There are a total of 1.09 billion websites currently (2024) online in the digital world we call the internet, with almost 252,000 websites being added to that number every day, showing the impact of websites in this digital era.
As a small business that might be starting its journey in the business industry, the first thing that might have come to your mind about making a digital appearance would be to make a website, immediately followed by “How much will it cost me?”
The thing is, because every website is unique in one way or another, the prices can vary depending on what you need or want to share. So, to make it easier for you to understand, we have broken the process down into chunks that will help you understand–what you can expect and where you should spend your money.
What Affects the Cost of Your Website?
Type Of Website
It might come as a shock to you, but not all websites are created equally. A website that is specifically made to share your stories as blogs or share information about your brand will cost less than a full-fledged eCommerce website with hundreds of products.
Designs and Customizations
You can easily find pre-made website templates that can be somewhat unique depending on the type of your website to help you cut costs unless you want an actual unique design that is specifically tailored towards you or your brand, which will cost you more money and time.
Features and Functionality
The more you make your website, sing and whistle, the higher your cost will be–complicated systems (booking tools, payment system, etc) can take a lot of time and resources to develop and maintain.
Platform or CMS
You can save a lot of money on your website development if you use the services of platforms like WordPress or Shopify, compared to actually creating a fully customised website built from scratch.
However, it does come with the additional benefit of being more flexible and customisable.
Who You Hire
Probably the biggest role in the cost of your website is played by the services you choose to make your website. A freelancer might charge you less than a web development agency, while an agency might offer you additional benefits like SEO and other marketing tools.
Typical Cost Of A Website
Below, we have done a quick breakdown of the average cost you can expect for your website based on the type and complexity.
| Website Type | Cost Estimate | Time to Build | Examples |
| Personal Portfolio | $500–$2,000 | 1–2 weeks | Freelancers, photographers |
| Small Business | $2,000–$10,000 | 3–6 weeks | Local businesses, consultants |
| eCommerce Store | $5,000–$50,000+ | 4–12 weeks | Online shops, retail brands |
| Custom Web Application | $20,000–$100,000+ | 3–6 months | Marketplaces, SaaS platforms |
Ongoing Costs
Just building a website isn’t enough to make your online presence–there are also some ongoing expenses that aid in making sure that your website runs smoothly without any hitch.
| Hosting | $5 to $50 per month, this will help your website become available online. |
| Domain Name | $10 to $30 per year, it helps in making a personalised URL like example.com or example.net. |
| Maintenance | $100 to $500 per month to keep your website updated and secure. |
| SEO & Marketing | $500 to $5,000 per month, usually for businesses that want to attract visitors and rank higher in search engines. |
To Sum It Up
When making your website, you will need to keep in mind that these can cost you anywhere from a few hundred bucks to tens of thousands of dollars–depending on your needs and wants.
You just have to make sure that you align your budget with your goals–so make sure you keep in mind that a well-built website is an investment that keeps on giving when done right.