A small online store costs a platform plan ($0 to $39 a month on entry plans), payment processing (about 2.9% + 30¢ a card order), a domain (about $11 a year) and any paid apps, plus shipping. For a fictional store selling $3,000 a month across 60 orders, that's about $118 a month on LotsStore or $145 on Shopify Basic, before shipping.
Below is every line of the monthly bill with real list prices from each vendor's own page, checked on 22 October 2026, then three fictional example stores worked through line by line. Prices are in US dollars. Sources are at the end.
The five costs of an online store
| Cost | What it is | Typical list price (checked 22 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | The store builder's monthly plan | $0 (Square Online Free) to $39 (Shopify Basic, Squarespace Core); LotsStore $12, or $10 billed yearly |
| Platform fee on sales | A cut some platforms take on top of processing | 0% on LotsStore, Big Cartel and Ecwid; 2% on Shopify Basic without Shopify Payments; 2% on Squarespace Basic |
| Payment processing | What the payment provider charges to move the money | Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ per domestic card payment; Square Online 3.3% + 30¢ on Free |
| Domain | Your own .com address | $11.08 a year at Porkbun |
| Apps | Paid add-ons for features your plan lacks | $0 when the plan has what you need; WooCommerce estimates $29 to $299 a year per extension |
| Shipping | What the carrier charges per parcel | Example: USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box $12.95 (commercial) or $14.65 at the Post Office |
1. The platform plan
This is the fixed part of the bill. Entry plans on the main platforms, checked on 22 October 2026:
| Platform | Entry plan | Per month | Billed yearly, per month | Fee on sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LotsStore | Starter, 1 store | $12 | $10 | 0% |
| Square Online | Free | $0 | n/a | None separate; online cards 3.3% + 30¢ |
| Ecwid | Starter, up to 10 products | $5 | $5 | 0% |
| Big Cartel | Platinum, up to 50 products | $15 | $12 ($144 a year) | 0% |
| Squarespace | Basic / Core | $25 / $39 | $19 / $29 | 2% on Basic, 0% from Core |
| Shopify | Basic | $39 | $29 | 0% with Shopify Payments, 2% with another provider |
| BigCommerce | Core | $39 | $29 | 0% with embedded providers, 2% with others |
| WooCommerce | Free plugin plus hosting | $25 to $350 for hosting, WooCommerce's estimate | n/a | No revenue share |
Two things change this line more than the sticker price:
- Product caps. Ecwid allows 10 products on Starter, 100 on Venture ($35), 2,500 on Business ($65). Big Cartel allows 5, 50 and 500. A growing catalog can move you up a plan.
- Platform fees. A 2% fee on $3,000 of sales is $60 a month, more than most entry plans.
On LotsStore, every plan has every feature, products are unlimited, and we take 0% of your sales. Plans go by number of stores: Starter $12 for 1, Pro $29 for 3, Business $79 for 10. New accounts get 15,000 free credits, valid 90 days, no card, which is about a month of one store. Full details in LotsStore pricing explained.
2. Payment processing
Every platform passes on a processing fee, so this line grows with your sales. List rates, checked on 22 October 2026:
| Provider | Standard online card rate | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card payment | +1.5% for international cards, +1% if currency conversion is needed; no setup or monthly fees. Rates vary by country |
| Shopify Payments | 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic, 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow, 2.5% + 30¢ on Advanced | Only on Shopify |
| Squarespace Payments | 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic and Core | Only on Squarespace |
| Square | 3.3% + 30¢ on Free, 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium | Only on Square Online |
| WooPayments | About 2.5% to 2.9% + 30¢, per WooCommerce's pricing page | WooCommerce stores |
| Razorpay | 2% per successful domestic transaction on the Standard plan, with 18% GST on Razorpay's fee | For businesses registered in India |
On LotsStore you connect your own Stripe account (in the countries Stripe supports) or Razorpay account (for businesses registered in India), and the money goes straight to you. You pay your provider's normal rate in your own account; we add nothing. You can also take UPI to your own UPI ID or orders on WhatsApp, settled with the customer directly (how to connect Stripe, how to connect Razorpay).
A quick rule: at a $50 average order, 2.9% + 30¢ is $1.75 an order, about 3.5% of sales.
3. Your domain
A .com costs about a dollar a month. Porkbun lists .com registration at $11.08 a year as its "everyday low price" and says "the price you see is the price you pay, year after year". Cloudflare Registrar charges what the registry and ICANN charge, with no markup.
On LotsStore, every store starts free on yourstore.mylots.store and you can connect your own domain on every plan, with HTTPS set up for you.
4. Apps
Apps are where store bills creep up, because each one is priced separately.
- WooCommerce estimates paid extensions at $29 to $299 a year each on its own pricing page.
- Shopify apps are priced on each App Store listing. Some are free, such as Shopify's own Digital Products app.
- LotsStore has no app store to buy from: discount codes, shipping zones and rates, stock per variant, shopper accounts, wishlists, reviews you approve and analytics are on every plan.
Before you add an app, check whether a higher plan or a different platform already includes it.
5. Shipping
Shipping is usually the biggest variable line, and most stores pass it to shoppers through the shipping rates they charge at checkout. Your carrier and your region decide the price. As one real list price, checked on 22 October 2026: a USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box is $12.95 at commercial pricing or $14.65 at the Post Office.
