Guide · Pricing
E-Commerce Website Cost 2026: Setup and Annual Expenses (An Honest Guide)
The cost of an e-commerce website in Turkey depends on the setup method you choose: with a rented (SaaS) infrastructure, the first year roughly starts in the 40,000–120,000 TL range, while with WordPress/WooCommerce or custom software the budget opens up from 20,000 TL to well over 500,000 TL — and the real difference is usually not in the one-off setup but in ongoing costs such as the virtual POS (payment) commission, the infrastructure subscription and marketing.
This guide covers costs item by item, the differences between setup methods, and the annual expenses most people miss in the first quote — so you can set your budget correctly before commissioning an e-commerce website. Unlike our Web Design Prices 2026 guide, where we cover corporate/brochure site pricing separately, this page focuses only on e-commerce setup. The figures below are not a single “fixed price” but illustrative ranges compiled from the 2026 market; the sources and their dates are at the bottom of the page.
How much does it cost to build an e-commerce website in 2026?
Short answer: getting a small store up and running on a rented infrastructure roughly starts in the 40,000–60,000 TL range for the first year; this figure does not include items such as design, product photography and advertising, and it rises quickly as scale grows (source: Edvido, 2026). But this is not a single number, because what we call an “e-commerce website” covers four very different setup methods.
The cost is determined by three variables: (1) which infrastructure you choose (rented, self-hosted, or custom), (2) how many products and how much customization you want, and (3) the ongoing costs that recur once sales begin. In the first quote usually only the first item is discussed; yet what determines the real 12-month cost is most often the third item.
How do the setup methods differ?
The table below compares four common methods using 2026 market ranges. The figures are illustrative and vary by provider, number of products and level of customization.
| Method | Setup (one-off) | Ongoing (monthly/annual) | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rented SaaS (ikas, Ticimax etc.) | 5,000–20,000 TL | 2,000–7,000 TL/month or 49,900–119,000 TL/year package | Businesses that want to start fast and have no technical team |
| Shopify | 3,000–15,000 TL | 39–399 USD/month + transaction commission | Those selling internationally who want a ready-made ecosystem |
| WordPress + WooCommerce | 20,000–80,000 TL | 3,000–8,000 TL/month | Those who want control + flexibility and can devote time to maintenance |
| Custom software | 100,000–500,000+ TL | 5,000–25,000 TL/month | Large businesses with a unique workflow/scale |
The key distinction here is not “cheap vs. expensive” but the balance between renting and ownership. With rented SaaS and Shopify you do not manage the infrastructure; you pay monthly, start fast, but customization and ownership are limited. With WooCommerce and custom software the upfront cost and technical responsibility increase, but in return control and long-term flexibility rise.
One-off or annual? Ongoing cost items
What usually catches budgets off guard in e-commerce is not the setup but the items that recur every year. The table below gathers typical ongoing costs into illustrative ranges (source: Ticimax, 2026).
| Item | Illustrative range | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | 300–600 TL | Annual |
| Hosting | 300–3,500 TL | Annual |
| SSL certificate | Free–2,000 TL | Annual |
| E-commerce software/infrastructure | 49,900–119,000 TL | Annual (rented package) |
| Virtual POS annual fee | 600–20,000 TL | Annual |
| Virtual POS (payment) commission | 1.5–4% per sale | Every transaction |
| Digital marketing | 5,000–50,000 TL | Monthly (optional) |
The critical point: the virtual POS (payment) commission is not a “setup” cost but an expense that grows with revenue. At 100,000 TL in monthly sales, a 2.5% commission reaches 30,000 TL per year — meaning for many businesses it is a heavier item than the infrastructure subscription. That is why, when planning costs, you need to calculate the 12-month ongoing total alongside the one-off setup.
How much is the virtual POS (payment) commission?
The virtual POS (payment) commission varies by the chosen payment provider and monthly revenue. For 2026, typical single-payment ranges are as follows (illustrative; source: Moyduz, 2026):
- Payment institutions (PayTR, iyzico, Param etc.): roughly the 1.99–2.99% range; they offer fast activation and built-in fraud protection.
- Bank virtual POS: roughly 1.5–2.5%; it can become advantageous as bargaining power increases at high revenue.
The right choice is not made by looking at the percentage alone. Alongside the commission, the transaction fee, installment cost and settlement (the time for money to reach your account) period must be calculated together; a provider with a low commission can strain cash flow with a long settlement period.
Which method suits which budget?
What determines the method is not just budget but scale and technical capacity. To give a rough direction (illustrative):
- Small start (50–200 products): Rented SaaS or Shopify. The first year roughly starts in the 38,000–60,000 TL range (Edvido, 2026). Speed and a low technical burden are the priority.
- Mid scale (500–2,000 products): WooCommerce or a strong SaaS package. As integration/customization increases, the first year can exceed 150,000 TL.
- Large business (5,000+ products): Custom software or enterprise SaaS. The budget reaches six or seven figures; the decision is about scalability and integration rather than cost.
When cutting costs, what should you not cut?
The most common mistake in e-commerce is cutting the budget in the wrong place. Saving on the setup while compromising on the payment experience, mobile speed and security lowers the conversion rate and quietly loses money every month. Conversely, opting for the most expensive custom software when you do not need it puts an early-stage brand under an unnecessary burden.
The healthy approach is right-sizing: choosing the leanest solution that fits your current number of products, revenue target and your team’s technical capacity, then adding layers as you grow. We explained how to calculate value for money in a separate article so you can read a quote correctly; for most businesses the most economical path is not the “cheapest” but the solution that “fits the need most precisely.”
Frequently asked questions
How do you build the cheapest e-commerce website?
The lowest starting cost is typically achieved with rented SaaS infrastructures; setup roughly starts in the 5,000–20,000 TL range and is paid via a monthly subscription (illustrative). However, the “cheapest setup” and the “lowest 12-month total cost” are different things; commission and marketing expenses change the total.
How much is the virtual POS (payment) commission and who pays it?
The commission is deducted from every sale and paid by the store owner; in 2026 the typical single-payment range is ~1.99–2.99% at payment institutions and ~1.5–2.5% at bank POS (illustrative). The percentage alone is not enough; the transaction fee, installments and settlement period must be calculated together.
Is a ready-made package or custom software more sensible?
This is not a budget decision but a scale and control decision. At small and mid scale, rented SaaS or WooCommerce meets most needs; for large businesses with a unique workflow or high scale, custom software becomes meaningful. Turning to custom software at an early stage usually creates unnecessary cost.
Sources
- Ticimax — Cost of Setting Up E-Commerce: 2026 Guide (item-by-item TL ranges, virtual POS fee/commission) — accessed/published: 2026
- Edvido — E-Commerce Website Prices 2026 (method-based ranges, first-year totals) — accessed/published: 2026
- Eticaret Radarı — Shopify Package Prices 2026 (Basic/Grow/Advanced USD + commission) — accessed/published: 2026-05-04
- Moyduz — Virtual POS Commission Rates 2026 (PayTR/iyzico/Param/bank ranges) — accessed/published: 2026