average cost of web design for small business
Real price ranges, what drives costs, and step-by-step budgeting advice for Australian small businesses.
Whether you're a tradie, cafe owner, consultant, or beauty therapist, this guide breaks down typical costs you can expect in 2025 — plus practical ways to budget, reduce risk, and invest in SEO and ads to grow enquiries.
Cost breakdown: what you’ll actually pay
Below are common line items and realistic price ranges in 2025 for small business websites. Prices vary by region, complexity and whether you choose a subscription model or custom build.
Design & Build (one-off)
- Template/customised template: $0 – $800
- Custom WordPress or bespoke build: $1,500 – $10,000+
- Agency quotes vary — ask for itemised scope
Hosting & Domain (ongoing)
- Shared hosting + domain: $5 – $25/month
- Managed hosting / business plan: $20 – $150/month
- Includes SSL, backups and performance monitoring on better plans
Maintenance & Support
- Pay-per-update: $50 – $200/hour
- Unlimited updates (subscription): Often bundled from $30 – $49/month
- Subscriptions reduce surprise bills and keep the site current
SEO (ongoing)
SEO pricing depends on goals and competition.
- Basic setup (on-page, titles, meta, sitemap): $200 – $800 one-off
- Local SEO / monthly optimisation: $200 – $1,500/month
- Local businesses often see biggest early wins from local listings and on-page optimisation.
Paid Ads (optional ongoing)
Ads budget is separate from management fees.
- Ad spend (Google/Facebook): $300 – $5,000+/month
- Management fees: $200 – $1,500+/month depending on complexity
- Test small, measure CPA (cost per lead), then scale the channels that work.
Example total costs (Year 1)
What affects the final price?
Understanding the drivers helps you make choices that keep costs predictable.
Scope & Number of Pages
More pages = more content, design and testing time. Landing pages and service pages cost less than full e-commerce builds.
Design Complexity
A custom visual design and bespoke layout costs more than a template-based site.
Features & Integrations
Online bookings, e-commerce, CRM integrations, and custom forms add development time and cost.
SEO & Content
Good copywriting and on-page SEO take time. If your provider writes content and optimises for Google, expect higher fees but better long-term traffic.
Security & Performance
Faster hosting, CDN, backups and security monitoring cost more but reduce downtime and conversion losses.
Simple steps to budget for your website
Follow these clear steps to create a budget that matches your business goals and avoids surprises.
List must-have features
Be strict: what must be live on day one (contact, services, price list) vs nice-to-have (blog, gallery).
Get 2–3 quotes with the same scope
Itemised proposals let you compare apples-to-apples. Ask for timelines and revision limits.
Choose a pricing model that suits your cashflow
Subscription models (e.g. $30–$49/month) spread costs and include updates. Custom builds need larger upfront budgets but may reduce monthly fees.
Reserve a contingency fund
Set aside ~10–20% of your project budget for unexpected changes or extra integrations.
Plan for marketing costs
Budget for SEO setup and an initial ads test (suggested first month ad spend $300–$1,000) to generate fast traffic while SEO ramps up.
Quick budgeting template
- Design & build (template subscription): $0 – $800
- Hosting + domain: $60 – $300
- Basic SEO setup: $200 – $800
- Ads test budget (first 3 months): $900 – $3,000
- Contingency (10%): $100 – $400
Total Year 1 (typical): $1,260 – $5,300 depending on choices.
How investing in SEO and ads adds measurable value
A website is not just a brochure — it’s a lead-generation asset. Here’s how SEO and paid ads create value and what to expect.
SEO: long-term, compounding traffic
Good SEO reduces your cost-per-lead over time. Initial setup finds quick-win local terms; ongoing optimisation grows visibility.
- Time to see results: 6–12+ weeks for local businesses
- Expected ROI: Organic leads are cheaper per lead than most paid channels once traction builds
- Recommendation: Start with on-page SEO + GMB (Google Business Profile) for immediate local impact
Paid Ads: predictable, immediate leads
Ads put your business in front of searchers now. Use an initial test to measure CPA (cost per acquisition) and lifetime value.
- Time to see results: 24–72 hours after launch
- What to measure: Click-through rate, conversion rate, cost per lead, and booking value
- Recommendation: Run a 4–6 week test with a clear conversion (call or booking) and optimise based on CPA
Combining SEO + Ads (recommended)
Use ads to bring immediate enquiries while SEO builds organic traffic. Track results in analytics and reallocate ad spend to the best-performing keywords/pages.
Ways to reduce cost without hurting results
Smart choices let you keep quality but lower the price tag.
Use a subscription service
Many businesses get professional design, hosting and unlimited updates for a fixed monthly fee — lowers upfront cost and keeps updates predictable.
Provide content yourself
If you can draft service descriptions and provide images, you reduce copywriting fees. Ask the provider for content templates to speed things up.
Prioritise features
Launch with core features—contact, services, clear CTA. Add extras (blog, booking system) in later phases.
Negotiate a phased build
Agree milestones: phase 1 launch, phase 2 integrations. This preserves cashflow and gets you live sooner.
Typical timelines (what to expect)
Choose the timeline that fits your urgency and budget.
Quick subscription
24–72 hours. Good for immediate online presence and bookings.
Standard custom build
2–4 weeks. Design, revisions and testing for small sites.
Large custom / e-commerce
6–12+ weeks. More integrations, payment setup and QA required.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small business expect to spend in Year 1?
Is it better to pay upfront or monthly?
Will spending more always get better results?
How should I measure success?
Ready to plan your budget?
Use the simple steps above to estimate costs and decide whether a subscription or custom build is right for you. If you want a quick option that includes design, hosting and unlimited updates, subscriptions often give the best short-term ROI.
Need a hand estimating? Gather your must-have list and preferred timeline — that'll make quotes faster and more accurate.
