Quick Answer · Updated June 2026
How Long Does It Take to Build a Shopify Store?
The honest answer depends on scope. Here's the breakdown by build type, with what changes the timeline and what doesn't. From an agency that has shipped 80+ Shopify stores.
Direct Answer
Q: How long does it take to build a Shopify store?
A: 3-4 weeks for a standard theme build. 6-16 weeks for Hydrogen headless. 8-16 weeks for B2B + Markets enterprise setup. 1-2 weeks for solo DIY with a free theme.
The timeline scales with three things: scope (number of SKUs, India compliance, custom features), team (solo vs agency-led), and integrations (apps, payments, ERP). Below is the breakdown by build type with what's included.
1-2 wk
Solo DIY
Free theme
Free theme
3-4 wk
Agency
Theme build
Theme build
6-16 wk
Hydrogen
Headless
Headless
8-16 wk
B2B + Markets
Enterprise
Enterprise
Detailed Timeline
Timeline by Build Type.
Build type
Timeline
What's included
Cost band (INR)
Solo DIY launch
5-14 days
Free theme, <20 SKUs, basic Razorpay, no custom branding
Free + apps
Starter theme build
2-3 weeks
Free theme tuned, branding, Razorpay, Shiprocket, COD basic
₹75K-1.5L
Standard theme build
3-4 weeks
Premium theme, full India stack, Klaviyo, Yotpo, GA4, schema
₹1.5-3.5L
Custom theme build
5-8 weeks
Custom Figma to theme, advanced PDP, custom sections
₹3-7L
Hydrogen headless (simple)
6-8 weeks
React storefront, standard templates, CWV-optimized
₹8-15L
Hydrogen headless (complex)
10-16 weeks
Custom PDP, multi-region, B2B layer, ERP integration
₹15-30L
B2B Plus setup
4-6 weeks
Company accounts, NET terms, custom catalogs, GST B2B
₹3-6L
Markets (3-5 regions)
4-8 weeks
Multi-currency, local PSP, language, hreflang, local shipping
₹3-8L
Migration (WooCommerce / Squarespace)
4-6 weeks
Data port, 301 redirects, theme rebuild, parallel-run
₹2-5L
Migration (Magento → Plus)
4-6 months
Enterprise data port, B2B groups, ERP, deep redirect mapping
₹25L+
Factors That Change Timeline
What Speeds It Up. What Slows It Down.
SKU count
<50 SKUs: standard timeline. 500+ SKUs: add 1-2 weeks for catalog setup, variants, metafields.
India compliance
GST + e-invoice + COD with OTP + Shiprocket adds 5-7 days to any build.
Custom design
Free theme: zero design days. Custom Figma to theme: 2-3 weeks of design work.
Subscriptions
Recharge / Bold + churn-saver + member portal: 2-3 weeks to set up properly.
B2B layer
Company accounts, custom catalogs, net terms, quote workflow: 4-6 weeks.
International
Markets configuration per region (currency, PSP, shipping, language): 1-2 weeks each.
ERP integration
Tally / SAP / NetSuite middleware: 2-4 weeks depending on event complexity.
Klaviyo + flows
Welcome / abandoned cart / post-purchase / browse / win-back: 1-2 weeks.
Stakeholder approval
Single founder: fast. Multi-stakeholder approvals: add 30-50% to timeline.
Standard 4-Week Build
What Each Week Looks Like.
01
Discovery + Design
Brand audit, scope, theme selection, design tuning, content plan, integration list
Week 1
02
Build + Stack
Theme build, product upload, Razorpay, Shiprocket, COD OTP, Klaviyo, Yotpo, GST, GA4
Week 2-3
03
QA + Soft Launch
End-to-end test orders, mobile audit, CWV, schema, redirects, accessibility scan
Week 4
04
Launch + 30-day support
Full launch, DNS cutover, on-call Slack, training session, hand-off docs
Week 4+
FAQ
More Questions.
Yes, for a simple store with under 20 SKUs and a free theme, you can launch in 5-7 days solo. The catch: no India-specific configuration (Razorpay, COD with OTP, Shiprocket, GST setup), no custom branding, generic theme aesthetic, minimal SEO setup. We don't recommend it for any brand that wants to scale beyond friends and family orders.
6-16 weeks depending on complexity. Simple Hydrogen storefront (no custom React components, standard product templates): 6-8 weeks. Mid-complex Hydrogen with custom PDP, advanced filtering, multi-region: 10-12 weeks. Complex Hydrogen with custom checkout flows, B2B layer, deep ERP integration: 14-16 weeks. Hydrogen builds run longer than themes because you're building from React primitives, not configuring a theme.
WooCommerce to Shopify: 4-6 weeks for typical 100-500 SKU stores. Magento to Shopify Plus: 4-6 months for enterprise migrations. Both timelines include: data migration (products, customers, orders), URL redirect mapping (most critical for SEO), theme rebuild, app and integration setup, QA and parallel-run period before cutover.
Shopify B2B setup (company accounts, net terms, custom catalogs, GST B2B invoicing): 4-6 weeks. Shopify Markets setup for international expansion (3-5 markets with local currencies, payments, shipping, tax): 4-8 weeks. Both can be added to an existing store or built into a new launch.
Get a Timeline Estimate for Your Store.
30-minute call. Share your scope, SKU count, integrations needed — we'll give you a fixed-price proposal with locked timeline in 48 hours. Or run scope through the Shopify cost calculator for an instant estimate.
