A question we get all the time is how much does it cost to build a website. The reality is the prices vary depending on what you want to achieve. In this article, we break down the general costs it takes to create a website and what ongoing maintenance costs. For this article, we are going to assume that the website is for a small business. Complex bespoke websites can cost substantially more.
Most of the sites we make for our small business clients cost between $3000 and $8000. We’ve also introduced a managed subscription website model, which has been very popular because there are no hefty upfront fees. This article explains the considerations that go into making a website. What you will find is that there is a considerable amount of time involved in making a quality website.
What Are The Components Of A Website
In this day and age, almost everyone understands what a website is, but not everyone realises the components that go into a website. Before we break down the costs of a website, it is important to understand the basic elements and terminology.
Domain Name
A domain is the address of your website and what people enter into the URL bar to find your website. For example, our website domain is kwkstudio.com.
Server/Hosting
Websites are hosted on a server. This is where the code for the website is stored. We often think of websites as digital things, but the server or website hosting is the physical place where your website code is located. The quality of your hosting can have a major impact on website performance and load time.
Registrar & DNS Settings
A registrar is where your domain is stored; in most cases, this will be where you purchased the domain from. You will need access to your domain because this is where you configure what is called your DNS setting. These settings are how you configure what the domain loads when someone enters it in the URL.
SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate is what enables the padlock icon in the top left of the browser’s URL bar. The purpose of an SSL certificate is to make sure there is a secure connection between your website and the server, so the information stays protected. In this day and age, an SSL certificate is also mandatory; without one, many web browsers won’t load your website.
What Determines The Cost Of A Website
The main factors that determine how much it costs to build a website are the number of pages, the required functionality, the amount of content copywriting required, and the graphic design/images required.
Number Of Pages On The Website
As you can appreciate, the more pages a website has, the longer it takes to create. The time it takes to build a 5-page website compared to a 30-page website is significant. But if you are on a budget, does this mean you should settle for a basic site? Not necessarily, having dedicated pages on your website for each of the services you offer could provide more value to visitors and increase conversion rate.
Functionality
A website’s cost will vary based on the complexity of the features and functions you require on your website. If custom logic needs to be developed to support your niche solution or you need integrations with third-party tools like CRMs, this can take extra time and increase the cost of your site.
Content/Copywriting
Setting up a server and then building a website is only part of the battle. Writing the content (or copy) to go on your website is an often overlooked step when it comes to creating a website. Although time-consuming to develop, excellent website copy be one of the key factors that impact whether site visitors convert or not. Depending on the relationship, you as a client might be able to write the content for your website to reduce the cost, but the trade-off is it takes a lot of time, and it might not be SEO or conversion optimised.
Graphics Design/Images
Another important aspect, when it comes to creating a website, is the visuals. This includes the look and feel, the photos, and the graphics used on the website. These either need to be created, purchased, or supplied. Chances are each you are going to want different images (and multiple images) on each page of the website, so again the more pages you have, the more work is involved.
Other Considerations
There are other aspects that go into creating a high-quality website like optimising the user experience, developing a strategy around the objectives of the website, planning the user journey, and the wireframing and concepting of layouts (if you are building from the ground up instead of using some sort of starting template). There is also additional time incurred when the team building your website needs to have calls and collaborate with you, the client.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Website
The price can vary based on the components covered above, but one way to break down the cost is to look at the number of pages you want on your website, the complexity of each page, and the hourly rate of the company building the website.
To help show the price range, we have a Low, Middle, and High range for each of the sections below.
Number Of Pages
At a minimum, most businesses will want a website that has the following pages:
- Home
- About Us
- Our Services
- Contact Us
However, it is common and often beneficial to have a page for each service offered and a blog.
Page Estimate:
- Low: 4 pages
- Middle: 15 pages
- High: 30+ pages
Complexity/Time To Create Each Page
This is a mix between feature functionality, tools being used to create the website, and the experience of the team creating the website. Also remember that there might be additional time required to collect your requirements, set up the server, and configure the domain’s DNS settings, and make updates based on feedback.
Average Amount Of Time To Create Each Page Of A Website:
- Low: 2 hours
- Middle: 5 hours
- High: 10+ hours
Hourly Rate
The hourly rate of the team creating your website can vary based on several factors, including experience. We understand that everyone has a budget and wants to get the best value for money, but we’d also recommend finding the balance between price and quality. Usually, great things aren’t cheap and cheap things aren’t great. Your website is an important representation of your business. Take the time to find someone you feel comfortable with. Chances are if you work with an experienced team, they can provide a higher quality solution that you will be happy with in less time than a low-quality team that is cheaper per hour, but takes longer to complete your site.
Range In Hourly Rates:
- Low: $90
- Medium: $140
- High: $175+
Website Build Cost Summary
The cost of a website can vary depending on your needs. We’d recommend having a conversation with the company developing your website to gain an understanding of the price based on your requirements.
Ongoing Website Maintenance Costs
A common misconception is that once a website is finished, there are no additional costs. However, there are monthly costs you should be aware of, and these can range based on a number of factors such as the quality and the provider.
Server Hosting Costs
Server quality has a significant impact on site performance and site performance impacts visitor conversion rates. If you are selecting your server hosting company, we’d recommend using a quality provider focused on website performance. Also keep in mind that a lot of hosting companies will offer a significant discount for the first year of service, so be sure to read the fine print, because they might cost you more in the long run. Finally, if you have a high traffic site, you will most likely have higher hosting costs to support all the volume.
Monthly Server Hosting Cost:
- Low: $5
- Medium: $30
- High: $50+
Updates & Security
It is essential to also factor in regular changes to security and features on your website. These keep your website safe, the information on your website secure, and increase the performance of your website performance.
Monthly Time To Update Site:
- Low: 1 hour
- Medium: 3 hours
- High: 5+ hours
Content Update & Miscellaneous.
As your business grows, you begin offering new services, and there are other changes to your business, you will need to reflect those on your website. This means regularly updating content and adding new pages to your website. The frequency you need to make updates to your site can vary. Still, because your website is the primary online destination people look at when finding information about your business, it is crucial to keep updated.
Average Monthly Time For Content Updates:
- Low: 1 hour
- Medium: 2.5 hours
- High: 5+ hours
Website Maintenance Cost Summary
Maintenance is a critical part to every website. Talk to your web development to gain a full understanding of all the costs associated with a website.
About KWK Studio
KWK Studio is your partner for all things digital. We can create an amazing website for your business using the traditional pricing model described above or through our Managed Everything Website plans. Learn more today.
