Contents
Ecommerce portal development costs $3,000 to $500,000+, depending on complexity, features, and whether you build custom or use a platform like Shopify or WooCommerce.. With global ecommerce sales projected to reach $7.41 trillion by 2026 as per Satista, the opportunity is clear.
The challenge is knowing how to capture it.
That’s where most businesses get stuck. As a custom ecommerce development company, we hear these exact questions from our clients:
- I want to build an ecommerce portal. Where do I start?
- How much does ecommerce portal development actually cost?
- Should I use a platform like Shopify or build custom?
- What’s the realistic timeline for development?
- What technology stack should I choose?
- How do I avoid the mistakes that kill ecommerce projects?
After 6+ years of experience and 200+ successful projects, including MoovStore, a multi-vendor marketplace for Saudi Arabia, and Sayyar, a fashion ecommerce platform with SAP integration, we’ve developed a clear process for answering them. We’ve seen what works, what fails, and what separates successful launches from expensive disasters.
This guide shares exactly what we tell our clients: a detailed, step-by-step ecommerce portal development cost breakdown covering everything from initial planning through launch and beyond.
No vague advice, no conflicting information. Just the clear pricing.
Let’s dive in.
Quick Answer: eCommerce Portal Development Cost Summary
Ecommerce portal development costs between $30,000 and $500,000+, with basic B2C storefronts starting around $30,000–$60,000 (2–3 months), custom B2C portals at $60,000–$120,000 (3–5 months), B2B portals at $80,000–$250,000 (4–7 months), multi-vendor marketplaces at $150,000–$400,000 (6–10 months), and enterprise platforms at $250,000–$500,000+ (8–14 months).
Before diving into details, here is what businesses typically invest in ecommerce portal development:
| Portal Type | Complexity | Timeline | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic B2C Storefront | Simple | 2–3 months | $30,000–$60,000 |
| Custom B2C Portal | Medium | 3–5 months | $60,000–$120,000 |
| B2B eCommerce Portal | Medium–High | 4–7 months | $80,000–$250,000 |
| Multi-Vendor Marketplace | High | 6–10 months | $150,000–$400,000 |
| Enterprise Platform | Very High | 8–14 months | $250,000–$500,000+ |
These figures represent custom development with professional teams. Your actual investment depends on specific features, integrations, design requirements, and team location.
Key Insight: The average ecommerce portal development cost for mid-market businesses falls between $100,000 and $200,000. This includes custom design, core ecommerce features, 2-3 payment gateways, and basic third-party integrations.
Find Out How Much Your eCommerce Portal Will Cost
alk to our Ecommerce development experts who help you find the right solution and right cost for your project.
What Affects eCommerce Portal Development Cost?
Seven primary factors determine your ecommerce portal development cost. Understanding these helps you prioritize features, negotiate with vendors, and allocate budget effectively.
1. Portal type (B2B, B2C, Marketplace, Vendor)
The type of ecommerce portal you build has the most significant impact on development cost.
- B2C (Business-to-Consumer) portals serve individual customers with straightforward purchasing flows. These require product catalogs, shopping carts, checkout, and customer accounts. Development is relatively straightforward because user flows are predictable. A fashion retailer selling 500 products needs different capabilities than a B2B distributor serving corporate accounts.
- B2B (Business-to-Business) portals serve wholesale buyers, distributors, and corporate customers. They demand complex features like customer-specific pricing, bulk ordering, approval workflows, credit management, and integration with procurement systems. B2B ecommerce portal development typically costs 40-60% more than comparable B2C projects because of these additional complexities.
- Multi-vendor marketplaces connect multiple sellers with buyers on a single platform. These require vendor onboarding, separate dashboards, commission management, dispute resolution, and complex order routing. The multi-tenant architecture adds substantial development complexity.
- Vendor/supplier portals allow suppliers to manage their catalogs, inventory, and orders within your ecosystem. These portals require role-based access, inventory sync, and often punch-out catalog capabilities for enterprise procurement systems.
2. Feature scope and complexity
Features drive the majority of development hours. More features mean higher costs, but not all features deliver equal business value.
| Feature Category | Feature | Cost Impact | What It Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Features | Product Catalog | Included in baseline | Category hierarchy, filters, search, product pages with images, descriptions, and specifications |
| Shopping Cart & Checkout | Included in baseline | Add to cart, cart management, guest and registered checkout, order summary | |
| User Accounts | Included in baseline | User registration, login, password recovery, order history, saved addresses | |
| Payment Gateway | Included in baseline | Single payment gateway integration (Stripe, PayPal, or Razorpay), secure payment processing | |
| Order Management | Included in baseline | Order tracking, status updates, email notifications, basic returns management | |
| Admin Dashboard | Included in baseline | Product, order, and customer management; basic sales and performance reports | |
| Advanced Features | AI Product Recommendations | $15,000–$40,000 | Behavioral tracking, “customers also bought,” personalized homepage, ML model training |
| Advanced Search (Elasticsearch) | $10,000–$30,000 | Autocomplete, typo tolerance, faceted filtering, relevance tuning | |
| Multi-Currency / Multi-Language | $15,000–$35,000 | Currency conversion, localized content, region-based pricing, RTL language support | |
| Subscription & Recurring Billing | $20,000–$50,000 | Plan management, automated billing cycles, dunning, proration, usage-based pricing | |
| Loyalty Programs | $15,000–$40,000 | Points-based rewards, tiered loyalty levels, referral tracking, redemption rules | |
| Real-Time Inventory Sync | $20,000–$45,000 | Multi-location inventory, warehouse integration, low-stock alerts, backorder handling | |
| Advanced Analytics | $10,000–$35,000 | Custom dashboards, cohort analysis, conversion funnels, revenue attribution | |
| Enterprise Features | ERP Integration | $40,000–$100,000 | SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite integration; bi-directional sync of orders, inventory, and customer data |
| Custom Pricing Engine | $30,000–$80,000 | Contract-based pricing, volume discounts, customer-specific catalogs, approval workflows | |
| Punch-Out Catalog (cXML/OCI) | $25,000–$60,000 | Procurement system integration, buyer authentication, round-trip ordering | |
| Headless Commerce | $35,000–$90,000 | API-first architecture, flexible frontend frameworks, multi-channel content delivery | |
| Omnichannel Order Management | $50,000–$100,000 | Unified inventory, ship-from-store, BOPIS, cross-channel returns, intelligent order routing |
| 💡Pro Tip: Start by identifying which features you need at launch versus what can wait for phase two. An MVP approach reduces initial investment by 40-50% while still delivering a functional, revenue-generating portal. |
3. Design and UX requirements
Design complexity directly impacts cost. A template-based design costs far less than a fully custom interface with animations and micro-interactions.
