Selling online in South Africa is easier than ever. Customers are comfortable paying by card and instant EFT, courier networks reach most of the country, and local payment gateways make it simple to accept money online.
The big question most business owners face is where to build their store: on a hosted platform like Shopify, or as a custom store built specifically for them. Both are good options. Here’s how to decide.
The short version
- Choose Shopify if you want a proven, all-in-one platform, you’re comfortable with a monthly subscription in US dollars, and you value a large ecosystem of add-on apps.
- Choose a custom store if you want to avoid ongoing platform fees, need something tailored to how your business works, or want full ownership and flexibility.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a hosted e-commerce platform. You pay a monthly subscription and get the store software, hosting and security in one package. You choose a theme (design), add your products and connect payments.
Pros:
- Very reliable and secure.
- Easy to add and edit products.
- Huge library of themes and apps.
- Good for stores that want to scale quickly.
Cons:
- Monthly subscription, billed in US dollars, so it moves with the exchange rate.
- Many useful features come from paid apps, which add more monthly costs.
- Additional transaction fees may apply if you don’t use Shopify’s own payment system, depending on your plan.
- Your store lives on Shopify’s platform and follows its rules.
What is a custom online store?
A custom store is built for your business by a developer, using open-source software or custom code, and hosted on hosting you control.
Pros:
- No platform subscription: you pay for the build and then for hosting and care.
- Full flexibility for unusual products, pricing rules or workflows.
- You own the code and data outright.
- Can connect directly to South African systems you already use.
Cons:
- Higher upfront cost for complex stores.
- Needs ongoing maintenance and updates (usually covered by a care plan).
- Add-on features need to be built or configured by a developer.
Payments in South Africa
Whichever route you choose, you’ll need a payment gateway to accept card and EFT payments. Popular options for South African stores include:
- PayFast: widely used, supports cards, instant EFT and more.
- Yoco: popular with small businesses, simple setup.
- Ozow: instant EFT payments directly from customers’ bank accounts.
Each provider charges a fee per transaction, usually a small percentage of the sale. Fees change from time to time, so always check the provider’s current pricing before you decide.
Cost comparison over the first year
The fairest way to compare is to look at the total cost over 12 months, not just the build price.
| Shopify store | Custom online store | |
|---|---|---|
| Build / setup | Theme setup and product loading | Design and development |
| Platform fee | Monthly, in US dollars | None |
| Paid apps | Often several per month | Features built in as needed |
| Hosting & care | Included in subscription | Care plan (e.g. from R250/month) |
| Payment fees | Per transaction | Per transaction |
| Ownership | Platform-dependent | Fully yours |
For small and medium South African stores, a custom store can work out cheaper over two or three years because there’s no dollar-based subscription. For brands planning rapid growth and lots of integrations, Shopify’s ecosystem can be worth the monthly fee.
Questions to ask yourself
- How many products do I have, and how often do they change?
- Do I need special features like wholesale pricing, bookings or subscriptions?
- Am I comfortable with a monthly fee in dollars?
- Who will manage the store day to day?
- Do I want to own everything outright?
What we recommend
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, which is why we build both. Our custom Online Store package starts from R8,500 and includes up to 30 products, PayFast, Yoco or Ozow payments, delivery options, stock management and training. We also design and set up Shopify stores for businesses that prefer the platform. See our e-commerce services for details.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move from Shopify to a custom store later (or the other way around)?
Yes. Products, customers and orders can usually be exported and imported, although the design and some features will need to be rebuilt.
Do I need to be VAT-registered to sell online?
Not necessarily. VAT registration depends on your turnover. Your store can be set up to show prices with or without VAT; your accountant can advise on what applies to you.
Which is easier to manage?
Both are easy once set up. We train every client to add products, change prices and process orders.