How Much Should a Business Website Cost?
Actual numbers, not marketing fluff
Businesses ask us about website costs constantly. The honest answer: anywhere from $3,000 to $150,000+. That range is unhelpful until you understand what drives the difference and where your business fits.
The Three Tiers of Business Websites
Tier 1: Template-Based ($3,000-$8,000) - Pre-designed WordPress or Squarespace template - 5-10 pages of content - Basic SEO setup - Contact form - Timeline: 2-4 weeks
Best for: Startups validating ideas, local service businesses, simple portfolios.
Tier 2: Custom Design ($15,000-$40,000) - Original design tailored to your brand - 10-25 pages - CMS for content management - Basic integrations (forms, analytics, CRM) - Timeline: 6-10 weeks
Best for: Established businesses, B2B companies, brands prioritizing differentiation.
Tier 3: Custom Build ($50,000-$150,000+) - Full custom development - Complex functionality (user accounts, dashboards, payments) - Enterprise integrations - Performance optimization - Timeline: 12-20+ weeks
Best for: SaaS companies, marketplaces, businesses where the website IS the product.
What Drives Cost Variations
Pages and complexity: Each unique page design costs $500-$2,000. Landing pages with conversion optimization cost more than informational pages.
Functionality: Contact forms are cheap. User authentication, search, filtering, payments—each adds $3,000-$15,000.
Integrations: Connecting to your CRM, marketing tools, or inventory system requires custom development. Budget $2,000-$10,000 per integration.
Content creation: Copywriting runs $100-$500 per page. Photography or custom graphics add $2,000-$10,000.
Agency vs freelancer: Agencies charge 40-60% more but provide project management, quality assurance, and accountability.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions
Hosting: $20-$500/month depending on traffic and performance needs. This is ongoing forever.
Maintenance: Budget 15-20% of build cost annually for updates, security patches, and small improvements.
SSL certificates: Usually included, but some hosts charge $50-$200/year.
Domain registration: $12-$50/year for .com. Premium domains cost thousands.
Email: Professional email through Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 runs $6-$20/user/month.
Analytics and tools: Google Analytics is free. Advanced tools like Hotjar, SEMrush, or marketing automation add $50-$500/month.
Year 1 total: Add 25-40% to your build quote for first-year hidden costs.
Red Flags in Quotes
Unusually low pricing: A $2,000 custom website quote means templates, offshore work, or corners cut somewhere.
No line items: Legitimate providers break down exactly what you're getting. Vague quotes hide surprises.
Unlimited revisions: There's no such thing. Unlimited usually means "we'll make you hate asking for changes."
No maintenance discussion: Anyone who doesn't mention ongoing costs is setting you up for unpleasant surprises.
Ownership ambiguity: Clarify who owns the design files, code, and content. Some agencies hold these hostage.
How to Get Better Value
Define requirements clearly: Vague briefs lead to scope creep and cost overruns. Document exactly what you need.
Prioritize ruthlessly: Not everything needs to launch on day one. Start with essentials, add features later.
Consider fixed-price sprints: Instead of open-ended projects, buy specific deliverables with clear timelines.
Invest in content: Beautiful design means nothing without compelling copy. Budget for professional writing.
Plan for maintenance: Choose a provider who offers ongoing support. Orphaned websites become liabilities.
FRAMEWORK
Website Budget Calculator
Base Design + Development
Template: $3-8K | Custom: $15-40K | Complex: $50K+
Content Creation
Add $100-500 per page for professional copy
Functionality Add-ons
Forms: included | CMS: $2-5K | Integrations: $2-10K each
Year 1 Hidden Costs
Add 25-40% for hosting, maintenance, tools
Annual Maintenance
Budget 15-20% of build cost per year
MORE INSIGHTS
Related reading.
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