Having a well-designed and high-performing custom website is the foundation for every successful business today. However, it is often tricky for business owners to get a grasp on all the technical terms and concepts that define the web design cost. Also, the total value of a website design is often more than just the cost of production. That’s why our digital marketing agency has put together the website design cost calculator.
Imagine having a roadmap at your disposal that could give you an accurate estimate of your custom website cost without having to dig through countless blogs and articles. That’s exactly what our website cost calculator does. We’ll break down each cost component in an easy-to-understand way, giving you a clear starting point for your website design budget.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the various factors influencing website design costs, help you understand why some websites cost more than others, and how different design elements can impact the total cost. Both enterprises looking to upgrade their existing site design and small business owners starting from scratch can benefit from reading this article.
So, if you’re eager to demystify the costs behind creating a professional website, keep reading.
Table of Contents:
- The scope of your website project
- Website size and the level of design
- Website Platform
- The amount of content and the number of web pages
- The cost and benefit of a website strategy
- Website features
- The level of database integration
- Domain Name
- Web Hosting
- Prices based on choosing who designs your website
- Website maintenance
- Get a custom website quote
The scope of your website project
Before we start dealing with the numbers, we need to develop a rough sketch of your website regarding stuff like size, complexity, and functionality, among other things. For starters, we should figure out who the website is for and what it aims to accomplish. That often includes multiple people, as websites tend to serve multiple audiences.
The easiest example would be a company website that is talking to customers and looking to attract new employees. Add some investors as stakeholders to the mix, and now you are solving multiple business challenges simultaneously.
There are various degrees and levels of website projects out there. Of course, a single landing page design won’t be as expensive as an eCommerce website with hundreds of product pages and, at the minimum 20-page layouts. Just like every business has its own unique demands, so does every business website.
We have a detailed process that we named “Seeking Alpha” when we are learning what the best way to define a logo is. Here are some of the topics we think about when we are starting the “Seeking Alpha” process of website design:
- What is your future website’s primary goal?
- Why do you need a website?
- In which way will your customers use the website?
- What would your clients expect to find on your website?
- Which functionalities would your website require?
Answering these questions will help you and an agency you contact for web design services to better understand your website’s scope. Moving on with our website cost calculator, let’s explore the main factors influencing web design costs.
Website size and the level of design
Your individual business needs will determine the degree to which you plan to emphasize streamlining the user experience. Although premium websites provide a higher level of interactivity and, therefore, a more engaging user experience, a more simplistic approach can sometimes also do the trick. That’s why the level of design is one of the deciding factors in our website design cost calculator.
As you may have expected, smaller websites that don’t contain anything other than basic functionalities require less time and effort to create and therefore take less to fund. The costs increase along with the number of pages, the diversity of design templates, and the amount of content, including copy and media. You’ll find those elements included in every website design cost calculator.
A basic website design may satisfy small to mid-sized companies requiring a refined online presentation. That usually includes:
- Homepage design
- Products or services page
- About page
- Contact page
- Blog pages
- Landing page design
The estimated price of such a basic website design can go anywhere from $1,0000 and more, depending on website requirements and the number of web pages you need. It usually revolves around $2,0000 to $3,0000.
Large companies with more budget for website creation usually request a more comprehensive and customized design. The cost of a standard website design that offers a more streamlined user experience usually ranges from $10,000 to $50,000.
The premium website design that sets you apart from your competitors costs between $50,000 and $100,000, while for a world-class, enterprise website design, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100,000 to $250,000.
Additional services, such as logo design, can cost from $2 to $10,000 and more, depending on who you’re working with.
Website Platform
One of the most significant factors that tailor the price of your website is the underlying platform. There are various platforms to choose from, so your choice largely depends on your needs and your budget, of course. Each platform is different in terms of functionality and price.
Smaller businesses tend to opt for templates and basic no-code platforms and website builders such as Wix or Squarespace. Plans on Squarespace cost between $16 and $49 per month, while Wix charges between $4.5 and $39 per month, depending on the plan you sign up for.
While Wix also offers a free plan, it requires you to use their subdomain, which is a good deal for personal websites, but we wouldn’t recommend it for a company website.
It might also be worth exploring the world of AI website design, but we don’t recommend fully relying on this new technology just yet if you’re a business owner.
You may also choose to purchase a template or theme-based website built on open-source content management systems. These offer pre-existing layouts and not more than basic functionalities. Some are free, while others cost around $20 to as much as $100. However, you would still need a developer to make edits.
WordPress, along with themes such as the Sage WordPress theme, is the most popular website creation platform. Depending on your business needs, the costs of websites built on WordPress widely vary, ranging between $3,000 and over $50,000 for a world-class custom WordPress theme.
If you plan to run an eCommerce store, you’ll need to choose a platform that supports such functionality. There are multiple eCommerce platforms out there, with the most popular being:
- WooCommerce (from $4 to $5,000 per month)
- Shopify (from $81.50 to $2041.25 per month)
- Magento ( from free to $22,000 per month)
There’s a popular WooCommerce vs Shopify debate, but which platform is better heavily depends on your unique needs and preferences.
