What can you help with?

Websites and Shopify stores, local SEO and your Google Business Profile, and the admin automation behind a small business. One person across the lot, so the site, the search side and the back office actually talk to each other.

How much does it cost?

A website or portfolio site starts at $1,800 AUD, and an online shop starts at $2,500 AUD. Brand identity, SEO, automation and ongoing support are quoted on the actual scope. Either way, you get a fixed number in writing before anything starts.

Do I need to be technical?

Not at all. You never need to understand how it works, only that it does. I handle everything and explain it in plain language.

How long does it take?

A landing page goes live in about a week, a multi-page site in two to three. A full bespoke project, brand and site built together, is usually a few weeks. You get a fixed timeline with the quote.

Will I own everything when it’s done?

Yes. Everything is in your name and your accounts: code, domain, hosting account, Google accounts, lead-tracking sheets. If you decide to walk away tomorrow, you take it all with you. No vendor lock-in, no hostage data.

Why no monthly subscription?

Because most people don’t need one. I charge per project, one-time, so you only pay when there’s real work to do. If you genuinely need ongoing help we can set that up, but it’s the exception, not the default.

Why not just build it myself on Squarespace?

Honestly? If you only need a one-page portfolio, go ahead. I come in when the site has to do real work: capture enquiries, integrate with the tools you already use, rank in search, and look like nobody else’s. It usually pays for itself the first time it books a job while you’re busy.

What if I already have a site?

Tell me about it. Sometimes it just needs a polish, speed, SEO, a few fixes. Sometimes new things shipped. Sometimes a rebuild. I look at it honestly and tell you what actually moves the needle, and what doesn’t.

How much does Shopify cost in Australia? (2026)

In short: running a Shopify store in Australia has four cost layers: the monthly Shopify plan (the entry plan sits in the low tens of dollars a month, with higher tiers for bigger stores), the card and transaction fees on every sale, any paid apps you add, and a one-time cost to build the store well if you do not do it yourself. The monthly Shopify fee is the part everyone quotes, but the fees per sale and the build are where the real money is. Shopify changes its pricing, so always confirm the current numbers on their own site. This guide explains what each layer is for so the total stops being a surprise.

When people ask what Shopify costs, they usually mean the monthly plan. That is one of four numbers that matter. Here is the whole picture so you can budget honestly.

Layer one: the monthly plan

Shopify sells tiered monthly plans. At the time of writing the entry "Basic" plan sits in the low tens of dollars per month, the mid "Shopify" plan a few times that, and the "Advanced" plan higher again, with a discount if you pay yearly. There is also a stripped-back "Starter" plan for selling through social and links rather than a full store. Shopify adjusts these prices and runs promotions, so check shopify.com for the exact current Australian figure rather than trusting any number you read in a blog, including this one.

What you are paying for is the hosting, the checkout, the security, the updates and the dashboard. You are not paying a developer. The platform runs itself.

Layer two: the fees on every sale

This is the layer most people miss, and it adds up faster than the monthly plan.

Card processing fees. Every card payment carries a percentage plus a few cents. The rate is lower on the higher plans. If you use Shopify Payments, this is the only per-sale fee.
Third-party gateway fee. If you choose to use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, Shopify adds an extra transaction fee on top, and it is higher on the cheaper plans. Using Shopify Payments avoids it.

For a real budget, assume a few percent of revenue goes to fees regardless of which plan you are on. On a store doing real volume, that is a bigger number than the monthly plan.

Layer three: apps

Shopify does a lot out of the box, but you will likely add a few apps: reviews, email marketing, perhaps a subscription or bundling tool. Some are free, many charge a small monthly fee each. The trap is installing a dozen you do not need and quietly paying for all of them. A clean store runs on a handful. Budget a modest monthly figure here and audit it twice a year.

Layer four: the build

This is the one-time cost, and it is where quality actually lives. You can set Shopify up yourself for free if you have the time and patience. If you want it done properly, expect a one-time build fee. At The Quiet Engine a Shopify store build starts at $2,500 AUD, one-time, and you own the store completely afterwards. An agency may charge several times that for a large or heavily customised store.

The build is separate from the monthly Shopify fee. You pay Shopify monthly for the platform; you pay the builder once for setting it up well. Do not confuse the two when comparing quotes.

A realistic monthly total

For a small Australian store, a fair mental model is: the monthly Shopify plan, plus a few percent of your sales in fees, plus a modest amount for a few apps, plus a domain at roughly $20 to $60 a year. The one-time build sits on top of that, once. None of these numbers is shocking on its own. The mistake is only budgeting for the first one.

Is it worth it?

That depends on what you sell and how much, which is its own question. I wrote a separate honest answer: is Shopify worth it for a small business?

If you want a straight quote for setting up or fixing a Shopify store, the Shopify page has the detail, or tell me what you sell and I will give you a fixed number in writing, no sales call.