An online store in Egypt has two kinds of cost: a one-time build and recurring running fees. Clutch's e-commerce development pricing guide, updated September 2026, shows most reviewed projects come in under $10,000. On top of that you pay a payment fee on every order, such as 2.75% + EGP 3 on Paymob, plus a platform subscription if you use one.
What exactly are you paying for in an online store?
Most of the gap between quotes comes from each one covering different items. Split the budget into what you pay once and what recurs every month or every order, then ask about each line before comparing.
| Item | Type | What sets its size |
|---|---|---|
| Design and checkout experience | One-time | Theme or custom design, number of page templates and categories |
| Development or setup | One-time | Platform or custom build, plus special features like coupons, installments or multiple branches |
| Product entry and photography | One-time, then per new product | Number of products, sizes and colors, quality of photos and descriptions |
| Payment and shipping integration | One-time | Number of gateways and couriers, automated or manual shipment tracking |
| Platform subscription or hosting | Monthly | Platform plan, or server size for a custom store |
| Payment fees | Per order | Gateway rate, plus any extra platform fee |
| Shipping, collection and returns | Per order | Zone and weight, cash-on-delivery collection fees, refused and returned orders |
| Maintenance and add-ons | Monthly or yearly | Security updates, app and plugin subscriptions |
What does a store on a platform like Shopify cost?
A hosted platform is cheaper to start, but in Egypt there are extra fees to factor in. Shopify's pricing page (September 2026, USD) lists Basic at $19 a month billed yearly or $27 billed monthly, Grow at $54 or $72, and Advanced at $299 or $399. Because Shopify Payments isn't available in Egypt, you'll use a third-party gateway like Paymob, and Shopify adds its own fee on each transaction: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow and 0.6% on Advanced, on top of the gateway's fee.
Worked example for an EGP 1,000 card order through Paymob on the Basic plan:
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Paymob fee | 2.75% × 1,000 + EGP 3 | EGP 30.50 |
| Shopify third-party gateway fee | 2% × 1,000 | EGP 20.00 |
| Total | — | EGP 50.50 (5.05% of the order) |
The monthly subscription and app fees come on top. On the other hand, Shopify doesn't charge this fee on manual payment methods such as cash on delivery, which matters for Egyptian stores that rely on COD. For the full comparison of platforms versus a custom store, see custom store vs. Shopify and other platforms.
How does a custom store compare with a platform?
A custom store costs more to build, but no platform takes a percentage of your sales, and you can connect any gateway, courier or inventory system. Clutch's data puts the average e-commerce project at about $51,943 over a typical 9 months, yet most projects are under $10,000 and the most common rate is $24–$49 an hour. A few large platforms pull the average up, and these are global figures rather than an Egyptian price list.
| Criterion | Hosted platform | Custom store |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low: subscription, theme and setup | Higher: design, development and testing |
| Monthly cost | Subscription, app fees and a transaction percentage depending on the platform | Hosting and maintenance, with no platform percentage |
| Local payments and shipping | Limited to what the platform and its apps support | Any gateway or courier with an API |
| Inventory, accounting and e-receipt integration | Limited to available apps | Built around your own systems |
| Security updates | Handled by the platform | Shared responsibility that your maintenance contract must spell out |
Two custom stores from our portfolio with live demos: Anaqa, a fashion store with women's, men's, kids' and accessories sections, wishlist, cart, orders that deduct stock, and an admin panel; and KCode, a fresh-produce store with a cart, order-status tracking, a live admin dashboard and a driver portal.
What do online payments and cash on delivery really cost?
Online payments cost a clear percentage per transaction; cash on delivery isn't free just because it doesn't show up as a fee. Paymob, for example, publishes 2.75% + EGP 3 per transaction with no monthly fee and weekly settlement, and supports cards, mobile wallets, installments, Aman and Masary kiosks, payment links and cash on delivery.