Some platforms sell discounted labels: Big Cartel offers label printing with up to 90% off shipping from Platinum. On LotsStore you set your own shipping zones and rates, ship with any carrier and add the tracking number and link to each order.
Three example stores, worked out
These stores are fictional. Card payments are domestic, and shipping is left out because most stores charge it to the shopper.
Fernleaf Ceramics: $3,000 a month, 60 orders
A small ceramics brand at fernleaf.example.com, 40 products, 60 orders a month at a $50 average.
| Line | LotsStore Starter + Stripe | Shopify Basic + Shopify Payments | Shopify Basic + another provider at 2.9% + 30¢ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | $12.00 | $39.00 | $39.00 |
| Platform fee on sales | $0 | $0 | $60.00 (2%) |
| Processing (2.9% + 30¢ × 60) | $105.00 | $105.00 | $105.00 |
| Domain ($11.08 a year) | $0.92 | $0.92 | $0.92 |
| Apps | $0 | $0 if none | $0 if none |
| Per month | $117.92 | $144.92 | $204.92 |
| Billed yearly | $115.92 | $134.92 | $194.92 |
Processing is the biggest line on every platform. What the platform choice changes is the fixed fee and whether a cut comes on top.
Maple & Moth Prints: $600 a month, 20 orders
A one-person print shop, 12 products, 20 orders a month at a $30 average.
| Line | LotsStore Starter + Stripe | Square Online Free |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | $12.00 | $0 |
| Processing | $23.40 (2.9% + 30¢) | $25.80 (3.3% + 30¢) |
| Domain | $0.92 | $0.92 |
| Per month | $36.32 | $26.72 |
At low sales, a $0 plan wins even with the higher card rate. Square Online Free is cheaper here. The two meet at about $3,000 a month in sales: below that, the free plan costs less; above it, a 0.4-point lower card rate pays for a $12 plan.
Bramblewood Studio: an agency with 8 client stores
A fictional two-person agency running stores for 8 small-business clients.
- LotsStore Business: $79 a month covers 10 stores, so 8 stores cost $9.88 each, with room for 2 more. Billed yearly, $790.
- Processing is paid by each client in their own Stripe or Razorpay account, because each store connects the client's own payment account. The agency's bill stays flat whatever the clients sell.
- Each client gets the role they need (admin, manager, staff or viewer) on their own store.
Pricing your own time is a separate question; I covered it in how much to charge for building a client's online store.
How to keep the monthly bill down
- Avoid a cut of your sales. A 2% platform fee costs more than most plans once you pass a few thousand dollars a month. LotsStore, Big Cartel and Ecwid take 0% on every plan; see ecommerce platforms with no transaction fees.
- Pay yearly once you're sure. LotsStore yearly is two months free ($10 a month on Starter); Shopify Basic drops from $39 to $29.
- Count the apps. A plan that includes what you need is cheaper than a cheap plan plus three apps.
- Charge shipping at checkout. Set shipping rates that cover what your carrier charges.
- Watch caps. Product caps and sales caps can move you up a plan without warning.
Manage your store from ChatGPT or Claude
Everything in LotsStore works in the dashboard. If you use ChatGPT, Claude or another assistant, you can also connect it and manage the store in plain words; it works with the AI agent you already use. For example: "Show me last month's orders and which products are running low." Every change shows in your dashboard. See how to connect your assistant.
FAQ
How much does it cost to run an online store each month?
A small store pays a platform plan ($0 to $39 a month on entry plans), payment processing of about 2.9% + 30¢ per card order, a domain at about $11 a year and any paid apps, plus shipping. A fictional store selling $3,000 a month in 60 orders pays about $118 a month on LotsStore or $145 on Shopify Basic, before shipping.
What is the biggest cost of running an online store?
Usually payment processing and shipping. Processing at 2.9% + 30¢ is about $105 a month on $3,000 of sales in 60 orders. Shipping depends on your carrier and is usually charged to shoppers at checkout.
Can I run an online store for free?
Square Online has a $0 Free plan with online cards at 3.3% + 30¢, and Big Cartel has a free Gold plan for up to 5 products. You still pay payment processing on every sale. LotsStore gives new accounts 15,000 free credits, valid 90 days, no card, about a month of one store.
How much does a domain cost for an online store?
A .com is about $11 a year: Porkbun lists $11.08 a year (checked on 22 October 2026). On LotsStore you can start on a free yourstore.mylots.store address and connect your own domain on every plan.
Does LotsStore charge transaction fees?
No. LotsStore takes 0% of your sales. You pay your payment provider's own processing fee in your own Stripe or Razorpay account, and LotsStore never holds your money. Plans start at $12 a month, or $10 a month billed yearly.
Sources
Checked on 22 October 2026: LotsStore pricing, Connect Stripe guide, Connect Razorpay guide, Stripe pricing, Razorpay pricing, Shopify pricing, Shopify Digital Products app, Squarespace pricing, Square Online plans, Ecwid pricing, Big Cartel pricing, Big Cartel plans and features, BigCommerce pricing, WooCommerce pricing, Porkbun .com pricing, Cloudflare Registrar, USPS Priority Mail.