Having an Online Store Built: Costs, Process & What Matters in 2026

Having an online store built in 2026 means choosing a shop system, setting up the mandatory pages correctly, and budgeting for ongoing costs. Options range from an affordable website builder through Shopify and Shopware to custom development. What makes sense depends on your product range, growth, and budget, not on a flat rate.

What does it cost to have an online store built?

There are no binding official average prices for building an online store: the price results from the shop system, depth of design, number of products, integrations (inventory management, payment, shipping), and the degree of customization. A website builder shop is considerably cheaper than a tailored solution with an ERP connection, because functions are preconfigured rather than programmed.

Rather than a flat figure, it makes more sense to split costs into three blocks: one time development (concept, design, setup, data entry), ongoing software and hosting costs, and transaction costs (payment fees). Every agency calculates development individually; the figures below are a market observation (as of: June 2026), not a price commitment.

Which shop system fits: website builder, Shopify, Shopware, WooCommerce, or custom?

The right shop system depends on how many products you carry, how much you want to grow, and how much maintenance you want to handle yourself. There are five common paths, and each has a clear use case.

• Website builder (e.g., the built in shop modules of website builders): quick to launch, low ongoing fixed costs, little customization, good for small product ranges and testing.
• Shopify: hosted SaaS solution, live quickly, predictable monthly costs. The Basic plan costs 36 euros per month billed monthly, or 25 euros billed annually, according to the Shopify pricing page (Germany, as of: June 2026); the enterprise plan, Shopify Plus, starts at 2,100 euros.
• Shopware: widely used system in Germany with a free community edition. The Shopware Community Edition (as of: June 2026) is available as open source; costs arise from hosting, extensions, and implementation, not from a license.
• WooCommerce: a WordPress plugin that is itself free (GPL licensed); ideal if you already have a WordPress website. Costs arise from hosting, theme, and plugins.
• Custom development: a tailored shop for complex processes, custom logic, or tight system integration, offering the highest flexibility at the highest effort.

Option	License/software costs	Best suited for
Website builder	monthly package fee	small product ranges, quick start
Shopify Basic	36 euros/month (monthly) or 25 euros (annual)	fast growth, little self maintenance
Shopify Plus	from 2,100 euros	large retailers, enterprise
Shopware CE	free (Community Edition)	German market, mid to large shops
WooCommerce	free (plugin)	existing WordPress sites
Custom	project dependent	complex processes, special logic

As of: June 2026; license figures according to primary manufacturer sources. "Free" means: no license fee, hosting, extensions, and implementation still cost money.

Which ongoing costs come up after launch?

After launch, regardless of the shop system, regular costs arise that often get overlooked in an initial quote. Anyone who only compares the development price misses the larger item over the years.

• Hosting and domain: for self hosted systems such as Shopware or WooCommerce; included in the plan price for SaaS solutions such as Shopify.
• Software license or plan: e.g., the monthly Shopify fee; open source systems have none, but paid extensions come with a cost instead.
• Payment fees: per transaction through a payment provider, an ongoing cost tied to revenue.
• Maintenance and updates: security updates, plugin upkeep, backups, especially relevant for self hosted systems.
• Further development: new features, marketing integrations, performance optimization.

As a rule of thumb based on market observation (as of: June 2026): over three to five years, ongoing costs often exceed the one time development cost. Plan for operations from the start instead of only looking at the launch price; you can also find guidance on this in our article What Does a Website Cost.

How does building an online store proceed?

A shop project typically goes through five phases, regardless of whether you implement it yourself or have it built. Knowing the phases helps you evaluate quotes better and realistically estimate your own effort.

1. Concept and requirements: product range, target audience, payment and shipping methods, integrations, choice of shop system.
2. Design and structure: shop theme, brand presence, category structure, mobile optimization.
3. Setup and data: products, images, copy, tax rates, shipping rules, mandatory pages.
4. Integration and testing: payment provider, shipping carrier, inventory management; test orders, mobile testing.
5. Launch and operation: publication, monitoring, marketing, ongoing maintenance and further development.

If you would like to have an online store or a more complex portal built, we support you through every phase, from choosing the system to running it. Find out more on our Portal Development page.

Which legal obligations apply to an online store in 2026?

An online store in Germany is subject to several legal obligations that must already be met at launch; otherwise, cease and desist letters threaten. The key obligations arise from the German Civil Code (BGB), the Digital Services Act (Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz), and the Packaging Act (Verpackungsgesetz), source: gesetze-im-internet.de, as of: June 2026.

