OpenCart vs. Shopify: Cost Calculator

Posted by JackBudd on September 27, 2024

Use the sliders below to see how much Shopify will really cost you:

OpenCart vs Shopify Cost Calculator

Monthly Sales (£): 1000

Average Order Value (£): 50

OpenCart Hosting Cost per Month (If you switched) (£): 10

OpenCart Payment Processor (If you switched):

Revolut (1% + £0.20 per transaction) Stripe (1.5% + £0.20 per transaction) PayPal (2.9% + £0.30 per transaction)

Shopify Plan:

Basic (£25/month + 2% + £0.25 per transaction) Shopify (£65/month + 1.7% + £0.25 per transaction) Advanced (£344/month + 1.5% + £0.25 per transaction)

Shopify Payment Processor:

Shopify Payments PayPal (2.9% + £0.30 per transaction) Stripe (1.5% + £0.20 per transaction)

Number of Extensions/Add-ons:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Cost Comparison

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As you've seen from the cost breakdown, Shopify's transaction fees and recurring extension costs can significantly eat into your profits, especially for stores with high order volumes or those needing multiple extensions. OpenCart provides a more cost-effective solution with its one-time extension fees and lack of platform transaction charges. Factoring these hidden costs is crucial when choosing the right platform for your business.

Shopify, while user-friendly, operates on a subscription model with transaction fees for each sale. For example, the Basic Shopify plan charges 2% + 25p per transaction, which can add up quickly, especially compared to OpenCart, which has no platform fees and only requires payment gateway charges like 1.5% + 20p through Stripe.

Additionally, Shopify's extension fees can vary, starting with a free, or basic plan. However, for full functionality, the most feature-rich tiers often cost around £30-£50 per extension per month, potentially exceeding £1,000 annually for multiple extensions! Whereas OpenCart offers one-time extension purchases for around £30 each, and many are free.