warebyhow to open your own online store, for free
you can open an online store today without paying a cent up front. here’s what each way costs once you start selling, the steps to open, and the part nobody prices in: getting people to visit.
in this post
1three ways to do it2what it costs3step by step4finding customers5free options6questions7sourcesyou can open an online store for $0. square online’s free plan and big cartel (free for up to 5 products) charge no monthly fee, just card processing on each sale, and a wareby shop is free to open, with 10% plus card processing only when you sell. paid store builders give you more control: shopify is $39 a month ($29 billed yearly), wix starts at $29 and squarespace at $19 a month on yearly billing. the cost nobody prices in is customers: your own store only gets the visitors you send it. a marketplace brings shoppers to you, for a bigger cut of each sale.
what are the ways to open an online store?
there are three, and plenty of makers use more than one:
| the way | examples | who brings customers | what you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| a store builder | shopify, square online, wix, squarespace, big cartel | you do: instagram, word of mouth, google | a monthly plan (some are free), plus card processing |
| a worldwide marketplace | etsy, amazon handmade, ebay | the marketplace, from shoppers anywhere | a cut of each sale, plus listing or ad fees on some |
| a local marketplace | wareby | shoppers within 25 miles, plus your own link | a cut of each sale, with no monthly fee to start |
what does an online store really cost?
here’s each store builder’s entry plan, and what it takes from a $35 sale with its own card processing:
| store | monthly | on a $35 sale |
|---|---|---|
| square online, free plan | $0 | $1.46 |
| big cartel, free (5 products) | $0 | $1.32 |
| wareby, free plan | $0 | $4.85 |
| wareby, founding shops | $0 the first year | $3.45 |
| squarespace basic | $19 yearly, $25 monthly | $2.02 |
| wix core | $29 yearly | $1.32 |
| squarespace core | $29 yearly, $39 monthly | $1.32 |
| shopify basic | $29 yearly, $39 monthly | $1.32 |
“yearly” means the monthly price when you pay for a year up front. squarespace basic adds a 2% transaction fee, which is why it costs more per sale. wix’s free plan can’t take payments at all.
other costs to plan for: a domain (shopify says its domains typically start at $9 a year, and wix and squarespace include one free for the first year on yearly plans), paid themes or apps if you want them, packaging, and your time.
a simple way to compare a monthly plan with a percentage: against wareby’s free plan, shopify basic’s $39 a month pays for itself once you sell about $390 a month. below that, the free plan costs less. above it, shopify does, as long as you bring every customer yourself.
how do you open an online store, step by step?
- decide who you’re selling to: people near you (pickup and local delivery) or people anywhere (shipping). it decides almost everything else.
- pick your platform, using the tables above: a free plan to test, a store builder once you have your own audience, a marketplace when you need shoppers to find you.
- name your shop, and claim the name everywhere: the store, instagram, and a web address if you want one.
- add 5 to 10 items with daylight photos and clear prices. our seller guide has photo tips.
- price with your real costs: materials, your time and every fee. here’s a simple formula.
- connect payments, and set how orders reach people: shipping rates, pickup windows, a delivery area.
- write short policies: returns, custom orders, and allergens if you sell food.
- check the rules: sales tax registration in your state, and a cottage food registration or food license if you sell food.
- tell people. your first customers are the ones who already know you.
how will people find your store?
this is the part a store builder can’t do for you. a new store at its own address gets no visitors until you send them. the usual ways:
- your instagram or tiktok, with the link in your bio
- a free google business profile, so you show up on google maps
- a qr code on your market sign, receipts and packaging
- an email or text list of past customers
- a marketplace that sends shoppers to you
on wareby, your shop is listed for shoppers within 25 miles from the day it opens, and your shop link works like your own store’s: share it anywhere. the found plan adds your own web address, like yourshop.com, and shows your shop on google and in ai answers.
can you open an online store for free?
yes, with limits:
- square online’s free plan: 3.3% + 30¢ per online sale. it shows square’s branding, can’t use your own domain, and retail preorders need a paid plan.
- big cartel’s free plan: up to 5 products, with card processing through stripe or paypal.
- wareby’s open plan: free to open with no listing fees. 10% plus 3% + 30¢ when you sell, and shoppers near you can find your shop.
- facebook marketplace: free for local pickup, but it’s listings, not a store.
wix and squarespace don’t have a free way to sell: wix’s free plan can’t take payments, and squarespace has a 14-day free trial. shopify is 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months.
questions people ask
how much does it cost to open an online store?
$0 to start on free plans like square online’s, big cartel’s or wareby’s, where you pay card processing (and on wareby, a sale fee) only when you sell. paid store builders run about $19 to $39 a month on their entry plans, plus card processing of about 2.9% + 30¢ a sale.
what is the best platform to open an online store?
shopify if you’re ready to bring your own customers and grow. square online if you also sell in person with a square reader. big cartel for a small art shop. wareby if your customers live near you and you want them to find you.
can i open an online store without a website?
yes. a marketplace shop or a free store page works as your website: people can see what you sell and order. you can add a full site later.
do i need a business license to sell online?
it depends on your state and city. most states with a sales tax need you to register to collect it, and food sellers need a cottage food registration or a food license. check with your state’s revenue department and your city.
is shopify free?
no. it’s 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months, then $39 a month on basic, or $29 a month billed yearly.
how do i get customers for a new online store?
start with people who know you, put your link everywhere you already show up, set up a free google business profile, and list your shop somewhere shoppers already look. on wareby, that’s shoppers within 25 miles.
sources
- shopify: pricing
- shopify: domains
- square: online store plans
- square support: the square online website footer
- wix: plans
- wix help center: upgrading wix stores
- wix help center: wix payments service fees
- squarespace: pricing
- big cartel: pricing
- big cartel: the gold plan
- big cartel help: processing fees explained
- stripe: pricing
- facebook help center: selling fees on marketplace
- wareby: seller plans
we checked every fee and fact about other companies on october 12, 2026, on their own pages. fees change, so check theirs before you decide. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com and we’ll fix it.
etsy, shopify, square online, hotplate, amazon handmade, ebay, big cartel, wix, squarespace and facebook marketplace are trademarks of their owners. wareby isn’t affiliated with any of them, and we make wareby, so weigh our opinions with that in mind.
we started tandoco, a small bakery in minneapolis, and sold under a blue tent at farmers markets before we built wareby. our story