The amount of content and the number of web pages
Another element of our website design cost calculator is the amount of content and the number of pages you wish to feature on your website.
Websites with a number of pages between 1 and 10 will cost you anywhere from $1,000 on the low end to $2,000 on the high end.
It’s essential to remember that content isn’t just about the written word; it’s about engaging visuals, too. Every captivating image or thought-provoking infographic adds a stroke of color to your website’s canvas. But the amount of content you wish to include adds to the price. You can expect to pay approximately $10 per stock image and an additional $150 per text page.
Besides the initial content creation prices, you’ll need to dedicate a portion of your budget to regular website updates. Content management systems (CMS) allow companies and individuals to update their content without technical programming knowledge. However, the type of content management system you opt for adds to the total price. A standard CMS will set you back around $2,000 to $4,000, while a full CMS development price ranges between $10,000 and $25,000.
The cost and benefit of a website strategy
A strategic website isn’t just a pretty digital face; it’s a powerful business tool. It’s a place where leads convert, relationships build, and sales happen. It’s why investing in a robust website strategy makes sense.
And where does it all start? With project planning. It will take you a minimum of 30 hours to set the stage. It includes the discovery phase, where you conduct web design market research and discuss your goals with professionals. Then the project moves on to crafting wireframes and a sleek UX design. This stage is detailed, but it’s worth it.
Next up is the development of the actual website strategy. This needs at least 10 hours, depending on your project size. Here’s what it includes:
- User research – a deep dive into understanding your audience’s needs.
- Content strategy – planning how to make your messages appeal to your ideal customers.
- Conversion strategy – planning how to lead users down a path that ends with them taking the action you desire.
To gain a better sense of all the things you need to consider during the design project, take a look at our detailed website planning guide. Remember, a strategic web design will boost your chances of succeeding in today’s competitive digital landscape.
Website features
When using a website design cost calculator, the type of features you want your website to support is another thing to account for. Features like analytics and live chat usually cost around $100 each.
On the other hand, things like web forms, image galleries, video galleries, event schedules, or social media integrations each add around $250 to the final price, while adding a blog usually requires an additional $500.
And if you plan on building an online store, you must consider eCommerce marketplace features when using a website cost calculator. For example, in order to accept online payments, you’ll need to integrate a payment gateway. This is a software application that securely transmits transaction information between your website and the payment processor. It allows you to offer customers a range of payment options, which is key to a successful checkout page design. You’ll also need an order management system, shopping carts, personalized suggestions, coupons and discounts, and more. Price for such functionalities can range from less than $2,000 for small websites up to $20,000-$100,000 for large eCommerce platforms with one-in-a-kind features. Please notice that we’re talking about custom development here.
An estimate for integrating search tools into your website is around $1,500. For functionality such as profiles and member logins, you can expect to pay up to $2,000.
Including SEO features in your website will provide a better ranking in search engines. However, this also comes with a price tag. On-page SEO for 30 keywords will cost you around $2,000 to $4,000. If you wish to optimize your website for 150 keywords, the price ranges from $6,000 up to as high as $10,000.
With 60% of website traffic coming from mobile platforms, not making your website mobile-friendly will have a significant negative impact on your ROI. Therefore, mobile-first web design is a must for every business website, and it adds an extra $3,000 to the price.
The level of database integration
Information-heavy sites usually include database integration features providing both customers and company employees access to data about relevant topics. This feature also allows websites to store user data, which is crucial for planning future UX designs.
- Basic database integration usually costs between $2,000 and $4,000. That includes a standard username and password storage and can be useful for small quantities of downloadable files, directories, and various simple data. Even these basic functionalities will make your website more user-friendly and trustworthy.
- Advanced database integration offers a range of options, such as storing more info, adding secure pages with multiple levels of access, tracking eCommerce shopping carts, housing a CMS, etc. The price for this level of integration is anywhere between $4,000 and $10,000.
- Full development database integration, ranging between $10,000 and $25,000, is most often featured on websites of large companies aiming to grow further. These databases are entirely connected with high-level and high-speed functionality and allow businesses to access and secure vast amounts of data.
Domain Name
Choosing the perfect domain name is a crucial step in every website project. This unique web address becomes the online home of your brand, whether it’s a small business or a large enterprise website. But how much does it actually cost? Let’s check our website pricing calculator.
The cost ranges for a domain name can start from as low as $10 to $30 per year. That’s for a fresh, newly-minted domain name. However, you should be aware of another category of domain names – premium domains.
Premium domains are like prime real estate in the online world. They might have common keywords, short names, or brandable words. They are often already owned by companies or individuals who bought them early on or just had a lucky guess. These can cost significantly more, starting from $100 to even reaching thousands.
Remember, though, domain names should always be a relatively cheap part of your website design budget. There’s no need to break the bank on an expensive domain unless it’s absolutely crucial to your brand. Instead, focus your resources on the design and functionality of your website – these are the aspects that truly drive user experience and conversions.
