Starting an online store in 2025 doesn’t have to drain your bank account. In fact, with the tools and resources available today, you can launch a fully functional ecommerce business on a shoestring budget. Whether you’re selling handmade crafts, digital downloads, dropshipping products, or a mix of everything, the key is to start small, stay lean, and scale smart.
Here’s a full guide to launching your online store the cheap way—without cutting corners on quality or professionalism.
1. Start with a Free or Low-Cost Platform
Forget paying thousands of dollars for custom websites. You can create a clean, professional online store for free—or close to it.
Best cheap platforms for 2025:
- Shopify Starter – $5/month. Perfect for beginners selling through social media or a simple store link. It gives you checkout, product pages, and payment tools.
Link: https://www.shopify.com/starter - Ecwid by Lightspeed – Free plan available. You can add an online store to any website or use their Instant Site option for a free one-page storefront.
Link: https://www.ecwid.com - Big Cartel – Free for up to 5 products. Great for artists and makers who want a clean storefront with minimal fuss.
Link: https://www.bigcartel.com - Payhip – Free forever, with 5% transaction fee. Supports digital and physical products, courses, and subscriptions. Super easy setup.
Link: https://payhip.com
Tip: Don’t overthink design at first. Use a built-in theme, upload your product photos, and make sure the mobile version looks clean. Focus on selling, not perfection.
2. Sell Products You Don’t Have to Stock
Inventory can be expensive. If you want to start without risking money on unsold products, go with:
- Dropshipping – You sell the product, the supplier ships it. Use apps like DSers (for Shopify) or Printful (for custom print-on-demand).
- DSers: https://www.dsers.com
- Printful: https://www.printful.com
- Digital Products – Ebooks, templates, courses, photos, music, or design assets. Once you create them, you can sell them unlimited times with no shipping or stock issues.
- Affiliate Products – Promote other people’s products and earn a commission per sale. It’s technically not your store, but you can build a mini-site featuring recommended items.
3. Use Free Tools for Branding and Graphics
No need to hire a designer. These free tools will help you look like a pro.
- Canva – Create logos, banners, social media graphics, and product mockups. Free version is enough for most tasks.
Link: https://www.canva.com - Looka or Namecheap Logo Maker – Generate free or low-cost logos with full brand kits.
- Looka: https://www.looka.com
- Namecheap Logo Maker: https://www.namecheap.com/logo-maker/
- Pixlr – Free online photo editor for product images.
Link: https://pixlr.com
Tip: Keep your branding simple—use two colors, one font, and clean images. Don’t overcrowd your store.
4. Get a Free Domain or Use a Subdomain at First
Custom domains are cheap (about $10–15/year), but if you’re not ready, most platforms let you use a free subdomain like yourstore.bigcartel.com.
When you’re ready to upgrade, buy your domain from:
- Namecheap – Often cheaper than GoDaddy, with free privacy protection.
Link: https://www.namecheap.com - Google Domains – (Now sold through Squarespace) Easy to manage and integrates well with Gmail if you want a custom email.
Link: https://domains.google
5. Accept Payments the Free Way
Stripe and PayPal are the go-to options. Both are free to set up and only charge per transaction. Most store platforms have them built-in.
For donations, tips, or digital sales, you can also use:
- Buy Me a Coffee – Lets people support you with one-time payments or memberships.
Link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com - Ko-fi – Similar to BMC, with shop features.
Link: https://ko-fi.com
6. Use Social Media for Free Marketing
You don’t need ads to start. In 2025, short-form content is king. Use TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts to show off your products.
Tips:
- Post behind-the-scenes: packaging, design process, etc.
- Share customer testimonials and reviews.
- Link your store in your bio and story highlights.
- Use Linktree or Beacons to combine all your links.
- Beacons: https://beacons.ai
If you want more control, start a free email list using:
- MailerLite – Free up to 1,000 subscribers.
Link: https://www.mailerlite.com
7. Watch Free Tutorials and Learn as You Go
Don’t spend money on expensive courses. There are thousands of free YouTube channels, blogs, and Reddit threads teaching ecommerce strategy.
Good starting points:
- YouTube: Search “start online store 2025” or “dropshipping tutorial 2025”
- Reddit: r/Entrepreneur, r/Dropship, r/SmallBusiness
- Blogs: Oberlo (archived), Shopify Blog, Printful Blog
8. Upgrade Later—But Only When You’re Profitable
Once you start making money, you can upgrade your:
- Theme (for a more customized design)
- Domain (to look more professional)
- Email marketing (automated sequences)
- Apps (for reviews, upsells, abandoned cart recovery)
But don’t rush. Stick with the cheapest options until sales start rolling in. It’s better to make your first $100 before spending your first $100.
Summary: Your $0–$20 Startup Plan
- Storefront: Payhip or Big Cartel (free)
- Products: Digital downloads or dropshipping
- Payments: Stripe/PayPal
- Marketing: Free social media and email list
- Design: Canva + free logo maker
- Domain: Optional, ~$10/year when you’re ready
That’s it. No excuses. If you’ve got Wi-Fi and a few hours, you can build a store that works while you sleep. The hardest part is starting. The second hardest part is not overthinking.a long-term asset, working for you even while you sleep.
