Shopify Development Cost in Australia: Full Pricing Guide [2025]

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Table of Contents

• Why is Shopify the Best Option for Australian Ecommerce Store Owners?
• Benefits of Launching a Shopify Store in Australia
• Costs Associated with Creating a Shopify Store
• Shopify Store Development Cost Breakdown
• How to Save Money on Shopify Development?
• Shopify Store Development Cost FAQs:
• Conclusion: How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Shopify Store in Australia?
• How WP Creative Helps with Shopify Development in Australia?

You’re probably wondering about the costs involved in developing, managing, and running a Shopify store in Australia. And you’re confused about whether moving to Shopify is worth it or not.

Don’t worry.

We at WP Creative have been creating WooCommerce and Shopify stores for almost a decade now for Australian ecommerce store owners.

We’ve worked with plenty of Australian clients, so we have the experience to give you the exact Shopify development cost breakdown.

In this article, you’ll learn everything, from setting Shopify ecommerce platform to development to running costs.

We’ve added everything you need. Complete breakdowns, just for you.

Let’s get started!

Why is Shopify the Best Option for Australian Ecommerce Store Owners?

If you’re thinking of running an e-commerce or digital business in Australia, Shopify is one of the most efficient and accessible platforms to help you get started. Here’s why:

1. User-Friendly & Search Engine Friendly

Shopify stores are designed to be search engine-friendly, which makes it easier to rank higher in Google searches. Plus, it’s incredibly user-friendly. You don’t need to be a developer to manage your store, and the platform’s framework makes it easier for both users and search engines to navigate.

2. Easy Management

One of the standout features of Shopify is how simple it is to manage your store. You don’t need to understand coding or databases. Managing your store is as easy as working with a spreadsheet. Whether you’re updating products, tracking sales, or checking analytics, Shopify makes it simple for anyone, even with minimal technical knowledge.

3. Excellent User Experience

Shopify offers a welcoming, intuitive interface. Even if you’re a complete beginner, you’ll find it straightforward to navigate and manage. It’s similar to managing a bank account or email, easy and hassle-free. For business owners without prior website experience, Shopify is a perfect solution.

4. Everything is Integrated

Unlike WooCommerce, where you often have to integrate various plugins (for payments, blogs, etc.), Shopify comes with everything pre-built. All essential tools like payment processing, blog integration, and e-commerce functionality are already in place, so you don’t have to worry about technical details. It’s a plug-and-play solution that saves time and effort. Check out our full comparison of WooCommerce vs Shopify to see which platform suits your needs best.

5. Responsive Themes

No need to worry about whether your store looks good on mobile. Shopify themes are fully responsive. Whether you’re selling in Australia or abroad, your store will look great on any device without needing any extra development work.

6. Access to Apps and Integrations

Shopify has a wide range of apps for every need, from marketing and SEO management to sales tracking and social media. Whatever feature you need, it’s likely available as an app that you can easily integrate into your store.

7. Scalable Growth

Shopify is incredibly scalable. Whether you’re starting with a basic store or expanding to a large-scale operation, it’s easy to upgrade your plan as you grow. Moving from a startup package to a business-level package is seamless, allowing your store to grow without complications.

Benefits of Launching a Shopify Store in Australia

Let’s explore some of the benefits of launching a Shopify store in Australia. The following benefits are specific to the Australian market.

1. Localised Payment Options

One of the major advantages of Shopify for Australian store owners is the support for popular local payment gateways. Shopify integrates with Afterpay, ZipPay, and POLi Payments, allowing customers to shop using payment methods they are familiar with. This convenience often leads to higher conversion rates and a smoother checkout experience for Australian shoppers.

2. Automatic GST Calculation

Shopify takes care of the tax side of things by automatically calculating Goods and Services Tax (GST) for your Australian customers. This feature ensures that your store stays compliant with Australian tax laws, without the hassle of manually calculating taxes for every transaction.

3. Seamless Shipping Integration

Shopify’s integration with Australia Post and other local carriers allows for easy management of shipping rates and tracking. This makes it simple to calculate shipping costs and provide accurate delivery estimates for your customers. Offering reliable shipping options is key to a positive customer experience.

4. Australian-Based Customer Support

Shopify offers 24/7 customer support, including Australian-based teams. Whether you’re facing a technical issue or need guidance on store setup, you can rely on Shopify’s support team to assist you during local business hours, ensuring you never feel alone in running your store.

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5. Optimised for the Australian Market

Shopify’s platform is specifically optimised for the Australian market. It supports AUD (Australian dollars), provides localised marketing tools, and includes regional SEO features that help attract and convert Australian customers effectively. This ensures your store is set up to cater to local preferences and buying habits.

