WooCommerce costs: what does a store really cost?
You want to start an online store and have heard that WooCommerce is free. But what are the real WooCommerce costs? In this article we give you an honest and complete overview of all the costs you can expect when building a store with WooCommerce hosting. From hosting and a domain name to themes, plugins and hidden costs, we cover it all. That way you know exactly what to expect before you start.
WooCommerce is the most popular e-commerce platform in the world and powers more than 30% of all online stores. It's a free WordPress plugin, but "free" doesn't mean you won't spend a cent. Let's take an honest look at what a WooCommerce store really costs.
What is WooCommerce and why is it free?
WooCommerce is an open source e-commerce plugin for WordPress. Because it's open source, you can download and install the software for free. WooCommerce's business model (owned by Automattic) is built on premium extensions, paid themes and additional services. This means you can set up a fully functional store with the free version, but you may need to pay for specific features.
The fact that WooCommerce is free makes it an attractive alternative to paid platforms like Shopify or Lightspeed. But you do need a number of other things to get your store online. Let's go through those costs one by one.
Overview of all WooCommerce costs
Below you'll find a complete overview of all the costs you can expect when starting and running a WooCommerce store. We split this into one time and ongoing costs.
1. Hosting (ongoing)
The largest ongoing cost for your WooCommerce store is store hosting. You need a reliable server that runs your store quickly and stably. At Theory7 we offer optimized WooCommerce hosting packages starting at €10 per month. This is hosting specifically configured for optimal WooCommerce performance.
Cheap shared hosting starts as low as €3-5 per month, but for a store we recommend at least a package with:
- At least 2 GB RAM
- SSD storage for fast load times
- PHP 8.x support
- Daily backups
- SSL certificate included
- Good uptime guarantee (99.9%+)
Expected costs: €10 - €30 per month for good WooCommerce hosting.
2. Domain name (annual)
Your store needs a professional domain name, like yourstore.com. A .nl domain costs on average €8-15 per year, a .com domain €10-18 per year. Many hosting packages include a free domain name for the first year.
Expected costs: €8 - €18 per year.
3. SSL certificate (often free)
An SSL certificate is required for a store, after all you're processing customers' payment data. Fortunately, most hosting providers, including Theory7, offer free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates. For extra trust you can opt for an extended (EV) certificate, but that's not necessary for most stores.
Expected costs: €0 (free with your hosting) up to €100/year for premium SSL.
4. WooCommerce theme (one time or annual)
The look of your store is determined by the WordPress theme. There are excellent free themes available, but a premium theme often offers more functionality, better support and a more professional appearance.
| Theme type | Cost | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Free theme | €0 | Storefront, Astra (free), Neve |
| Premium theme | €50 - €80 one time | Flatsome, Astra Pro, OceanWP Pro |
| Custom theme | €500 - €5,000+ | Custom built by a developer |
Our advice: start with a free theme like Storefront (the official WooCommerce theme) or invest €50-80 in a premium theme. A custom theme is only needed if you have very specific requirements.
Expected costs: €0 - €80 one time.
5. WooCommerce plugins (free and premium)
Plugins extend the functionality of your store. WooCommerce itself is already a plugin, and you can add hundreds of extra plugins to it. Many essential features are available for free:
Free plugins you'll likely need:
- WooCommerce (the base) - free
- Payment methods: Mollie for WooCommerce - free
- SEO: Yoast SEO or Rank Math - free basic version
- Security: Wordfence or Sucuri - free basic version
- Caching: WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache - free
Premium plugins you might need:
- Advanced shipping options (e.g. PostNL, DHL): €30 - €100/year
- Invoicing plugin (e.g. WooCommerce PDF Invoices Pro): €50 - €80/year
- Email marketing integration: €0 - €50/year
- WooCommerce Subscriptions: €199/year
- WooCommerce Bookings: €249/year
Expected costs: €0 - €300 per year, depending on your needs.
6. Payment provider (transaction fees)
To accept payments you need a payment service provider (PSP). In the Netherlands, Mollie is the most popular choice. The plugin is free, but you pay per transaction:
| Payment method | Cost per transaction |
|---|---|
| iDEAL | €0.29 |
| Credit card | 1.8% + €0.25 |
| Bancontact | 1.4% + €0.25 |
| Klarna | 2.99% + €0.29 |
| PayPal | 1.5% - 3.4% + fixed fee |
There are no fixed monthly costs with Mollie, you only pay per transaction. With 100 iDEAL transactions per month, you'll spend €29 on transaction fees.
Expected costs: Variable, on average €0.29 per iDEAL payment.
