Ecommerce Startup Cost Calculator

Add up what it costs to start an online store: inventory, website, branding, legal, and three months of running costs.

Your numbers

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One-off costs to launch

First inventory order

Units × landed cost per unit. Use 0 for dropshipping or print on demand.

Theme, design and store build

0 with a free theme you set up yourself. Paid Shopify themes are a one-off purchase.

Logo and branding

Product photography

Business registration, licenses and legal

Fees vary by country and state. Check your local government's business registration site.

Packaging and shipping supplies

Samples and equipment

Product samples, a label printer, a scale.

Domain (first year)

Monthly costs

Store platform

Shopify Basic is $39 a month billed monthly or $29 billed yearly in the US. WooCommerce is free, but hosting isn't.

Apps and software

Email marketing, reviews, accounting.

Marketing and ads

Other fixed costs

Bookkeeping, phone, storage, insurance.

Months of runway

How many months of running costs to fund before sales cover them.

months

Buffer

Contingency buffer

For reorders, returns and surprises.

Your result · updates as you type

Cost to start your online store

$14,979

$8,520 to launch, plus $5,097 to run the store for 3 months, plus a 10% buffer.

One-off: $8,520
Monthly running: $1,699/mo
Biggest cost: Inventory

Not included: card processing fees (2.9% + 30¢ per online order on Shopify Basic in the US), shipping labels and your own pay, because they grow with sales. Marketing is usually where the money runs out first, so keep 3 months of it funded before you launch.

Where the money goes

Inventory

$5,000

Website

$1,817

Marketing

$4,500

Brand and photos

$900

Legal

$400

Supplies

$1,000

Buffer

$1,362

Breakdown

First inventory order: $5,000
Theme, design and store build: $1,500
Logo and branding: $300
Product photography: $600
Business registration, licenses and legal: $400
Packaging and shipping supplies: $400
Samples and equipment: $300
Domain (first year): $20
One-off total: $8,520
Store platform × 3 months: $117
Apps and software × 3 months: $180
Marketing and ads × 3 months: $4,500
Other fixed costs × 3 months: $300
Runway total: $5,097
Contingency (10%): $1,362
Total to start: $14,979

How the startup budget is built

Starting a store costs money twice: once to launch, and again every month until sales cover your running costs. The calculator adds both, then puts a buffer on top because first launches rarely go exactly to plan.

Total to start = (one-off launch costs + monthly running costs × months of runway) × (1 + contingency)

Example: the default small-batch brand

One-off: $5,000 + $1,500 + $300 + $600 + $400 + $400 + $300 + $20 = $8,520
Monthly: $39 platform + $60 apps + $1,500 marketing + $100 other = $1,699
Runway: $1,699 × 3 months = $5,097
Buffer: 10% × ($8,520 + $5,097) = $1,362

It costs about $14,979 to start this store. Inventory is the largest one-off cost, and marketing is the largest running cost.

Where to spend and where to save

Inventory. Order the smallest quantity your supplier allows until you know what sells. Dropshipping or print on demand take inventory to zero, at a lower margin per sale.
Website. A free Shopify theme set up well beats a premium theme set up badly. Shopify Basic is $39 a month billed monthly, or $29 billed yearly in the US.
Marketing. Fund at least three months. Most new stores need time and testing before ads become profitable.
Legal. Registration and license fees depend on your country and state. Check your government's business registration site rather than guessing.

For a detailed build estimate, try the ecommerce website cost calculator. To see what sales you need, use the ecommerce revenue calculator.

What's not included

Costs that grow with sales. Card fees (2.9% + 30¢ per online order on Shopify Basic in the US), shipping labels and packaging per order come out of each sale.
Your own pay. If you're leaving a job, add your living costs for the runway months.
Reorders. A best-seller can sell out fast. Plan cash for a second inventory order.
Taxes. Sales tax or VAT registration can apply from your first sale, depending on where you sell.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start an online store?

It depends on inventory and marketing. A lean dropshipping start can come in at a few thousand dollars with runway, while a small-batch brand with its own stock is often in the low tens of thousands. Enter your own figures to see yours.

Can I start an online store with no money?

Not quite. You'll pay for a platform plan and a domain at minimum, and you'll need some marketing budget to get visitors. Dropshipping removes the inventory cost.

What's the biggest cost of starting an online store?

Usually inventory for product brands and marketing for everyone. The website is often smaller than people expect if you start with a good theme.

How much runway do I need?

Three months of running costs is a sensible minimum, and six is safer. It gives you time to test ads and fix what isn't working before cash runs out.

Last reviewed 30 September 2026.

Sources: Shopify: Pricing (US)