- Cash on delivery: usually adds a courier collection fee, two-way shipping on refused orders, and slower cash flow.
- InstaPay transfers: need no integration, but every transfer has to be matched to its order by hand, a burden that grows with order volume.
- Installments: useful for higher-priced goods; fees vary by provider, so get them in writing before switching them on.
For a comparison of available gateways and their fees, see payment gateways in Egypt.
Snaabble provides a tailored technical assessment to define the right stack & exact budget.
What do shipping and returns cost?
Couriers usually price by zone and weight, with an extra fee for collecting cash on delivery. Returns, though, are a legal obligation rather than a policy choice: under Article 17 of Egypt's Consumer Protection Law No. 181 of 2018, consumers can exchange or return goods for a refund within 14 days of receipt, without giving a reason and without bearing any costs, with exceptions for certain kinds of goods. Budget for return shipping and restocking, and build the returns policy page and returns flow into your order dashboard from the start.
How to choose and integrate a courier is covered in e-commerce shipping solutions in Egypt.
Does your store need e-receipt integration?
If your company is among the taxpayers obligated to use the Egyptian Tax Authority's e-receipt system, every sale to a final consumer needs an electronic receipt. Obligations are rolled out in phases by decrees that name specific taxpayers; for example, phase-four Decree No. 396 of 2023 required those listed to issue e-receipts from 15 July 2023. The authority provides APIs for ERP and POS systems to automate this, and that integration should appear as its own line in any quote. Check your company's status with your accountant first.
Which customer-data obligations affect the cost?
A store collects names, phone numbers and addresses, which is personal data under Egypt's Personal Data Protection Law No. 151 of 2020, whose Executive Regulations were issued by Ministerial Decree No. 816 of 2025 on 1 November 2025. The obligations described include obtaining a license or permit from the Personal Data Protection Center, appointing a data protection officer, and reporting any breach within 72 hours. In practice, ask your developer for role-based access to the dashboard, an activity log and regular backups, and review your obligations with a qualified legal adviser.
How do you launch a store on a limited budget?
- Start with your best-selling products and good photos and descriptions, rather than a full catalog done badly.
- Offer two payment options at first: one gateway for cards and wallets, plus cash on delivery.
- Register the domain and the payment gateway account in your company's name from day one, even if you start on a platform.
- Design for mobile first; Egypt has 121 million mobile connections according to DataReportal's 2026 report.
- Review the numbers after a few months of trading: once percentage-based platform fees exceed what hosting and maintaining your own store would cost, it's time to look at the alternative.
Frequently asked questions
When does a custom store become cheaper than Shopify?
When percentage fees and app subscriptions exceed the cost of hosting and maintaining your own store. For example, a Basic-plan store selling EGP 200,000 a month through a third-party gateway pays Shopify 2%, or EGP 4,000 a month, before the subscription and the gateway's own fee. Compare that figure with a hosting and maintenance quote for a custom store, and include the build cost.
Can I start with cash on delivery only?
You can, and it keeps launch simple, but it adds collection fees and the cost of refused orders, and it slows your cash flow. Adding a payment gateway lets customers prepay and reduces your reliance on cash collection.
Do I need a mobile app for the store from the start?
Usually not. A fast, mobile-friendly web store is enough to begin with. An app starts to make sense once you have repeat customers and need push notifications or a loyalty program.
What does product entry and photography cost?
It depends on how many products you have, the sizes and colors per product, and who shoots the photos and writes the descriptions. Check whether it's in the quote at all, and get it priced separately from development or plan to do it in-house.
Who owns the customer and order data?
You do, provided you have full admin access and can export the data. On a platform, check the export options; with a custom store, make sure the database runs on a server in your company's name and that you can access the backups.
To estimate your store based on your products and the payment and shipping options you need, see our e-commerce store design and development service and reach us on WhatsApp or by phone at +20 103 673 3131, or by email at hello@snaabble.com. We're based in Talkha, next to Mansoura.