WooCommerce costs: total overview per scenario
To make it concrete, we've worked out three scenarios with the total WooCommerce costs per month and per year:
| Cost item | Budget store | Average store | Professional store |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | €10/mo | €20/mo | €30/mo |
| Domain name | €10/yr | €12/yr | €15/yr |
| SSL | Free | Free | €100/yr |
| Theme | Free | €60 one time | €80 one time |
| Plugins | Free | €100/yr | €300/yr |
| Transaction fees* | €15/mo | €50/mo | €150/mo |
| First year total | ± €430 | ± €1,132 | ± €2,655 |
| Per month (average) | ± €36 | ± €94 | ± €221 |
*Transaction fees depend on your revenue and number of orders.
Hidden costs of WooCommerce
Besides the obvious cost items, there are also hidden costs to take into account. These are costs that are often forgotten but do have an impact on your overall budget.
Maintenance and updates
WordPress, WooCommerce and all plugins need to be updated regularly. If you do this yourself, it mainly costs time. If you outsource it, you'll pay a web developer €50-150 per hour. Budget at least 2-4 hours per month for updates and minor maintenance.
Security
A store is a popular target for hackers because of the customer data involved. Besides a free security plugin, you may want to invest in a web application firewall (WAF) or security monitoring. At Theory7 we offer extra security layers as part of our store hosting packages.
Backups
Although daily backups are included with good hosting, for a store you'll also want offsite backups. A plugin like UpdraftPlus Premium costs €70/year and creates automatic backups to Google Drive or Dropbox.
Scalability
As your store grows, you need more server capacity. This means that at some point you'll need to upgrade to a heavier hosting package. Plan for this financially, growth is positive, but costs grow along with it.
WooCommerce vs Shopify vs Lightspeed: cost comparison
How do WooCommerce costs compare to popular alternatives? Below is an honest comparison based on an average store:
| Aspect | WooCommerce | Shopify | Lightspeed eCom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly costs | €20-30 | €36-384 | €49-199 |
| Transaction fees | PSP only | 0.5-2% + PSP | PSP only |
| Themes | Free + premium | €0-350 | Limited free |
| Apps/Plugins | Thousands free | Most paid | Limited selection |
| Customizability | Full | Limited | Limited |
| Data ownership | Fully yours | With Shopify | With Lightspeed |
| Technical knowledge | Some needed | Little needed | Little needed |
| Costs after 1 year | €430-1,100 | €600-5,000+ | €800-2,600 |
| Costs after 3 years | €1,100-3,000 | €1,700-14,000+ | €2,200-7,400 |
The conclusion is clear: WooCommerce is the cheapest option in the long run, especially if you keep your hosting costs under control. Shopify also charges extra transaction fees on top of your payment provider's costs, which can add up significantly at higher revenues.
The difference grows the longer your store runs. After 3 years, the difference with Shopify can add up to thousands of euros, especially for stores with higher revenue due to the extra transaction fees.
Where can you save on WooCommerce costs?
There are several ways to reduce your WooCommerce costs without sacrificing quality:
Choose the right hosting from the start
Hosting that's too cheap may look attractive but can end up costing you more through slow load times (lower conversion), downtime (missed sales) and poor support. Invest from the start in good WordPress hosting optimized for WooCommerce. Also read our article on choosing WordPress hosting for extensive tips.
Start with free themes and plugins
The official Storefront theme is free, well maintained and perfectly compatible with WooCommerce. Start with this and only upgrade to premium if you're missing specific features. The same goes for plugins: use the free versions first and only upgrade when it's really necessary.
Do maintenance yourself
Applying updates, checking backups and basic security measures are things you can do yourself if you're willing to learn. WordPress and WooCommerce have extensive documentation and an active community.
Choose smart plugin combinations
Some premium plugins offer all in one solutions. Instead of buying 5 separate plugins, you can sometimes buy a bundle that includes everything. Also check whether your hosting provider already offers certain features, such as caching or security.
When is WooCommerce the right choice?
WooCommerce is the best choice if you:
- Want full control over your store and data
- Want to save costs in the long run
- Want a unique store that doesn't look like every other one
- Need specific functionality that isn't available on SaaS platforms
- Already have a WordPress website and want to add a store function to it
- Want to keep your data in house (GDPR compliance)
WooCommerce is less suitable if you have no technical knowledge at all and want everything fully hands off. In that case a hosted solution like Shopify might be better, but you'll pay significantly more for it too. A middle ground is store hosting from a provider that offers WooCommerce support, such as Theory7.
Starting with WooCommerce at Theory7
At Theory7 we offer WooCommerce hosting specifically configured for optimal store performance. This means:
- Fast SSD servers in Dutch data centers
- Free SSL certificate included
- Daily backups as standard
- PHP 8.x for maximum speed
- One click WordPress/WooCommerce installation
- Dutch support that understands WooCommerce
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
Our WooCommerce hosting starts at just €10 per month. Combined with the free WooCommerce software, you have a fully running store for less than €15 per month. That's a fraction of what you'd spend at Shopify or Lightspeed.
Frequently asked questions about WooCommerce costs
Is WooCommerce really free?
