Founders ask us this on every first call: what does it actually cost to launch? The honest answer is that the range is wide because the inputs are wide — your category, your geography, your scale ambition. But here is a real line-item budget for a serious EU-based webshop launching in 2026 with intent to operate for five years, not five months.
One-time setup costs
- EU company formation (Estonia, Netherlands, Ireland): €300 – €2,500
- Premium store build (custom theme, payments, legal, SEO foundation): €8,000 – €25,000
- Brand identity (logo, packaging design, photography for hero SKUs): €3,000 – €12,000
- Initial inventory (50 SKUs, 60-90 day cover): €15,000 – €60,000
- 3PL onboarding and inbound shipment: €1,500 – €4,000
- Authorization paperwork and brand intros: €0 – €5,000 (we handle this)
- Legal review (terms, privacy, supplier agreements): €1,200 – €3,500
Monthly running costs (first 6 months)
- 3PL storage + fulfillment: €400 – €1,500
- Shopify Plus or equivalent: €270 – €2,000
- Marketing (paid + organic + content): €2,000 – €15,000
- Operator (you or a hire): €0 – €5,000
- Accounting + bookkeeping: €200 – €600
- Tools and software (analytics, helpdesk, CRM): €150 – €400
Realistic total year-one capital requirement
For a single-category premium store launched competently in the EU, expect a year-one capital requirement of €60,000 – €180,000 depending on inventory depth and marketing aggression. Below €40,000 you are in survival mode. Above €250,000 you are probably overspending in year one.
The number that matters most is the inventory line. Marketing spend can be throttled. Storefront cost is one-time. Inventory is the cost that determines whether you can actually fulfill demand once you create it.