6. Access to Australian Apps and Integrations

The Shopify App Store includes a variety of apps designed specifically for Australian businesses. From marketing solutions to inventory management and business analytics, these tools help you streamline your operations and focus on growing your e-commerce store.

7. Strong Australian E-commerce Community

Finally, Shopify has a robust community presence in Australia, with local events, meetups, and an active online network where Australian store owners can connect. This community provides valuable insights, tips, and opportunities for networking, ensuring you stay updated on local e-commerce trends and best practices.

Costs Associated with Creating a Shopify Store

Here’s a clear breakdown of the costs attached to your Shopify eCommerce store, including development and ongoing management:

1. Monthly Subscription Fee

Setting up your eCommerce store comes with some unavoidable costs. The first one is the monthly subscription fee for Shopify, which is something you’ll always need to pay. You can either pay it monthly or annually, but either way, it’s a regular expense. If you pay monthly, it’s around $30/month. If you choose the annual plan, it drops to about $300/year. While this is the basic cost you’ll incur, it’s something you can’t avoid and should plan for as a constant expense.

2. Third-Party Apps and Integrations

You’ll also need to factor in third-party apps and integrations. These apps extend the functionality of your Shopify store, whether it’s for handling shipping, customer support, or even marketing. While you don’t need a ton of apps, you’ll still need a few to keep things running smoothly. Budget around $200 annually for these apps. This might go up depending on the additional features you want for your store, but this is a decent starting point.

3. Custom Development and Design

Now, let’s talk about design. While Shopify offers ready-made templates, you’ll likely want something more customised to really stand out and fit your brand. This is where the custom design and development costs come into play.

4. Miscellaneous Charges

There are also miscellaneous charges you’ll need to keep in mind. These aren’t huge costs, but they do add up, and you need to account for them in your budget.

• Transaction Fees
  Every time someone makes a purchase on your store, Shopify charges a transaction fee. This is typically a percentage of the sale, and the fee will vary depending on which Shopify plan you’re on. For example, on Shopify’s Basic plan, it’s usually 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. This is an important cost to consider, especially as your sales grow.

• Payment Gateway Fees
  On top of transaction fees, you’ll also pay payment gateway fees. This is the fee charged by the service you use to process payments, like Stripe, PayPal, or Shopify Payments. The fee for these is generally around 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction, but it varies by provider. This is another ongoing cost you can’t avoid.

• Credit Card Processing Fees
  If you’re accepting credit cards, you’ll also pay credit card processing fees. These are usually rolled into the payment gateway fees, but it’s important to understand they exist. These fees are typically small, around 2% to 3% of each transaction.

5. Email Marketing Server

While Shopify doesn’t offer an integrated email marketing service, you’ll need to invest in an external platform or set up your own email server to manage campaigns, newsletters, and automation. This is essential for nurturing your customer relationships and driving engagement through email. The cost for email marketing can range between $20 to $50 per month, or around $300 annually, depending on the platform you choose and the size of your email list.

6. Maintenance Fees

Along with email marketing, you’ll also need ongoing maintenance and retainer fees for your store. Even after development, there will be a need for regular updates, troubleshooting, and optimisations. Hiring a developer or designer to retain a level of expertise for maintaining your site is crucial. This usually costs around $1,000 per month, or about $3,000 annually. The retainer ensures your store runs smoothly, handles any technical issues, and stays up to date with new features and security patches.

Want to get the most out of your development spend? Don’t miss our tips on how to improve your Shopify store’s speed and performance!

Shopify Store Development Cost Breakdown

Here’s a breakdown of the initial setup costs and the ongoing monthly and annual running costs for a Shopify store in Australia:

Initial Setup Costs (One-Time Costs):

Ongoing Annual Costs:

How to Save Money on Shopify Development?

Most people who are new to Shopify development or are looking for cheaper options for Shopify development, this section is for you. There are a few ways in which you can save money when developing your Shopify store. Let’s go over them.

1. Use Free Themes (With Caution)

First, if you’re working with a limited budget, using free themes can help you cut costs. However, this isn’t a route we typically recommend. Free themes are harder to optimise, and they may limit your ability to rank and market your store effectively. If you must go with a free theme, be prepared for potential challenges down the line. Also, if you ever decide to switch platforms, check out our guide on How to Convert Shopify Theme to WordPress.

2. Limit Customisations

Next, while adding custom features is key to making your store stand out, it can significantly increase your development costs. If you’re working with a smaller budget, it’s wise to limit the number of customisations you request. Start by listing all the customisations you want, then prioritise the most important ones that align with your store’s core functionality and performance.