| Design Level | What It Includes | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Template-Based | Pre-built themes, minor customization, standard layouts | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Custom Standard | Unique design, brand-aligned visuals, custom UI components | $15,000–$40,000 |
| Premium Custom | Advanced interactions, animations, custom illustrations | $40,000–$80,000 |
| Enterprise UX | User research, usability testing, accessibility compliance, design systems | $60,000–$120,000 |
For B2B portals, investing in UX design delivers measurable ROI. A well-designed interface reduces training costs, decreases support tickets, and improves order accuracy. When buyers can find products and complete orders faster, they order more frequently.
4. Technology stack and architecture
The choice of architecture and technology stack plays a major role in determining an eCommerce portal’s scalability, flexibility, and overall development cost.
Monolithic architecture follows a traditional approach where the frontend and backend are tightly coupled into a single system. This setup typically comes with a lower initial investment, usually in the range of $30,000–$80,000, and allows for faster development. However, it becomes harder to scale, customize, or integrate with external systems over time. Monolithic builds are best suited for simpler portals with limited functionality and predictable growth.
In contrast, headless or composable architecture separates the frontend and backend and connects them through APIs. While the upfront cost is higher—generally $80,000–$200,000+—this approach delivers greater flexibility, improved performance, and easier scalability. It is increasingly preferred for enterprise-grade portals, omnichannel commerce, and businesses planning frequent updates or multiple frontend experiences.
The selected technology stack further influences cost and capability, as outlined below:
| Stack | Best For | Cost Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Laravel + Vue.js | Rapid development, content-heavy portals | Baseline |
| React + Node.js | Modern SPAs, real-time and interactive features | +10–15% |
| Headless (Next.js + APIs) | Performance-critical, omnichannel experiences | +20–30% |
| Enterprise Platforms (SAP Commerce, Salesforce) | Large enterprises with existing ecosystems | +50–100% |
In practice, monolithic setups often pair well with baseline stacks like Laravel + Vue.js, while headless architectures commonly leverage React or Next.js for maximum performance and flexibility. Enterprise platforms add further cost but provide deep integrations, governance, and long-term scalability for large organizations.
5. Third-party integrations (ERP, CRM, Payment gateways)
Integrations connect your portal with existing business systems. Each integration adds development time and cost, but some are essential for operations.
| Integration Type | Complexity | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Gateways (Stripe, PayPal) | Low | $2,000–$5,000 |
| Shipping Providers (FedEx, UPS, DHL) | Low–Medium | $3,000–$8,000 |
| Email Marketing Tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo) | Low | $2,000–$4,000 |
| CRM Systems (Salesforce, HubSpot) | Medium | $8,000–$25,000 |
| ERP Systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) | High | $25,000–$80,000 |
| Warehouse Management Systems | Medium–High | $15,000–$40,000 |
| Custom API Development | Varies | $5,000–$50,000+ |
Critical Insight: ERP integration alone can represent 15-25% of total project cost for enterprise portals. If you have existing SAP or Oracle systems, factor this into your budget during the planning phase, not as an afterthought.
6. Team location and engagement model
Where your development team is located significantly impacts hourly rates and total cost.
| Region | Hourly Rate | Monthly Full-Time Cost |
|---|---|---|
| USA / Canada | $100–$200/hr | $16,000–$32,000 |
| Western Europe | $80–$180/hr | $12,800–$28,800 |
| Eastern Europe | $40–$100/hr | $6,400–$16,000 |
| South Asia | $25–$50/hr | $4,000–$8,000 |
| Latin America | $35–$80/hr | $5,600–$12,800 |
Engagement models:
- Fixed price: Best for well-defined projects with clear requirements. You pay a set amount for agreed deliverables. Lower risk but requires detailed specifications upfront.
- Time and materials: Pay for actual hours worked. More flexibility for evolving requirements but requires active project management.
- Dedicated team: Hire a team exclusively for your project on a monthly basis. Best for long-term projects requiring consistent velocity.
Working with Monocubed provides the advantage of offshore and nearshore project management and communication with competitive development rates. Our 50+ in-house developers deliver quality comparable to premium web portal development agencies while maintaining clear communication in your timezone.
Working with Monocubed provides competitive rates through our full stack web development team. Need to hire a full stack developer? Our 50+ in-house developers deliver quality comparable to premium agencies.
7. Project timeline
Project timelines directly influence overall development cost in two key ways:
compressed timelines increase execution cost, while extended timelines add management overhead.
| Timeline | Impact on Cost |
|---|---|
| Aggressive (≈30% faster) | 20–30% higher cost due to larger teams, parallel development, overtime, and reduced buffer for rework |
| Standard | Baseline cost with balanced team allocation, predictable delivery, and controlled risk |
| Extended (≈30% longer) | 10–15% increase caused by prolonged project management, coordination effort, and dependency handling |
Why this matters:
Most businesses achieve the best value with a standard timeline, as it allows sufficient time for proper architecture, testing, and iteration. Accelerated launches often introduce technical debt, which can cost 2–3× more to resolve after launch. On the other hand, overly long timelines gradually inflate costs without delivering proportional value.
eCommerce Portal Development Cost by Project Type
Different business needs require different portal types. Here is what each typically costs with detailed feature breakdowns.
