The journal
All audits
Every entry in the books, newest first — platform audits, fee comparisons and store math. When a platform moves its prices, the entry gets re-posted.
How to Launch an Online Store in a Weekend (Really)
A priced, hour-by-hour weekend plan: platform picked Saturday morning, payments by dinner, test order Sunday. No apps, no custom themes, no perfection.
— guide№009Aug 9, 2026Shopify vs WooCommerce (2026): Fees vs Freedom
WooCommerce undercuts Shopify $85 to $99 on our standard $2,000 month — then bills you in maintenance hours. We audit both ledgers, including the one nobody prints.
BAL 9.3/10№008Aug 3, 2026Shopify vs Square Online (2026): $29 vs Free, Priced Out
Square's free plan and Shopify's $29 Basic are answering different accounting questions. We work the crossover — $7,250 a month — and say who belongs on each side of it.
BAL 9.3/10№007Jul 29, 2026Shopify vs Wix (2026): The Store-Math Showdown
Shopify Basic and Wix Core both cost $29 and print identical $99.00 receipts on a $2,000 month. The audit is about what happens after — checkout, apps, ceilings, and the exit clauses.
BAL 9.3/10№006Jul 25, 2026Squarespace Commerce Review 2026: Beautiful, With a Fee Catch
The prettiest storefronts in the business, audited after the July 2026 price rise: the 2%–7% platform-fee ladder, per-plan processing, and why Core at $29 beats Basic for any store past $500 a month.
BAL 8.1/10№005Jul 21, 2026Square Online for Stores: The Fees-First Audit (2026)
The only true $0-monthly store left, priced honestly: the free plan's new 3.3% + $0.30 online rate, the $49 Plus tier, and the exact volumes where free stops being the cheap answer.
BAL 7.4/10№004Jul 17, 2026Wix eCommerce Review 2026: The $29 Store, Audited
The storefront side of Wix, priced line by line: the $29 Core plan, Wix Payments at 2.9% + $0.30, a genuine 0% platform commission, and the ceilings that matter past mid five figures.
BAL 8.4/10№003Jul 13, 2026Is Shopify Worth It in 2026? The Cost-Benefit Ledger
Costs on the left page, benefits on the right: plan, processing, apps, and themes weighed against checkout conversion, the ecosystem, and POS. The break-even line lands near $300 a month in sales.
BAL 9.3/10№002Jul 9, 2026Transaction Fees Compared Across 8 Store Builders (2026)
Every processing rate, fixed fee, and platform surcharge across eight store builders, audited to the cent. On the same $50 order the spread runs $1.65 to $2.75.
— guide№001Jul 5, 2026Shopify Review 2026: The Audit
We audit Shopify line by line: the $29 Basic plan, per-plan processing rates, the third-party gateway surcharge, and the app stack nobody budgets for. All-in on a $2,000/month store: $99.00.
BAL 9.3/10