This is like asking how much it costs to buy a car–it depends.
Is the car new or used? What features does it come with? Who makes it, and what type of car is it (sedan, coupe, SUV)?
Similarly, the cost of building a website can vary depending on the size and complexity of the project.
Here are some of the different factors that contribute to the total cost.
Type of website and number of pages
At the far end of the spectrum, a database website with upwards of 2,000 pages will cost the most (anywhere from $6,000-$75,000).
If you’re looking to build an ecommerce website with 100-1,000 products, you can expect to pay around $5,000-$55,000 depending on how many products you have and which bells and whistles you want.
Large business websites with 25-75 pages are one of the least expensive options, costing around $10,000-$35,000.
A small business website consisting of 16 pages or less is typically the cheapest option, running anywhere from $2,000-$9,000.
Developer
Whether you choose to do it yourself, or outsource the project to a freelancer or an agency, arguably the biggest determining factor of price when building a website is who you choose to develop it.
Of course, it will be cheaper to do it for yourself. All you’ll need to pay for is the basic expenses of setting up and hosting the site (e.g., domain name, SSL certificate, theme, plugins, etc.)–no labor or other fees. But this option is not sustainable for large projects and requires extensive knowledge of web development.
Hiring a freelancer or an agency will be more expensive, but you truly get what you pay for in this industry. Not to mention, you’ll save months of time by trusting it to the professionals. Some agencies, like Bizzuka, also offer all-in-one packages that include marketing and SEO services in addition to web development.
Hosting platform and domain name
There are a few different options available when it comes to website hosting. Shared hosting, for example, is the best option for businesses that aren’t planning on using their website to generate revenue.
Dedicated server hosting, on the other hand, is best for businesses that operate strictly online. It will help you manage high traffic without server downtime and grant you access to advanced security features.
Virtual private server (VPS) hosting offers features of both, allowing you to control and customize some things, but is not meant for websites that will experience high traffic.
The top three website hosting platforms available are:
WordPress
The cost of WordPress as a CMS is free, and plugins and themes range from $0-$250. This is a great choice for small businesses and is the most popular hosting platform available.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is also free to get started, with plugins and themes ranging in similar prices to WordPress. It’s best for small e-commerce stores and is used on millions of websites.
Wix
Wix, like WordPress and WooCommerce, is also free. Apps cost between $3-$15 per month, and templates are free on this CMS. It’s most commonly used for small business and startup websites.
The upfront cost of a domain name can be anywhere from $1 to millions, depending on the name you’re looking for. You can expect to spend about $10-$15 per year to keep this name.
Functionality
This is where things can really start to add up. The functionality of your website will largely depend on which plugins or themes you choose for your project.
For example, if you want custom programming, you can expect to spend a lot more than you would on a cookie cutter site. Adding things like membership portals may cost you anywhere from $89-$399 depending on the type of license you’re getting and the features you want.
A fully custom ecommerce site with customer portals, order fulfillment, payment processing, and multiple delivery options can easily surpass $2,000. If you want to add subscription services, you can expect to tack on around $50 per month.
Maintenance, support, and security
These factors are often forgotten about when drafting a website budget, but they’re critical in the long term. How much you’ll spend on these three things every year also depends on the size and complexity of your website.
A site with a few pages won’t need as much maintenance or security as one with dozens (or hundreds) of pages. As a result, a small business website will cost less per year to maintain than a larger ecommerce site.
So, how much does building a website cost? There are many factors that contribute to the price tag. The best way to get an accurate estimate is to reach out to a web development agency and discuss your project in detail.
At Bizzuka, we offer all-in-one packages that include everything from hosting, to website design, development, maintenance, support, security, marketing, and more. Contact us today for a free consultation!