How much does a website cost?
we’re sorry there’s no easy answer
The cost of a website
The most common question we get is: “How much will it cost to build us a web site?”
There is no easy answer to that question. Here’s why:
The amount of time and attention to detail that goes into a website is strongly influenced by how much time and energy you (the client) is prepared to put into the project as well as your budget.
The list below shows some of the steps we go through when designing a site.
The different phases of website design (simplified):
- Planning Phase
- Design Phase (graphic design)
- Development Phase (converting the design into a webpage)
- Adding Content
- Reviewing & Testing
- Launch
The typical first website for a small business has pages such as home, about, products or services with an image gallery and a contact page. It gets more complicated when we introduce further site functionality and using a content management system for a website.
Cheapest Option
In the cheapest scenario, we use a pre-defined template. These are carefully crafted websites but with limited functionalities. If you are on a tight budget this approach can work very well. But, if we have to modify the template too much to fit your content you might end up exceeding your budget. These ready-made templates are not suitable when extensive customizations are required.
The cost: $199.
Most Common
Getting a custom design, as opposed to using a template, gives you more flexibility in choosing options and functionalities. This results in a website that perfectly fits your business and the services you want to display. We can include several modules, e.g. events, social media integration, memberships, interactive maps, and more.
The cost: between $299 and $799.
More Expensive
The more features and functions you want, the higher the cost will be. For example, an eCommerce website will have higher development costs than an informational website. The same goes for other more complex functionality needs. But you can be sure that your investment in time will pay off.
The cost: from $799.
Would you like to start a project with us?
First of all, we would like to know more about your business, service or organization. The fastest way to get the ball rolling is by filling in our form for a Free Web Design Quotation.
How much should you spend?
A website is much more than a piece of marketing. A website can provide customer support, expand your market reach, extend business hours, improve time management, find new talent, generate leads, reduce your cost of sale, and more.
Realistic budget
Think carefully about what a website can be: a valuable business tool! Treat it as such by realistically investing in it. Determine how much you can realistically spend and put a large emphasis on finding the right designer.
Here’s a tip: create two lists of functions you want on your website. One is a list of ‘must have’ features, the other one lists ‘nice to have’. That way you can better decide on your final budget.
Invest time
Important for any website: you should invest time to gather or write sufficient content and supply images/graphics/logos. It is difficult for a web designer to collate and organise content into a website with only a few paragraphs of text in a word document.
Win or lose?
And finally: when you ask how much it costs to design your website, you might also want to ask yourself, how much will your business lose if you don’t have a website or an outdated website?
An outdated website could be costing you sales and leads. You may not realize how many potential customers are turned off by unappealing graphics, confusing navigation and slow page loads.