Basic B2C storefront ($30,000-$60,000)
Who this is for: Small businesses, startups, and niche retailers testing online sales before committing to a larger build.
What problem it solves: You need a functional online store that processes orders reliably, but you don’t have the budget or traffic volume to justify advanced features yet.
What You Get:
- 100-500 products with categories
- Standard product catalog with search and filters
- Shopping cart and streamlined checkout
- Single payment gateway (Stripe or PayPal)
- Customer accounts and order history
- Mobile-responsive design
- Basic SEO optimization
- Email notifications for orders
- Admin dashboard for product and order management
| Component | Cost Range | Why It Costs This |
|---|---|---|
| UI/UX Design | $5,000–$10,000 | Template-based with brand customization |
| Frontend Development | $8,000–$15,000 | Standard responsive layouts |
| Backend Development | $10,000–$20,000 | Core commerce logic, database, APIs |
| Payment Integration | $2,000–$4,000 | Single gateway setup and testing |
| Testing & QA | $3,000–$6,000 | Functional, payment, and mobile testing |
| Deployment | $2,000–$5,000 | Server setup, SSL, launch support |
| Total | $30,000–$60,000 |
Timeline: 2-3 months
When to upgrade: Once you’re processing 200+ orders/month or need features like advanced analytics, multiple payment options, or CRM integration, you’ll hit the limits of this tier.
Custom B2C portal ($60,000-$120,000)
Who this is for: Growing brands and established retailers who’ve outgrown templates and need a store that reflects their brand and supports scaling.
What problem it solves: You’re losing conversions because your store looks generic, lacks the features competitors offer, or can’t handle your catalog complexity.
What You Get:
- 500-5,000 products with advanced organization
- Custom design aligned with brand identity
- Multiple payment methods (3-5 gateways)
- Advanced filtering and faceted search
- Wishlist and product comparison
- Customer reviews and ratings
- Promotional tools (coupons, discounts, flash sales)
- Analytics integration (Google Analytics, custom dashboards)
- CRM connection (HubSpot, Salesforce)
- Inventory management with stock alerts
| Component | Cost Range | Why It Costs This |
|---|---|---|
| UI/UX Design | $12,000–$25,000 | Custom design, user research, prototyping |
| Frontend Development | $18,000–$35,000 | Custom components, animations, interactions |
| Backend Development | $20,000–$40,000 | Complex business logic, scalable architecture |
| Integrations | $5,000–$12,000 | CRM, analytics, inventory systems |
| Testing & QA | $5,000–$8,000 | Cross-browser, performance, integration testing |
| Total | $60,000–$120,000 |
| Total | $60,000-$120,000 |
Timeline: 3-5 months
Real Example: We built Sayyar, a men’s fashion portal, in this category. Built on Laravel with Vue.js frontend, it has processed 280,000+ orders and serves 200,000+ registered customers. Key features include advanced inventory management synced with warehouse systems, multiple payment gateways including local Saudi options, and comprehensive order tracking with SMS notifications.
B2B ecommerce portal ($80,000-$250,000)
Who this is for: Wholesalers, manufacturers, and distributors selling to business customers with purchasing workflows more complex than a credit card checkout.
What problem it solves: Your sales team spends too much time on manual quotes, order entry, and account management. Customers want self-service but need pricing, approval workflows, and payment terms that consumer platforms don’t support.
What You Get:
- Customer-specific pricing and catalogs
- Tiered pricing based on volume or customer tier
- Bulk ordering with quantity discounts
- Quote request and negotiation system
- Multi-level approval workflows
- Credit line management with payment terms
- Account hierarchies (parent/child accounts)
- ERP integration (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite)
- Custom reporting and analytics
- Invoice management and payment tracking
- Reorder functionality from order history
| Component | Cost Range | Why It Costs This |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & Planning | $8,000–$15,000 | Workflow mapping, integration scoping |
| UI/UX Design | $20,000–$40,000 | Separate buyer/admin experiences |
| Frontend Development | $25,000–$50,000 | Complex forms, dashboards, bulk tools |
| Backend Development | $35,000–$70,000 | Pricing engines, approval logic, credit systems |
| ERP/CRM Integration | $20,000–$50,000 | Bidirectional sync, data mapping |
| Testing & QA | $8,000–$15,000 | Workflow testing, integration validation |
| Deployment & Training | $5,000–$10,000 | Staff onboarding, documentation |
| Total | $80,000–$250,000 |
Timeline: 4–7 months
ROI insight: B2B portals pay for themselves through operational savings. Automating quotes reduces sales workload by 40–60%. Self-service ordering cuts processing costs by $15–$25 per order. Most clients see ROI within 12–18 months.
Multi-vendor marketplace ($150,000-$400,000)
Who this is for: Platform businesses building a marketplace where multiple sellers list products and you take a commission—think vertical-specific alternatives to Amazon or Etsy.
What problem it solves: You’re not selling your own products; you’re enabling transactions between vendors and buyers. That requires three separate systems: buyer experience, vendor management, and platform administration.
