# Daraz vs Shopify vs your own website: where should you sell?

URL: https://which.pk/business/guides/daraz-vs-shopify-vs-own-website/
Author: Hassam Imtiaz
Updated: 8 Oct 2026

## Summary

Daraz costs nothing to open and brings its own buyers, but takes a category commission on each order: 2% to 20% in a June 2026 list. Shopify charges US$25 a month on Basic plus up to 2% on gateway orders, and you find your own buyers. A WooCommerce website is free software, but hosting runs from US$25 a month by WooCommerce's estimate and a .pk domain is Rs 2,100 a year. FBR withholds 1% (online) or 2% (COD) on all three.

## Key facts

- Daraz to open: No listing fee
- Shopify Basic: US$25/month
- .pk domain: Rs 2,100/year
- FBR tax, all three: 1% online, 2% COD

**Daraz** costs nothing to open and brings its own buyers, but takes a **category commission on every order** (2% to 20% in a June 2026 list). **Shopify** costs **US$25 a month** on Basic and you bring the buyers. **Your own WooCommerce website** has free software, but you pay for hosting and a **Rs 2,100-a-year** .pk domain. FBR withholds **1%** on online-paid orders and **2%** on cash on delivery on all three.

**Fixed cost before your first sale:** Daraz Rs 0 · Shopify US$25/month · own site hosting + Rs 2,100/year (As of October 2026. Shopify Basic is US$19 a month if paid yearly.)

## How do Daraz, Shopify and your own website compare on cost?

As of 8 October 2026:

| | Daraz | Shopify | Own website (WooCommerce) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | No listing fee | No setup fee; 3 days free, then US$1/month for 3 months | Software free; .pk domain Rs 2,100/year |
| Monthly cost | None stated by Daraz | Basic US$25 (US$19 yearly); Grow US$65; Advanced US$399 | Hosting US$25 to US$350 (WooCommerce's estimate); extensions US$29 to US$299 a year each |
| Commission per order | By category: 2% (laptops) to 20% (watches, jewellery) in a June 2026 list; fashion 18.5% | None, but a third-party transaction fee on gateway orders (2% on Basic in Shopify's table); none on COD | None |
| Card payments | Daraz pays order money into your account | Third-party gateway (Shopify Payments isn't offered in Pakistan); e.g. Safepay 2.9% + Rs 30 | Your gateway; e.g. Safepay 2.9% + Rs 30 |
| Cash on delivery | Daraz handles; it can act as the courier | Manual payment method; you arrange the courier | You arrange the courier |
| Delivery | Daraz says it assists with shipping | You arrange | You arrange |
| Buyers (traffic) | Daraz says "millions of customers" | You bring them | You bring them |
| FBR withholding | 1% online, 2% COD (ATL) | Same | Same |

The Daraz commission figures come from a list posted by a third party, RetailEasePos, because Daraz shows its list only inside Seller Center. See [how to sell on Daraz](/business/guides/how-to-sell-on-daraz/) for the category table.

**What we left out:** Blogs quote a Daraz payment fee (1.25% or 2.25%) and a Free Shipping Max fee. We couldn't confirm either on a Daraz page, so they aren't in the table. Rupee prices for hosting in Pakistan vary by host and aren't included either.

## What does each one cost on a Rs 5,000 order?

Using only the confirmed rates above, for a seller on the ATL:

| Rs 5,000 order, paid by card | Daraz (fashion, 18.5%) | Shopify Basic + Safepay | Own site + Safepay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform commission or fee | Rs 925 | Rs 100 (2%) | Rs 0 |
| Gateway fee | Not confirmed (see box above) | Rs 175 (2.9% + Rs 30) | Rs 175 |
| FBR withholding (1%) | Rs 50 | Rs 50 | Rs 50 |
| Per-order total | Rs 975 + any Daraz fees we couldn't confirm | Rs 325 | Rs 225 |
| Fixed monthly cost | None | US$25 | Hosting |

Shopify and your own site cost less per order but carry a fixed monthly bill whether you sell or not. Daraz costs more per order on high-commission categories but nothing when you sell nothing. On a 2% category such as laptops, Daraz's commission on Rs 5,000 is Rs 100.