Just like with any subscription, remember that owning a domain isn’t a one-time cost. You have to renew your domain name every year unless you register it upfront for a longer period. Whether it’s a new domain or a premium one, these annual fees are a recurring part of being a website owner.
Web Hosting
Web hosting is the backbone of your website, making it accessible to people around the world. The type of web hosting you select can significantly influence the performance and reliability of your site and, therefore, your user experience. But with various hosting options available, the costs can also differ significantly. Let’s explore the cost ranges for different types of hosting web services.
Starting at the lower end, shared hosting typically costs between $5 and $20 per month. This is an affordable option where multiple websites share the resources of a single server. While it can keep your custom website cost down, it may not offer the speed or resources a high-traffic site requires.
VPS hosting is the next step up, offering more resources by virtually dividing a single server into multiple private servers. VPS hosting generally costs between $30 and $90 per month. It’s a good option for websites that need more control but aren’t quite ready for a dedicated server.
Dedicated server hosting is the premium option, providing you with a server all to yourself. This type of hosting is typically used by large websites with high traffic levels and specific website design requirements. The costs for dedicated server hosting usually range from $200 to $500 per month.
Cloud hosting is another option that is becoming increasingly popular. The costs for cloud hosting can vary widely, so you’ll need to contact providers for a specific quote. This option is scalable, flexible, and great for sites with fluctuating traffic.
Managed hosting can range from $70 to $2000+ per month. Here, the hosting provider not only provides space but also takes care of all technical aspects. This includes security, speed, WordPress updates, daily backups, website uptime, and scalability. Managed hosting is an excellent option if you want to focus more on your business and less on web services.
Lastly, you may also consider adding a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to your hosting setup. This will help speed up the delivery of content to users worldwide and costs anywhere from free to $200 per month.
Prices based on choosing who designs your website
Choosing a web designer or a team of web designers also largely impacts the final price of your website. While hiring a web design agency will cost you more, opting for a freelancer at suspiciously low rates might not provide the results you were expecting.
Since your budget most likely limits you, your best chance is to shop around and weigh your options. However, bear in mind that having a low budget doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll end up with a low-quality web design, just as hiring the most luxurious web design company won’t always provide the website you are satisfied with.
With that in mind, let’s explore your options.
Freelancer
The benefits bundled with lower prices gravitate startups and small companies toward individual freelancers. Freelancers are generally self-made web designers whose level of expertise is hard to assess until you actually work with them. Although they are generally creative and not limited by company restraints, they’ll only stick with you until your contract expires. Time commitment varies drastically from one freelancer to another, and some may even fail to meet the promised standards. Also, since they often work on multiple projects simultaneously, you can’t expect them to maintain your website. Once they deliver the product, they’ll move to the next project.
The hourly rate for freelancers is usually between $10 and $100.
Specialized web design agencies
Web design agencies usually charge more per hour than the previous two options. The main reason for this is that they provide an entire team of professionals that takes care of everything from web design and development to copywriting, marketing, and SEO. Also, agencies like ours follow a design QA checklist. Comprehensive quality assurance testing helps ensure that everything is in perfect order before your website goes live.
The price varies based on the team size, the level of the agency, the extent of services, and other factors. The most significant benefit here is the specialized experience and professional outcome that web design agencies deliver. All you need to do is provide the initial guidance about your website needs and expectations and let the agency take it from there. There is almost no risk of failure since professional agencies will leave no stone unturned to provide a customized individual approach and top-tier product.
Web design agencies charge between $1,000 and $150,000, depending on the size of the project.
Website maintenance
Whether you own a personal blog, a professional business website, or a fully functional e-Commerce platform, consistent website maintenance is key to ensuring optimal performance and security.
- For personal websites, maintenance costs are relatively minimal, ranging from $5-$10 per month.
- If you have a professional blog, expect your monthly costs to fall between $25 and $75.
- Small business owners with more elaborate websites should anticipate monthly maintenance costs from $35 to $500
- Corporate websites can rack up costs anywhere between $200 to $4,500 per month.
- E-commerce websites, which demand intensive updates, security measures, and customer support, can witness maintenance costs from $750 to $5,000 per month.
These costs largely depend on your website’s size and its overall functionality. A more complex site design or a larger website design project can increase maintenance costs due to the additional time and resources required to manage and update these platforms. But there are also some unavoidable costs for all website owners, such as an SSL certificate which is essential for security.
Keeping track of these costs is an integral part of being a responsible website design strategist. It will keep your website running smoothly and provide the best possible experience to visitors. An effective website is usually a well-maintained one.
Get a custom website quote
The website design cost is not clear cut but rather a sum of various small charges. The scope of your website and the team you hire are the main variables that determine the final cost. Always keep in mind that your website is one of the most valuable business assets you own. The portion of the budget you allocate for web design is not simply money spent. It is an investment that grows to yield so much more if placed in the right hands. Ensure that you get informed about what and how much you should pay with the help of our website design cost calculator.
Also, feel free to schedule a call with our web design experts to get a custom website quote.
