WordPress has long been a popular choice for building websites, especially for users with little to no coding experience. Its user-friendly design makes it the perfect solution for ecommerce entrepreneurs who want to develop and manage their own online stores.
While WordPress is user-friendly, many still wonder about the potential WordPress ecommerce website costs. We’ve researched this topic thoroughly to compile a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on what it takes to build a WordPress ecommerce website.
We’ll cover the potential costs involved at each stage and provide practical tips on minimizing expenses while ensuring a high-quality outcome. Let’s get into it!
WordPress Ecommerce Website: A Complete Cost Breakdown
Before jumping into the breakdown cost of building a WordPress store, let’s look at the cost elements involved.
Although building an ecommerce site using WordPress CMS is widely considered to be budget-friendly and straightforward, there are essential elements that must be accounted for throughout the process.
Design and Development
Designing an ecommerce website is one of the most time-consuming parts of building a successful online presence, as it involves carefully designing the appearance, and configuring the necessary features needed to cater to a broad audience.
This process can take several months and demands specialized skills to convert the concept into a reality.
Domain-Hosting SSL
Like any other website, a WordPress ecommerce site needs a domain name and hosting on a physical server. The domain name is what users will type to find and access your website. You have to pay periodically to keep the domain name to maintain ownership.
Similarly, hosting involves renting space on a physical server where your website’s data and files are stored. You will also need an SSL certification to ensure users and search engines find your site trustworthy to run transactional activity.
Themes
The WordPress repository is filled with a massive selection of ecommerce-oriented themes and templates. These themes are highly beneficial as they define the core structure and appearance of your website by giving it a professional look right from the start.
Plugins
To add various unique features to your website, you’ll probably need more than one plugin. For instance, a payment system plugin like PayPal or Square allows users to handle their purchase transactions efficiently.
Also, plugins like CoDesigner let you design every element of your website and ThumbPress makes it easy for site owners to optimize their site’s images.
Breakdown of WordPress Ecommerce Website Costs
| Cost Element | Estimated Price Range |
| Domain Name | $10 – $20/year |
| Shared Hosting | $48 – $500/year |
| Managed Hosting | $540/year |
| SSL Certificate | Free – $100/year |
| Theme | $50 – $200 one-time |
| Plugins | $30 – $279/year |
| Freelance Developer | $20 – $250/hour |
| Agency Developer | $150 – $300/hour |
| SEO Tools | $0 – $30,000/year |
Several cost elements go into developing and launching a WordPress ecommerce site. Below we’ll cover everything you need to consider when planning a budget for your WordPress ecommerce site.
1. Hiring a Developer
When estimating the cost of a WordPress ecommerce website, start by considering the cost needed to hire a developer. If you lack the necessary expertise or time to build the site yourself, a skilled WordPress developer can get the job done properly and in no time.
Below, we outline the different types of developers available, along with the pros and cons of hiring each:
- In-House Developer
You can start by hiring in-house developers who will work on-site to develop the website for you. The number of developers and the cost can vary depending on the complexity of the task and how fast you want the work to be done.
Many developers work independently or as part of a small team, and can join an onsite workspace you arrange based on your requirements. It’s also likely that someone within your local community or network knows a developer who can complete the job at a much lower cost.
However, there’s no definitive data on how much they charge because it varies from place to place and often there’s scope to lower the final pricing after negotiation.
If you’re looking to hire a full-time WordPress developer in the US, be aware that their average annual salary ranges from $65k to $111k, according to Glassdoor.
Pros
- Clear Communication: With the developer sitting next room, you can always directly explain your requirements, and discuss their feedback, suggestions, and other issues.
- Close Control: You can monitor the progress and ensure the work efficiency matches your company’s goals and timeline.
- Detailed Customization: An in-house developer will understand the company’s unique demands, trends, or culture and can easily implement them on the website.
Cons
- Higher Costs: Hiring an on-site WordPress developer can be quite costly, especially if it’s for a short-term project.
- Limited Skill Set: WordPress developers often lack complementary skills like SEO and design, requiring you to hire additional specialists to complete a single website project.
- Freelance Developer
Next, you can hire a freelance WordPress developer or a remote team to build your website. Numerous online platforms offer access to skilled developers worldwide at competitive rates. Typically, you can hire them on an hourly basis, or for a set number of days or weeks, depending on your project needs.
