Ecommerce Platform Cost Comparison
Compare what Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace and Wix would cost you each year at your sales level.
Your numbers
Your result · updates as you type
Cheapest at your sales
Squarespace
About $735 a month all-in on Plus, or 3.7% of sales. BigCommerce costs the most here at $1,020 a month. US list prices, in US dollars.
- Shopify (Basic)
- $755/mo
- WooCommerce (free core)
- $866/mo
- BigCommerce (Scale)
- $1,020/mo
- Squarespace (Plus)
- $735/mo
- Wix (price you entered)
- $765/mo
The platform with the lowest fees isn't always the cheapest to run. Themes, developer time and how well each platform fits your catalog matter more as you grow. I build on Shopify and WooCommerce. If you'd like a second opinion on your shortlist or an exact build quote, the Hire me button reaches me.
Breakdown
- Shopify (Basic): $29 plan, $666 payment fees, $60 apps
- $9,057/yr
- WooCommerce (free core): $0 plan, $666 payment fees, $200 hosting, upkeep and add-ons
- $10,389/yr
- BigCommerce (Scale): $299 plan, $661 payment fees, $60 apps
- $12,238/yr
- Squarespace (Plus): $49 plan, $626 payment fees, $60 apps
- $8,817/yr
- Wix (price you entered): $39 plan, $666 payment fees, $60 apps
- $9,177/yr
How each platform is priced
Every platform charges some mix of a plan, card fees and add-ons. The calculator uses each platform's US list prices, picks the cheapest plan for your sales where the platform lets you choose, and adds the same app budget to all of them so the comparison stays like for like.
| Platform | Plans (billed yearly) | Card payments | What the calculator assumes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $29, $79, $299/mo | 2.9% + 30¢ to 2.5% + 30¢ (Shopify Payments) | Cheapest of Basic, Grow and Advanced |
| WooCommerce | Free core | 2.9% + $0.30 (WooPayments) | Your hosting and upkeep figures |
| BigCommerce | Core $29, Growth $79, Scale $299/mo | From 2.89% + $0.29 (PayPal Braintree) | Plan set by yearly sales, as BigCommerce does |
| Squarespace | $19, $29, $49, $99/mo | 2.9% + $0.30 to 2.5% + $0.30 | Cheapest plan, incl. the 2% fee on Basic |
| Wix | Varies by location | 2.9% + $0.30 (Wix Payments) | The plan price you enter |
BigCommerce moves you up a plan automatically: Core covers up to $30K a year in sales and Growth up to $100K, measured as trailing 12-month sales minus 10%. Scale covers $33,333 a month, with 0.9% on sales above that, and stores reaching $2M a year move to the custom-priced Performance plan.
Example: the calculator's starting values
- Sales
- $20,000 a month at $70 AOV, $60 of apps
- Squarespace Plus
- $49 + $626 fees + $60 = $735/mo
- Shopify Basic
- $29 + $666 fees + $60 = $755/mo
- Wix ($39 entered)
- $39 + $666 fees + $60 = $765/mo
- WooCommerce
- $666 fees + $60 + $40 hosting + $100 upkeep = $866/mo
- BigCommerce Scale
- $299 + $661 fees + $60 = $1,020/mo
At this level Squarespace is cheapest at about $8,817 a year, with Shopify close behind at $9,057.
Cost is only half the decision
The gap between platforms is often small next to the cost of building on the wrong one. Before you choose on price, check:
- Catalog fit. Site builders suit small catalogs. Large catalogs with many variants suit Shopify, BigCommerce or WooCommerce.
- Apps and integrations for the tools you already use (email, accounting, shipping, marketplaces).
- Who maintains it. Hosted platforms handle updates and security; WooCommerce leaves that with you.
- Room to grow. Moving platforms later means a migration, with its own cost. See the Shopify migration cost calculator.
The which ecommerce platform quiz weighs these for you in nine questions.
Limits of this comparison
- Prices are US list prices in US dollars. Other countries pay different prices and card rates.
- Wix shows prices by location, so enter the price Wix shows you for a plan that accepts payments. The default is only an example.
- BigCommerce's card rate uses PayPal Braintree's published starting rate. BigCommerce doesn't charge an extra fee with its embedded payment providers; others cost 2%, 1% or 0.6% on top depending on the plan.
- Standard card rates are used throughout. Premium, international and American Express cards cost more on every platform.
- Themes, design and developer time aren't included. Estimate those with the ecommerce website cost calculator.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest ecommerce platform?
For a small store, a website builder or Shopify Basic usually costs least. As sales grow, card fees dominate, so the platform with the lowest card rate on the plan you'd use tends to win.
Why is WooCommerce not always the cheapest if it's free?
Because hosting and upkeep replace the plan price. With $40 hosting and $100 a month of maintenance, WooCommerce costs more than a hosted plan at many sales levels. Set upkeep to $0 if you'll do it yourself.
Does BigCommerce charge transaction fees?
Not on orders through its embedded payment providers, which include BigCommerce Payments, PayPal, Stripe and Adyen. Other providers carry a 2%, 1% or 0.6% fee depending on the plan.
Does Squarespace charge transaction fees?
Its Basic plan charges 2% on online store sales. Core and above charge 0% on store sales, though digital content and memberships have their own fees on lower plans.
Related tools
Want this builtinto your store?
I'm Emmanuel, a Shopify and WooCommerce developer. If this tool pointed at something you'd rather have fixed for you (a faster store, cleaner product data, a migration, a custom feature), send me a note.
Emmanuel Asika
Shopify & WooCommerce developer, Dublin
I build and fix online stores: new builds, migrations, speed, SEO and the custom bits apps can't do.
Last reviewed 30 September 2026.
Sources: Shopify: Pricing (US) · WooCommerce: Pricing · WooCommerce: WooPayments fees · BigCommerce: Pricing · Squarespace: Pricing (US) · Wix: Plans · Wix Help Center: Wix Payments service fees