E-commerce Costs in Belgium 2026: Complete Price Guide for SMEs

TL;DR: A professional webshop in Belgium costs between €2,000 (basic Shopify/WooCommerce) and €25,000+ (custom development). Budget 20-30% of the initial investment annually for maintenance, hosting, and marketing. VAT integration, payment systems, and SEO are essential cost items that are often underestimated.

As a developer at LUNIDEV, I get daily questions about webshop costs. "How much does a webshop actually cost?" is like asking "how much does a car cost?" – the answer depends on your specific needs.

In this guide, I break down all the cost factors so you can create a realistic budget for your e-commerce project.

Which Factors Determine the Price of a Webshop?

The cost of a webshop is determined by five main factors:

1. Platform Choice

Shopify (€29–€299/month), WooCommerce (free base + hosting), custom development (€15,000+)

2. Design Complexity

* Template customization: €500–€2,500

* Semi-custom design: €2,500–€7,500

* Fully custom design: €7,500–€15,000+

3. Functionalities

* Basic e-commerce: products, shopping cart, payment

* Advanced: inventory linking, multilingual support, B2B pricing

* Enterprise: API integrations, complex workflows, reporting

4. Integrations

* Accounting software (Exact, Sage): €1,000–€3,000

* ERP system: €3,000–€10,000+

* Marketing tools: €500–€2,000

5. Content and Data

* Professional product photos: €25–€100 per product

* Copywriting: €50–€150 per product

* Data migration: €1,000–€5,000

Platform Comparison: Shopify vs WooCommerce vs Custom

Shopify Webshop Costs

Advantages: Quick to go live, reliable hosting, automatic updates

Total first-year costs: €3,500–€8,000

* Platform: €29–€299/month (€348–€3,588/year)

* Setup and customizations: €1,500–€4,000

* Apps: €50–€200/month (€600–€2,400/year)

* Transaction fees: 1.4–2.9% per sale

WooCommerce Webshop Costs

Advantages: Flexible, no transaction fees, full ownership

Total first-year costs: €2,500–€6,000

* WordPress hosting: €200–€600/year

* WooCommerce setup: €1,500–€3,500

* Premium plugins: €300–€800/year

* SSL certificate: €50–€200/year

* Maintenance: €500–€1,200/year

Custom Webshop Development

Advantages: Fully tailored, no platform limitations

Total first-year costs: €15,000–€50,000+

At LUNIDEV, I develop custom webshops with React/Next.js and Supabase, offering a modern and scalable solution without the high license costs of enterprise platforms.

Annual Maintenance and Hosting Costs

A webshop is not a one-time investment. Budget for these annual costs:

Hosting and technical maintenance:

* Shopify: automatically included in subscription

* WooCommerce: €500–€1,500/year

* Custom: €1,000–€3,000/year

Security updates and backups:

* WooCommerce: €300–€800/year

* Custom: €500–€1,200/year

Performance optimization:

* All platforms: €500–€2,000/year

Content updates:

* Self-managed: €0

* Outsourced: €100–€500/month

Tip: In my guide on deducting website costs, you can read how these expenses are tax-deductible for Belgian SMEs.

Hidden Costs SMEs Encounter

From my experience, these are the most underestimated costs:

1. Transaction Costs

* PayPal: 2.9% + €0.35 per transaction

* Stripe: 1.4% + €0.25 per transaction

* Mollie: 2.8% + €0.25 per transaction

2. VAT Compliance

* VAT validation system: €50–€200/month

* Accounting integration: €1,000–€3,000 one-time

* MOSS reporting (EU sales): €200–€500/year

3. Legal Compliance

* GDPR implementation: €500–€2,000

* Terms & Conditions review: €500–€1,500

* Cookie consent: €100–€300/year

4. Marketing and SEO

* SEO optimization: €1,000–€3,000 one-time

* Google Ads budget: minimum €500/month

* Email marketing tool: €50–€300/month

Read more about automating these processes in my e-commerce automation guide.

