How much does an online store cost in South Africa?
The full picture — build cost, monthly running costs, transaction fees, and what actually determines whether the investment makes sense for your business.
What you pay to get the shop built.
Up to 20–30 products, a single product type, PayFast checkout or WhatsApp order flow. Built to rank on Google from the start. Good for trades or service businesses adding online sales, or small producers with a focused range.
30–100 products with categories, full PayFast checkout, order confirmation flow, and a basic admin panel for managing stock. Includes WhatsApp integration for order notifications. Built to rank for specific product searches.
Large catalogue, multiple categories, customer accounts, order history, inventory management, integration with existing systems. Scoped and quoted per project — the range here is wide because requirements vary significantly.
These are custom-built shop prices — not a Shopify theme setup, not a WooCommerce install. A custom-built shop is a one-time cost you own outright, with no monthly platform licence.
What you pay after the shop is live.
| Cost item | Custom-built shop | Shopify Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Platform / licence fee | None | ~R530/month |
| Hosting | R150–R400/month | Included above |
| Domain name | R150–R250/year | R150–R250/year |
| Payment fees (PayFast) | ~3.5% per sale | ~3.5% per sale |
| Shopify transaction fee | None | 2% per sale |
| Monthly total (no sales) | ~R200–R400 | ~R680–R780 |
Shopify fees shown are approximate for the Basic plan as of 2026. Check Shopify's site for current pricing. The Shopify transaction fee (above the payment gateway fee) applies when using PayFast instead of Shopify Payments, which is not available in South Africa.
Is eCommerce profitable in South Africa?
Yes — for the right type of business. The key constraint is discoverability. Most online shops in South Africa fail not because the products are wrong, but because customers can only find the shop if they already have the URL. Social media drives traffic that doesn't compound; advertising stops when you stop paying. A shop built to rank on Google is different — it attracts customers who are actively searching for what you sell, and that traffic builds over time.
The businesses that make eCommerce work here typically sell something specific with real search demand — a product people look for by name or category, not just a vague "I should buy locally" impulse. If you can articulate what someone would type into Google to find your product, you're in the right territory.
What doesn't work: competing on price with Takealot for commodity products. What does work: a specific niche, a local supplier advantage, or a product that large retailers don't stock.
The four things that change the price.
1. Number of products and categories
A shop with 15 products in one category is a different scope from a shop with 200 products across 12 categories with filters and search. Each product needs a page, images, descriptions, and pricing — and the catalogue management system scales with the size.
2. Checkout vs WhatsApp order flow
A full PayFast checkout (cart, checkout form, payment, order confirmation) is more complex to build than a WhatsApp order flow (add to cart, generate a WhatsApp message with the order). Some businesses benefit from both. The checkout is better for standard products; WhatsApp is better for custom or quote-based items.
3. Product management interface
A basic shop where product updates are made by us (a static catalogue) is cheaper to build. A shop where you can log in and add, edit, or remove products yourself requires an admin panel — which is additional development work but saves you money on ongoing updates.
4. Customer accounts and order history
A guest-checkout-only shop is simpler. Adding customer registration, login, and order history adds database and authentication complexity. Most small shops don't need this initially — it's something to add later as volume grows.
What people ask about online shop costs.
Why not just use Shopify or WooCommerce?
Both are valid options for the right use case. Shopify is the easiest to manage yourself, but it has monthly fees, a transaction fee on top of PayFast's fee (because Shopify Payments isn't available in SA), and limited ability to control how Google sees your site. WooCommerce requires WordPress hosting, plugin management, and ongoing security updates. A custom-built shop has no recurring licence fee, is purpose-built for your catalogue, and is fully optimised for search from the start. The choice depends on your technical comfort, budget, and how important Google visibility is to your business.
What do I need to start selling online in South Africa?
At minimum: a PayFast merchant account (free to register, requires ID and banking details, takes 1–3 business days to verify), a domain name, hosting, and a shop. You'll also need product photos and descriptions, and a plan for fulfilment — how you'll pack and ship orders. We handle the technical side; you handle products and logistics.
How long does it take to build an online shop?
A focused shop with a clear catalogue typically takes 3–5 weeks from scoping to launch. Larger shops with complex catalogues or custom admin panels take 6–10 weeks. The speed depends heavily on how quickly products and images are ready — the build itself is fast; waiting for content is usually the bottleneck.
Can I start small and expand later?
Yes. We build with expansion in mind — a shop starting with 20 products can grow to 200 without needing to be rebuilt. Customer accounts, additional payment methods, or product management dashboards can be added later as scoped additions.
Do I own the shop when it's built?
Yes. The code, the design, and all your product data belong to you. There are no ongoing licence fees for the shop itself. Hosting is separate — we'll recommend a suitable host and help you set it up, but the account is in your name and you pay them directly.
Tell us what you sell.
A short description of your products and who buys them is enough to give you a realistic scope and quote. WhatsApp is the fastest way to start the conversation.