• Legal notice: provider identification under Section 5 of the Digital Services Act (DDG).
• Right of withdrawal: consumer entitlement under Section 312g BGB; the 14 day withdrawal period follows from Section 355 (2) BGB, along with withdrawal instructions.
• Button solution: the order button must clearly indicate the obligation to pay (Section 312j BGB), for example, "order with obligation to pay."
• Cookies and consent: consent before setting non essential cookies under Section 25 TDDDG.
• Packaging register: registration with LUCID under the Packaging Act (VerpackG) for shipped packaging.

On top of this come a privacy policy (GDPR), correct price information, and terms and conditions. This list is general information and does not replace legal advice; have the specific implementation reviewed by a lawyer.

Should I build the online store myself or hire an agency?

The decision depends on budget, time, and complexity, not on a blanket recommendation. Building it yourself saves money and gives you full control, but costs time and requires technical as well as legal know how.

A website builder or Shopify works well for a self build with a small product range and standard requirements. Once integrations with inventory management, complex product logic, many variants, or custom design come into play, an experienced agency saves time and mistakes, especially with legal obligations and performance. A hybrid approach is common: the agency builds it, and you maintain it yourself afterward.

How do I recognize a good shop agency?

A good agency makes services, costs, and responsibilities transparent before the first line of code is written. Pay less attention to the lowest starting price and more to clarity about the total effort involved.

• System recommendation with reasoning: matched to your product range, not to the agency's favorite system.
• Transparent cost structure: development, ongoing costs, and maintenance shown separately.
• Legal compliance planned in: mandatory pages, button solution, and cookie consent considered from the start.
• References and ownership: traceable projects; you keep access to your domain, hosting, and data.
• Plan for afterward: maintenance, updates, and further development are settled, not left open.

How big is the e-commerce market in Germany in 2026?

German online retail keeps growing, which is why a professional shop can pay off. The German Retail Federation (Handelsverband Deutschland, HDE) forecasts online retail revenue of 96.3 billion euros for 2026, source: HDE e-commerce, as of: June 2026.

The growing market volume increases opportunities, but also competition. A well thought out shop system, clean design, and legally compliant implementation are therefore not a luxury but a requirement for staying visible in this market.

Frequently asked questions about having an online store built

What does it cost to have an online store built?

There is no flat figure: the price depends on the shop system, depth of design, number of products, and integrations. Separate one time development, ongoing software and hosting costs, and transaction fees. The figures in this article are a market observation (as of: June 2026), not a price commitment.

Which shop system is the best?

There is no "best" system, only a fitting one. Website builders and Shopify suit a quick start, Shopware and WooCommerce are free at their core and strong for the German market, custom development pays off for complex processes. What matters is product range, growth, and how much maintenance you want to handle yourself.

Is Shopware or WooCommerce really free?

The software is free: the Shopware Community Edition and the WooCommerce plugin are open source licensed. Costs arise, however, from hosting, paid extensions, theme, and implementation; "free" refers only to the license.

How long does it take to build an online store?

The duration depends on the system choice, number of products, and level of customization. A website builder or standard Shopify shop can be ready within days to a few weeks; custom development with integrations takes correspondingly longer. Preparing data, images, and copy is often the most time consuming part.

Which legal obligations must my online store meet?

Obligations include a legal notice (Section 5 DDG), the right of withdrawal under Section 312g BGB with a 14 day period under Section 355 (2) BGB, the button solution (Section 312j BGB), cookie consent (Section 25 TDDDG), and LUCID registration under the Packaging Act, plus a GDPR privacy policy and terms and conditions. Have the implementation reviewed by a lawyer; this is not legal advice.

Do I need a legal notice for every shop?

Yes. Commercial online stores need provider identification under Section 5 DDG. The legal notice must be easily recognizable, directly accessible, and permanently available.

Should I build the shop myself or have it built?

For small product ranges with standard requirements, building it yourself through a website builder or Shopify is well manageable. With integrations, many variants, custom design, or high legal requirements, an agency saves time and reduces mistakes. A hybrid approach, agency builds, you maintain, is common.

Sources

• Shopify: pricing page (Germany), as of: June 2026 (Basic 36 euros/month monthly or 25 euros annually, Plus from 2,100 euros).
• Shopware: Community Edition and WooCommerce (GPL), as of: June 2026 (software free).
• gesetze-im-internet.de: Section 312j BGB, among others (legal notice Section 5 DDG, right of withdrawal Section 312g BGB with period under Section 355 (2) BGB, button Section 312j BGB, cookies Section 25 TDDDG, Packaging Act/LUCID), as of: June 2026.
• HDE: e-commerce revenue, as of: June 2026 (2026 online retail forecast: 96.3 billion euros).

Note: This article offers general, non binding guidance and does not constitute an offer, a price commitment, or legal advice. Prices and market figures are subject to change (as of: June 2026); for the legally compliant implementation of your shop, please consult a qualified advisor.