Website design cost calculator:
Please note: The calculations above do not cover advanced features, such as a Learning Management System (LMS), advanced user accounts, forums, marketplace features etc. In most cases these features can be added on top of the standard features listed above. If you will require these advanced features please add them in the notes section and we will get back to you with more exact estimates.
From Fiverr freelancers to high-end web design agencies, figuring out your website design cost can be tricky. It can be hard to wrap your head around all the technical terms and concepts that define how much a website costs.
As a business owner, your goal is to provide your company with a quality website. But it can be hard to decide how far you should go with your website design to ensure the best possible outcome. Besides, you might have some financial restraints that will affect your decision-making.
So what is the average cost of website design for businesses, and how much should you expect to pay in 2021?
Read on to discover how website design cost is determined, and use our website design cost calculator to get an estimate of what your desired website will cost you.
Decide the Scope of Your Website
Before crunching the numbers, you need to scheme a rough plan for your website — i.e., how large, complex, or multifunctional you want it to be. To answer these questions, you need to consider who the web design is for and what it’s meant to accomplish.
It’s only fair that a single conversion-driven landing page design shouldn’t cost as much as an extensive ecommerce website with hundreds of product pages. As each business has its unique needs and demands, so does each business website.
Ponder over the following questions before investing in web design:
- What is the primary goal of your website?
- Why do you need one?
- How will your customers use your website?
- What will a prospective client expect to see on your website?
- What functionalities will your site require?
Here are the main factors that will play a decisive role in your website design cost.
Website Size
As one might expect, small websites that don’t contain much beyond the basics of a modern website will take less time, effort, and funds to build. The cost of a website will grow with the number of web pages, the diversity of design templates, and the volume of web content (both copy and media). That’s why those elements are essential constituents of any website design cost calculator.
A basic website might be all you need if you operate a small to mid-sized business that needs polished online representation. This will include the design of a homepage, products or services page, about page, contact page, blog, and maybe landing pages.
In most cases, the estimated price for a small website with basic functionalities will run anywhere from $1,000. As your website requirements and pages multiply, so will its cost.
Large companies typically dedicate more finances to website design and can thus request a more comprehensive, detailed, and customized design. More advanced web designs need to establish an online presence for the business and give it a competitive advantage. In these cases, the website design cost can reach from $3,000 up to $15,000.
Design Complexity
Not all web pages are of equal complexity: some demand a lot more work than others. And that’s precisely why the level of design complexity is a central element in website design cost. Website navigation, personalized animation or illustrations, parallax scrolling effects, interactive user interface, and other similar features directly influence the website cost.
A simple web design with conventional features can cost as little as $2,000, while a unique, world-class design can go up to $10,000+. Figure out what extra functionalities your website needs before you estimate the price with the website design cost calculator.
Website Functionality
With every new functionality, the website design cost increases. Depending on your type of business, you might need a website that completes quite a few extra tasks. It can be user registration, e-commerce integrations, payment processing system, bookings system, etc.
Simple functionalities such as email sign-up or file download are not too energy or time-consuming. However, user accounts, shopping carts, and other e-commerce integrations will require more investment since they are more technically demanding. High-end retail websites can cost $10,000 to $25,000.
Choose Who Will Design Your Website
Choosing a web designer — or a team of designers — is another huge factor that influences website cost. Hiring a leading web design agency can be costly while working with a freelancer at a suspiciously low rate might not give you the results you wanted.
To ensure you get the best possible quality your budget will allow, you’ll need to look into your options and shop around carefully. A low budget doesn’t mean at all that you’ll end up with a poor design. Similarly, the most luxurious web design company won’t always give you the best website you could possibly have.
With that in mind, let’s uncover your main options for web designers and what to expect with each choice.
Freelancer
Hourly Rate: $10 – $100
Total Cost: $1,000 – $5,000
Working with an individual freelancer has become a popular choice among many startups and small businesses. The benefits combined with the relatively lower prices are what gravitate businesses towards the freelance market.
You can generally expect easy collaboration and quick results when working with freelance web designers. However, the level of time commitment you get from freelancers varies drastically, and you don’t really know what to expect until it’s too late to go back.
There’s always a risk involved when entrusting your project to a freelancer. It can be hard to get a real sense of their skillset until you work with them. Some freelancers may fail to meet their promised standards, which will affect the quality of the final work. It’s vital to study a web designer’s reviews and portfolio to determine if they’re the right fit for your project.
Also, consider that once a freelancer completes your project, they’ll move on to another gig and might not be available the next time you need them.
Web Design Agency
Hourly Rate: $100 – $200
Total Cost: $5,000 – $50,000
Web design agencies typically charge more per hour compared to an average freelancer. The reason for this is that agencies provide an entire team of professionals that will take care of all your website needs — from design and development to copywriting, marketing and SEO services.
The price of hiring a web design agency will vary dramatically based on the size of the team, the level of the agency, the extent of services, and so on. The biggest benefit of an agency is the specialized experience and optimized workflow it provides. Generally, you can expect quality assurance and a professional outcome from web design agencies.
