Storzu and Shop2Host are aimed at the same person: an Indian small business owner who wants a real online store for free and does not want a platform skimming every sale. Both have a free-forever plan and no per-order commission. The difference is what the free plan actually does: on Storzu, customers order on WhatsApp and pay into your own UPI from day one.
What does each free plan include?
The Shop2Host column is taken from Shop2Host's own pricing page as it read on 11 October 2026. Plans change, so check it on the day you decide.
| On the free plan | Storzu Free forever | Shop2Host Free Forever |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹0, no card, no expiry | ₹0, no card |
| Catalog | 10 products or services, 100 orders a month | 10 products |
| Customers order on WhatsApp | Yes — the order arrives on your WhatsApp, sent from the customer's phone | Not listed |
| UPI payments | Direct to your own UPI ID or QR, no gateway account | S2H Pay, Shop2Host's built-in UPI |
| Cash on delivery | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp order updates | One tap from the order sends the customer an update on WhatsApp | WhatsApp order alerts are on Pro (₹690/month) |
| Store app for your customers | Yes — customers install your store on their phone like an app and get order updates as notifications | Not listed |
| GST invoices | Yes — Tax Invoice or Bill of Supply as PDF | Not listed |
| Offers and discounts | Automatic offers such as Buy X Get Y, plus reviews and wishlist | Discount coupons are on Pro (₹690/month) |
| Store designs | 10 of 24 complete store designs, tried on your own store first | Theme colours, fonts and layout |
| Services, appointments and menus | Built in | Product store only |
| Commission per order | 0% on every plan | No transaction fees, per Shop2Host |
Storzu's Free forever plan is ₹0 — list up to 10 products or services, take 100 orders per month with COD or direct UPI, and pay no per-order commission. See the Storzu pricing page for the current caps.
Why WhatsApp orders and your own UPI matter on day one
Most small sellers in India already sell in WhatsApp chats and get paid by UPI. On Storzu the free store plugs straight into that: a customer picks products, taps to send the order on WhatsApp, and pays to your own UPI ID or QR. You check the UPI reference on the order and dispatch. No gateway account, no KYC wait, and the money never passes through Storzu. See how to sell on WhatsApp in India and accepting UPI payments with no commission.
What does each cost when you need more?
| First paid plan | Storzu Growth | Shop2Host Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | ₹199 a month | ₹690 a month |
| A full year | ₹1,999 a year — less than 3 months of Shop2Host Pro | ₹7,032 a year (₹586 a month billed yearly) |
| Custom domain and card payments | Yes — Razorpay, Stripe, PayPal or Cashfree on your own account | Yes — Razorpay |
| Courier shipping | Your own Shiprocket or NimbusPost account (with both, checkout uses the cheaper courier), plus same-day riders through Borzo and Shiprocket Quick | Shiprocket |
| Facebook, Instagram and Google selling | Catalog sync, ads with AI-written copy, Instagram Shop, free Google listings and Google Ads | Google Analytics and Meta Pixel |
A full year of Storzu Growth costs less than 3 months of Shop2Host Pro. Courier, rider and ad charges are billed by Shiprocket, NimbusPost, Borzo, Meta or Google to your own account on Storzu, and Storzu takes no cut of them.
Where else do they differ?
Shop2Host is a focused ecommerce builder: a product catalog with checkout, done simply. That focus suits a seller of physical goods who plans to move to its Pro plan for shipping.
Storzu is a business platform that happens to include a product store. Choose your business type and it builds the matching storefront and workflow: services and quotations, appointment and consultation booking with double-booking prevention, restaurant menus with dine-in, takeaway and delivery, property enquiries, and stay bookings — all from one dashboard, alongside orders, inventory, returns, GST invoices and staff accounts. If your business is more than a catalog, this is the deciding factor.
How does shipping work on Storzu?
Storzu connects your own Shiprocket or NimbusPost account (or both, and checkout prices the cheaper courier): checkout checks the buyer's PIN code, prices the cheapest serviceable courier and confirms whether COD is available there; one tap on an order creates the shipment, AWB, label and pickup request; and tracking updates arrive on their own, moving the order to Shipped at the first courier scan. For nearby buyers you can switch on same-day riders through Borzo or Shiprocket Quick. See the shipping partners you can connect and same-day delivery for online stores.
Does either build the catalog for you?
Storzu builds your catalog from product photos using AI, includes an AI product-photo studio and, for fashion, AI virtual try-on — so getting a listing live is faster than typing every field by hand. Storefronts also render in English plus 8 Indian languages, which matters when your customers do not shop in English. See building a store in Indian languages and AI product photography.
Which one should you choose?
- Pick Storzu if you want customers to order on WhatsApp and pay into your own UPI on the free plan, GST invoices and offers without upgrading, or a site that also takes bookings, menus, services or rentals.
- Pick Shop2Host if you want a simple product-only shop and plan to move to its Pro plan for shipping and WhatsApp alerts.
See the full guide to free store builders in India, compare plans on the pricing page, or start free on Storzu →