Now, I bet that's not the exact answer you wanted, but it's true—the cost varies depending on what you're looking for and what you want to achieve with your website.

We start by understanding your budget so we can recommend the best options immediately. If you have a smaller budget of $500-$1,000, a website builder is your best bet. For a larger budget with specific needs, hiring an agency is the most efficient decision.

To give you an accurate cost estimate, we need detail on your specific requirements. That's why we created our Cost Calculator Tool—it walks you through this process and provides a high-level estimate.

What can influence the cost of website design?

It firstly depends on what your goals are for the website.

A website builder is perfect if all you need is a simple site with basic functionality.

Then think about the features your website needs: contact forms, blogs, booking systems, e-commerce functionality, or location maps. These all influence time and cost.

Additionally, consider the site size and content volume. Think about whether you need copywriting services, as that adds to the cost too.

Next, decide between a bespoke site or a theme-based one. Bespoke sites are tailored to you and more expensive and time-consuming. Theme-based sites built with WordPress or builders are cheaper but may have limitations.

Consider whether you expect large traffic volumes. A startup might see hundreds of visitors, but an established company could see millions, requiring a professionally built website.

The key element determining website cost is who builds it.

DIY site builders are well priced and offer simple solutions. You can also hire freelancers or offshore developers with cheaper hourly rates.

For a high-quality, bespoke site, agencies and studios are best. They're more expensive but provide expertise and tailor-made solutions.

When building your website, there are extra costs to keep in mind that could impact your budget. Let's break them down.

SEO
If you want your site to show up in search results, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) or SEM (Search Engine Marketing) are essential. DIY SEO tools cost $50-$200 monthly. Professional SEO services range from $200-$700 monthly, with larger agencies charging $1,200-$1,500 depending on requirements.

Domain Names
Domain names cost $5-$30 yearly. Register for at least 2-3 years for SEO benefits—Google rewards longer registration periods. Premium domains cost $100+ but can be much more. For HTTPS, you'll need an SSL Certificate costing around $50 yearly.

Monthly Costs

• Hosting: Hosting costs range from free to $500 monthly. Efficient unmanaged hosting typically costs $10-$20 monthly, while premium managed services cost $200+.
• Plugins: High-end functionality plugins (like Shopify or WordPress) come with monthly fees.
• Newsletter systems: Services like Mailchimp require monthly subscriptions.
• Retainers and care packages: Budget for technical support and ongoing website updates if needed.
• Social media marketing: You may need someone to manage your social media accounts.

General Costs

• Branding: If you lack branding or logos, budget for this first—your website is built around your brand.
• Image/Video Licences: Stock images and licences range from $1-$250. Video licences cost $50+.
• Copywriting: Professional content writing adds to your budget if you can't do it yourself.
• Payment processing fees: PayPal charges 3% of all payments—crucial for e-commerce sites.

DIY Site Builders and Themes
These websites are self-hosted with monthly fees and pre-built using templates you customize. WordPress is an example—buy a theme with a layout, add your text and images, and you're done!

Perfect for startups, small businesses, or individuals needing basic online presence. These usually cost $15-$50 monthly including hosting. One-time theme purchases cost around $50-$200.

Custom Small Business Sites
For more polished, interactive, and unique websites, custom-built options are best. These require significant planning, design, and time, typically starting at $8,000. Depending on requirements, they can range from $8,000 to $30,000+.

On a tighter budget, freelancers can bring costs down to $500-$1,000, but remember—you get what you pay for.

E-Commerce
For selling online, you need an e-commerce website. Popular platforms include Shopify and WordPress with WooCommerce for customisation.

Choosing between theme-based and custom-built e-commerce depends on your budget:

• Theme-based e-commerce sites: Expect $1,500-$5,000 for professional setup with existing templates.
• Custom-built e-commerce sites: Pricing typically starts at $7,000-$8,000, up to $40,000-$50,000 depending on requirements.

Enterprise Level Websites
Enterprise websites are larger with higher traffic, requiring consideration for functionality, API integrations, multi-language support, and more.

Due to project complexity, working with a web design agency is the only realistic option.

