Head-to-head cost model
Shopify vs Hostinger: which costs less in 2026?
Under the US practical-stack baseline, Hostinger starts $504 lower over 12 months. Each platform now uses its own published payment profile where one exists; unconfirmed plan and provider terms keep this a shortlist, not a recommendation.
01 / US baseline
Two scopes, platform-specific payment terms.
Scenario: US$20,000 monthly revenue and 400 monthly orders. Each row uses its published US domestic-card baseline or is labeled quote-required. Practical scope adds lean operating allowances; platform-only removes them.
Shopify
- Practical stack
- $9,048
- Platform only
- $8,748
- Platform overhead
- $648
- Payment basis
- 2.9% + $0.30
- Evidence
- Planning allowance — confirm checkout
Hostinger
- Practical stack
- $8,544
- Platform only
- $8,544
- Platform overhead
- $144
- Payment basis
- 2.9% + $0.30
- Evidence
- Payment quote required
02 / Operational fit
The lower total is not the whole decision.
Use the model to expose the cost difference, then test which platform removes more work or risk from the store you actually plan to operate.
Choose Shopify when operating simplicity and commerce depth are worth more than the lowest modeled subscription cost.
- Purpose-built catalog, checkout, order, and inventory workflows
- Large integration ecosystem for growing operational requirements
Choose Hostinger when the requirements are simple, the budget is tight, and the feature checklist has been verified first.
- Lowest modeled recurring platform cost in the current dataset
- Managed website-building workflow with ecommerce included
03 / Local currencies
How the modeled gap travels.
Each market uses the local-currency equivalent of the same store size. Local official terms are used where published; converted allowances and missing provider quotes remain explicitly labeled.
| Market | Shopify | Hostinger | Lower baseline | Evidence boundary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $9,048 | $8,544 | Hostinger | Provider quote required |
| United Kingdom | £5,073 | £4,848 | Hostinger | Provider quote required |
| Canada | $11,712 | $11,385 | Hostinger | Provider quote required |
| Australia | $8,334 | $7,608 | Hostinger | Provider quote required |
| Euro Area | €5,839 | €5,532 | Hostinger | Provider quote required |
| Singapore | $12,962 | $13,029 | Shopify | Provider quote required |
| Taiwan | $334,260 | $317,876 | Hostinger | Provider quote required |
04 / Source check
Confirm both checkouts on the same day.
The model uses Local annual plan and rate selected from official pricing for Shopifyand US$11.99/mo published Growth renewal price for Hostinger. Local billing and promotions can move independently.
06 / Your scenario
Test Shopify and Hostinger with your inputs.
Change the country, revenue, orders, and scope, then replace both platform rows with the exact plan and gateway quotes available to you.
Compare my costs