Freelancing marketplaces like UpWork and Fiverr are filled with developers offering a range of services. According to Fiverr, hiring a developer can cost anywhere from $20 to $250/hour, depending on their expertise and the complexity of the project.
Pros
- Lower Cost: Freelancer WordPress developers cost relatively less than an on-site developer and you can go for even cheaper options, as there are a lot to choose from.
- Flexibility: Upon discussion, you can select freelancers who are eager to work around your schedule.
- Multiple Skill Sets: In most cases, freelancers bring a variety of skill sets or, at the very least, a solid understanding of multiple areas, which makes them a versatile solution for recruiters.
Cons
- Limited Liability: Freelancers often fail to deliver quality work on time, so it’s important to be cautious and avoid hiring unreliable or fraudulent individuals.
- Hiring an Agency
If your WordPress ecommerce website is highly complex and requires large-scale development, hiring a WordPress development agency is a smart choice. These agencies consist of highly skilled professionals who work together to design high-end ecommerce sites with the utmost professionalism and expertise.
The cost of a WordPress eCommerce website depends on the complexity of its design and features, and agencies typically charge either by the hour or per project. According to DesignRush, a mid-level web development agency charges around $150 to $300/hour. However, These figures can vary dramatically based on work intensity and discussion.
If you’re in search of a reliable agency, Codexpert is a great choice with a proven track record in developing WordPress ecommerce sites and related products. They have a dedicated team of seasoned developers capable of designing e-commerce websites that not only match your needs but also your budget.
For more queries, give their support team a ‘Howdy’ anytime!
Pros
- Experienced Expertise: Agency-based developers are usually extremely competent in their work and have a successful track record of developing complex websites.
- Time Efficient: They work as a team where everybody has a particular role to perform. It not only makes this process easier but also saves a lot of time on the process.
- Specialized Tools: Agency developers have access to specialized tools to efficiently carry out their tasks and they can provide customized solutions to resolve issues quickly.
- Post-sale Support: Providing extended support even after handing over the finalized website to the owner makes them a convenient choice.
Cons
- Slightly Costly: The cost can sometimes be quite high depending on factors like the complexity of the project, the number of revisions, and the reputation of the agency. However, these costs may vary if you choose to outsource the work to a freelance team of developers.
- Do It Yourself
WordPress ecommerce website cost can be significantly minimized if you have the necessary expertise, time, and patience to build it yourself. The latter two are essential, as building a website from scratch can be both time-consuming and challenging.
However, it’s far from impossible, when you consider the number of successful WordPress ecommerce websites that are live on the internet today. Choosing to develop your WordPress ecommerce site yourself can significantly reduce costs, as expenses are primarily limited to purchasing necessary tools and materials.
For those who lack the technical skills, don’t worry—there are numerous online resources available to help you learn everything from basic to advanced WordPress development.
Pros
- Exceptional Personalization: You can experiment heavily and customize the website precisely to match your vision.
- Budget-friendly Development: Since the expenses primarily consist of materials and subscriptions, building the website is relatively affordable.
- Learning Opportunities: Developing a website on your own introduces you to various challenges, which helps you expand your knowledge and skills throughout the process.
- Ownership Control: Creating the website from scratch gives you full control and authority over its administration and management.
Cons
- Messy Development: The risk of disrupting the entire development process is high due to inexperience or excessive experimentation
2. Understanding the Cost of Materials
WordPress ecommerce website costs can vary greatly due to the differing costs of various elements. Each component depends on your specific business needs, marketing goals, and website requirements.
- Domain Name
Choosing a relevant domain name is the first step toward building a website. Suppose you plan to start an online shoe business and want your website to be named ‘yourshoe.com.’ In this case, ‘yourshoe’ represents the Second-level domain (SLD), while ‘.com’ is the Top-level domain (TLD).
Such domains can be obtained from websites i.e. GoDaddy, NameCheap, etc., and are subject to availability. You can only purchase a domain name that hasn’t been leased yet. According to Hostinger, the average domain costs about $10-$20/year with free SSL certifications.
However, the cost can increase depending on several factors, such as the type of domain extension (with .com being the standard for ecommerce websites), the leasing period, domain popularity, paid SSL certificates, and various other considerations.
