How much should I pay to set up my website?

Do I have a recurring cost to keep up my website?

How many times do I hire maintenance for my website?

All in all, how much do I need to set aside to have a good functional website?

These are some of the most commonly asked questions in the web design field. However, the answer is more complicated than it looks, and here’s why:

1. The functionality and design of websites vary greatly. The kind of website you want makes a big difference.
2. The rate varies from agency to agency. An Orange County-based agency will charge you differently than an overseas provider. But even in Orange County, pricing can differ significantly.

Your needs will be the primary factor in determining what the price of your website will be. The pricing may seem very perplexing if you are unfamiliar with the web design sector.

Cheap website builders or freelancers may seem like the smartest choice to design your website if you’re focusing on low prices. But there are a series of problems with cheap website designs. Most businesses, therefore, choose a web design agency to design their website. 

This post will provide a rough figure of how much your web design project should cost should you hire an agency.

Step 1: Choosing the type of website you want

There are four categories under which we can group a business website:

(a) Simple, small business website:

A simple website will do if your business has just a few services or products you don’t intend to sell online. The site will serve as your online business card, where visitors can look at your services and learn more about your business. This kind of website is best suited for small, local businesses.

(b) Conversion-focused business website:

Suppose you plan on using the website to attract a steady stream of new business. In that case, you’ll need a polished website designed that converts visitors and one that effectively showcases your prior work. These websites are suitable for small service-focused businesses. 

(c) Basic e-commerce website:

If you want to sell your products or services online and accept payment on your website, you need an e-commerce site. An e-commerce site has various features that put it in a specific category of websites– product database, shopping cart functionality, payment gateway, and configuration of a shipping matrix.

(d) Custom feature-rich site:

If you run a sizable business, you might want to stand out from your competitors with a custom design and site-specific functionality. Depending on your business, your site may need to incorporate specialized plugins, enterprise-level database integration, or a cutting-edge web app.

This is obviously not a strict classification. However, after reading this, you can get an idea of the type of website that your business needs.

Step 2: Getting a domain name

If you don’t already have one, a domain name is the first thing you need for your website. A domain name is a text a user types into a browser window to reach a particular website. The cost of a domain varies widely. You should expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $50. Additionally, your domain subscription needs to be renewed annually.

Once your domain has been registered, and your website has been set up, you should install an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate. SSL is essential if you are an eCommerce website or your website deals with sensitive data such as user names, passwords, and credit card details.

Step 3: Picking a web host

For standard websites, web hosting costs can be around $55/month and significantly higher if you’re hosting a large or complex site or web applications.

Several factors determine the ideal price and package, such as the type of site you want, the number of daily visitors, and the amount of storage you need. Other key factors to consider include security, performance, support (including the availability of phone support), and maintenance service.

The design agency usually helps you choose the right website hosting.

Step 4: Choosing a template or custom development

If you lack much experience in web development, you might want to delegate this step to your agency.

A website built on a basic template with a few pages won’t cost much. Even though there is typically a setup fee, many widely used CMSs are actually free to install.

The more you wish to customize your site, the more your designer, developer, or agency will charge you. The price might range from $500 to $10,000+. A website with interactive or advanced features like database integration will require an even larger budget.

Step 5: Copywriting and SEO service

Search Engine Optimization is no longer just an option but a requirement for any business that wants to stay competitive online.SEO is a service that helps increase your online presence and visibility in search engines so you can effectively reach your target market.

Here, the price is influenced by the kind of business you run, the provider you use, and the package you’re on.

You might want a copywriter to create the initial page content for you, which should be SEO-optimised. A range of factors influences the cost of copywriting. Your SEO package may include some copywriting, as the content is very important for your rank on Google.

A solid online presence and visibility will benefit your business regardless of size or sector. Therefore, SEO is something to explore once your website is live and functional. SEO services are ongoing and can cost you from $300 to $10,000 monthly, often bundled with other marketing and website design services.

Step 6: Ongoing maintenance

The process isn’t finished even after your agency completes developing your website. Any website today still needs maintenance to remain current and relevant.

You might need to set aside a monthly maintenance budget for your website unless the website is straightforward or you have specific technical expertise. Regular maintenance can cost as little as $50 or as much as $200 each month, depending on the necessary improvements.

Final web design price cost

Now that you’re aware of the factors to consider when estimating the budget of your web design project, we go back to the question:

How much does a website cost

Here is a rough estimate of the entire cost based on the type of site:

• – A simple site for small businesses: Around $3,000
• – Conversion-focused business site: $3,000 to $6,000
• – Ecommerce site: $6000 to $15,000
• – Custom feature-rich site: Over $15,000

Again, these prices vary greatly, so treat them as estimates only!

Would you like a detailed, personalized estimate of your website? Contact us today for a free quote.