3. Leverage Shopify’s Built-in Features

Another way to save is by leveraging the built-in features that Shopify offers. Shopify already has a range of tools that might meet your needs, such as SEO settings, which you can use instead of hiring a developer for additional customisations. While these built-in tools may not offer the same advanced features as third-party apps, they can still provide a solid foundation for your store, helping you save on development costs.

4. Do Most of the Work Yourself

Additionally, take on some of the work yourself. While there will always be tasks that need a developer’s expertise, many of the routine tasks, like updating content or adding product listings, can be done without technical help. By doing these yourself, you can avoid additional costs and save money in the long run.

5. Avoid Monthly Retainers for Maintenance (If You’re Okay with a Risk)

Lastly, another way to save is by skipping the monthly retainer for maintenance. This can be a risky move, but it can help you save money in the long term. Instead of hiring a developer on retainer, you can maintain your store yourself and only hire a developer for hourly help when you need something more advanced or a change outside your capabilities.

While hourly rates may seem higher in the short term, you’ll end up paying less overall than a monthly retainer would cost. However, this approach is best for small businesses with simpler needs and may not be viable for larger stores that require constant updates.

Not sure if the extra cost of Shopify Plus is worth it? See how Shopify vs Shopify Plus compares before deciding!

Shopify Store Development Cost FAQs:

Here are some frequently asked questions about Shopify development costs in Australia:

1. How much does it cost to set up a Shopify store in Australia?

The cost of setting up a basic Shopify store in Australia can vary depending on several factors, but the minimum cost typically starts at $29 per month or $348 per year for the Shopify subscription.

If you need to purchase apps or plug-ins, the cost can add around $15 per month or $150 annually. Additionally, if you opt for a premium theme, it could cost around $300 as a one-time fee. You will also incur transaction fees on a regular basis for each order processed through your store.

Taking everything into account, including the basic setup, apps, theme, and transaction fees, the total cost of developing a basic Shopify store in Australia for the first year can range from $500 to $1,000.

2. Is Shopify a good choice for online businesses in Australia?

Yes, Shopify is a great choice for small businesses in Australia that want to set up their Ecommerce store.

There are a few reasons for that. First, it is self-sufficient, meaning you don’t have to depend on a developer to create your store. You can manage everything directly on the Shopify platform, including payment processing, adding payment gateways, choosing themes, and even integrating shipping and plugins.

The only downside is that there will be associated costs. There are fees for themes, payment gateways, scaling, and a regular subscription fee for using the Shopify platform.

Despite these costs, Shopify remains a highly efficient and effective platform for businesses in Australia looking to establish an online presence.

3. What is the minimum budget required to set up a Shopify store?

The minimum budget to start a Shopify store is as low as $29 per month, which is the cost of the basic Shopify plan.

This plan allows you to set up your store, and you can use Shopify’s free theme to get started. With this minimal setup, you won’t need to purchase any additional themes, plugins, or apps, and you won’t require any outside help for development.

However, keep in mind that this budget only covers the essentials for setting up the store itself – marketing activities, growth strategies, and any additional customisations or features would require a higher budget.

So, for the absolute bare minimum, $29 per month is the starting point for setting up your Shopify store.

4. Can you use Shopify without a website in Australia?

Yes, you can use Shopify in Australia without having a website. The downside is that you’ll be using a subdomain provided by Shopify, meaning your domain will look something like xyz.Shopify.com. This has a few major drawbacks: you won’t be able to rank well on search engines, it can be difficult to market your store effectively due to restrictions from ad platforms, and customers may not take your store seriously because it’s hosted on a third-party domain. While you can technically start your Shopify store without a website or custom domain, it’s not a viable long-term solution and may limit your store’s success and profitability.

Conclusion: How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Shopify Store in Australia?

Building a Shopify store in Australia doesn’t have to break the bank, but it’s important to understand where your money is going.

From your monthly plan to design, apps, and ongoing maintenance, each choice impacts your overall budget. If you’re planning to DIY, you’ll save on Shopify development costs but may spend more time learning the platform.

On the other hand, hiring a Shopify expert can fast-track your launch and ensure a more professional result. Either way, the key is to budget realistically based on your goals, business size, and how hands-on you want to be.

With a clear plan and the right setup, Shopify can be a cost-effective way to bring your online store to life.

How WP Creative Helps with Shopify Development in Australia?

Creating your Shopify store can be a complex task, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the nuances and details that come with it.

This is where WP Creative comes in. We guide our clients through the entire process, ensuring you’re on the right track.

WP Creative helps you understand the type of Shopify store that would best suit your business needs in Australia. We not only provide expert guidance but also offer Shopify development services, handling all the technical aspects.

This means store owners can sit back and relax while WP Creative takes care of the heavy lifting.

Once the development is complete, the fully functional store is handed over to the store owner, ready for operation.

Ready to bring your Shopify store to life?

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($3,000 Value)

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