A clothing store on WordPress and WooCommerce can start for a few thousand rupees a year, because the core software is free. What moves the total is everything around it: the domain, the hosting plan, any premium theme or plugins, payment gateway fees on each sale, photography and marketing. This guide splits the budget into fixed yearly costs, optional one-off costs and costs that grow with sales, with Domain India list prices on 19 September 2026, excluding 18% GST.
The fixed yearly core of a garments store is a domain and hosting. With a .in domain and cPanel Starter hosting that is ₹2,075 in the first year and ₹2,125 a year after; with cPanel Growth, ₹2,975 and ₹3,025. WordPress, WooCommerce and the Astra theme are free, and SSL is included with the hosting. Budget separately for optional premium extensions, product photography, marketing, and the payment gateway's fee on each online sale, which you should take from the gateway's current pricing page.
1. What you pay for
| Cost | Type | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Every year | ₹475 to ₹1,150 for .co.in, .in or .com at Domain India |
| Hosting | Every year | From ₹1,500 a year for cPanel Starter |
| WordPress, WooCommerce, Astra (free version) | Free | ₹0 |
| SSL certificate | Included with hosting | ₹0 |
| Premium theme or plugins | Optional, yearly or one-off | Depends on what you choose |
| Payment gateway fees | Per online sale | A percentage per transaction, set by the gateway |
| Photography, design, content | One-off, then as you add stock | Your time, or a freelancer's fee |
| Marketing | Ongoing | Whatever you choose to spend |
The first four rows are the cost of having a working store. Everything below them is a choice, and many small sellers start with none of it.
2. The domain
Your domain is a yearly rental, not a one-time purchase, so budget for the renewal price as well as the first year.
| Extension | Register (1 year) | Renew (per year) | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| .in | ₹575 | ₹625 | A store selling across India |
| .co.in | ₹475 | ₹525 | Registered Indian businesses |
| .com | ₹1,150 | ₹1,150 | A brand that also sells abroad |
| .shop | ₹3,775 | ₹4,259 | A name that says "store" |
| .fashion | ₹3,055 | ₹3,680 | Fashion labels |
| .store | ₹4,708 | ₹5,285 | A short, clear shop name |
A .in domain is the usual choice for a store selling in India. For .in and its second-level extensions such as .co.in, personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS; this is free and automatic, with nothing to switch on. Search for your name on domain registration.
3. Hosting
WooCommerce runs on ordinary shared hosting with a control panel. On Domain India cPanel hosting you can install WordPress with Softaculous or WP Toolkit, and every plan includes free SSL and weekly JetBackup backups.
| Plan | Price | Websites | Storage | Right for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cPanel Starter | ₹125 a month (₹1,500 a year) | 1 | 25 GB NVMe | A new store with one website |
| cPanel Growth | ₹200 a month (₹2,400 a year) | 5 | 50 GB NVMe | A large catalogue, or a store plus a blog or second brand |
| cPanel Business | ₹350 a month (₹4,200 a year) | 25 | 100 GB NVMe | Several stores or client sites |
Hundreds of product photos take space, so resize them to about 1,500 pixels wide before upload. Shared hosting has a full refund within 30 days of a new purchase.
4. Theme and plugins
- WooCommerce is free. It includes variable products for sizes and colours, stock management, cash on delivery, shipping zones and tax settings.
- Astra is a free, lightweight theme that works with WooCommerce, and its free starter templates include shop layouts. Astra also sells a Pro version; check its current price on the Astra website if you want the extra features.
- Premium plugins are optional. Common extras for clothing stores are size charts, product filters, wishlists and shipping-label tools. Many have free versions. Prices vary widely and are often charged in US dollars, so check the renewal price, not only the first-year price.
Start with WooCommerce, a free theme and your payment gateway's plugin. Add a paid extension only when a real customer problem needs it. Every plugin adds cost, updates and weight to your site.
5. Payment gateway fees
Indian gateways such as Razorpay, Cashfree Payments, PayU and PhonePe offer WooCommerce plugins for UPI, cards and net banking. Setting up an account is usually free, but each online sale carries a transaction fee, charged as a percentage and sometimes with GST on the fee. Rates differ by gateway, payment method and business, and they change, so take them from each gateway's current pricing page and include them in your margins.
Cash on delivery is built into WooCommerce and has no gateway fee, though your courier may charge for collecting cash. For choosing and running more than one gateway, read integrating multiple payment gateways.
6. Photos, content and help
Good photos sell clothes. One well-lit photo per colour on a plain background is enough to start, and a phone with good light can do it. If you hire help, agree in writing what is included: the number of products set up, photos, pages, and who maintains the site afterwards. The true cost of building a website in India has typical ranges for freelancers and agencies.
7. Marketing
A new store gets few visitors on its own. Plan a monthly amount for at least one channel: social media ads, marketplace listings that point to your store, or email to past customers. Start small, measure orders against spend, and grow what works. Search engines reward clear product titles, real descriptions and fast pages, which cost time rather than money.
8. Sample first-year budgets
These cover the fixed core only: domain and hosting, at Domain India list prices, excluding 18% GST.
Add to these whatever you choose for premium extensions, photography and marketing, plus gateway fees on each online sale.
9. Where Domain India fits
For a WooCommerce store, cPanel hosting gives you Softaculous, WP Toolkit, free SSL and weekly JetBackup backups. Each cPanel account can send 200 messages per hour, enough for order emails in a small store. The step-by-step build is in creating a garments store with WooCommerce.
- 25 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 50 GB Monthly Bandwidth
- 1 Website
- 10 Email Accounts
- 50 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 100 GB Monthly Bandwidth
- 5 Websites
- 50 Email Accounts
If you would rather not manage WordPress at all, the AI Website Builder Pro plan includes an online cart that takes orders over WhatsApp and UPI.
- 5 websites
- Connect your own domain + free SSL
- Everything in Starter
- More AI generations
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start a garments store with WooCommerce?
The fixed core is a domain and hosting. At Domain India list prices on 19 September 2026, excluding 18% GST, a .in domain with cPanel Starter hosting costs ₹2,075 in the first year and ₹2,125 a year after. WordPress, WooCommerce, the free Astra theme and SSL cost nothing extra.
Is WooCommerce free?
Yes. The WooCommerce plugin is free and includes variable products for sizes and colours, stock management, cash on delivery and shipping zones. You pay for the domain and hosting, and optionally for premium extensions.
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate for my store?
No. Domain India hosting plans include a free SSL certificate, issued automatically for domains pointed at your hosting.
How much do payment gateways charge?
Gateways such as Razorpay, Cashfree Payments, PayU and PhonePe charge a percentage fee on each online payment, and rates differ by gateway, payment method and business. Check each gateway's current pricing page before you choose, and include the fee in your product margins.
Which hosting plan should a new clothing store choose?
cPanel Starter is enough for a new store with one website. Choose cPanel Growth if you expect a large catalogue with many photos or want to run a second site.
Is a .in or a .com better for an Indian clothing store?
A .in domain suits a store selling across India and costs ₹575 for the first year and ₹625 a year after at Domain India. A .com costs ₹1,150 a year and suits a brand that also sells abroad. Prices exclude 18% GST.
Ready to price your own store? Register your domain, compare cPanel hosting plans, and follow the garments store guide to build it.
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