If you decide to launch your online store using Prestashop independently, you can connect the store’s engine and payment methods within one working day and pay just under 2,000 Polish PLN.
If you’re only beginning in the business and aren’t aware of the technical aspects of the fundamentals of programming, it could take you a while to master. The total cost will be much higher if you take your education, work, and implementation to a few months. It is possible that you won’t be happy with the outcome or face issues you aren’t sure what to do about.
It might be better to pay someone else instead of making mistakes yourself. It’s yours to make. One of our earlier articles explained whether it’s better to implement on your own or with the assistance of a freelancer or an agency for e-commerce, which can assist you in making a decision.
Detailed Breakdown of Features Offered in Each Pricing Plan
This section will provide a thorough overview of the features offered to merchants with every PrestaShop pricing plan so that you can make an informed choice about which one you should choose based on the needs of your eCommerce business.
Pricing
PrestaShop Classic is free. You just need to install the program and create your store. However, you will need to purchase a web hosting service and a domain on your own.
PrestaShop Hosted is priced at $30 per month, not including taxes, but this amount could be reduced to $24 per month if it is billed annually.
Hosting and Installation
The main distinction between PrestaShop Hosted and. Classic is that the eCommerce service can host the store for you and handle the installation. If you choose Classic, you’ll be responsible for locating an internet hosting service and installing PrestaShop in the Classic plan. It is easy to see why this could be a problem for people with limited technical knowledge.
On the other hand, if you prefer a more hands-off approach to setting up your PrestaShop store, the hosted plan is the better choice. The PrestaShop developers will manage both the installation and hosting for you.
Employee Accounts
PrestaShop Hosted and Classic plans support the creation of unlimited employee accounts. Whatever the size of your eCommerce operation, you can create as many employee accounts as you want and give them access rights in accordance with their specific duties.
Product Limit
The Classic and Hosted plans allow sellers to host an infinite amount of items on PrestaShop. There’s no limit to the kind of merchandise you can sell through the PrestaShop store. Both plans allow physical and virtual products in the same way.
Demo Session
PrestaShop Hosted allows new customers to have a one-on-one demo, unlike what the Classic plan doesn’t offer. An average demo includes an hour-long video chat with an experienced PrestaShop Agent who’ll show you everything you must learn about the eCommerce platform and address any concerns or questions you might have.
Domain Name Customization and Setup
This feature is only available to PrestaShop sellers enrolled in the hosted plan. This feature lets you buy and automatically set up your domain name without leaving your store’s back office. The process is simple and does not require any technical knowledge.
Free URL
Like Domain Name Customization, the free URL feature is available to merchants on Hosted. While the free URL is in the default format “yourstorename.mypresta.shop,” you can customize it to something more personalized, such as “yourstorename.com.”
Advanced SEO Features
No matter which PrestaShop plan you sign up for, the sophisticated SEO capabilities are offered in both. Store owners can optimize their site to be more search engine friendly by using powerful SEO tools built into the store, such as however not limited to redirects, canonical URLs, custom URLs, sitemaps, meta tags, and others.
PayPal Checkout
The Classic and the Hosted plans are compatible with PrestaShop checkout through PayPal. Merchants can sell their products across 190+ countries worldwide and accept payments in up to 20 currencies.
Marketing With Google
PrestaShop created its marketing module in collaboration with Google and permitted merchants to showcase their products on the search engine result webpages (SERPs) shopping tab. Merchants can also use this feature to advertise their products through ads appearing on YouTube, Google Search, and more. This feature is accessible to Classic and Hosted customers.
Marketing Automation
Merchants can hire Prestashop developers to automate marketing. Store owners can design personalized content to attract potential shoppers, allowing you to connect better with your visitors and improve your site’s conversion rates. This feature is accessible to customers of both Classic and Hosted users.
Store Insights and Metrics
Whether you’re using or off the Classic and Hosted options, PrestaShop allows merchants to keep track of their stores KPIs or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in real time. You can use metrics to understand your customers better and make more informed decisions.
Customer Groups
The Classic and Hosted plans permit customers to arrange into groups, allowing you to design custom shopping experiences for your customers. You can select items and special offers and choose which groups will see them.
Facebook and Instagram Marketing
The social module of PrestaShop integrates seamlessly with Facebook and Instagram and allows you to show products in your store to a specific audience. Although this feature is available in both Classic and Hosted Plans, Classic plan subscribers will be required to pay an additional fee to access it.
MBE eShip
PrestaShop, in conjunction with MBE eShip, provides merchants with complete order processing management. With eShip, you can get, package, ship, and track delivery progress without the hassle that comes with logistics for supply chains. This feature is available to Classic and Hosted plan customers.
