how much does web development cost
A clear, practical guide to help small businesses budget for SEO-friendly websites — no jargon, just actionable steps.
Web projects vary wildly in price. This guide explains the factors that drive cost, realistic price ranges for different project types, and simple ways to plan a website that gets found on Google without overspending.
Typical small site budgets (DIY to basic pro)
Common agency builds with custom features
Delivery time (fast subscriptions to full agency projects)
Typical modern subscription that includes updates & hosting
Why web development prices vary so much
Two websites can look similar but cost very different amounts. Price depends on more than design — it's about how much planning, engineering and ongoing work is behind the scenes. Below are the most common reasons costs diverge.
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Scope and complexity: A five-page brochure site is far cheaper than a site with online booking, payments, or custom integrations.
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Who builds it: Freelancers, agencies, and modern subscription services each price differently. Agencies charge for senior expertise and project management; subscriptions bundle ongoing work into predictable monthly fees.
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Delivery speed: Rush jobs cost more. Fast-turn solutions can launch in 24–48 hours, while custom projects may take weeks.
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Security, performance & compliance: Payment processing, user data handling, and performance tuning add time and cost.
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SEO and content strategy: Sites built to rank require keyword research, structured content, and ongoing optimisation — that takes specialist time.
Key cost factors — a practical breakdown
Project scope
Define what you need. Examples:
- Basic brochure site: Home, About, Services, Contact — minimal functionality.
- Lead-generation site: Forms, click-to-call, structured service pages for SEO.
- E‑commerce: Product pages, cart, payments, shipping rules, tax setup.
- Membership or client portal: Auth, user areas, secure content.
Scope is the single biggest driver. More features = more hours.
Design & UX
Custom design work (brand-specific layouts, bespoke illustrations) takes designer time. Using a well-made template reduces cost but may limit uniqueness.
Tip: If budget is tight, invest in clear brand assets (logo, colours, professional photos) and use a quality template for faster, cheaper results.
Development & integrations
Custom features (APIs, CRMs, booking systems) require development time. Off-the-shelf plugins are cheaper but may need configuration and testing.
Integration complexity can multiply costs quickly if custom connectors are needed.
Hosting, security & maintenance
Hosting ranges from low-cost shared plans to premium managed hosting. Add SSL, backups, monitoring and patching — all add to monthly costs but protect uptime and reputation.
SEO, content & ongoing optimisation
Good SEO isn't a one-off. Initial on-page setup (titles, headings, schema, sitemap) is usually included. Ongoing content, link-building and adjustments are monthly tasks and should be budgeted for.
Typical price ranges (real-world examples)
DIY / Basic Builders
$0–$600 first year
- Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress.com
- Template-based, you do the work
- Limited SEO support, time cost high
Affordable Professional / Subscription
$360–$1,200 first year (typically $30–$100/mo)
- Professional design, hosting, updates bundled
- Fast turnaround (24–72 hrs common)
- Good baseline SEO and support
Custom Agency Builds
$3,000–$30,000+ (plus ongoing costs)
- Full custom design & development
- Advanced integrations, bespoke features
- Higher upfront cost, long lead times
These ranges are guidelines. The exact price depends on the specific features you need, who you hire, and whether ongoing optimisation is included.
How much does SEO add to the budget?
SEO is not optional if you want leads from Google. You can budget for SEO in two parts: initial setup and ongoing optimisation.
Initial SEO setup (one-off)
- Keyword research: 3–8 hours
- On-page optimisation (titles, meta, headings, schema): 2–6 hours
- Sitemap & robots setup, Google Search Console: 1–2 hours
- Typical cost: $300–$2,000 depending on scope
Ongoing SEO (monthly)
- Content creation & optimisation: $300–$2,000+/mo
- Technical SEO and link-building: $200–$2,000+/mo
- Local SEO (Google Business optimisation): $100–$500+/mo
If you need search visibility quickly, treat SEO as an investment — steady monthly work compounds into long-term traffic and enquiries.
Practical ways to reduce cost without sacrificing results
1. Start with a clear scope
Write a one-page brief listing pages, key features and the business goal. Clear scope prevents scope creep — the biggest cause of budget blowouts.
2. Use proven templates or component libraries
A high-quality template plus brand customisation saves design hours while still creating a professional look.
3. Bundle ongoing tasks
Choose monthly plans that include updates, backups and SEO basics — predictable pricing is often cheaper than ad-hoc hourly work.
4. Prioritise high-impact features
Launch with the essentials that generate leads; add secondary features later when revenue allows.
Simple budgeting checklist (fill in your numbers)
- Design (one-off): $________
- Development (one-off): $________
- Initial SEO & content setup: $________
- Hosting & domain (annual): $________
- Monthly maintenance / subscription: $________ / month
- Ongoing SEO/content (monthly): $________ / month
- Contingency (10–20%): $________
Tip: When comparing quotes, ask for a clear split between one-off costs and ongoing monthly fees so you can compare total first-year cost.
Hiring checklist: what to ask before you commit
Essentials to request in every quote:
- Detailed scope: Deliverables, pages, features, integrations, and what is excluded.
- Timeline: Start date, milestones, and estimated launch date.
- Maintenance & updates: What’s included, response times, and how additional work is charged.
- SEO basics: Confirm on-page SEO, schema, sitemap & analytics setup.
- Ownership: You should own your domain, content, and site assets — ask for transfer terms.
- Cancellation/exit plan: How easy is it to move hosting or end the relationship?
- Examples & references: Request recent work that matches your needs.
Red flags: Vague scopes, “scope creep” clauses without hourly rates, or no clear ownership statement.
Frequently asked questions
What's the minimum I should budget for a functional SEO-friendly site?
Is cheaper always worse?
Do I need ongoing SEO after launch?
How do I compare quotes fairly?
Final checklist before you commit
- Do you have a written scope?
- Is on-page SEO included?
- Who owns domain and content?
- What are ongoing monthly costs?
Budget realistically for both the build and the ongoing work. A modest monthly investment in hosting, maintenance and SEO often delivers outsized returns through better search visibility and more enquiries.
If you want a predictable, managed option that includes hosting, domain, SEO basics and unlimited updates for a single monthly fee, learn more via our demo. No forms required — just a quick demo to see what a completed site would look like for your business.
See a demo and estimated budget