## Who handles delivery and payments?

**On Daraz**, Daraz pays order money into your account and says it assists with shipping. FBR's circular notes Daraz can be the courier on cash-on-delivery orders. **On Shopify or your own site**, you sign up with a payment gateway for cards and book your own courier for cash on delivery. In every case FBR's rules put the tax withholding on the bank, the courier or the marketplace, so it comes off before the money reaches you.

Since 1 July 2025, marketplaces and couriers may not serve sellers who are not registered with FBR. So you need an NTN whichever route you choose: see [how to get an NTN](/business/guides/how-to-get-ntn/).

## Which suits whom?

- **Testing a product with no budget:** Daraz, because there is no listing fee and no monthly charge.
- **Selling in low-commission categories such as phones or laptops:** Daraz, where the June 2026 list shows 2% to 3%.
- **Selling fashion, jewellery or beauty at volume:** Shopify or your own site, because Daraz's listed commission there is 14% to 20% against a fixed monthly cost elsewhere.
- **Mostly cash-on-delivery buyers:** Shopify charges no transaction fee on COD orders and your own site charges nothing, while Daraz takes its commission on every order. You pay your own courier instead.
- **Wanting no platform subscription:** your own WooCommerce site has none, but you still pay for hosting.
- **No way to bring your own traffic:** Daraz, since Shopify and your own site start with no buyers.

More guides: [Shopify payment gateways in Pakistan](/business/guides/shopify-pakistan-payment-gateways/), [Starting an e-commerce business in Pakistan](/business/guides/ecommerce-business-pakistan/), [E-commerce & IT Export](/business/ecommerce-it-export/).

## Questions people ask

### Is Daraz or Shopify better for a beginner?

Daraz has no listing fee and brings its own customers, but takes commission on every order. Shopify costs US$25 a month on Basic and you have to bring your own buyers.

### Does the FBR e-commerce tax apply to my own website?

Yes. Section 153(2A) covers e-commerce platforms including websites: 1% on online payments and 2% on cash on delivery if you are on the ATL, double if not.

### Is WooCommerce cheaper than Shopify?

WooCommerce itself is free with no monthly subscription. You pay for hosting, which WooCommerce puts at US$25 to US$350 a month for most stores, plus any paid extensions.

## Sources

- [Start Selling on Daraz](https://www.daraz.pk/sell/), Daraz (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Shopify Pricing (Pakistan)](https://www.shopify.com/pk/pricing), Shopify (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Shopify Payments supported countries](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/shopify-payments/supported-countries), Shopify (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Manual payment methods](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/payments/manual-payments), Shopify (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [WooCommerce pricing](https://woocommerce.com/pricing/), WooCommerce (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [New Domain Pricing from August 2026](https://pknic.net.pk/), PKNIC (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Safepay pricing](https://getsafepay.pk/pricing), Safepay (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Circular No. 02 of 2025-26 (Sales Tax and Federal Excise)](https://download1.fbr.gov.pk/Docs/202584118361586CircularNO02of2025-26SalesTax%26FederalExcise.pdf), FBR (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Withholding Income Tax Rate Card (updated to 30 June 2026)](https://download1.fbr.gov.pk/Docs/202681113864992WithholdingTaxRatesCard2027.pdf), FBR (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Online marketplaces and couriers barred from serving unregistered sellers](https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/09/03/online-marketplaces-and-couriers-barred-from-serving-unregistered-sellers), Profit (accessed 8 Oct 2026)
- [Daraz commission list effective 1 June 2026 (third-party copy)](https://retaileasepos.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Daraz-New-Updated-Commission-List-effective-from-01-June-2026.pdf), RetailEasePos (accessed 8 Oct 2026)