{"id":3209,"date":"2025-08-31T16:37:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-31T14:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mijn.host\/blog\/what-does-an-online-store-cost\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T16:27:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T14:27:58","slug":"what-does-an-online-store-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/my.host\/blog\/what-does-an-online-store-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"What does an online store cost? A complete overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Starting a webshop is a great way to generate some extra income or even replace your full-time earnings. But before you get started, you naturally want to know exactly what the costs will look like. It would be quite a shame to find out halfway through that your budget is insufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Starting a webshop can require a significant investment. In the best-case scenario, you might get away with just 100 euros at the beginning. This assumes you\u2019ve already taken care of your Chamber of Commerce registration, you\u2019ll build your webshop yourself, and you\u2019ll sell your own digital products (such as courses). On the other end of the spectrum, you could spend tens of thousands of euros for a fully equipped webshop with all the bells and whistles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, you get a complete<\/em> overview of all the cost items you might encounter when setting up a webshop. From the one-time costs of setting up your shop to the monthly expenses that keep it running, and the variable costs that grow with your success. After reading, you will know exactly where your money goes and can create a realistic budget plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One-time costs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Business registration and legal matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Before your first product goes out the door, you need to have your business in order. Registration with the Chamber of Commerce costs \u20ac75.25 for a sole proprietorship or \u20ac180.96 for a private limited company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
A business bank account is indispensable. Most banks in the Netherlands charge between \u20ac0-50 for opening a business account, depending on the package you choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to save money here, I recommend opening an account with Wise (formerly TransferWise). I personally use this for my business account. Not only because it\u2019s free, but also because you can easily receive payments in multiple currencies. Keep in mind that Wise is not an official bank. Your balance is thus not covered by a deposit guarantee scheme. However, Wise does ensure that your money remains safe by keeping it separate from their own business finances and investing it in safe, liquid assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Legal documents for a webshop are significantly more important than for, say, a lifestyle blog. The costs for these can be substantial:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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General terms and conditions drafted by a lawyer: \u20ac500-1,500<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Privacy policy compliant with GDPR regulations: \u20ac300-800<\/li>\n\n\n\n
(Optional: trademark registration with the EUIPO: \u20ac850)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Would I spend on this myself? In most cases, no. The first LLM like ChatGPT should be able to help you with such documentation, especially for a smaller webshop. However, for a really serious-sized webshop, you might consider it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Webshop development: DIY or outsource?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here lies the biggest difference in your initial investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Option A: DIY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
SaaS solutions like Shopify or Lightspeed offer a quick start. You usually don\u2019t pay startup costs, but you do pay monthly subscription fees (at least 30 euro per month). Premium themes cost between \u20ac50-200.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more flexibility, WordPress with WooCommerce is an excellent choice. The software itself is free, but you do need hosting. For smaller WooCommerce webshops, you can manage with hosting that costs around \u20ac10 per month. Premium WooCommerce themes cost \u20ac50-150 per year, premium plugins for payments and shipping another \u20ac200-500 per year. That said, initially, you can often make do with the free versions of these tools, keeping your costs very low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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