What You Get:
- Vendor registration and onboarding workflow
- Separate vendor dashboards with analytics
- Product approval and moderation system
- Commission management (percentage, flat fee, tiered)
- Split payments to vendors (automatic payouts)
- Vendor performance metrics and ratings
- Dispute resolution system
- Advanced search across all vendors
- Rating and review system for vendors and products
- Marketing tools for vendors (promotions, featured listings)
| Component | Cost Range | Why It Costs This |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & Architecture | $15,000–$30,000 | Multi-stakeholder requirement gathering, workflow mapping, data modeling, and solution architecture |
| UI/UX Design | $30,000–$60,000 | Three distinct user experiences (buyers, vendors, admins), wireframes, and high-fidelity design systems |
| Buyer-Side Development | $40,000–$80,000 | Product discovery, shopping cart, checkout flow, user accounts, and order management |
| Vendor-Side Development | $35,000–$70,000 | Product listing tools, inventory handling, order processing, payouts, and vendor dashboards |
| Admin Dashboard | $20,000–$40,000 | Platform moderation, vendor approvals, commission management, analytics, and reporting |
| Payment & Commission System | $15,000–$30,000 | Split payments, commission calculation, payout automation, tax and reconciliation logic |
| Testing & QA | $12,000–$25,000 | Multi-role testing, cross-browser/device coverage, payment edge cases, and regression testing |
| Total Estimated Cost | $150,000–$400,000 | Final cost depends on feature depth, integrations, and scalability requirements |
Total$150,000–$400,000
Timeline: 6-10 months
Real Example: MoovStore, our multi-category marketplace for Saudi Arabia, demonstrates marketplace complexity. It features:
- Bilingual support (Arabic RTL and English)
- Multiple payment gateways including Mada, STC Pay, and Apple Pay for local Saudi customers
- Real-time inventory management across hundreds of vendors
- Comprehensive vendor management with performance tracking and automated payouts
The platform required three distinct user experiences: consumer shopping interface, vendor management dashboard, and administrative oversight tools.
Enterprise ecommerce platform ($250,000-$500,000+)
Who this is for: Large corporations, global retailers, and manufacturers with complex requirements, existing enterprise systems, and compliance obligations.
What problem it solves: You’re operating at scale across regions, brands, or channels. Off-the-shelf platforms can’t handle your pricing logic, ERP dependencies, or compliance requirements. Downtime costs you six figures.
What You Get:
- Multi-store/multi-brand architecture
- Global deployment (multi-currency, multi-language, regional tax compliance)
- Deep ERP integration (SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Cloud)
- Custom pricing engine with contract management
- Omnichannel inventory management
- Advanced personalization and AI recommendations
- Business intelligence integration
- High-availability infrastructure (99.99% uptime SLA)
- Security and compliance (PCI-DSS Level 1, SOC 2, GDPR)
- Dedicated support and SLA
| Component | Cost Range | Why It Costs This |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & Strategy | $25,000–$50,000 | Stakeholder alignment, business requirements, technical architecture planning, and roadmap definition |
| UI/UX Design & Research | $50,000–$100,000 | Multiple brands or regions, user research, usability testing, and scalable design systems |
| Frontend Development | $60,000–$120,000 | Performance-optimized interfaces, multi-channel experiences (web, mobile, headless), accessibility compliance |
| Backend Development | $80,000–$150,000 | Custom business logic, complex integrations, pricing engines, and scalability architecture |
| Enterprise Integrations | $50,000–$100,000 | ERP, PIM, OMS, BI system integrations with data synchronization and error handling |
| Security & Compliance | $20,000–$40,000 | Security audits, compliance requirements, penetration testing, and infrastructure hardening |
| Testing & QA | $25,000–$50,000 | Load testing, security validation, regression testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT) |
| Infrastructure & DevOps | $20,000–$40,000 | High-availability setup, CI/CD pipelines, monitoring, backups, and deployment automation |
| Total Estimated Cost | $250,000–$500,000 | Cost varies based on scale, customization level, integration depth, and compliance requirements |
Timeline: 8-14 months
Enterprise projects often span multiple phases, with core functionality launching first and advanced features rolling out over 2-3 subsequent releases.
Not Sure Which Portal Type Fits Your Budget?
Talk to our ecommerce experts. We will analyze your requirements and recommend the right approach – whether that is a $50K MVP or a $300K enterprise solution.
Cost Breakdown by Development Phase
Knowing how your budget allocates across phases helps you track progress and manage cash flow effectively.
Discovery and planning (8-12% of budget)
Why this phase matters: This is where you define what you’re actually building. Skipping or rushing discovery is the most common cause of budget overruns—unclear requirements lead to rework, scope creep, and misaligned expectations.
What happens:
- Stakeholder interviews and requirements gathering
- User research and buyer persona development
- Competitive analysis (features, pricing, UX patterns)
- Technical architecture and infrastructure planning
- Integration mapping (payment, ERP, CRM, shipping)
- Project roadmap with milestones and dependencies
What you should receive:
| Deliverable | What It Contains | Why You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Functional Requirements Document (FRD) | Detailed feature specs, user stories, acceptance criteria | Keeps scope defined; basis for change order pricing |
| Technical Specifications | Tech stack decisions, API contracts, data models | Ensures dev team alignment; prevents mid-project pivots |
| System Architecture Diagram | Infrastructure layout, service dependencies, data flow | Required for security review; guides scaling decisions |
| Project Timeline | Phase breakdown, milestones, delivery dates | Sets expectations; ties to payment schedule |
| Risk Assessment | Identified risks, likelihood, mitigation plans | Surfaces problems before they become expensive |
What good looks like: A discovery phase is complete when your development team can estimate any feature with 80%+ confidence and you can explain the system to a new stakeholder without ambiguity.
Investing 10% upfront in planning typically saves 30–40% in rework costs. Projects that skip discovery average 45% budget overruns according to PMI research.
UI/UX design (15-20% of budget)
Here’s a more contextual, guidance-oriented rewrite:
Cost Breakdown by Development Phase
Understanding where your budget goes at each phase helps you make smarter trade-offs, track progress accurately, and avoid cash flow surprises.
Discovery & Planning: 8–12% of Budget
Why this phase matters: This is where you define what you’re actually building. Skipping or rushing discovery is the most common cause of budget overruns—unclear requirements lead to rework, scope creep, and misaligned expectations.
