cost for a website
Understand what drives price, realistic budgets for small businesses, and how to maximise return from design, SEO and ads.
Whether you need a simple local brochure site, an ecommerce store, or a high-converting lead machine — this guide breaks down the cost drivers, gives practical budgeting templates, and shows how to get measurable value from every dollar you spend.
Why website prices vary so much
A website can cost anything from free (basic DIY) to tens of thousands of dollars. The price depends on the combination of these core factors:
Design
Custom design and UX work take time and senior skill. A bespoke homepage design by a senior designer costs more than using a pre-built template.
Development & Features
Interactivity, integrations (booking, payment gateways, CRMs) and custom functionality add development hours and testing — and therefore cost.
Hosting, Domain & Security
Shared cheap hosting is cheap; enterprise-grade hosting, CDN, monitoring, backups and security increase monthly costs but protect uptime and speed.
SEO & Content
Good content, keyword research, on-page SEO, local optimisation and schema markup require expertise. Ongoing SEO is an investment, not a one-off cost.
Photography & Copywriting
Stock photos are cheap; professional imagery and persuasive copywriting cost more but dramatically improve conversions.
Ads & Marketing
Setting up and managing paid search or social campaigns requires strategy, tracking and ongoing optimisation — an ongoing monthly cost beyond ad spend.
Realistic price ranges (2025)
Below are common scenarios and typical cost ranges. Use them as a planning baseline — actual quotes will vary by scope and region.
Basic brochure site
Single-page or 3–5 page site. Template or low-cost customisation. Hosting & domain separate or included in subscription.
Managed subscription
All-inclusive bundles (design, hosting, SSL, updates, basic SEO). Ideal for small trades and local services.
Ecommerce or custom features
Product catalogues, payment integration, inventory sync, or heavy custom development increase both upfront and ongoing costs.
Detailed cost breakdown: what you're paying for
Design
- Template customisation: 1–10 hours — low cost.
- Custom UI/UX: 10–40+ hours depending on revisions and complexity.
- Conversion optimisation: additional research & A/B testing costs but raises revenue.
Development & integrations
- Simple CMS site: 5–40 hours.
- Custom features/APIs: 20–200+ hours depending on complexity.
- eCommerce: payment setup, shipping, products — expect higher build & testing time.
Hosting, security & maintenance
- Shared hosting: $5–30/mo.
- Managed hosting + CDN + monitoring: $30–200+/mo.
- Backups & updates: included in subscriptions or $50–150/hr for agencies.
SEO & content
- Basic on-page SEO: included in many subscriptions.
- Local SEO setup: $300–1,200 one-off for profiles, citations, schema.
- Ongoing SEO: $500–3,000+/mo depending on goals and competitiveness.
- Copywriting: $50–250 per page depending on quality and research.
Ads & acquisition
- Setup fee: $200–1,500 (strategy, tracking, creatives).
- Management: 10–20% of ad spend or a flat $300–2,500+/mo.
- Ad spend: entirely variable — start small, measure CPA and scale.
Support & updates
- Pay-as-you-go updates: $50–150/hr.
- Unlimited updates subscription: predictable $25–100+/mo — often best for small businesses.
Budgeting tips: plan costs so every dollar works
Set a realistic budget and phase work so you get value early. Below are practical steps and examples.
1. Start with outcomes, not deliverables
Define a clear goal: more phone calls, booked jobs, or online orders. That goal determines where to prioritise spend (design vs SEO vs ads).
2. Use a phased approach
- Phase 1: Launch a high-converting landing page + contact methods. (Low cost, fast wins)
- Phase 2: Add service pages, testimonials, and local SEO. (Medium investment)
- Phase 3: Launch ads and conversion optimisation once organic traffic or page quality is established.
3. Protect recurring costs
Prioritise predictable monthly costs (managed hosting, updates, domain) over large unpredictable hourly bills. Subscriptions reduce risk and hidden fees.
4. Track ROI and adjust
Install analytics and call tracking from day one. If ads cost $50 per lead and average job value is $500, scaling makes sense. If not, optimise before increasing spend.
How to maximise value from design, SEO and ads
Design for conversion
- Clear CTA above the fold: phone number, booking button, or contact link.
- Social proof: testimonials and trust signals on service pages.
- Fast mobile UX: mobile-first layout and big tappable buttons.
SEO that brings customers
- Keyword intent: optimise pages for terms that indicate buying intent (e.g., "emergency plumber near me").
- Local signals: consistent NAP, Google Business Profile, local schema.
- Content > tricks: helpful pages that answer customer questions outperform keyword-stuffed pages.
Ads that scale profitably
- Track properly: conversions, landing page events, phone calls, and offline conversions.
- Start small: test creative and targeting, measure CPA, then scale winners.
- Use landing pages: send ads to focused pages matching the ad message — better Quality Score and cheaper leads.
Practical checklist before spending more
- Page loads under 3s on mobile
- Primary CTA visible on mobile without scrolling
- Analytics and conversion tracking live
- At least 3 business-focused pages (home, services, contact)
- Competitor research for ads and keywords
Sample budgets & quick checklist
Bare minimum (DIY)
- Template site (Wix/Sheets) or free WordPress
- Basic hosting/domain first year
- DIY SEO basics
Smart starter (managed)
- Professionally designed landing pages
- Hosting, SSL, unlimited updates included
- Local SEO setup
Growth & ecommerce
- Custom features, catalogue, integrations
- Paid marketing + CRO
- Dedicated support & hosting
Pre-launch checklist
- Responsive test on phones & tablets
- Contact forms and phone click-to-call tested
- Analytics & goals installed
- PageSpeed baseline recorded
- Google Business Profile claimed
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small local business expect to spend?
Is a monthly subscription better than paying upfront?
How much should I budget for ads?
Can I reduce costs without sacrificing quality?
Ready to plan your budget and get a site that actually pays for itself?
If you're a busy tradesperson or service business, Congero can get you live quickly with professional design, local SEO and unlimited updates for a simple monthly fee. No lock-in contracts.
All plans include hosting, SSL, and unlimited updates — predictable pricing so you can focus on customers, not technical issues.
