Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By Maurice, freeehouse team · About 3 minutes to read
What costs does an online shop have?
| Item | What for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Shop subscription or hosting | the shop itself | monthly or yearly |
| Provider transaction fee | per sale | with some website builders in the small package |
| Payment service fee | PayPal, credit card, others | per payment, at the payment provider |
| Legal texts | Terms and conditions, right of withdrawal, privacy | yourself, a lawyer or a service |
| Shipping | Labels, packaging | depending on the product |
What do shops in website builders cost?
According to the Squarespace pricing page, retrieved on 23 October 2026, the Basic package costs €13.09 a month with annual payment, with a 2% fee on sales in the online shop. In Core at €20.23 that fee is dropped. At Wix, for online payments you need at least the Core package at €25 a month plus tax, according to the pricing page. Jimdo and others have their own shop packages.
On top come the payment service fees. Each payment provider sets those itself.
Do I need a shop system of my own?
For a business with few products, such as vouchers, a few goods from the store or courses, usually not. A shop inside the website with product pages, a basket and payment by PayPal or prepayment is often enough. A separate shop system pays off with many products, variants, stock management and a link to inventory and merchandise management software.
In our projects we had a case where a customer wanted almost 300 third-party products entered. For something like that, merchandise management software with a connected shop suits better than a website shop.
What are the legal points?
- Impressum and privacy policy
- Withdrawal instructions and terms and conditions for consumers
- Prices shown with VAT and shipping costs
- a clearly labelled order button
- Accessibility: since 28 June 2025 the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (German accessibility act) applies to many online shops aimed at consumers. Micro-enterprises that offer services are exempt. More in the guide Accessibility on websites.
This list is no substitute for legal advice. Legal texts for shops should come from a lawyer or a specialised service.
How do I keep costs low?
- Book only the package you really need, and factor in the fee per sale.
- Choose payment methods deliberately. Prepayment has no fee but is less convenient for customers.
- No second provider for the shop if the website can do it too.
If you have a shop today, you get one again at freeehouse: products with images and prices, payment by PayPal or prepayment, orders straight to you. We do not charge for the build, you only pay for hosting with care, cheaper than today. Claim your spot on the waiting list
How many products make a small shop?
There is no fixed limit. As a rule of thumb: as long as you can maintain products by hand, have no complicated variants and need no link to stock or merchandise management, a shop inside the website is enough. With a few dozen products that is usually the case, with several hundred in sizes and colours rather not.
Frequently asked questions
What does an online shop cost per month?
For website builders, according to the pricing pages, from around €13 to €25 a month for shop-ready packages, plus payment service fees.
What fees apply per sale?
The payment service's, and with some website builders a transaction fee of their own, for example 2% at Squarespace Basic according to the pricing page.
Do I need Shopify or WooCommerce for a small shop?
Not necessarily. For a few products, a shop inside the website is often enough.
Does my online shop have to be accessible?
If you sell to consumers and are not a micro-enterprise, the German Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz) has applied since 28 June 2025 in many cases.
Sources
- Squarespace: Preise, accessed 23 October 2026
- Wix: Premiumpakete und Preise, accessed 23 October 2026
- Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz § 3, accessed 23 October 2026
- Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz § 2 Begriffsbestimmungen, accessed 23 October 2026
Providers' prices and terms change often. What counts is what's in your customer account and your contract. Not legal advice.
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