What happens:
- Stakeholder interviews and requirements gathering
- User research and buyer persona development
- Competitive analysis (features, pricing, UX patterns)
- Technical architecture and infrastructure planning
- Integration mapping (payment, ERP, CRM, shipping)
- Project roadmap with milestones and dependencies
What you should receive:
| Deliverable | What It Contains | Why You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Functional Requirements Document (FRD) | Detailed feature specs, user stories, acceptance criteria | Keeps scope defined; basis for change order pricing |
| Technical Specifications | Tech stack decisions, API contracts, data models | Ensures dev team alignment; prevents mid-project pivots |
| System Architecture Diagram | Infrastructure layout, service dependencies, data flow | Required for security review; guides scaling decisions |
| Project Timeline | Phase breakdown, milestones, delivery dates | Sets expectations; ties to payment schedule |
| Risk Assessment | Identified risks, likelihood, mitigation plans | Surfaces problems before they become expensive |
What good looks like: A discovery phase is complete when your development team can estimate any feature with 80%+ confidence and you can explain the system to a new stakeholder without ambiguity.
The math on skipping it: Investing 10% upfront in planning typically saves 30–40% in rework costs. Projects that skip discovery average 45% budget overruns according to PMI research.
UI/UX Design: 15–20% of Budget
Why this phase matters: Design isn’t decoration—it’s problem-solving. Good UX directly impacts conversion rates, average order value, and support costs. Poor UX means you’ll pay twice: once for the initial build, again when you redesign after launch.
What happens:
- Information architecture and navigation mapping
- Wireframing key user flows (browse → cart → checkout)
- Visual design aligned with brand identity
- Interactive prototyping for stakeholder review
- Design system and component library creation
- Usability testing (for projects over $100K)
What you should receive:
| Deliverable | What It Contains | Why You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Wireframes | Low-fidelity layouts for all major screens (30–50 typical) | Validates structure before visual design begins |
| High-Fidelity Mockups | Pixel-perfect designs for all screens and states | Exact reference for frontend development |
| Interactive Prototype | Clickable Figma/InVision prototype | Test flows before writing code; stakeholder alignment |
| Design System | Colors, typography, spacing, component library | Ensures consistency; speeds up development |
| Mobile Designs | Responsive layouts for tablet and mobile | Mobile drives 60%+ of ecommerce traffic |
What good looks like: You can click through the entire purchase flow in the prototype. Stakeholders have signed off. Your team has tested it with 5+ real users and fixed the obvious friction points.
The cost of skipping prototyping: Fixing a usability issue in Figma costs $500. Fixing the same issue after development costs $5,000–$15,000. Test before you build.
Frontend and backend development (45-55% of budget)
Why this phase matters: This is where your portal actually gets built. It’s the largest budget allocation because it’s the most labor-intensive—every feature, integration, and edge case requires engineering time.
What happens:
- Frontend development (React, Vue.js, Next.js)
- Backend API development (Laravel, Node.js, Python)
- Database design, optimization, and indexing
- Third-party integrations (payment, shipping, ERP, CRM)
- Admin panel development
- Performance optimization
How the development budget typically splits:
| Area | % of Dev Budget | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend (UI Implementation) | 35–40% | Components, pages, responsive layouts, interactions, state management |
| Backend (Business Logic & APIs) | 40–45% | APIs, database, business rules, integrations, security |
| Admin Dashboard | 15–20% | Product management, order processing, customer tools, reporting |
How development typically runs:
- 2-week sprints with defined deliverables
- Demo at end of each sprint (you should see working features)
- Daily standups (optional for you to attend, but available)
- Staging environment updated continuously for your review
What good looks like: You’re seeing functional features every two weeks. You can test in a staging environment. Bugs are being logged and fixed systematically. There are no surprises about scope or timeline.
Red flags to watch for:
- No working demo after 4+ weeks
- “We’re still setting up infrastructure” past week 2
- Features marked “complete” that clearly aren’t testable
- Vague answers about integration progress
Testing, QA, and deployment (10-15% of budget)
Why this phase matters: This is your last line of defense before real customers use your portal. Bugs found in QA cost $100 to fix. The same bugs found by customers cost $1,000–$10,000 in lost sales, support time, and reputation damage.
What happens:
- Functional testing (every feature, every user flow)
- Cross-browser and device testing
- Performance testing under realistic load
- Security testing and vulnerability scanning
- Payment flow testing (all gateways, edge cases)
- User acceptance testing (UAT) with your team
- Production deployment and DNS cutover
- Post-launch monitoring and bug fixes
What you should receive:
| Deliverable | What It Contains | Why You Need It |
|---|---|---|
| Test Cases & Results | Documented tests, pass/fail status, bug reports | Proof that features work; identifies remaining issues |
| Performance Report | Load test results, response times, bottleneck analysis | Confidence the site handles your traffic |
| Security Assessment | Vulnerability scan results, remediation status | Required for PCI compliance; protects customer data |
| UAT Sign-Off | Your team’s formal approval of functionality | Confirms the build matches requirements |
| Deployment Runbook | Step-by-step launch process, rollback plan | Ensures smooth go-live; fast recovery if needed |
| Monitoring Setup | Uptime alerts, error tracking, performance dashboards | Catch issues before customers report them |
What good looks like: You’ve personally tested the checkout flow. Your team has run through UAT scenarios. Load testing confirms the site handles 2–3x your expected peak traffic. There’s a rollback plan if something breaks.
Do not cut this budget. Every week, we see projects where clients pushed to skip QA to hit a launch date. They always regret it. Budget pressure is real, but launching with broken checkout or security holes costs far more than a two-week delay.
Want a Detailed Cost Breakdown for Your Project?
Our team has scoped 200+ ecommerce projects. We know exactly what questions to ask and where hidden costs appear.
Hidden and Ongoing Costs to Consider While Planning Your Budget
Initial development is only part of the total investment. These additional costs catch many businesses off guard.
Data migration and legacy system integration
If you are replacing an existing system, budget for data migration:
| Migration Complexity | Records | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Under 10,000 products/customers | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| Medium | 10,000 – 100,000 records | $10,000 – $20,000 |
| Complex | 100,000+ records with data cleanup | $20,000 – $50,000 |
Data migration includes: product data with images and variants, customer records with order history, historical orders for reporting, SEO redirects from old URLs, and content migration.