There’s little direct involvement required from you beyond giving initial guidance. Once you hand over your website needs and expectations, the agency will take it from there. There’s less risk of failure, as most agencies will go above and beyond to present an individual approach and top-quality end product to each client.
With these advantages comes a higher price tag that can be unaffordable for smaller companies. It can be a challenge to find a qualified agency on a tight budget.
Website Builder
Cost per Month: $0 – $300
As a much more affordable alternative to hiring experts, you have online website builders. Website builders come with customizable web design templates that you can adjust to your liking. It’s a do-it-yourself approach to website design that can leave you with a functional site after just a few hours of tweaking the content.
Website builders have drag-and-drop editors that are simple to work with. All you need to do is edit the text, upload your media files, and move components around if necessary. Popular site builders like Squarespace, GoDaddy, or Wix have a wide catalog of templates to choose from.
However, you face quite a few restrictions when trying to fully adopt a website template to your vision. The layouts and styles can be rigid, so you’ll have to work your way around them. Some templates might not have the most responsive web design and, as a result, won’t look ideal on every device screen. Additionally, if your website has requirements such as multiple user roles, booking systems and other custom integrations, you will likely be limited by the chosen site builder.
Another critical consideration is SEO. Many of these site builders are limited in terms of optimising pages for Google. For example, only 1.4% of Wix sites get organic traffic, compared to 46.1% of WordPress sites.
2. Agencies are more expensive but with guaranteed quality and a broad range of expertise.
3. Website builders can be a very helpful tool, but you are limited to the template and standard functionalities.
What Website Cost Involves
Building a website is an elaborate process that involves more than just design. The total cost of creating a website from scratch can be broken down into three main brackets: planning and strategy cost, design and development cost, and website maintenance cost. Below, you’ll find an overview of each.
Planning and Strategy Cost
Unless you’re single-handedly taking the reins of your website, you’ll need input from others to help you carve a solid website strategy. This process will involve meetings, discussions, brainstorming, research, competitor analysis, and project management.
Based on the conducted research, strategists then plan the website’s content and SEO. The planning and strategizing stage can take from 20 to 50+ hours, depending on the project. This process is usually handled or assisted by agencies. If you work with a solo freelancer, you’ll have to double-check to see if their services include strategy.
Design and Development Cost
From wireframe to styling, colors, and graphics, the web design process is one that takes up a great deal of time. The stretch of time will change depending on the number of web pages and the complexity of their functionalities.
Additional integrations and customized functionalities will demand more input from developers. In addition, there might also be a need for content development, SEO, photography or filmmaking, and more. Do factor in the extra hours these services might add to the overall website creation process.
The design and development stage of your project can take about 100 hours and even go well over that if you plan to include extra features and custom-made elements.
Website Maintenance Cost
Having a healthy and secure website doesn’t stop after the latter is launched. There will always be ongoing fees for website maintenance, security, software updates, backups, and the like. If you’re creating your site with a website builder, the provider will usually charge monthly subscription fees to take care of these recurring charges.
As to freelancers, some might agree to cover these costs at an additional charge, while others may not. So, once again, consult with your freelancer. Web design agencies, on the other hand, will mostly have special packages for website hosting and maintenance.
Basic websites such as portfolios, small-business sites, or blogs will cost between $5 – $50 per month to maintain. For heavier websites like retail sites, the maintenance costs will fall between $100 and $500+ per month. The higher price is the result of any advanced plugins or themes large-scale websites often employ.
1. Planning and strategy (can DIY)
2. Design and development (depends on complexity and additional services such as content writing, SEO, photography, marketing etc.)
3. Ongoing maintenance (depends on complexity and if you need assistance maintaining a blog, products and other dynamic pages.)
To wrap up
In conclusion, the big takeaway is that website design cost is not clear-cut and is an aggregation of various smaller charges. The plans you have for your site will play a big part in the final website cost. The bigger the plans and the more demanding the website, the higher its cost. Be sure you know what you’re paying for and how much you should pay by using our website design cost calculator.
The scope of a website and the team (or individual) working on it will be the main variables determining the website cost. Your three main options for getting your site designed are freelancers, specialized agencies, and online website builders. Consider the benefits and downsides of each so you can find the most time and cost-effective solution for your web design needs.
Whichever way you go, remember that your website is arguably one of the most valuable assets your business will get to own. Think of website design cost as an investment that will grow to yield so much more if placed in the right project.
General FAQ
How many hours does it take to design a website?
Generally, a 5-8 page business website with basic functionalities will take 40-100 hours to design and develop. However, this number is not fixed and will fluctuate based on website complexity and the team or individual responsible for creating the website.
Do you have to pay monthly for a website?
Yes, websites come with hosting and maintenance costs that are typically paid monthly. This will involve the cost of a domain name, website hosting, SSL certificate, CMS, and any additional plugins that your website uses. There are monthly maintenance packages available to help website owners handle these fees.
What is the average cost of website design for small businesses?
For a compact, simple small business website, you can expect to pay $3,000 to $5,000. If you choose to hire a high-end web design agency, the average price will go up to $15,000+.