PrestaShop Legal Assistant
The Legal Assistant module on PrestaShop is available to PrestaShop Hosted customers only. Customers who have signed up for this plan can benefit from the vast library of legal templates developed by legal experts to design GDPR-compliant cookie banners to promote their online stores and manage the information collected by shoppers on the site.
Accounting Synthesis
This feature is only accessible to PrestaShop’s Hosted plan customers. With this extension, you can produce table summaries that manage your store’s accounts and help with tax declarations.
PrestaShop Marketplace
PrestaShop Marketplace is available to both Hosted and Classic plan customers. Store owners can explore the extensive collection of add-ons that can be integrated into their eCommerce site and increase the functionality of their store to enhance the overall experience.
PrestaShop Themes
PrestaShop is equipped with two pre-built themes. The primary and minimalist Classic theme is perfect for those who want to set up the foundation of an online store. It is accessible to subscribers with each of the Classic and Hosted plans.
In contrast, you can choose a highly adaptable Casual theme suitable for retailers across all industries, including interior design, fashion technology, and fashion. This Casual theme is only available to users of the Hosted plan.
The entire PrestaShop theme catalogue is available to Hosted and Classic plan customers.
Support
PrestaShop gives merchants various options to seek support if there is a problem or concern. Support is available through the help center, community, and academy to all customers on Hosted and Classic plans.
If you prefer talking to a support representative via live chat or phone email, you must subscribe to PrestaShop Hosted.
Store Backup
The automated backup feature of PrestaShop is only accessible to customers of the Hosted plan. With this feature, you’ll have peace of assurance that you have backup copies of your store should you encounter any errors or need to switch to another eCommerce platform.
Get Started with a Cost-Effective PrestaShop Solution!
Pooja Upadhyay
Director Of People Operations & Client Relations
Additional Fees to Consider
PrestaShop’s hosted plans are pretty transparent regarding pricing. For a typical monthly cost, you can enjoy all of the features included within the Classic plan and much more. But remember that selecting the Classic plan implies that you are solely accountable for the modules you’ll need to install and the cost and implications accompanying it. Additional charges include:
- A hosting plan as well as a domain
- Modules, add-ons, or add-ons
- Templates or themes
- An SSL/TLS certificate
- A server for large-scale enterprises
Web development
The amount you will pay for these costs depends on the size and complexity of your undertaking and the budget you’re working with.
PrestaShop Pricing Overview
The total cost for developing and maintaining the PrestaShop eCommerce website depends on various aspects, such as the choice between the Open-Source (free) and Hosted (paid) versions. Let’s see what costs differ in both situations.
PrestaShop Pricing Plans
Open Source (Free) Version
The PrestaShop Open-Source version is entirely free to download and install. But “free” does not necessarily mean no charges are associated. What you can expect from this version:
- Core Application Features: The free version is an entirely customizable eCommerce platform with all the essential features required to run an online shop. They include product management, order processing, and customer management tools.
- Themes and Add-ons: Over four thousand themes and add-ons are available on the PrestaShop Marketplace. PrestaShop Marketplace. While some are free, many are sold at cost, particularly those requiring more sophisticated PrestaShop themes with unique styles and functions.
- SEO Capabilities: The latest SEO tools are integrated to increase the visibility of your business in search results.
- Customization: You can customize your store to match your brand’s style and requirements.
Hosted (Paid) Version
Hosted versions of PrestaShop, also known as PrestaShop Ready, include hosting, support, and additional functions via pre-installed components. Here are the most essential advantages and costs that come with the hosted version of PrestaShop:
- Support and Hosting Services: This plan provides hosting and support, assuring your store’s smooth operation and prompt resolution of any issues.
- Pre-installed PrestaShop Modules for Hosted: The Hosted version includes many pre-installed components, like:
- Automatic VAT Calculation: Ensuring compliance with tax laws.
- Cookies and GDPR compliance: These helps manage customers’ privacy settings and data.
- Support Services: You can contact support via live chat, email, or telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- One-stop Payment Solution: Makes the process of paying customers.
- Automated Advertisements: These are on Google platforms, Facebook, and Instagram to help reach a broader market.
- Marketing Automation Tools: Automate your business’s marketing efforts.
- Shipping Service: Integration with shipping service providers to streamline order fulfillment.
- Complete Analytics Tool: Offers in-depth insight into the performance of your store.
- Pricing: You’ll get a 14-day free trial to test the Hosted service, and then you’ll have to pay EUR24 (excluding taxes) for a month.