Security compliance (PCI-DSS, GDPR)
Handling payments and customer data requires compliance investment:
| Compliance Type | What It Covers | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| PCI-DSS Compliance | Credit card processing security | $10,000 – $30,000 + annual audit |
| GDPR Compliance | European customer data protection | $5,000 – $15,000 |
| SOC 2 Certification | Enterprise security standards | $25,000 – $50,000 |
| Security Audit | Penetration testing before launch | $5,000 – $15,000 |
Infrastructure and cloud hosting
Your portal needs reliable hosting. Monthly costs depend on traffic and complexity:
| Business Size | Monthly Visitors | Monthly Hosting Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Under 10K | $200 – $500 | $2,400 – $6,000 |
| Medium | 10K – 100K | $500 – $2,000 | $6,000 – $24,000 |
| Large | 100K – 500K | $2,000 – $5,000 | $24,000 – $60,000 |
| Enterprise | 500K+ | $5,000 – $15,000 | $60,000 – $180,000 |
Add CDN costs for global delivery ($100-$1,000/month) and backup/disaster recovery services.
Monthly maintenance and support ($2,000-$15,000/month)
After launch, ongoing maintenance keeps your portal secure and running smoothly:
| Support Level | Response Time | What Is Included | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 48–72 hours | Security patches, bug fixes, monitoring | $2,000 – $4,000 |
| Standard | 24 hours | Basic support + small enhancements, performance tuning | $4,000 – $8,000 |
| Premium | 4–8 hours | Standard support + dedicated support, proactive optimization | $8,000 – $15,000 |
Budget Rule: Plan for 15-20% of initial development cost annually for maintenance and minor enhancements.
Training and onboarding
Your team needs to use the new system effectively:
| Training Type | Duration | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Admin Training | 2–4 days | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| Documentation | User guides, video tutorials | $3,000 – $8,000 |
| Extended Training | Large teams, complex systems | $5,000 – $15,000 |
First-Year Total Cost of Ownership
For realistic budgeting, consider the full first-year cost:
| Component | Small Business | Mid-Market | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development | $30,000 – $60,000 | $100,000 – $200,000 | $300,000 – $500,000 |
| Hosting (Annual) | $3,000 – $6,000 | $12,000 – $36,000 | $60,000 – $180,000 |
| Maintenance | $6,000 – $12,000 | $20,000 – $40,000 | $50,000 – $100,000 |
| Training | $2,000 – $5,000 | $5,000 – $10,000 | $10,000 – $25,000 |
| Year 1 Total | $41,000 – $83,000 | $137,000 – $286,000 | $420,000 – $805,000 |
Compare this with our detailed web portal development cost breakdown for non-ecommerce portals.
How to Reduce eCommerce Portal Development Cost
Initial development is typically 60–70% of your first-year investment. The rest comes from costs that catch businesses off guard—not because they’re hidden, but because most vendors don’t mention them until after you’ve signed.
Budget for these upfront to avoid awkward conversations six months in.
1. Data Migration & Legacy System Integration
When this applies: You’re replacing an existing ecommerce system, spreadsheet-based inventory, or migrating from a platform like Shopify, Magento, or WooCommerce.
Why it’s complicated: Data migration isn’t just moving files. It’s cleaning inconsistent product data, mapping old categories to new structures, preserving customer order history, and ensuring every old URL redirects properly so you don’t lose SEO rankings.
| Migration Complexity | Typical Scenario | Cost Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | Under 10K products/customers, clean data, single source | $5,000–$10,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Medium | 10K–100K records, minor data cleanup, 2–3 source systems | $10,000–$20,000 | 2–4 weeks |
| Complex | 100K+ records, significant cleanup, multiple legacy systems, custom mappings | $20,000–$50,000 | 4–8 weeks |
What migration actually includes:
- Product data (titles, descriptions, images, variants, pricing, inventory levels)
- Customer records (accounts, addresses, order history, loyalty points)
- Historical orders (for reporting continuity and customer service)
- SEO redirects (every old URL → new URL to preserve search rankings)
- Content migration (blog posts, CMS pages, FAQs)
The cost of skipping proper migration: One client tried to “simplify” by only migrating active products. They lost 3 years of order history, broke their customer login system, and dropped 40% in organic traffic because old product URLs returned 404 errors. The fix cost more than proper migration would have.
Questions to ask your vendor:
- Is data migration included in your quote, or separate?
- Who handles data cleanup—us or you?
- How do you handle URL redirects for SEO?
- What’s the rollback plan if migration fails?
2. Security & Compliance
When this applies: Every ecommerce portal. If you’re processing payments or storing customer data, compliance isn’t optional—it’s a legal and contractual requirement.
Why it costs money: Compliance requires specific technical implementations, documentation, and often third-party audits. Cutting corners here exposes you to fines, lawsuits, and payment processor termination.
| Compliance Type | Who Needs It | What It Requires | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCI-DSS | Anyone accepting credit cards | Secure payment handling, encryption, access controls, quarterly scans | $10,000–$30,000 + $5K–$15K annual audit |
| GDPR | Selling to EU customers | Consent management, data portability, deletion workflows, privacy policy | $5,000–$15,000 |
| CCPA | Selling to California residents | Opt-out mechanisms, data disclosure, privacy notices | $3,000–$8,000 |
| SOC 2 | Enterprise B2B, regulated industries | Comprehensive security controls, annual audit | $25,000–$50,000 |
| Security Audit | Everyone (pre-launch) | Penetration testing, vulnerability assessment | $5,000–$15,000 |
How to reduce PCI burden: Use hosted payment forms (Stripe Elements, PayPal, Braintree) so card data never touches your servers. This shifts most PCI responsibility to the payment provider and can reduce your compliance scope significantly.
The cost of non-compliance:
- PCI violations: $5,000–$100,000/month in fines, plus payment processor termination
- GDPR violations: Up to €20M or 4% of global revenue
- Data breach: Average cost $4.45M (IBM 2023), plus reputation damage
3. Infrastructure & Cloud Hosting
When this applies: Every portal needs hosting. The question is how much infrastructure you need based on traffic, complexity, and uptime requirements.
