Shopify Store Setup Cost in Pakistan: Plans, Fees and Setup Prices

The Shopify store setup cost in Pakistan has two parts, and most people only budget for one. First, there are the running costs you pay every month or year: Shopify's plan, apps, domain and email. Second, there's the one-time cost of getting the store built: theme, design, products, payments and shipping. A store can launch on a small budget, but only if you know where the money goes.

This guide breaks down both parts, explains payments for Pakistani sellers, and ends with a setup checklist.

What Shopify itself charges

At the time of writing, Shopify's official pricing page lists these plans in US dollars:

• Basic: $25 a month billed monthly, or $19 a month billed yearly
• Grow: $65 a month billed monthly, or $49 a month billed yearly
• Advanced: $399 a month billed monthly, or $299 a month billed yearly
• Plus: starting at $2,300 a month, for large businesses

The page also offers a 3-day free trial, after which most plans start at $1 a month for the first three months. Prices and offers change and can differ by region, so check the official Shopify pricing page before you budget.

Two things matter for Pakistani sellers. You pay in US dollars, so the rupee cost moves with the exchange rate. And your bank may add conversion charges or taxes on international card payments. Many new stores start on Basic and upgrade only when sales justify it.

Payments: why Shopify Payments isn't an option

Shopify Payments is Shopify's own built-in gateway. At the time of writing, Pakistan is not on its list of supported countries, so Pakistani stores use other options:

• Third-party payment gateways: Pakistani providers such as Safepay and PayFast offer Shopify integrations for cards and wallets. Check each provider's current documentation, onboarding requirements and fees before you choose.
• Cash on delivery (COD): Shopify lets you add COD as a manual payment method. Shopify's help centre states that third-party transaction fees aren't charged on manual payments, though your courier will usually charge for collecting cash.
• Bank transfer: also possible as a manual payment method, with orders confirmed once payment arrives.

When you use a third-party gateway, expect two layers of fees: the gateway's own processing fee, plus a Shopify transaction fee that depends on your plan. That fee is widely reported as 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow and 0.6% on Advanced, but confirm the current rate on Shopify's pricing page. On low-margin products, these percentages make a real difference, so include them in your pricing.

Themes: free, paid or custom

Your theme controls how the store looks and feels:

• Free themes: Shopify's free themes are well built and perfectly fine for many new stores.
• Paid themes: a one-time purchase per store from the Shopify Theme Store. Most are priced in the low hundreds of US dollars. They offer more layouts and features, but you still need to set them up properly.
• Custom theme: designed and coded for your brand. It costs the most, and makes sense when you need something a theme can't do.

Spend money on product photos and clear descriptions before you spend it on a fancy theme.

Apps: the cost that quietly grows

Apps add features such as product reviews, WhatsApp chat, COD order confirmation, courier integrations, upsells and email marketing. Many have free tiers, but paid plans are usually monthly, often in US dollars, and they add up fast.

A good rule: install an app only when you have a clear reason, and review your app list every few months. Some apps also add code that slows your store down, which our website speed checklist covers in more detail.

Domain and business email

• Domain: you can buy a .com through Shopify or any registrar. A .pk domain is registered through PKNIC-accredited registrars. Both renew yearly.
• Business email: an address like orders@yourbrand.com builds trust. Services such as Google Workspace or Zoho Mail charge separately from Shopify.

Shopify store setup cost in Pakistan: setup service tiers

This is the one-time part, and the Shopify store design price in Pakistan varies more than anything else. Advertised packages from Pakistani agencies we reviewed at the time of writing fell roughly into three tiers. Treat these as rough market ranges, not fixed prices:

• Basic setup: theme installation, logo and colours, a few essential pages, a limited number of products, one payment method and shipping rates. Often advertised from around Rs 25,000 to 50,000.
• Growth store: a customised premium theme, more products, product reviews, abandoned cart emails, and tracking for analytics and ads. Often listed at roughly Rs 75,000 to 150,000.
• Custom store: custom theme design, courier or ERP integrations, larger catalogues and custom features. Often listed from around Rs 150,000 upward.

The main things that move the price:

• Number of products and variants to upload
• Custom design versus theme customisation
• Integrations with couriers, inventory or accounting systems
• Who writes product descriptions and edits photos
• Migration from another platform, such as WooCommerce

If you're still deciding whether Shopify is right for you at all, read our comparison of Amazon vs Etsy vs Shopify.

How to choose a Shopify store designer in Pakistan

• Live stores: ask for links to stores they've built, and test them on your phone.
• Local experience: they should have set up Pakistani gateways, COD and courier workflows before.
• Clear scope: the quote should list pages, products, apps and integrations included.
• Your ownership: the store, domain and app accounts should be in your name.
• After launch: ask what support is included and what changes cost later.

Tip: Create the Shopify account yourself, with your own email and payment card, then give your designer staff or collaborator access. That way the store is always yours, even if you change designers later.

Shopify store setup checklist

Use this before launch, whether you hire a Shopify store setup service or build the store yourself:

1. Store name, contact details and business address added
2. Refund, shipping, privacy and terms pages published
3. Domain connected and working with and without "www"
4. Theme set up and tested on mobile phones
5. Products added with photos, descriptions, variants, prices and stock
6. Collections and menus organised so customers can find things in two clicks
7. Payment gateway and COD tested with real test orders
8. Shipping zones, rates and courier process confirmed
9. Analytics and ad tracking installed
10. Order confirmation emails and WhatsApp contact checked
11. Store speed checked after installing apps

FAQ

How much does it cost to start a Shopify store in Pakistan?

You need a Shopify plan (Basic is $25 a month billed monthly at the time of writing), a domain, possibly a paid theme and apps, plus any setup service. A simple store you build yourself costs far less than an agency-built custom store. List your products, features and integrations first, then get quotes.

Can I use Shopify in Pakistan without Shopify Payments?

Yes. Shopify works in Pakistan, but Shopify Payments isn't available there at the time of writing. Stores use third-party gateways with Shopify integrations, plus manual methods like cash on delivery and bank transfer.

Does Shopify support cash on delivery?

Yes. You can add cash on delivery as a manual payment method in your Shopify payment settings. Shopify doesn't charge third-party transaction fees on manual payments, but your courier will usually charge for cash collection.

How long does a Shopify store setup take?

A basic store with a handful of products can be ready in about a week or two if your content is ready. Custom designs and integrations take longer. Missing product photos and descriptions are a common cause of delay.

The bottom line

Shopify store setup cost in Pakistan is easy to control once you separate running costs from one-time costs. Start on a sensible plan, choose payment options that suit Pakistani customers, add apps carefully and spend on clear products and photos first.

If you haven't finalised your branding yet, our guide to logo design price in Pakistan is a good next read. OCTASKY in Multan builds Shopify stores and can share relevant samples along with a clear, itemised quote for your setup.