Hosting and Domain Expenses
It’s important to remember that regardless of whether you select the no-cost Open Source version or the Hosted version, hosting and domain costs are invariably incurred. Let’s take an analysis of the cost of these services:
Hosting Options for PrestaShop
Selecting the best web hosting service suitable for the PrestaShop store is beneficial since it’s essential for performance security, scalability, and security. Below are the shared hosting options as well as the cost:
- Shared Hosting: Shared hosting is the cheapest option, with monthly prices ranging from 1 to 14 euros. This kind of hosting is inexpensive and based on multiple websites that share the same server resources. However, if a single site uses up many resources, it could cause issues with performance. This approach is ideal for small shops with very little traffic.
- VPS Hosting: Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting uses virtualization technology to assign dedicated resources that provide higher performance and security than shared hosting. The cost ranges from EUR18-95 per month. VPS hosting is a great option for medium-sized online stores with moderate traffic. It is an effective and reliable service for expanding businesses.
- Dedicated Hosting: With dedicated hosting, you have a physical server dedicated exclusively to your site. This type of hosting provides the best performance, security, and control, and costs range from EUR70 to 460 per month. It is ideal for stores that have high traffic and demanding needs.
- Cloud Hosting: Cloud hosting uses several virtual servers to host websites, ensuring reliability and the ability to scale. Its price ranges between EUR 10 and EUR 185.95 per month. This solution is ideal for stores with fluctuating traffic volumes and requiring scaled resources.
Additional Costs to Consider
The cost for PrestaShop development is not limited to hosting and initial setup. It comes with various additional fees that you need to be aware of.
Domain Expenses
The domain you choose to use is the online store’s address. Here’s what you must be aware of regarding the cost of domain registration:
- Domain Registration: Domain registration usually costs between EUR 10 and EUR 30 per year, depending on the extension of your domain (.com, .net, .org, etc.) and the registrar’s pricing policies.
- Costs for Renewal: Domain names have to be renewed each year to keep their current status.
SSL/TLS Certificate
An SSL/TLS certificate is vital to secure data exchange between your website and customers and ensure safe transactions. The price of SSL/TLS certificates can vary widely:
- Standard SSL/TLS Certificates: Cost between EUR5 and 1000 annually, depending on their security level and the authority that issued them.
- Other Security Tools: To provide greater security, it is recommended that you consider other security tools, such as vulnerability scanners, application scanners, vulnerability checkers, and monitoring programs.
Server Services
Apart from hosting, you may require server maintenance and management. These prices can vary greatly depending on the hosting you use and the degree of service needed:
Administration and Maintenance: Prices can vary from EUR5 to EUR5000 per month. Managed hosting plans usually include server maintenance, security updates, and technical assistance.
PrestaShop Modules and Templates
Making your store more functional and attractive usually requires purchasing templates and modules. These are the estimates of the cost:
- Modules: Prices vary between $30 and 550 for downloads according to the module’s functionality and complexity.
- Templates: Templates can range between $50 and $330 per item. Investing in premium templates will significantly enhance customers’ experience and aesthetic appeal.
Customer Support
While PrestaShop’s Open Source version provides support to the community via the forums and documentation, you could require support from a professional to resolve more complicated problems. A list of support plans are listed below:
- Technical Support: includes fixing bugs, advising on setups, and assisting with module native configurations. Prices begin at EUR 330.
- Updates and Migration: Choose themes, payment options, and the latest PrestaShop version.
- SEO Pack: In-depth analysis, technical advice and corrective measures. Prices begin at EUR 551.29.
- Performance Pack: Adding cache module cleaning files and giving performance audits. Prices begin at EUR 99.23.
- Security Pack: Complete security reports, issue resolution, and clean up files. Prices begin at EUR900.
Migration, Updating, and Upgrading
The process of keeping compatibility intact and maintaining your PrestaShop store currently requires a variety of steps:
- Updates: Regular updates correct issues and increase performance. Each update typically costs around $79.
- Upgrade: Moving to a more robust software version, which includes enhancements and new features.
- Migration: The process of moving information from one format to another for compatibility and efficiency. Prices for Prestashop migration are contingent upon its complexity and extent. To ensure that updates are smooth and seamless migrations, you should consider using more modules or third-party specialists.
Conclusion
PrestaShop is a well-known option for eCommerce businesses, it’s a secure platform. But, it’s essential to comprehend and evaluate the costs associated with it. This helps you make informed decisions and ensures long-term success when running your store online. We at AddWeb Solution know how important it is to have a reliable PrestaShop store to succeed in the present world of internet-based shopping. As dedicated Prestashop experts, we provide customized solutions to entrepreneurs just starting their online journey or improving their existing web presence.
Build Your Online Store with PrestaShop – Start Budgeting Now!
Pooja Upadhyay
Director Of People Operations & Client Relations