An online store is the most demanding kind of everyday business website, and the one where a wrong decision costs the most. A catalogue is easy to build. What takes time and money is everything around it: taking payment reliably, working out delivery, keeping stock accurate and issuing proper invoices.
This guide covers what an online store costs to build and run in Kenya, including payment fees and tax points that are easy to overlook. Build figures are indicative ranges in Kenya shillings for planning. Payment tariffs and tax rules were checked in October 2026 and can change, so confirm them with the provider before you commit.
The short answer
- A basic online store in Kenya typically costs KES 90,000 to 150,000 to build, a standard store KES 150,000 to 250,000 and an advanced store KES 250,000 to 600,000 or more.
- The build is only part of the cost. Payment fees, hosting, maintenance, product photography and delivery setup continue after launch.
- M-Pesa is the payment method most Kenyan shoppers expect. Card payments are worth adding, but they usually cost more per transaction.
- Payment processing fees became subject to 16 percent VAT from 1 July 2026, so ask whether a quoted rate already includes it.
Online store cost at a glance
| Level | Best for | Typical size | Indicative build cost (KES) | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic store | New or small sellers testing online sales | Up to about 50 products | 90,000 to 150,000 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Standard store | Established retailers and growing brands | 50 to 500 products with variations | 150,000 to 250,000 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Advanced store | Large catalogues and special requirements | 500 products or more, custom features | 250,000 to 600,000 and above | 2 to 6 months |
Ranges are indicative and shown before VAT. They cover design, build and setup only. Costs after launch are covered further down.
What you get at each level
Basic store: KES 90,000 to 150,000
- A WooCommerce store with a clean, mobile-first design
- Product, category and cart pages and a simple checkout
- M-Pesa and card payments connected and tested
- Delivery zones with flat or zone-based rates
- Order emails for customers and your team
- Basic SEO setup and analytics
- Admin training and test orders before launch
Standard store: KES 150,000 to 250,000
- Everything in the basic store
- Product variations such as sizes and colours, plus filters and search
- Discounts, coupons and bulk pricing
- Customer accounts and order history
- Stock management with low-stock alerts
- Integrations such as email marketing, WhatsApp notifications or courier tools
- Speed tuning and product schema markup
Advanced store: KES 250,000 to 600,000 and above
- Custom design and custom shopping features
- Wholesale or business accounts with separate pricing
- Subscriptions, bookings or marketplace features
- Links to inventory, accounting or ERP systems
- Multi-currency or multi-language support
- Performance and security work for high traffic
- Detailed documentation and staff training
Payment costs: what you pay per sale
Payment fees are set by the payment provider, not by your web designer. They come out of every sale, so over time they matter more than a small difference in build price.
| Payment option | Typical cost per sale | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M-Pesa Lipa na M-Pesa Buy Goods (till), connected directly | Free up to KES 500 per payment, then 0.55 percent, capped at KES 200 | Tariff in force from 7 August 2026. Direct integration needs Safaricom Daraja approval, which takes time. |
| M-Pesa through a payment provider | Provider rate, often from about 1.5 percent | Quicker to launch and usually bundled with cards and reporting. |
| Local debit and credit cards through a provider | About 2.9 percent is published by some providers | International cards usually cost more, and rates can fall at higher volumes. |
| Bank transfer or cash on delivery | No gateway fee | Needs manual confirmation, which adds work and a risk of errors. |
For example, Paystack publishes 1.5 percent for M-Pesa and 2.9 percent for local card payments in Kenya, and other providers publish rates in a broadly similar range. Fees, minimums and settlement times differ, so compare them against your own mix of payments.
Since 1 July 2026, the Finance Act 2026 has treated payment processing and gateway services as subject to VAT at 16 percent. Ask each provider whether the rate they quote includes VAT.
Running costs after launch
| Item | Indicative range (KES) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | 500 to 2,500 per year | .co.ke prices vary by registrar, and renewals are often higher than introductory prices |
| Hosting for a store | 30,000 to 150,000 per year | Stores need more capacity than brochure sites, so cloud or managed hosting is common |
| SSL certificate | 0 to 15,000 per year | Often included with hosting |
| Maintenance and support | 10,000 to 40,000 per month | Updates, backups, security and fixes |
| Product photography | 15,000 to 60,000 per shoot | Good photos affect sales more than most design changes |
| Premium plugins and licences | 0 to 60,000 per year | Only for features the store actually uses |
| Delivery and courier costs | Depends on provider | Usually charged to the customer or built into prices |
| Marketing and advertising | Your own budget | A store needs visitors, which means SEO, social media or ads |
Tax and invoicing points to check
- VAT. Businesses with annual taxable turnover above the registration threshold must register with the Kenya Revenue Authority. The threshold has been KES 5 million, but confirm the current figure with KRA.
