The True Cost of Running a Shopify Store vs WordPress

Let's use real numbers to compare Shopify and WordPress over five years. No hand-waving.

Year 1

Shopify (100 products):

• Monthly plan: $1,188
• Transaction fees ($50k revenue): $1,500
• Required apps: $1,200
• Theme work: $500-1,000
• Year 1: $4,388-4,888

WordPress (100 products):

• Platform: Free
• Hosting: $600
• Theme and plugins: $300-500
• SSL: Free with hosting
• Setup: $250-1,000
• Year 1: $1,150-2,100

WordPress wins by $2,288-3,738 year one

Years 2-5

Assume your business grows to $150k revenue by year 3.

Shopify (ongoing):

• Monthly plan: $1,188
• Transaction fees: $4,350
• Apps: $1,800
• Security: Included
• Support and fixes: $500-1,000
• Year 2-5: $7,838-8,338 per year

WordPress (ongoing):

• Hosting: $600
• Maintenance and updates: DIY or $1,200-2,400 per year
• Premium plugins: $200-400
• Developer time: $500-1,000
• Year 2-5: $2,300-4,000 per year

The 5-Year Number

Shopify: $4,388 + ($8,088 × 4 years) = $36,740

WordPress: $1,150 + ($3,150 × 4 years) = $13,750

WordPress saves $23,000 over 5 years

When Shopify Might Work

• You have no technical ability and won't hire anyone
• You don't want to think about tech stuff
• Your revenue is under $30k/year

When WordPress Wins

• You want to control spending
• You have custom needs
• You're growing significantly
• You're building a real business, not a side project

Costs Most People Don't See

Shopify's hidden fees:

• Apps add up. A full store uses 15-20, costing $50-200/month
• Transaction fees are silent. At $500k revenue, that's $14,500/year
• Big changes need Plus plan ($2,000-5,000/month)
• Leaving Shopify costs $5,000-15,000 in developer time
• They raise prices. Expect it.

WordPress's hidden costs:

• Cheap hosting creates problems. Spend $50-150/month
• Backups cost $50-200/year (or come with good hosting)
• Updates need doing or hiring someone
• Speed matters. A slow site converts poorly. Budget $500-2,000 to optimize

At Scale ($1,000,000 revenue)

Shopify needs Plus:

• $24,000-60,000/year minimum
• Plus $1,000-3,000/month more for apps
• Plus transaction fees
• You don't own it

WordPress stays affordable:

• Hosting maybe $300-500/month
• Hire a good developer ($60k-100k/year)
• Build custom features your competitors don't have
• You own it

The Compound Effect

This is the key. The longer you operate, the more it adds up.

5 years: $23,000 difference 10 years: $50,000+ difference 20 years: $100,000+ difference

That money doesn't disappear. It goes toward your business instead of a platform company's profits.

What Happens to the Savings

WordPress money goes to:

• Custom features you build
• Better hosting and performance
• Marketing
• Growing your business
• Building real equity

The Bottom Line

This isn't about being cheap. It's about building a business that's truly yours. Own your platform, control your costs, build something real.

See your exact cost.