The most common question Pakistani business owners ask before going online: "How much will an ecommerce website cost me?"
The honest answer: anywhere from PKR 0 to PKR 500,000+ depending on which route you take. This guide breaks down every option with real pricing so you can make an informed decision.
Option 1: Free Website Builder (PKR 0–2,000/month)
Platforms like WoBooks offer free plans that include a working online store. You get:
- Professional storefront with product catalog
- Shopping cart and checkout
- JazzCash and Easypaisa payment integration
- Inventory management
- A wobooks.com subdomain (e.g., yourstore.wobooks.com)
Cost breakdown:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| WoBooks Free Plan | PKR 0/month |
| Custom domain (optional) | PKR 1,500–3,000/year |
| Paid plan for custom domain + features | PKR 500–2,000/month |
Total first year: PKR 0–24,000
This is the fastest and cheapest way to start selling online in Pakistan. Start for free with WoBooks and upgrade when your revenue justifies it.
Option 2: Shopify (PKR 5,000–15,000/month)
Shopify is the global standard but comes with significant costs for Pakistani businesses:
| Item | Cost (PKR equivalent) |
|---|---|
| Basic Shopify plan | ~PKR 8,000/month ($29 USD) |
| Payment gateway app | PKR 0–3,000/month |
| Theme (one-time) | PKR 25,000–55,000 |
| Domain | PKR 1,500–3,000/year |
| Transaction fees | 2% per order |
Total first year: PKR 120,000–220,000
Shopify is powerful but bills in USD, doesn't include JazzCash/Easypaisa natively, and the exchange rate makes it expensive for Pakistani SMBs.
Option 3: WordPress + WooCommerce (PKR 20,000–100,000)
Building on WordPress gives you full control but requires technical skill or a developer:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hosting (shared) | PKR 3,000–8,000/year |
| Domain | PKR 1,500–3,000/year |
| Theme | PKR 5,000–15,000 (one-time) |
| WooCommerce plugins | PKR 10,000–30,000/year |
| Developer setup | PKR 20,000–50,000 (one-time) |
| Maintenance | PKR 5,000–10,000/month |
Total first year: PKR 80,000–180,000
The hidden cost of WooCommerce is maintenance. Plugins break, updates conflict, and security patches are your responsibility. Budget for ongoing developer support.
Option 4: Custom Development (PKR 150,000–500,000+)
Hiring a developer or agency to build a custom ecommerce site:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Design + Development | PKR 100,000–400,000 |
| Hosting (VPS/Cloud) | PKR 5,000–15,000/month |
| Payment gateway integration | PKR 20,000–50,000 |
| Ongoing maintenance | PKR 10,000–30,000/month |
Total first year: PKR 250,000–750,000
Custom development only makes sense if you have very specific requirements that no platform can handle. For 95% of Pakistani businesses, a platform like WoBooks or Shopify is the better choice.
Cost Comparison Summary
| Option | First Year Cost | Technical Skill Needed | JazzCash/Easypaisa |
|---|---|---|---|
| WoBooks | PKR 0–24,000 | None | Built-in |
| Shopify | PKR 120,000–220,000 | Low | Plugin needed |
| WordPress | PKR 80,000–180,000 | Medium-High | Plugin needed |
| Custom | PKR 250,000–750,000 | Developer required | Custom integration |
Our Recommendation
Start with a free platform, validate your business, then invest in upgrades as revenue grows. Most successful Pakistani ecommerce businesses started small and scaled up — they didn't spend PKR 300,000 before making their first sale.
WoBooks is free to start with JazzCash, Easypaisa, POS, and accounting included. No developer needed, no USD bills, no hidden fees.