To start a Shopify store in India, do these in order: sort out your GST position, pick a plan, connect a domain, choose a theme, add products, set up payments, shipping and taxes, publish policy pages, place a test order, then launch. Shopify's India page reads "Try 3 days free, then ₹20/month for 3 months" (as listed on 9 October 2026), so you can build before you pay the full plan price.
Have ready
- Legal business name, and whether you trade as an individual, partnership or company.
- PAN and a bank account in the business or owner name. Payment gateways ask for both.
- Products with prices, weights, photos and HSN codes for GST invoicing.
- Refund, shipping and privacy rules in plain words.
GST first
Ask a chartered accountant before your first order. Shopify's GST in India FAQ says registration is generally mandatory if your turnover exceeds Rs 20 lakhs in a financial year (Rs 10 lakhs for North Eastern and hill states), if you are involved in inter-state supply of goods, or if you sell on online marketplaces. It adds "This is not a complete list".
Section 24 of the CGST Act requires registration for any inter-State taxable supply, notwithstanding the turnover rule in section 22. So you can sometimes sell without GST, in a narrow case. Exemptions and notifications change.
Shopify says it does not create a GST-compliant bill. You need a local invoicing service or an app from the Shopify App Store.
Step 1: Choose a plan
On the Shopify India pricing page, as listed on 9 October 2026, Basic is ₹1,994 a month, or ₹1,499 a month when paid yearly. Grow and Advanced cost more and cut the third-party transaction fee. There are no setup fees. Hosting, a custom domain and an SSL certificate are in the feature list. Stores in India are charged GST on Shopify fees. Change plans later from Settings > Plan. Full breakdown: Shopify store cost in India.
Step 2: Connect a domain
Buy one through Shopify or connect one you own. Shopify's domains page says domains "typically start at $9 USD/year" and renew yearly. For a domain held elsewhere, update the DNS records at that provider. Shopify's help says this usually takes under two hours but can take up to two days. Every store also gets a free myshopify.com address.
Step 3: Pick a theme
The Shopify Theme Store has free themes made by Shopify, and paid themes. On 9 October 2026 the paid themes we saw were listed in US dollars, from $100 to $500, with "One-time payment, lifetime license for your store". Shopify's help says paid theme purchases are final sale with no refunds. Start with a free theme. For custom work, read Shopify theme vs headless. Still choosing a platform? See Shopify vs WooCommerce in India.
Step 4: Add products and collections
Go to Products > Add product. Enter title, details, photos, price, weight and inventory. For GST, store the HSN code. Shopify's GST page says the HS tariff code field takes codes of at least 6 digits, and shorter HSN codes need metafields or tags. Group products into collections, which also let you apply different GST rates.
Step 5: Set up payments
Shopify Payments is not available in India, so you pick a third-party gateway and can add cash on delivery. Options, fees and test steps: Shopify payment gateway in India. Start early, because gateway approval needs your documents.
Step 6: Set up shipping
In Settings > Shipping and delivery, create shipping profiles with flat rates, free-shipping thresholds or carrier-calculated rates. Shopify's shipping help also covers local delivery and pickup. Set rates you can meet with your packing time, courier, areas served and return rules.
Step 7: Set up taxes
Shopify's India tax defaults are "not intended to be used until they've been reviewed and updated". They are CGST 9%, with IGST 18% for most states and SGST 9% for Karnataka. If products have different GST rates, create hidden collections for each rate and override the tax per collection. Decide whether prices include tax. Shopify does not file or remit your tax.
Step 8: Add policy pages
Go to Settings > Policies. Switch on an automated policy for refund, privacy, terms and shipping, review the text and save. Shopify says these templates are informational, are not legal advice and do not guarantee compliance. Edit them to match what you do. See Shopify's policy help.
Step 9: Place a test order
Shopify's test order guide says to place at least one during setup. You can test a payment gateway only after choosing a paid plan, and customers cannot place live orders while a provider is in test mode. Run a prepaid test and a COD test. Check the order email, tax lines, shipping charge and the gateway dashboard.
Step 10: Launch checklist
- Gateway out of test mode.
- Domain connected and loading with a padlock.
- Every product has a photo, price, weight and HSN code.
- Tax rates reviewed by your accountant.
- Four policy pages published and linked in the footer.
- Contact details real and monitored.
- A real low-value live order placed, then cancelled and refunded (the gateway may charge fees).
- Any storefront password turned off.
After launch, check failed payments in the gateway dashboard daily. Add apps slowly: Shopify's billing help says apps can charge recurring, usage or one-time fees.
We build Shopify stores. A project starts with an intro call, then a written scope and a quote. Our concept store Odd Dozen is a custom storefront rather than a Shopify build, and it is not client work. Tell us about your project.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open a Shopify store in India?
As listed on 9 October 2026, Basic is ₹1,994 a month, or ₹1,499 a month paid yearly, with no setup fee. Add GST on Shopify's fees, a domain, any paid theme, apps and gateway fees. Our cost guide shows each line.
Can I sell on Shopify without GST?
It depends on your turnover, what you sell and where you ship. Shopify's help lists turnover above Rs 20 lakhs, inter-state supply of goods and marketplace selling as grounds for mandatory registration, and says the list is not complete. Confirm with a chartered accountant.
Do I need a developer to set up a Shopify store?
Not for a standard store. The theme editor, product pages and policy templates need no code. You need a developer for custom sections, imports from another platform, integrations or a headless build.