Budgeting guide — 2025

how much website design

What determines web design costs and how to budget for design, SEO, hosting, maintenance and ads—without guesswork.

This practical guide breaks down the real cost drivers, gives realistic price ranges for common small-business websites (2025), and shows how to plan budgets for SEO and paid ads so you can make confident decisions.

Quick estimates See options (demo)

$0–$2k

DIY / template sites (time cost excluded)

$500–$6k

Freelancer or small agency brochure / lead gen

$3k–$20k+

Custom agency build or complex e-commerce

$360/yr+

Subscription-managed websites (hosting + updates)

In this guide

Key factors that drive costs Line-item cost ranges Sample budgets (3 scenarios) Budgeting SEO & ads Hiring options & trade-offs Budget checklist & contract items Negotiation tips & red flags FAQs

What actually drives website design costs?

Costs come from choices you make up front plus services you need ongoing. Focus on scope, functionality and ongoing services—the rest are details you can control.

Scope & page count

A single-page brochure costs far less than a 20-page site. Each page needs design, content, images and testing. Estimate 1–3 hours of work per standard content page for a pro build.

Design complexity & custom visuals

Custom brand design, illustrations, or animations add time. Template-based designs are cheaper; bespoke UI and photography increase cost.

Functionality & integrations

Forms, booking systems, CRM/email integrations, e-commerce carts, payment gateways, and membership areas are major cost drivers because each requires configuration, testing and sometimes custom code.

Content (copy + images + SEO)

Good copywriting and professional photos reduce bounce rates and help conversions. Expect to pay for writing and image licensing if you can't supply them.

Timeline

Rush jobs cost more. Standard timelines (1–4 weeks) are usually cheaper than 48‑hour turnarounds.

Hosting, domain & maintenance

Ongoing costs like hosting, SSL, backups and platform updates are recurring and need to be budgeted separately from the build.

SEO & analytics

Initial on-page SEO (title tags, meta descriptions, schema, sitemaps) is a one‑off setup. Ongoing local SEO, content or link-building are monthly efforts and costs vary widely.

Paid ads & marketing

Ads budgets are separate from design. Include ad spend and management fees when you forecast monthly marketing costs.

Line-item cost ranges (realistic 2025 figures — AUD)

Item	Typical cost (one-off)	Typical ongoing	Notes
Design & build — template (DIY/assisted)	$0–$1,500	Hosting $10–$50/mo	Low cost but time-intensive if DIY
Freelancer build (brochure)	$500–$4,000	$10–$100/mo hosting; $50–$200/mo maintenance	Good value for small sites; depends on experience
Small agency / custom	$3,000–$15,000+	$50–$500+/mo maintenance	Higher quality, more process and project management
E-commerce (small, <200 SKUs)	$1,500–$12,000	Payment fees; hosting $20–$200/mo; maintenance	Complexity increases with payments, shipping, inventory
SEO initial setup	$300–$2,000	$200–$3,000+/mo	On-page setup is affordable; ongoing SEO varies by goals
Paid ads (setup)	$200–$2,000	Ad spend $500–$10,000+/mo; management 10–20% or $300–$2,000+/mo	Ads are scalable; budget to test and optimise
Domain	$10–$50/yr	—	Often bundled in subscriptions
SSL Certificate	$0–$100/yr	—	Free via Let's Encrypt or included with hosting
Content writing (per page)	$80–$600 per page	—	Depends on research depth and revisions
Photography / stock images	$0–$800	—	Custom photography costs more but improves trust

Tip: when you get quotes, ask suppliers to break costs into design, content, integrations, and ongoing so you can compare like-for-like.

Three sample budgets you can adapt

Starter brochure (sole trader)

Small, 3–5 pages. You supply text & photos.

Build: $500–$1,200
Domain/hosting: $100/yr
Basic SEO setup: $300
Maintenance: $0–$50/mo

First year: ~$900–1,900

Lead-generating site (trades)

6–10 pages, booking form, Google Business setup.

Build: $1,200–$4,000
Content & photos: $300–$1,200
Local SEO & analytics: $400–$1,200
Hosting & maintenance: $20–$150/mo

First year: ~$2,000–7,000

Small e-commerce (under 200 SKUs)

Product pages, payments, shipping rules.

Build: $2,500–$12,000
Payment & shipping setup: $200–$1,000
Security & backups: $200–$1,000/yr
Maintenance & support: $100–$500/mo

First year: ~$3,000–15,000+

These ranges reflect typical small-business outcomes in 2025. Narrow yours by writing a one-paragraph brief describing pages, special features, and timeline—then ask three providers for itemised quotes.

