What a small business website actually costs

One of the most common questions we get can also be one of the most challenging to answer: what does a website cost?

The unhelpful answer is “it depends.” Below we dive into the factors that drive site pricing and cover how to keep costs under control.

The difference between $500 and $5,000

The cost of development can vary significantly depending on your needs, requirements, the technologies used to build the site, and the approach that is taken.

Sites developed for a few hundred dollars are either templated designs or largely generated by AI. These can be built with your logo, brand color, and photos, and present a clean, sharp image. For many businesses, this is all that you need - a professional web presence.

The price escalates as you introduce significant additional customization. If you have strong preferences for the design, or are looking for something bespoke, the price will be higher. We deliver in the $1,000 to $3,000 range, but the true amount will depend on your requirements. If you’re looking for us to develop a design or need copywriting services, add $1,000-$2,000, depending on the complexity of the site and the number of rounds of revisions we might need to make. Interactive functionality - particularly custom interactive functionality can add significantly to the price.

The cost can also vary significantly based on the development firm you partner with. Larger, full service agencies tend to have more overhead - they may employ account managers, have larger marketing budgets, and have significantly more staff on hand. The upside is a firm that can handle everything from web development to digital marketing to a paid ad strategy, but there is a cost premium that comes along with that convenience.

The five factors that drive cost

1. How customized the design is, and whether you need one. This is not necessarily how many pages, but the number of different layouts needed and how customized you would like the design to look. The development of a highly custom, bespoke design adds significant effort - but you get a beautiful, one of a kind site. If you’re looking for a sharp presentation, we can generate on-brand designs from templates and tools at low cost.

We can either provide design services, or refer you to some fantastic designers who can work with you to bring your vision to life. Having established branding and brand guidelines helps with the design process, but they are not a requirement.

One tip: one of the main differences between a generic-looking page and something more customized is having high quality photos of you and your business. If you’re looking for a design that stands out, strongly consider having at least some professional photos taken. We can also connect you with design and branding agencies that can help you coordinate this, including providing a specific shot list for photographers.

2. The Platform You Select. Where and how you build your site can significantly impact cost. The platform selection is a critical step in the development of your site, and should consider personal preferences (if applicable), the type of design you want, and the functionality of your site (Shopify is great for ecommerce, but offers much less functionality for content pages, for example). Building the same site on WordPress vs Wix can result in significantly different costs (and different levels of flexibility). Any developer can walk you through the pros and cons of different platforms once they understand your vision. Be sure to ask about how platform choice impacts not just development costs but ongoing hosting and maintenance costs.

3. Whether the content exists. Many times the most difficult part of creating a site isn’t the technical build but rather choosing what to say and how you’d like the site to look. Design, creative, and copy can go through multiple iterations before a final product is found. If you already have content, that saves copywriting costs, can help with site estimates, and reduces the risk of multiple revisions or changes while the site is under development.

4. Interactive Functionality. This falls into two categories - decorative interactive elements and interactive functionality that drive the core functions of your site, such as booking systems, member logins, and multi-language support. Both can be significant cost drivers. Client flexibility can be key here - many times, small tweaks can mean using an off-the-shelf solution rather than custom-coded functionality. If cost is a factor, be sure to discuss these trade-offs with your developer.

5. How many rounds of changes. Changes are the single biggest driver of projects exceeding their initial quote. If you have a strong vision for what you’re seeking, having a design developed before coding begins can result in significant savings. Use this time to truly get things right early in the process - it is significantly cheaper to change a design or mockup than having a developer rebuild a page multiple times to accommodate major changes. Consider getting both mobile and desktop designs developed, rather than just the latter. Once a site is launched, it is not set in stone - if cost is a factor, ask your developer how easy it will be to make content tweaks on your own after the site has launched.

What we tell people

We bill at $105/hr for actual time worked, so rather than a package price, but here’s a rough breakdown of

• A straightforward brochure site — five to eight pages, one or two layouts, your content supplied, no custom functionality. Between $300-$1,000.
• More complex custom designs — between $1,000 and $5,000 is typical, depending on your platform, and how much (if any) content is available upfront.
• Sites requiring interactive functionality — e-commerce, memberships, bookings, complex integrations can vary significantly by level of effort. These sites usually start around $1,000, but can cost significantly more. It’s typically best to understand your vision before quoting a specific number.

We will give you an estimate before starting and tell you if it is tracking over while there is still time to make a decision. Fixed-price quotes are available where the scope is well defined, though they usually cost the client more, because a fixed price has to include a margin for risk that hourly does not.

We know that many other developers offer fixed price offerings. A word of caution: if your scope is well defined, your content is ready, and you’re not planning on making a lot of changes (small details aren’t a huge concern), then this may be a good deal. However, we’ve taken over development projects for many clients who started with a fixed price developer who became less and less responsive as the project dragged on, before the client gave up and came to us to finish the work. We use an hourly model because it gives us significantly flexibility.

How to spend less without getting less

• Write your content first. Draft and organize text before development begins. This defines site structure clearly and avoids costly revisions mid-project and also helps with accurate, upfront estimates.
• Standardize Page Components: Reuse functional layouts across multiple pages rather than requesting unique designs for every section.
• Be conscious of changes. They are the single biggest contributor to cost overruns.
• Ask questions upfront. Spending time upfront with a developer to have a discussion about priorities, trade-offs, and opportunities for cost savings can pay for itself many times over.

The cost questions worth asking a developer

Simply asking for a quote is just a starting point - the better conversation to have is: “what would make this project cost more, and what would make it cost less?” There’s always tradeoffs that can raise and lower the cost of development - understanding what those are can help you make a more informed decision. Additionally, ask about ongoing costs - what will the site cost to host and maintain? What is the cost for content updates or additional pages - and are you, or someone in your business, able to do this without paying your developer?

If you would like a straight answer for your particular situation, just describe what you are trying to do. We’re always willing to work with clients to deliver within their budget - whatever it may be. There is no charge for an initial conversation and no pitch at the end of it. Regardless of whether you work with us, or choose another developer, keeping in mind the above factors is a great starting place to ensure your vision is delivered within your budget.