A great website is crucial for any business to succeed, it’s the first point of contact for many potential customers and, you’re going to be judged by it. With that said, you may have decided to get a website made for your business, however, even with a great design in mind, the most important question of all is how much does it cost to make a website?
THE COST OF WEB DESIGN.
There is no fixed cost when it comes to web design, whether you’re using a custom template or developing a site from scratch, having a website that best represents your brand and, one that you’re proud of is of great importance. A website can increase profits significantly, with that said, let’s take a look at the factors that will impact how much your website design costs you.
On average a website will cost you between £200 and £10,000 in total, this figure is, of course, dependent on the type of website you decide to design. There are a number of different types of website which can be categorised as four different styles:
Let’s take a look a closer look at the features of each and how this affects website pricing when it comes to design to understand how much a website costs.
Basic websites.
This type of website takes the design format similar to that of a brochure. It will typically consist of between 1 and 5 pages of content, inclusive of a landing page that is responsive to a user as well as a contact page. You should choose a basic website if you’re self-employed or a small business operating in a traditional industry as they work best for those who will not need to frequently update content. A basic website will cost on average between £200 and £500.
Small business websites.
This type of website will also be comparable to that of a brochure when it comes to design. However, the difference here is that it will feature more pages and will be more responsive to the user. Generally, these type of websites have a CMS, social media integration, Google analytics and even maps. A small business website is ideal for, a small business (of course), startups, freelancers and are a good website for those who need to update their content often. Expect to pay between £500 and £1,000.
E-commerce websites.
This type of website will feature everything that a small business website does plus features such as delivery tracking, E-commerce functionality, an order management system and live chat. An E-commerce website is recommended for a business looking to sell online and will cost between £1,000 and £2,500.
Bespoke websites.
This type of website is driven by databases and will be content-rich. It will have advanced functionality and feature many subpages. A bespoke website is suitable for a business that requires functionality that is more complex such as those operating in the finance, recruitment, property, health or travel sector for example. Expect a more complex website design to cost between £2,500 and £10,000.
Let’s take a look at each website type in further detail when it comes to the total/ongoing amounts you can expect to pay.
When you’re going to be setting aside cash for your business website design, you will need to consider that the more complex sites usually bring with them ongoing costs too.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD A BASIC WEBSITE?
As mentioned above a basic website is going to take more of a brochure-style format. It’ll likely feature up to 5 pages and, a landing/contact page. In addition to core pages, a basic website will be designed to be mobile responsive. A basic website is ideal for a business simply looking to establish a simple online presence where the business itself can be showcased and, enquiries can be received from potential or current customers. It essentially will act as an online business card. Choosing to have a basic website designed via a digital agency is an advisable move. While it’s tempting to go at it DIY, given the simplicity, agencies can offer the experience and reliability you may need. They are a great option if you’re lacking the time and skills to build a website on your own and, will provide a quote that is solid.
Breakdown of basic website pricing:
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD A WEBSITE FOR A SMALL BUSINESS?
Small business websites are the equivalent of basic websites, stepped up. Perfect for businesses that require more than just a simple online presence, they still carry the brochure style design but will have further features. Designed to be mobile responsive, this type of website will have a number of features including integrated social media, a highly responsive design, a CMS (content management system), google maps and analytics. Having more pages than a basic website and designed to be mobile friendly, this type of website is great for businesses that will require access to update content regularly making them great options for freelancers, startups and any growing organisations that want to make a great impact.
Breakdown of basic website pricing:
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD AN E-COMMERCE WEBSITE?
E-commerce website design costs can vary a lot. From the number of items you decide to stock on your online store to varieties of these products, there are many factors that are going to impact overall pricing. In addition to these basic elements, if you want to add further features that will also affect how much you’ll pay in total. Usually, an e-commerce website will have delivery tracking for customers, a live chat function and of course an order management system too. There are various things you should consider when choosing to design this type of website including whether your website is going to be the primary way in which you establish a brand presence. E-commerce sites take on many different designs from the ‘one-stop shop’ to the information-rich style with blog posts based on industry-relevant topics.
Breakdown of basic website pricing:
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD A BESPOKE WEBSITE?
Website development costs for a bespoke website are going to be far higher than that of a basic website. For larger businesses that require a greater level of functionality, these websites are designed around the notion of larger visitor numbers. Web designers will use a template for other types of websites and customise features to adapt it to fit the type of business it’s being designed for. The stark difference here is that a bespoke website is designed from scratch. It will have a unique set of features that set it apart from other websites. As mentioned, these type of sites are driven by customer databases and they’ll have an advanced functionality as well as unlimited subpages which are pages created as subcategories on your website. Mobile responsiveness is taken to the next level with bespoke website designs as they will have a clean and fluid feel that can look completely different from its web version. This is a crucial part of the design package for larger businesses as r 50% of searches are conducted online.
Breakdown of basic website pricing:
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE SOMEONE TO BUILD A WEBSITE?
As you can see above, pricing varies depending on your business needs. You’ll need to consider that website design is a service, not a product. Understanding this will give you a better idea of why it is so difficult to put a definitive price on website designing and building.
Quotes will always be subjective if you decide to go with an independent website developer. You could receive such varied quotes from £5,000 to £40,000 on the same project, each designer charges their own rates based on their experience and skillset.
Different agencies will charge varied prices depending on what they want to prioritise to get your website to where it needs to be. And, of course, standards of website design and site-building will vary from agency to agency.
AVERAGE WEBSITE DESIGNER HOURLY RATES.
On average in the U.K, a website designer will charge an hourly rate of £15.00. Like that of agencies, however, two freelance web designers are not necessarily going to charge the same rates. In this country, there are 1.4 million people working as freelancers meaning there’s a lot of competition!
Variables to consider when choosing an independent website designer include:
MAINTAINING A WEBSITE.
Having a website designed for your business is only the first step. Once you have your amazing new website up and running, you’re going to have to factor in monthly maintenance costs. Knowing how much a website costs per month will help you in the long-run to best determine how much of your business budget is being set aside for your website.
From uploading new content to upgrading features, there are many different elements which can affect the monthly costs that your website generates. Basic website monthly expenditure is going to be entirely different from that of a bespoke website, as you can see from the pricing guidelines set out above.
Let’s take a closer look at the two main factors that total to ongoing monthly costs of maintaining a website:
Other additional costs you may have to consider.