For many businesses, a website is one of the most important investments they will make in their digital presence. Yet the cost of website development can vary significantly depending on scope, complexity, and who builds it. This guide outlines typical pricing ranges, what influences them, and how to budget realistically.
Typical Website Development Cost Ranges
Basic small‑business or informational websites
These are commonly 5–10 pages, mobile‑responsive, and designed to establish credibility online.
- DIY website builders (GoDaddy, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow): $0 – $1,000+ (platform fees, templates, domain, hosting, and time spent to get up and running)
- Freelancer-built sites and simple agency sites: $1,000 – $6,000+ (this will vary greatly depending on who is building the site, level of customization, and more advanced features such as eCommerce and third party tool integrations)
Best for: startups, sole proprietors, and local service businesses with simple needs. The downside of DIY website builders, is you are heavily limited on options such as customization, plugin selection, tool integration, and options to maintain ongoing. That said, this is a great starting point for business owners who have the time to learn and adjust to their needs.
Professional custom business websites
These sites include custom design aligned to the business brand, a content management system (CMS) to facilitate future updates, basic SEO and marketing setup, and stronger performance and security practices. In addition to the website build, there will often be website migrations, content development, performance optimization, and can include a robust hosting set-up including a staging site and server to approve changes before they are published live to larger audiences.
- Agency or advanced freelancer builds: $4,000 – $25,000+
- Content‑rich or mid‑market business sites: $30,000 – $80,000+
Best for: established and growing companies that rely on their website for lead generation and brand positioning.
E‑commerce websites
Online stores require product management, payment processing, security hardening, and performance optimization.
- Starter e‑commerce sites: $5,000 – $20,000+
- Large or highly integrated stores: $60,000 – $200,000+
Best for: retail brands, subscription businesses, and product‑driven companies.
Enterprise websites and web applications
These projects include custom back‑end systems, advanced integrations, and high scalability requirements.
- Enterprise or SaaS platforms: $100,000+
Best for: large organizations and technology‑driven business models.
Ongoing Costs to Budget For
Website development is not a one‑time expense. Ongoing costs typically include:
- Domain registration: $10 – $70 per year
- Hosting: $100 – $3,600+ per year (depending on performance and traffic)
- Maintenance and support: $250 – $12,000+ per year
- Security updates and backups
- Content updates and feature enhancements
Many businesses underestimate these recurring costs, but they are essential for reliability and security.
What Drives Website Development Costs?
Several factors have the biggest impact on pricing:
- Design approach: Custom design costs more than templates
- Features and functionality: E‑commerce, booking systems, portals, and integrations increase complexity
- Content volume: More pages and custom content require more design and development time
- Technology stack: CMS choice, frameworks, and hosting architecture
- Provider type: Freelancer vs. agency vs. enterprise firm
- Timeline: Rush projects typically cost more
How to Choose the Right Budget Level
When setting a budget, consider:
- How important your website is to revenue generation
- Whether it supports sales, lead generation, or customer service
- Your expected growth over the next 2–3 years
- The cost of downtime or poor user experience
As a general rule:
- Basic presence site: low four figures
- Serious business website: low to mid five figures
- Revenue‑critical platform: six figures+
Final Thoughts
Website development costs are best viewed as an investment, not an expense. A well‑built site improves credibility, conversion rates, search visibility, and long‑term scalability. Choosing the cheapest option often results in higher costs later due to redesigns, performance issues, or security risks. Take a look at your business goals and determine what level of website makes sense to support them.
If you align your budget with your business goals and growth plans, your website becomes a strategic asset to enable future scalability rather than a simple marketing tool.