• Minimum budget: $20,000-$25,000
• High-end budgets: Can go into hundreds of thousands depending on requirements and ongoing support.

Web Applications
Web applications are more than websites—they're fully functional tools for specific tasks. Airbnb is a great example, integrating payments, maps, and user accounts.

Web applications require extensive development and are often built in-house. If outsourced, budget a minimum of $25,000, with costs varying based on requirements.

Many individuals and businesses choose DIY for affordability. Popular options include Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, and IONOS, priced from $10-$40 monthly depending on features.

For e-commerce stores, Shopify or BigCommerce are best, ranging from $25-$500 monthly.

AI-powered builders like Hostinger, Framer, and 10Web generate sites based on your inputs. These often start with free trials before requiring $20-$200 monthly payments.

Things to Consider Before Choosing DIY:

• Time Investment: DIY websites are time-consuming. If you lack experience, hiring a professional helps.
• SEO Challenges: DIY website builders often underperform compared to custom-built sites on Google. While they offer SEO tools, ranking well may require hiring an SEO expert ($500-$1,000).
• Hidden Costs: DIY builders seem affordable initially but quickly add up with plugins, premium templates, and features to thousands over time.

Pros:

• Cost Effective: Your main investment is time plus subscription or theme cost, keeping startup costs low.
• Quick and Flexible: Make changes instantly without relying on anyone else.
• High-Quality Templates: Many stunning, professional, customisable templates are available.
• User-Friendly: Drag-and-drop functionality makes it really easy to use.

Cons:

• Time-Consuming: Building a website yourself, especially with no experience, takes tremendous time.
• Limited Customisation: Template-based builders have limitations. Without HTML/CSS coding knowledge, layout changes become impossible.
• SEO Challenges: Website builder-built sites are much harder to optimise for SEO due to rigid functionality.
• Lack of Ownership: You never own the website—you're renting the design despite attractive pricing.

Freelancers
Hiring a freelancer gets you a high quality website without agency fees. Hiring abroad may save even more. But consider these factors:

Pros:

• Good Value for Money: Find a good developer at reasonable cost and get quality websites affordably.
• Time-Saving: Hiring a freelancer greatly reduces your time—they do most work.
• Availability: Freelancers often start in hours.
• Flexibility/Responsiveness: They rely on your work and make real efforts. Direct access means faster response times.
• Personal Relationship: Handling different work aspects, one-on-one work builds strong relationships.

Cons:

• Communication Barriers: Freelancers abroad may have language and time zone challenges.
• Some Freelancers are Expensive: Boutique freelancer hourly rates can match or exceed agency costs.
• Availability: No guarantee they're available when needed. They take time off.
• Risk: You won't know freelancer quality until working together. Check portfolios first.

Agencies

Pros:

• Multi-Diverse Set of Skills: You get designers, developers, SEO specialists, and copywriters.
• Time-Saving for You: After initial discovery, involvement can be minimal—just sign off designs.
• High-Quality End Product: You're almost guaranteed a high quality website.
• Ongoing Support: Most agencies offer warranties or ongoing care plans after completion.
• Availability: Larger teams guarantee availability for deadlines.
• Reassurance: Agencies have security policies to protect your and clients' information.

Cons:

• Cost: The main disadvantage—they're expensive. Skilled specialists together cost more.
• Timescales: Turnaround times are longer as creating bespoke, high-quality products takes time.

With years of experience in website development, we confidently say that professional website design is best if your website matters to your business.

Why Choose Professional Website Design?

A well-designed website creates lasting value. Professional websites typically deliver 2.5x ROI on investment. For example, spending $10,000 on a bespoke, well-built website should return $20,000-$25,000 in marketing and engagement. This shows professional website design's clear advantage—creating something unique, brand-consistent, scalable, with better user experience and conversions.

When Might DIY or Freelancers Be a Good Fit?

DIY builders or freelancers work if you're heavily involved, have clear direction, know what you're doing, and are tech-savvy. These options could help bring your vision to life.

Our Recommendation

It completely depends on your situation, requirements, and needs. We highly recommend investing in professional website design to get the best website possible.

Interested in professional website design? Get in touch with us today, or use our cost calculator to get an estimated project cost.