How to budget for SEO and paid ads

Design and a website are one-time (or occasional) costs. SEO and paid ads are investments that require ongoing budgets and regular optimisation.

SEO

Initial on-page setup: $300–$2,000 (site structure, meta tags, Google Search Console, schema)
Local SEO (ongoing): $300–$1,500/mo — citations, reviews, local content
Content & link acquisition: $500–$5,000+/mo depending on goals

If your service relies on local searches, prioritise good local SEO early.

Paid ads (Google / Meta)

Ad spend: $500–$10,000+/mo depending on market and goals
Management: 10–20% of ad spend or flat $300–$2,000+/mo
Setup & testing: $200–$2,000 one-off for strategy, campaigns and tracking

Start small, measure cost-per-lead, then scale the budget that delivers positive ROI.

Estimate ROI and payback — simple formula

A quick method to check whether a site + marketing budget makes sense:

Step 1: Estimate monthly leads from your site (L)

Step 2: Estimate conversion rate to paying customer (C%)

Step 3: Average sale value (A$)

Monthly revenue from web = L × (C/100) × A$

Example: 40 leads/mo, 10% conversion, average job $800 → 40 × 0.1 × $800 = $3,200/mo revenue. If your combined website + ad + SEO costs are $1,200/mo, that’s positive ROI.

Use conservative estimates for leads and conversions when you’re planning—it's easier to be pleasantly surprised than underprepared.

Hiring options: pros, cons and expected costs

DIY / Template

Lowest cash cost. Highest time cost. Good if you enjoy learning platforms.

Cost: $0–$1,500 plus your time

Freelancer

Flexible, often good value. Vet portfolios and communication skills.

Cost: $500–$6,000 one-off; maintenance $50–$200/mo

Agency / Managed subscription

More predictable, includes support and updates. Can be higher, but reduces your time commitment.

Cost: $30–$49/mo subscription to $3k–$15k custom builds; maintenance included or extra.

Choose based on (a) how much time you can invest, (b) whether you need fast results, and (c) the complexity of features. For many small businesses, a managed subscription or trusted freelancer gives the best balance of cost and outcomes.

Budget checklist & what to ask for in quotes

Itemised quote: design, content, integrations, SEO, hosting, maintenance
Timeline with milestones and revisions included
Ownership: you must own the domain, content and final files
Support window and response times for updates
What is included in ongoing fees (backups? updates? analytics?)
Cancellation & handover process—how do you get your data if you leave?

Ask providers for references, samples of similar work, and a short plan describing how they will measure success (leads, speed, SEO visibility).

Negotiation tips & red flags

Tips

Ask for staged delivery: homepage first, sign-off, then inner pages
Negotiate a small fixed fee for revisions (e.g. 2 rounds included)
Bundle hosting + maintenance for predictable monthly cost
Request measurable KPIs for SEO/ads and a 30/60/90 day plan

Red flags

No itemised quote or vague deliverables
Unclear ownership of domain/content or locked platforms
Promises of instant top rankings—SEO takes time
Huge up-front fees with no clear milestones

Frequently asked questions

How much should a small business expect to spend on their first website?

A simple brochure site can be $500–$2,000 if you use a freelancer or template. Expect $1,200–$6,000 for a robust lead-generation site when you pay for professional copy, photos and SEO. E-commerce starts higher. Always include ongoing hosting and marketing in your plan.

Can I reduce costs by doing some work myself?

Yes—providing final copy, some photos, or product uploads can reduce invoices. Be realistic about time and quality: if you don't have the time or skill, poor content can hurt conversions.

How much should I plan for ads each month?

Start with a small testing budget—$500–$1,000/mo—measure cost-per-lead, then scale the spend that returns profit. Include a management fee if you hire someone to optimise campaigns.

Are subscription-managed websites a better option?

They can be. Subscriptions bundle hosting, updates and support into a predictable monthly fee ($30–$49/mo is common). They’re especially useful if you prefer to offload maintenance and updates rather than manage them yourself.

Ready to create a clear budget for your website?

Write a one-paragraph brief describing pages, features and timeline, then request itemised quotes from 2–3 providers. Comparing like-for-like is the fastest way to a sensible budget.

Get a fast demo & itemised quote Compare service options

No obligation—use the demo to clarify scope and compare costs. Keep quotes and milestone details in writing.