How much does an online store cost in 2026: custom development, a CMS or a platform
What a store’s yearly cost is made of, hidden expenses and a comparison of three approaches. Calculator: enter an agency quote and compare it with a plan.
Команда TRUNLY2 min read
“How much does an online store cost?” Agencies answer “from 15,000 to 500,000 hryvnias” — which is true but explains nothing. Let’s break costs down into their parts, compare three approaches and give you a calculator to plug in your own numbers.
What a store’s cost is made of
The website is only one part. The full yearly cost of a store is:
- Building it — design, front-end, setup (one-off).
- Hosting, domain, SSL — monthly or yearly.
- Integrations — Nova Poshta, payments, software cash registers (PRRO), instalments: modules, often paid, plus setting them up.
- Support and changes — updates, fixes, new features.
- Content — photos, descriptions, product migration.
- Advertising — without it nobody will hear about the store; this budget is the same whatever approach you choose.
Three approaches and typical costs
| Agency development | CMS + freelancer | SaaS platform | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | most expensive, one-off | medium | no separate fee |
| Hosting and updates | separate | separate | included in the plan |
| Nova Poshta, payments, PRRO | in the quote | modules | included in the plan |
| Changes after launch | paid, by the hour | paid | yourself in the editor |
| Time to launch | weeks to months | weeks | days |
Agency and freelancer prices vary a lot — they depend on design complexity, the number of integrations and reputation. So instead of an “average”, use the calculator below: enter the quote you were given and compare it with a platform plan.
Calculator: development or a platform
Custom development
TRUNLY
Total for the period
Difference: 97,930 UAH — cheaper with TRUNLY
A TRUNLY plan already includes hosting, SSL, a custom domain, updates, Nova Poshta, online payments and fiscal receipts. Default numbers are an example. Use your own.
Try free for 14 daysHidden costs nobody mentions at first
- Modules. For a CMS, a Nova Poshta, instalments or PRRO module is a separate payment and separate setup work.
- Updates. A new CMS or PHP version can “break” old modules — and you need a developer again.
- Security. Backups, hack protection, SSL — someone has to look after it.
- The owner’s time. Every small change through a contractor means messages and waiting.
What to consider besides price
The cheapest option at the start isn’t always the cheapest over a year. Calculate the cost over 12 and 24 months, including support and modules. And think about moving: if the store grows in a year, can you transfer products, customers and Google rankings without losses?
How much a store on TRUNLY costs
Plans start at UAH 249 a month billed yearly. The plan already includes hosting, SSL, updates, Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, Meest, online payments, instalments and PRRO. There’s no commission on sales — just the plan and your bank’s acquiring fee. The first 14 days on the Business plan are free.
Not sure which plan you need? Picking a plan takes a minute. And where to start the launch is in the step-by-step plan.
Questions and answers
How much does it cost to create an online store in Ukraine?
It depends on the approach: agency development is a one-off quote plus support and hosting; on a platform it’s a monthly plan — on TRUNLY from UAH 249 a month billed yearly, with no separate fee for building.
What’s cheaper: a builder or custom development?
For a typical store shipping across Ukraine, a platform is usually cheaper over a year, because hosting, updates and integrations are already in the plan. Check your case in the calculator.
Does the platform take a percentage of sales?
TRUNLY doesn’t. You pay the plan and your bank’s acquiring fee.