Why costs vary: A basic store with 5K monthly visitors can run on a $200/month setup. A high-traffic marketplace with real-time inventory needs load balancers, multiple servers, database replication, and CDN—easily $5,000+/month.
| Business Size | Monthly Visitors | What You Need | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Under 10K | Single server, basic monitoring | $200–$500 | $2,400–$6,000 |
| Medium | 10K–100K | Load-balanced servers, managed database, staging environment | $500–$2,000 | $6,000–$24,000 |
| Large | 100K–500K | Auto-scaling, database replication, advanced caching, 99.9% SLA | $2,000–$5,000 | $24,000–$60,000 |
| Enterprise | 500K+ | Multi-region deployment, 99.99% SLA, dedicated support | $5,000–$15,000 | $60,000–$180,000 |
Additional infrastructure costs often missed:
| Service | What It Does | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CDN (Cloudflare, AWS CloudFront) | Faster global load times, DDoS protection | $100–$1,000 |
| Backup & Disaster Recovery | Automated backups, failover capability | $200–$500 |
| SSL Certificates | HTTPS encryption (often included, but not always) | $0–$200 |
| Email Delivery (SendGrid, SES) | Transactional emails that actually reach inboxes | $50–$500 |
| Search Infrastructure (Elasticsearch) | If using advanced search | $200–$800 |
Questions to ask your vendor:
- Is hosting included in your quote? For how long?
- What’s the expected monthly cost after the included period?
- Who manages server updates and security patches?
- What’s the uptime SLA and what happens if it’s missed?
4. Monthly Maintenance & Support
When this applies: Every portal, starting from launch day. Software requires ongoing attention—security patches, bug fixes, performance monitoring, and minor updates.
Why you can’t skip it: Ecommerce platforms are high-value targets. Unpatched vulnerabilities get exploited. Payment integrations change APIs. Browser updates break things. Without maintenance, your portal degrades over time.For a detailed breakdown of ongoing expenses, see our website maintenance cost guide.
| Support Level | Response Time | What’s Included | Monthly Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 48–72 hours | Security patches, critical bug fixes, uptime monitoring | $2,000–$4,000 | Low-traffic stores, stable platforms |
| Standard | 24 hours | Above + minor enhancements, performance tuning, monthly reporting | $4,000–$8,000 | Growing businesses, regular update needs |
| Premium | 4–8 hours | Above + dedicated account manager, proactive optimization, priority queue | $8,000–$15,000 | High-traffic, revenue-critical platforms |
Budget rule of thumb: Plan for 15–20% of initial development cost annually for maintenance and minor enhancements.
| Initial Build | Expected Annual Maintenance |
|---|---|
| $50,000 | $7,500–$10,000/year |
| $150,000 | $22,500–$30,000/year |
| $400,000 | $60,000–$80,000/year |
What’s typically NOT included in maintenance:
- New feature development (quoted separately)
- Major redesigns or overhauls
- Third-party integration changes (when the other system changes their API)
- Traffic spikes beyond infrastructure limits
5. Training & Documentation
When this applies: Any portal where your team needs to manage products, process orders, or handle customer service through the admin panel.
Why it matters: A powerful admin dashboard is worthless if your team doesn’t know how to use it. Poor training leads to errors, support tickets, and workarounds that create data problems.
| Training Type | What’s Covered | Duration | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin Training | Product management, order processing, customer service, reporting | 2–4 days | $2,000–$5,000 |
| Documentation | Written guides, video tutorials, FAQ for common tasks | N/A | $3,000–$8,000 |
| Extended Training | Large teams, multiple roles, complex workflows, train-the-trainer | 1–2 weeks | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Refresher Training | New hires, feature updates, annual review | 1–2 days | $1,000–$3,000 |
What good documentation includes:
- Step-by-step guides for daily tasks (add product, process refund, run report)
- Video walkthroughs for complex workflows
- Troubleshooting guides for common issues
- Role-specific guides (warehouse staff vs. marketing vs. finance)
6. First-Year Total Cost of Ownership
Development cost is what you pay to build the portal. Total cost of ownership (TCO) is what you actually spend in year one. Here’s the realistic picture:
| Component | Small Business | Mid-Market | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development | $30,000–$60,000 | $100,000–$200,000 | $300,000–$500,000 |
| Data Migration | $5,000–$10,000 | $10,000–$25,000 | $25,000–$50,000 |
| Compliance & Security | $5,000–$15,000 | $15,000–$35,000 | $35,000–$80,000 |
| Hosting (Annual) | $3,000–$6,000 | $12,000–$36,000 | $60,000–$180,000 |
| Maintenance (Annual) | $6,000–$12,000 | $20,000–$40,000 | $50,000–$100,000 |
| Training & Docs | $2,000–$5,000 | $5,000–$15,000 | $15,000–$30,000 |
| Year 1 TCO | $51,000–$108,000 | $162,000–$351,000 | $485,000–$940,000 |
Key insight: Year 1 TCO is typically 1.5–1.8x the development cost. Budget accordingly.
Year 2+ costs drop significantly—you’ve already paid for development, migration, and initial training. Expect ongoing annual costs of 25–35% of the initial development investment (hosting + maintenance + occasional enhancements).
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eCommerce Portal ROI: Is the Investment Worth It?
Understanding return on investment helps justify the cost to stakeholders and set success metrics.
Revenue growth and conversion improvements
A well-built ecommerce portal drives measurable revenue impact:
| Improvement Area | Typical Impact | Revenue Example ($5M Annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion Rate | +15–30% with better UX | +$750K – $1.5M |
| Average Order Value | +10–20% with recommendations | +$500K – $1M |
| Customer Lifetime Value | +25–40% with loyalty features | +$1.25M – $2M |
| Cart Abandonment | −20–35% with optimized checkout | +$400K – $700K |
Example ROI Calculation: A business with $5M annual online revenue improving conversion by 20% adds $1M annually. A $150,000 portal investment pays back in under 6 months.
