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.
Standard Shop
- Self-managed catalogue (Supabase) — add, edit, remove products yourself
- Cart, built in
- One checkout workflow: PayFast or WhatsApp order flow
- .co.za domain registration included
- Scales to a large catalogue on the same build — product count isn't what changes this price
- Built to rank on Google from day one
Extended Shop
- Everything in Standard Shop
- Both checkout workflows together — PayFast and WhatsApp side by side
- Customer accounts & order history
- AI-assisted product upload — photograph a product, AI drafts the description, category, and pricing suggestion for you to review
Custom-Built
Multi-vendor setups, integration with existing systems — accounting, inventory, POS — or anything else genuinely outside a standard shop. This isn't a fixed package: talk to us so we can design what you actually need together, then it's scoped and quoted in writing.
WhatsApp MeThese 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.
See a real example — JCM Custom Creations, a WhatsApp-order shop for personalised products →
More on WhatsApp-order shops — including the real running cost →
The four things that change the price.
1. How many checkout workflows you need
The standard price includes one workflow — PayFast or WhatsApp order flow. Running both side by side (a full payment gateway for standard products and a WhatsApp quote flow for custom items) is the main thing that moves a build into the Extended tier.
2. Customer accounts and order history
A guest-checkout-only shop is simpler. Adding customer registration, login, and order history adds real complexity. Most small shops don't need this initially — it's something to add later as volume grows.
3. How much design work the brand needs
Every shop gets its own design — there's no off-the-shelf template. A clean, focused storefront takes less design time than a shop carrying a strong existing brand identity consistently across every page. Scoped upfront based on what the business actually needs.
4. Integration with systems you already run
Connecting the shop to existing accounting, inventory, or POS software is real integration work and is scoped per system. Product count and catalogue size are not, on their own, a major cost driver — the self-managed catalogue and cart scale to a large product range on the same standard build.
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. The self-managed catalogue and cart are part of the standard build, so growing from a handful of products to a large catalogue doesn't need a rebuild. Customer accounts or a second checkout workflow alongside your first 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.