E-commerce website cost in Malta
build price, card fees and running costs.

An online shop has two kinds of cost. First, the build: design, products, checkout, delivery rules and payments. You pay it once. Second, the running costs: the platform plan, apps, the domain and a fee on every order. You pay these every month for as long as the shop is open.

On 4 November 2026 we checked the prices Malta agencies publish for online shops. Small shop packages started at about €1,900. Mid-size shops were quoted at about €4,500 to €12,000. Large custom shops went to €30,000. Most of those pages gave a build price only. Few said what the shop costs to run.

That is the gap this guide fills. A shop with 150 orders a month can pay more in card fees in one year than its platform costs in three. So when you compare quotes, compare the total over three years, not just the build. Our website cost guide covers sites without a shop.

Our own prices are simple. Websites start from €990, €2,490 and €4,900. Online shops are quoted after a short call, because the work depends on your products. The €990 website does not include a shop.

These are the fees we checked today on official price pages. They change, so check them again before you sign. Shopify shows its prices by region, so look in your own account too.

Two things stand out. Shopify Payments works in Malta, as Malta is on Shopify’s list of supported countries (Shopify Help Center). And if you use another payment provider on Shopify, you pay the provider’s fee and Shopify’s extra fee. On a busy shop, that second fee adds up fast.

WooCommerce works differently. The plugin itself is free, but you pay for hosting, and some plugins cost money each year. You also pay your payment provider, such as Stripe. Someone has to keep it updated, so ask who does that and what it costs.

This is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant before you launch. But here are the basics you should know before you price your products.

Malta’s standard VAT rate is 18%. There are reduced rates of 5% and 7% for some goods and services (Your Europe: VAT rates). Most shoppers want to see the full price, with VAT included, before they pay.

Selling to people in other EU countries changes things. The EU uses a €10,000 yearly threshold for these sales to consumers. Above it, you normally charge the VAT rate of the buyer’s country (Your Europe: cross-border VAT). That can mean many rates on one shop.

You do not need to register in each country. The EU One Stop Shop, or OSS, lets you file one VAT return for all of them. For most shops it is filed every quarter, by the end of the month after the quarter ends (EU One Stop Shop). Your shop should be set up to charge the right rate, so plan this into the build.

Two shops can look alike and cost very different amounts. These are the things that change the build price most:

• Products and options. 20 products is quick. 2,000 products with sizes and colours needs an import and careful checks.
• Delivery rules. Malta, Gozo, click and collect, and EU shipping each need their own rules and prices.
• Links to other systems. Stock, accounting or a booking tool take extra work to connect.
• Languages. English and Maltese, or more, means more pages to set up and check.
• Custom design. A theme set up well is cheaper than a design built from scratch.
• Content. Product photos and descriptions take time. Ask who writes them.

Before you sign, ask each agency the same five questions. Who owns the shop, the domain and the accounts? Which payment provider is set up, and what does it charge? What do the apps or plugins cost each year? Who updates the shop, and for how much? What is not included? Then put the answers into the calculator above.

For platform choices and features, read our guide to e-commerce website design in Malta. For payment options, see payment gateways in Malta.