- Hosting Provider
Just like a physical office, a website needs a virtual space to operate from. This space is rented from a hosting provider, and often, you can purchase both the domain and hosting from the same provider.
WordPress is one platform that offers free hosting when you subscribe to any of their plans. Pricing starts at $48 and can go up to $25,000 per year, depending on your needs.
There are three main types of hosting: i) Shared ii) Dedicated Server iii) Managed Server. It’s best to opt for a managed server, as it is specifically configured for WordPress. WordPress.com has a solid option for $45/month, which includes integrated WooCommerce optimization.
- Theme
WordPress is incredibly popular among users primarily because of its wide selection of pre-made themes and templates. These options allow users to create a website in just a few hours, without the need for coding skills.
The WordPress theme repository has a plethora of such free and paid themes, each categorized into areas like eCommerce, health, and portfolios.
Popular WordPress ecommerce themes include Astra, HashOne, OceanWP, etc, which are free to download and use. However, they include premium packages to unlock advanced features.
- Plugins
Depending on your requirements, you will need multiple WordPress plugins to run your WordPress ecommerce website smoothly.
Operations like creating an image gallery to showcase products, optimizing images to save space, creating astounding checkout pages, placing WhatsApp chatbots, automated payment solutions, etc. are made easy using a plugin.
Since we’re focusing solely on ecommerce websites, let’s use WooCommerce as an example. As a leading ecommerce builder within the WordPress ecosystem, WooCommerce is free to use. However, its premium extensions can cost as much as $279/year.
- SEO Tools
SEO tools and plugins can enhance your website’s overall SEO performance by providing insights and guidance on how to reach a broader audience through search engines.
Yoast, Rank Math SEO, and SEMrush are among some of the most popular WordPress plugins to help integrate essential SEO practices within the ecommerce site.
Keep in mind that the cost of using these tools can vary from user to user. As per Nutshell CRM, enterprises pay upwards of $30,000 annually for SEO tool subscriptions and associated costs.
How to Maintain WordPress Ecommerce Costs Efficiently?
Seeing the high prices and various cost factors involved in building a WordPress ecommerce website can feel overwhelming. However, it’s important to remember that these are just average estimates, reflecting the maximum you might potentially spend.
Now, let’s dive into some strategies to help you minimize the costs of building a WordPress ecommerce website while still maintaining quality:
Understand Basic Criteria
One common mistake many website owners make is rushing to spend money on agencies with flashy ads promoting their development services. However, as an entrepreneur, it’s best to have a basic to intermediate understanding of the technical aspects of website development.
This knowledge will empower you to better assess the costs quoted by developers and compare them to the expenses involved, helping you avoid overspending.
Determine Your Needs
Before jumping into building a WordPress ecommerce website, determine some factors i.e. what should be the theme, features, placements, number of pages, hosting bandwidth, estimated product volume, etc.
This will help you understand what essentials are needed, how they fit into the bigger picture, and how their costs compare to competitors.
Value Experience
Prioritize experience over budget when outsourcing your website development. Many projects have failed due to hiring inexperienced developers, which can jeopardize the entire process.
Since you won’t be building this type of website frequently, you need to ensure it’s crafted with exceptional quality from the start.
That’s a Wrap!
In general, a WordPress ecommerce website cost is higher than that of a personal website. Because it requires a more robust development process and a professional touch, leading to slightly higher costs. Fixed expenses like the domain, hosting, and premium themes typically range from $50 to $500.
Plugin prices vary depending on their specific use. For the development phase, costs can differ based on who you hire. Freelance developers typically charge between $5 to $30/hour, while agencies often offer packages that can suit your needs and budgets accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is WordPress free for ecommerce?
It is possible to design an ecommerce website for free using WordPress. WordPress has a dedicated ecommerce building plugin called WooCommerce using which you can design a simple functioning ecommerce site for free.
How much does it cost to build a full ecommerce website?
There is no definitive amount to refer to a WordPress ecommerce website cost. It depends on factors such as which CMS platform you’re using, materials prices (domain-hosting-SSL-theme-extensions), and most importantly developer expenses.
Building a WordPress ecommerce site is considered relatively cheaper and in certain cases can cost as little as $50.
Does WordPress charge a monthly fee?
While WordPress elements are free to download and use, using the platform itself can be a bit costly. It has subscription plans offering domain, hosting, and supporting features in return. Its plan starts from $4/month.