- Tax invoices. Many businesses must issue invoices through the KRA eTIMS system. Ask your accountant or KRA how it applies to your store and whether the store needs to connect to it.
- Customer data. A store collects names, phone numbers and addresses, so the Data Protection Act, 2019 applies. You may need a privacy policy and to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, depending on your size and what you handle. Take legal advice.
- Prices on the site. Show whether prices include VAT, so customers are not surprised at checkout.
What drives the cost of an online store
- Number of products and variations. Sizes, colours and options multiply the setup work.
- Design approach. A refined template costs less than a fully custom design.
- Payments and delivery. Several payment methods and many delivery zones take more setup and testing.
- Integrations. Accounting, inventory, courier and messaging links add development time.
- Content. Product descriptions and photos are often separate from the build.
- Migration. Moving products and customers from another platform takes careful work.
- SEO and speed. Product schema, clean structure and fast pages are cheaper to build in than to add later.
- Support and training. Teams that run the store themselves need proper training.
WooCommerce, a hosted platform or a custom store?
| Option | Best for | Cost pattern | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WooCommerce on WordPress | Most Kenyan small and medium businesses that want local payments and full ownership | Build cost, then hosting and maintenance | Needs good hosting and regular maintenance |
| Hosted platforms such as Shopify | Fast launch with simple catalogues | Monthly subscription, often billed in US dollars, plus app and transaction fees | Local payment options depend on apps or providers, and fees add up over time |
| Custom-built store | Special workflows or very high volumes | Highest build cost | Ongoing dependence on developers |
How to compare online store quotes
- What is included: how many products will be entered, which payment methods and what delivery setup?
- Which payment providers will be connected, and who pays their setup and transaction fees?
- Will payments be tested with real transactions before launch?
- How will stock, orders and refunds be managed in the admin?
- Who owns the domain, hosting and store data?
- Is product photography or data entry included?
- What support and maintenance follow launch?
- What are the payment terms and the timeline?
Red flags to watch for
- A low fixed price that excludes payments, delivery setup and product upload
- No test orders or real payment testing before launch
- Payment accounts opened in the developer name instead of yours
- No mention of backups, security or stock handling
- Guarantees of sales or traffic
- Pressure to pay everything upfront
How to plan your online store budget
- Decide how many products you will launch with and what variations they have.
- Choose your payment methods and open the provider accounts early, since approvals can take time.
- Work out delivery zones and rates before the build starts.
- Budget for photography and product descriptions, which affect sales as much as design.
- Set aside first-year running costs: hosting, maintenance, plugins and payment fees.
- Launch with the essentials and add features once orders are coming in.
How R3 Creative Media can help
We build online stores for Kenyan businesses, from first launch to ongoing support. Read more about our e-commerce and WooCommerce services, WordPress development and speed and Core Web Vitals optimisation. For more cost detail, see our website design cost guide and our hosting and maintenance cost guide. We quote against your real scope and list what each part costs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an online store cost in Kenya?
A basic store typically costs KES 90,000 to 150,000, a standard store KES 150,000 to 250,000 and an advanced store KES 250,000 to 600,000 or more, before VAT. Running costs such as hosting, maintenance and payment fees come on top.
Can I accept M-Pesa on my store?
Yes. M-Pesa can be connected directly through the Safaricom Daraja API, or through a payment provider that also handles cards. The right route depends on your volumes, your till or paybill and how quickly you want to launch.
Is direct M-Pesa cheaper than going through a payment provider?
Direct M-Pesa usually costs less per sale, but it needs approval and more setup, and it covers M-Pesa only. A provider costs more per sale but launches faster and adds cards and reporting. Compare both against your expected sales.
Do payment fees carry VAT?
From 1 July 2026, payment processing and gateway services are subject to 16 percent VAT under the Finance Act 2026. Ask your provider whether the quoted rate includes VAT, and check with your accountant how it affects you.
Do I need to register for VAT to run an online store?
VAT registration depends on your annual taxable turnover, not on whether you sell online. The threshold has been KES 5 million, but confirm the current figure with the Kenya Revenue Authority.
Can I start with a few products and grow later?
Yes, and it is often wise. A smaller store costs less, launches sooner and shows you what customers actually buy. You can add products, payment options and features as sales grow.
How long does it take to build an online store?
A basic store usually takes four to six weeks, a standard store six to ten weeks and an advanced store two to six months. Delays usually come from product data, photography and payment approvals.
How much should I budget each month once the store is live?
Many stores budget KES 10,000 to 40,000 per month for maintenance and support, plus hosting and payment fees that grow with sales, before any marketing spend.
Build figures are indicative market ranges in Kenya shillings. Payment tariffs, tax rules and domain prices were checked in October 2026 and can change, so confirm them with each provider or the Kenya Revenue Authority. This guide is not legal or tax advice and is not a quotation.