Hyderabad digital marketing and website agency. Chenna Reddy builds and markets websites for local businesses.
How we researched it: we reviewed the pages ranking for “ecommerce website cost in india” in Hyderabad on 29 September 2026, checked Shopify’s India pricing page and Razorpay’s pricing page on the same day, and compared published Indian agency price lists with the quotes Hyderabad businesses share with us. Market ranges are estimates and will vary by scope. We update this page when platform or gateway pricing changes.
Sources
- Shopify India pricing (plans, INR prices, third-party transaction fees)
- Razorpay pricing (2% + GST standard rate, no setup or AMC)
- Shiprocket pricing (shipping plans and floor rates)
- Department of Consumer Affairs (Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020; Legal Metrology)
- Ministry of Electronics and IT (DPDP Act, 2023 and DPDP Rules, 2025)
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