How much does it cost to open an AliExpress store? The answer often depends on the category. This guide breaks costs into commissions, transaction and payment fees, logistics and warehousing, and other expenses, then explains how to estimate them in the right order.
There is no single standard cost for opening an AliExpress store. Sellers in different categories can give answers that differ by as much as twofold because fees are tiered by category and operating model.
Instead of looking for one fixed number, break the cost structure down and calculate it for your own situation.
Commissions vary by category
The platform charges a transaction fee as a percentage of sales, and the rate varies by category. Over the long term, this is one of the largest variable operating costs and directly affects pricing.
It is also one of the easiest costs to overlook when setting prices. A selling price calculated from purchase cost, shipping, and target profit will deliver a lower margin than expected after commission is deducted. Commission therefore needs to be included at the pricing stage, not discovered later on a settlement statement.
Transaction and payment costs
Cross-border collections and payments involve several conversion steps, and each step may create a small cost.
When the buyer's currency differs from the store's pricing currency, the platform automatically converts the currency. That conversion may carry a fee, with the amount fluctuating according to exchange rates and payment-channel policies. When an order is refunded, the seller may also bear return shipping if the refund was caused by the seller, in addition to returning the purchase amount. Neither item looks large on its own, but at scale they become real expenses.
Annual fees and deposits are not the same thing
The annual technical service fee and the category deposit are often discussed together, but they are different in nature.
The annual fee is charged by broad business category, with the amount varying by category, and is prepaid. The platform offers refund incentives: if the store meets certain operating standards during the year, part or even all of the fee may be returned; if it does not, there is no refund. It is closer to a pay-first, assess-later mechanism than a fixed sunk cost.
The deposit is set according to the risk level of the category, with higher requirements for high-value, high-risk, or international-brand-related categories. It functions as a security deposit and can be returned after the seller exits the business and completes settlement. The annual fee depends on operating results, while the deposit depends on category risk; these two are easy to confuse.
The cost logic of logistics and warehousing
Logistics cost depends on three things: product weight and volume, destination, and the shipping method you choose.
Small, light items can use economy logistics, which has a low per-item cost but ordinary delivery speed. Valuable or time-sensitive items may use commercial express services, which are faster but more expensive. For bulky or heavy products, logistics takes a much larger share of the selling price, so it should be built into the profit model during product selection.
The choice of warehousing and fulfillment method also changes the cost structure. Stocking and shipping goods yourself ties up capital up front but gives you more control over per-item cost. Dropshipping without holding inventory has a lower entry barrier, but the gap between wholesale and retail prices is limited; after commission and logistics are deducted, margins are thinner, and delivery speed and packaging quality are outside your direct control. Dropshipping is therefore useful for testing product-selection ideas, but less suitable as a long-term core model.
The platform's fully managed model offers another approach: sellers provide product information and inventory quantities, while the platform handles order processing, delivery, and customs clearance. Operational burden is lower under this model, but pricing is standardized by the platform and sellers have less room to adjust it.
Other expenses that are easy to miss
Beyond the main categories above, several other items deserve separate attention. On-platform promotion is charged per click, and you decide the budget intensity; it is a flexible expense and one of the easiest areas for beginners to overspend. Subscriptions for inventory management, customer relationship management, market analysis, and similar tools vary widely in monthly cost depending on their feature sets. Market research, sample production, and sample shipping before developing new products are individually modest but are often overlooked as a group. Qualification-related costs, such as certificates and trademarks required by a category, usually arise before the store opens.
Order of estimation
First, choose the category. The category determines the annual-fee and deposit tiers as well as the commission rate, so do not stock products before deciding what you plan to sell.
Next, check the current year's official rules. Annual fees, deposits, and commission rates can all change, so rely on the platform's current seller-recruitment information rather than old experience posts.
Then leave a cash buffer. In addition to the costs above, inventory purchases, prepaid logistics costs, and refunds all tie up cash. Keep separate room for them rather than planning with the tightest possible estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Is the annual fee always refunded? No. Refunds are tied to that year's operating performance; if the required standard is not met, the fee is not returned. The exact criteria are subject to the platform's official rules.
When is the deposit returned? Usually after you exit the business and finish order settlement and after-sales handling, you can apply for a refund through the platform's process.
Can an individual open a store? The platform mainly recruits business entities. A common path for individual entrepreneurs is to complete business registration first and then join as a company entity.
Can multiple stores be opened at the same time? The platform has policy requirements for operating multiple stores, so confirm the current rules before proceeding. If you operate several stores at once, prepare an independent login environment and network exit for each store to reduce the risk that accounts are identified as associated because they share the same environment.