Operational efficiency gains
B2B portals especially deliver operational savings:
| Process | Manual Cost | Automated Cost | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order Processing | $15 – $25 per order | $2 – $5 per order | $52,000 – $100,000 (5,000 orders/year) |
| Quote Management | 2–4 hours per quote | 15–30 minutes per quote | $75,000 – $150,000 |
| Customer Service | $8 – $15 per inquiry | $1 – $3 via self-service | $35,000 – $60,000 |
| Inventory Updates | Manual daily sync | Real-time automated | $25,000 – $50,000 |
Real-world ROI examples
Sayyar (Fashion eCommerce):
Our Laravel-based B2C portal delivered:
- 280,000+ orders processed with streamlined checkout
- 200,000+ registered customers with loyalty features
- 40% reduction in cart abandonment through checkout optimization
- Real-time inventory sync preventing stockouts and overselling
MoovStore (Multi-Vendor Marketplace):
Our Saudi Arabia marketplace achieved:
- Expanded market reach through bilingual Arabic/English support
- Increased conversion with local payment methods (Mada, STC Pay)
- Vendor growth through comprehensive management tools
- Operational efficiency with automated commission payouts
How to Get an Accurate Cost Estimate
Getting reliable quotes requires preparation. Here is how to approach vendor selection.
What to include in your project brief
A detailed brief leads to accurate estimates. Include:
- Business Context: Industry, target market, competitive landscape, and business goals.
- User Types: Who uses the portal (B2B buyers, consumers, vendors) and what they need to accomplish.
- Feature List: Prioritized list of required functionality (must-have vs. nice-to-have).
- Integrations: Systems the portal must connect with (ERP, CRM, shipping, payment).
- Design Expectations: Examples of sites you admire, brand guidelines, design complexity level.
- Timeline: Hard deadlines, launch requirements, or phased rollout plans.
- Budget Range: Sharing your budget helps vendors propose appropriate solutions rather than gold-plated options.
Questions to ask development companies
Before selecting a partner, ask:
- Experience: “Show me 3-5 ecommerce portals you have built. What was the scope, timeline, and outcome?”
- Process: “Walk me through your development process from discovery to launch.”
- Team: “Who specifically will work on my project? What is their ecommerce experience?”
- Communication: “How often will we meet? How do you handle change requests and scope adjustments?”
- Pricing: “Is this fixed price or time-and-materials? What is included vs. extra?”
- Support: “What happens after launch? What are your maintenance and support options?”
Red flags in vendor proposals
Watch for these warning signs:
| Red Flag | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Vague scope without feature details | Leads to disagreements and frequent change orders |
| No discovery phase | Results in incorrect assumptions and costly rework |
| Quote 50%+ below others | Indicates corner-cutting or hidden costs later |
| No client references | Makes it difficult to verify quality claims |
| Fixed price without detailed questions | Often results in scope disputes and change orders |
| No post-launch support mentioned | Suggests a “build and forget” mentality |
- You’ve seen the numbers. eCommerce portal development runs $30,000 for a basic B2C storefront to $500,000+ for enterprise platforms—with your actual investment depending on portal type, feature complexity, integrations, and how much you’re willing to trade off between cost and capability.
- But cost tables only tell part of the story. The real question is: what’s the right investment for your specific business?
- That depends on factors a guide can’t answer—your current systems, growth trajectory, technical constraints, and what “success” actually looks like for your launch.
Why Clients Choose Monocubed
We wrote this guide because we answer these exact questions every week. After 200+ ecommerce projects, we’ve learned that most budget confusion comes from vendors who quote without understanding the full picture—then hit you with change orders when reality sets in.
Our approach is different:
- We’ve built what you’re planning. MoovStore (multi-vendor marketplace, Saudi Arabia) and Sayyar (fashion portal, 280K+ orders) aren’t hypotheticals—they’re live platforms we architected, built, and continue to support. When we quote your project, it’s based on actual experience with similar builds.
- Same-timezone communication. Our North American presence (USA and Canada) means your project manager is available during your working hours. No 12-hour delays waiting for responses. No 2 AM calls to discuss critical decisions.
- Transparent pricing from day one. We scope thoroughly before quoting. Our estimates include the “hidden” costs other vendors leave out—migration, compliance, training, post-launch support. When we say $150K, we mean $150K.
- We stick around after launch. Every project includes 90-day post-launch support. We don’t hand off and disappear. When something breaks at 6 PM on a Friday (it always does), we’re there to fix it.
Get a Custom Cost Estimate for Your eCommerce Portal
Tell us about your project. We will analyze your requirements and provide a detailed cost breakdown within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How much does it cost to build an ecommerce portal?
eCommerce portal development cost ranges from $30,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Basic B2C storefronts cost $30,000-$60,000, custom B2C portals $60,000-$120,000, B2B portals $80,000-$250,000, and multi-vendor marketplaces $150,000-$400,000. Learn more about ecommerce website development options.
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How long does ecommerce portal development take?
Development takes 2-14 months based on complexity. Basic B2C storefronts: 2-3 months. Custom B2C portals: 3-5 months. B2B portals: 4-7 months. Multi-vendor marketplaces: 6-10 months. Enterprise platforms: 8-14 months. Rushing development typically increases costs by 20-30%.
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What is the difference between an ecommerce portal and website cost?
An ecommerce portal costs 2-3x more than a standard website. Basic websites cost $10,000-$25,000 while ecommerce portals start at $30,000. The difference comes from ecommerce-specific features: product management, inventory tracking, payment processing, order management, and customer accounts. Read our guide on web portal development cost for detailed comparisons.
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How can I reduce ecommerce portal development cost?
Start with an MVP (reduces costs by 40-50%), use pre-built components for payments and authentication, partner with experienced developers who avoid costly mistakes, and plan integrations thoroughly during discovery. Learn more about B2B marketplace development strategies.
By Yuvrajsinh Vaghela