Payment Systems and VAT Integration Costs

Dutch payment providers:

* Mollie: 2.8% + €0.25, setup free

* MultiSafepay: 2.8% + €0.28, setup €250

* Adyen: 2.6% + €0.11, setup €1,000+

Belgian providers:

* Worldline: 2.5–3.2%, setup €500+

* Ingenico: enterprise pricing

* Payconiq: 1.8%, Belgium only

VAT integration specific to Belgium:

* Automatic VAT calculation: €200–€800 setup

* EU OSS (One Stop Shop): €500–€1,500 implementation

* Accounting software linking: €1,000–€3,000

Marketing and SEO Budget for New Webshops

A webshop without visitors sells nothing. Budget for these marketing costs:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization):

* Technical SEO audit: €1,000–€3,000

* Content creation: €100–€300 per product page

* Link building: €500–€2,000/month

Paid Advertising:

* Google Ads: minimum €1,000/month for new webshops

* Facebook/Instagram ads: €500–€2,000/month

* Display advertising: €300–€1,000/month

Email Marketing:

* Platform: €50–€500/month depending on list size

* Template design: €500–€2,000 one-time

* Automation setup: €1,000–€3,000

More tips on conversion rate optimization can be found in my CRO guide.

When Investing in a More Expensive Webshop is Worth It

Invest in a more expensive, custom solution when:

Complex Business Logic:

* B2B pricing per customer group

* Configurable products

* Inventory linking with multiple locations

High Sales Volume:

* More than €100,000 turnover/year → custom becomes more cost-effective

* Transaction cost savings outweigh higher development costs

Unique Differentiation:

* Innovative shopping experience

* Proprietary algorithms

* Exclusive integrations

Scalability Requirements:

* International expansion planned

* Expected growth 100%+ per year

* Multi-channel sales (online, retail, B2B)

At LUNIDEV, I use a modern tech stack (React, Supabase) that is scalable but doesn't have enterprise license costs.

ROI Expectations at Different Investment Levels

Disclaimer: These are illustrative examples, not guarantees. Actual results vary greatly per sector and execution.

Budget Webshop (€3,000–€5,000):

* Break-even: 6–12 months

* Suitable for: simple product catalogs, local market

* Expected growth: limited by platform restrictions

Mid-range (€8,000–€15,000):

* Break-even: 12–18 months

* Suitable for: growing SMEs, multiple product lines

* Scalable to €500,000+ turnover/year

Premium/Custom (€20,000+):

* Break-even: 18–36 months

* Suitable for: unique proposition, complex requirements

* Unlimited scalability possibilities

Important caveat: ROI depends more on marketing and product-market fit than on technical choices. A €3,000 webshop with good marketing performs better than a €30,000 webshop without visitors.

Read more about the benefits of professional websites in my article on benefits of a professional website.

LUNIDEV's Transparent Webshop Packages

At LUNIDEV, I offer clear webshop packages:

Starter E-commerce (€199/month):

* WooCommerce setup

* Responsive design

* Basic payment integration

* Hosting and maintenance included

Growth E-commerce (€349/month):

* Advanced features

* SEO optimization

* Email marketing integration

* Basic automation

Pro E-commerce (€549/month):

* Custom functionalities

* AI-powered features

* Full automation

* Priority support

All packages are cancelable monthly, and you remain the owner of your code and data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a basic webshop cost for a starter?

A simple webshop costs between €2,000–€5,000 including setup, design, and basic functionalities. Add €1,000–€2,000 annually for hosting, maintenance, and updates.

Are there hidden costs in webshop development?

Yes, the main hidden costs are: transaction fees (1.4–2.9% per sale), VAT compliance tools (€50–€200/month), marketing budget (minimum €1,000/month), and professional product photos (€25–€100 per product).

When do you choose custom development over Shopify?

Custom development pays off from €100,000+ annual turnover, with complex B2B requirements, unique functionalities not possible in standard platforms, or when transaction costs are higher than the maintenance costs of a custom solution.

How much should I budget for marketing a new webshop?

Budget at least €2,000–€5,000/month for an effective marketing mix of SEO, Google Ads, and social media. For new webshops, marketing is often 50–100% of the development costs per year.

Can I build a professional webshop myself?

Technically yes with tools like Shopify or WooCommerce, but professional elements like VAT compliance, payment integration, SEO optimization, and conversion optimization require specific knowledge that most entrepreneurs don't have.

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