How much does an online store cost and what does it entail? A guide for those who don’t want to fail at the start.

Thinking about your online store but have no idea what costs are involved? You are not alone – it’s one of the most frequently googled questions in the e-commerce world. This post won’t be about “earning millions without leaving home”, but a concrete breakdown: how much, for what, when, and whether it can be done humanely – without a company, without stress, and without burning through your budget. We’ll go through ready-made platforms, dropshipping models, options for creators, and also less obvious expenses that often surprise after the start. If you want to start smart – you’ve come to the right place.

How much does an online store cost – 0 PLN or 15 thousand? The truth about costs before uploading your first product

It’s not that everything costs a fortune, but it’s also not as colorful as platform ads promise. How much does an online store cost? In theory, you can start for free, literally without a penny. In practice – the more control and options you want, the more you must consider the costs. How does it look?

On one hand, you have ready-made solutions like RefSpace, which allow you to start without any investment, yet still sell products and earn a commission. On the other hand, there are platforms like Shopify, which cost upwards of $39 per month – and that’s just for system access. On top of that, there are templates, integrations, payments, graphics, copy, SEO…

If you’re considering your own store from scratch (e.g., on WooCommerce), expect costs in the range of 5–15 thousand PLN, depending on what you want. More features mean a higher price. Additionally, there are maintenance costs of the online store, including domain, hosting, technical support, and potential fees for external plugins. Can it be done cheaper? Yes – if you’re tech-savvy or don’t mind simplicity. But if you want to build something that will last for years,  it’s worth knowing what you’re really getting into.

Want to start quickly? Here’s how much an online store costs right now, and how much for the long term

Not every purchasing decision has to be eternal. If you just want to “get started”, an option is, for example, RefSpace – you set up a profile in minutes, choose products, add a video, and go. The cost of setting up an online store in this model is exactly 0 PLN. But if you aim for a long-term business with full automation, custom design, and analytics – you must be prepared for higher expenses.

Platforms like WooCommerce or PrestaShop are free by themselves, but implementing them through a specialist is an expense from a few to several thousand PLN. Shopify or Shoper, on the other hand, operate on subscriptions – starting from 100 PLN per month and up. Additionally, there are paid templates (approx. 500 PLN), integrations with couriers, payment gateways, and accounting (another few hundred). The maintenance costs of the online store on such platforms may over time exceed the price of setting it up – especially when you add marketing and updates.

How much does setting up an online store cost? Things no one counts: hidden costs that overwhelm beginners

Everyone counts hosting, domain, and template. But few beginners consider the costs of small things that over time add up to a significant amount. Example? 

• SSL Certificate – sometimes free, but often paid. 
• Plugins for SEO, security, backups – usually 100 PLN here, 300 PLN there, but after a year it becomes 2–3 thousand. And we haven’t even touched on the time you spend on support, updates, and searching for solutions on forums.
• There is also time spent on testing ads, preparing product descriptions, creating graphics, writing terms and conditions, and privacy policies. 
• Outsourcing these tasks to a copywriter, graphic designer, and lawyer costs another 3–4 thousand PLN. And that’s not the end. 
• In many cases, you also have to pay for integrations with the invoicing system, accounting, and sometimes even…training on how to use your own store. 

This is why solutions like RefSpace take a huge part of these costs off your shoulders – you have a ready-made system and sales panel that requires no extras.

Ready-made, open-source, or RefSpace? When is it worth it and for whom

Every model makes sense – provided you choose it consciously. Ready-made subscription stores are convenient, but they have limits. 

• Open-source offers great flexibility, but requires knowledge (or a budget for a specialist). 
• RefSpace, on the other hand, is a mix of simplicity, low entry threshold, and automationI – perfect for creators, people without technical knowledge, and those who just want to “see if it works”.

If you are a freelancer, trainer, or YouTube creator – RefSpace allows you to integrate sales with content. You can promote products in your videos, and the user gets to your Space with one click. If you already have a community or want to build one around recommendations – it works like a store, landing, and affiliate program in one. On the other hand, if you plan a large brand with an advanced search engine, product comparison, and filtering – open-source or a subscription platform might be a better choice. But bear in mind that you will need more time, resources, and patience.

A store is not everything – how much does it cost to promote anything?

This is the moment where many people give up – because setting up a store is just the beginning. As long as no one knows your store exists, no one will buy anything. Implementing Meta ads, Google Ads campaigns, influencer marketing – everything costs. The average monthly advertising budget that allows for reasonable conversion today is a minimum of 1000–1500 PLN. And that’s assuming you have well-configured campaigns. Plus, you still need to pay for graphics, videos, and content.

Fortunately, there are also more organic paths. If you are active on social media and have an engaged group of followers – RefSpace lets you promote products without an advertising budget, thanks to the power of recommendation and native integration with platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Your recommendation works like an ad, but without costs. It’s a great solution for a start, especially if you want to test different formats and audience groups before investing more substantial amounts in performance marketing.

DIY or agency? How much does it cost to build a store that won’t crash after a week

If you have the time, patience, and technical skill – you can try DIY. <WordPress + WooCommerce can be set up independently, but you need to manage hosting, updates, backups, plugins, and everything else. It’s not always time-effective, especially if you’re doing it “after hours.” For someone who just wants to earn from their products, <it’s easier and faster to launch RefSpace and focus on content, not technology.

<If you’re aiming for a more advanced project – an agency is a natural choice. But you have to be aware that the cost of setting up an online store through specialists depends on the complexity level. A standard pricing for a store with several dozen products, complete analytics, UX, and graphics is <a minimum of 10–12 thousand PLN. Additionally, there are <annual fees, tool subscriptions, maintenance, and support. This is a great route if you have a strategy and budget – but there’s nothing wrong with starting modestly. The important thing is to <start at all.

Don’t have a product? You can still sell – and without a business!

Sounds suspicious? Yet – <RefSpace and the dropshipping model show that you can start e-commerce today without your own product, infrastructure, or formalities. You don’t need a business, a business account, or even your own photos. You select products available on the platform, record a recommendation video, upload it to your Space, and… that’s it. <Suppliers handle shipping, payment processing, and returns, and you earn a commission. Importantly, it works legally, even if you’re an individual.

<In the dropshipping model via RefSpace, you bypass virtually all entry costs. You don’t have to pay for licenses, a domain, certificates, or courier integrations. You don’t even need to know what logistics are. Additionally, <you don’t incur the costs of an online store’s terms and conditions because the platform handles the formalities. For many people, this is the best way to start – you can test an idea, product, or target group without pressure and see what actually catches on. Sounds like something worth trying even after hours.