How Much Does an Ecommerce Website Cost in the UK? (2026 Guide)

Catalogue size and complexity — Ten products with no variants is a very different job to hundreds with sizes, colours, bundles and subscriptions. Importing and structuring product data is real work.

Platform choice — A hosted platform such as Shopify keeps the build cheaper but adds a monthly fee. A self-hosted or custom build costs more upfront and gives you more control. We compare the two in Shopify vs custom-built websites.

Payments, shipping and tax — Payment providers charge a percentage plus a small fixed fee per transaction. Shipping rules, courier integrations and UK VAT handling all add configuration and testing time.

Integrations — Connecting the shop to stock, accounting, a CRM or a fulfilment partner is where costs climb fastest — and where it pays to automate the repetitive parts.

Content — Product photography, descriptions and category copy take time. Thin product pages are one of the most common reasons shops struggle to be found.

Platform subscription — Hosted platforms charge monthly, and paid apps for reviews, subscriptions or email add up quickly.

Transaction fees — Every sale carries a payment processing fee. Check current rates for your provider and factor them into your margins.

Maintenance and security — Shops handle customer data and payments, so updates and monitoring matter more than on a brochure site. See what website maintenance costs.

Marketing — A shop that nobody visits doesn't sell. Budget for search visibility, email and social from day one.