Yes, the WooCommerce plugin itself is 100% free. However, you do need hosting, a domain name and possibly premium plugins or themes. Total costs start at around €15 per month.
What does WooCommerce cost per month?
Monthly costs range from €15 for a simple store to €200+ for a professional store with many premium plugins. The largest cost items are hosting (€10-30/mo) and any premium plugins.
Is WooCommerce cheaper than Shopify?
Yes, in most cases WooCommerce is significantly cheaper than Shopify. Shopify starts at €36/month and also charges extra transaction fees. After 3 years the difference can add up to thousands of euros in favor of WooCommerce.
What hosting do I need for WooCommerce?
For WooCommerce you need hosting with at least PHP 8.x, MySQL 5.7+, 128MB memory (more is better) and HTTPS support. Choose SSD storage and at least 2 GB RAM for good performance. At Theory7 we offer specific WooCommerce hosting packages.
Can I use WooCommerce without technical knowledge?
Basic WooCommerce functionality is reasonably user friendly. For installation and configuration, some technical knowledge is helpful, but with good hosting (such as Theory7's one click installation) and the extensive documentation you can get quite far. For complex customizations, a developer is recommended.
What are the transaction fees with WooCommerce?
WooCommerce itself doesn't charge transaction fees. You only pay your payment provider's costs, such as Mollie. For iDEAL this is €0.29 per transaction. This is a big advantage compared to Shopify, which charges extra transaction fees on top of the PSP costs.
Hidden WooCommerce costs beginners often miss
When calculating WooCommerce costs, many beginners forget the less visible expenses. Besides the well known costs for hosting, theme and plugins, there are hidden costs that can put a real dent in your budget. Think of transaction fees from your payment gateway: Stripe and Mollie typically charge 1.5-3% per transaction plus a fixed amount. With a monthly revenue of €5,000, you'll quickly pay €75-150 per month in transaction fees alone.
There are also costs for premium plugin licenses that need to be renewed annually. A commonly used combination of WooCommerce plugins for an average store quickly costs €200-500 per year. Think of SEO plugins, advanced shipping modules, inventory management systems and marketing automation. It's wise to map out these recurring costs in advance.
Don't forget the costs of technical maintenance either. WordPress and WooCommerce require regular updates, and updates sometimes break your store's functionality. Hiring a developer to fix such issues quickly costs €75-150 per hour. With a maintenance plan you can better predict and manage these costs.
Reducing WooCommerce costs without sacrificing quality
There are smart ways to reduce your WooCommerce costs without affecting the quality of your store. Start by critically evaluating your plugin stack: are you using all the features of your premium plugins? You can often replace expensive all in one plugins with cheaper or free alternatives that do specifically what you need. Fewer plugins also means a faster website and less maintenance burden.
Choose your hosting wisely. An optimized hosting for online stores package offers better performance than a generic hosting package, meaning you need to invest less in caching plugins and CDN services. The slightly higher hosting costs are more than offset by savings elsewhere and a better user experience that leads to higher conversions.
Also consider doing some development work yourself. With the many available tutorials and the active WordPress community, you can perfectly handle basic tasks like theme adjustments, plugin configuration and content management yourself. Reserve your budget for professional help with more complex tasks such as custom plugin development, performance optimization and security audits.
Future proof budgeting for your WooCommerce store
A realistic budget for your WooCommerce costs takes growth and changing needs into account. In the first year, startup costs are highest: theme purchase, essential plugins, any customization and marketing. From the second year on, costs drop to a more predictable level, mainly hosting, plugin renewals and ongoing maintenance.
Plan your budget in three categories: fixed costs (hosting, domain name, SSL), variable costs (transaction fees, marketing) and incidental costs (new features, redesigns, emergency fixes). By budgeting these categories separately, you get a more realistic picture of your total costs and avoid surprises. Also read our overview of website hosting costs for a more detailed price overview.
Invest in scalability from the start. Choose hosting that grows with you, use plugins that can handle large product catalogs and build your store in a modular way. The extra investment in a scalable architecture prevents you from having to rebuild everything a year later because your current setup can't handle your growth. Building future proof is ultimately cheaper than rebuilding reactively.
Managing your WooCommerce costs is an ongoing process that deserves attention throughout your store's entire lifecycle. Evaluate your spending every quarter and ask yourself: are my investments delivering the expected return? A plugin that increases your conversion by 2% is more than worth the investment, while an expensive tool you barely use is an unnecessary cost item.
Also don't forget to factor in the cost of your own time. Hours you spend maintaining your store, processing orders and answering customer questions are just as real as the costs of hosting and plugins. Automate where possible and consider outsourcing tasks outside your core competencies. Professional hosting for online stores with good support can save you a lot of time and frustration.
Sources and references
- WooCommerce - Official documentation (woocommerce.com)
- Wordfence - WordPress Security Report (wordfence.com)
- Sucuri - Website Security Research (sucuri.net)
