How Much Does It Cost to Create a Website?

Whether you’re starting a small business, running a blog, or creating an online portfolio, it’s important to know how much it costs to create a website. Prices will vary depending on what type of website you’re building. Small, simple websites that you build yourself are going to cost a lot less than a website for a large business that requires many features. The larger and more complicated your website is, the more it is going to cost.

From domain names to development and maintenance, this article will cover all of the costs associated with creating a website. First, we’ll go over the general costs associated with building a website. Then we’ll compare the cost of building a website yourself versus using a web designer. Finally, we’ll discuss the average costs associated with creating different types of websites. 

how much does it cost to create a website

Website Costs

Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits all cost for creating a website. A multitude of factors impact how much you’ll pay to get your website started. 

Domain Name

The first cost you’ll encounter is registering your domain name, which will be the name of your website. You’ll need to find a name that’s unique and hasn’t been taken yet. You can register your domain through a domain registrar like GoDaddy.com or Domain.com. Domains can vary in price, but they usually range from about $10 to $20. 

Website Builder or Website Designer

Once you’ve decided on a domain name, you can choose to build your own website using a website builder or enlist the help of a website designer. Creating your own site using a website builder will cost a lot less than hiring a professional web designer. Website builders are programs that make creating a website easy for people who might not be very tech-savvy. 

Some website builders like WordPress.org are free which can be great for small sites on a budget. That being said, WordPress.org should not be confused with WordPress.com which is not free but starts at $4 a month for its simplest plan. For $25 a month, you can use their program for a small business, or $45 a month for a larger business. Some of these sites might not even require a domain name and will instead provide you with a subdomain from their website. This would make the entire process free if you’re looking to create something simple through WordPress.org. 

Other builders like Squarespace, Wix, or Weebly offer more complicated designs for a monthly fee that’s usually around $14 for their cheapest plans. Alternatively, their most expensive plans cost about $40 or $50 and include features like SSL certificates, logos, and additional online storage.  

Website Host

After you’ve created your website, you’re going to need to find a host for it. This is where your website will “exist” on the internet. Companies will charge a fee to store the information of your website on a server so that it can be accessed online. These services have a wide variation in price, ranging anywhere from $10 to $99 a month depending on the amount of traffic your website receives. The more traffic it gets, the more expensive it is going to be. 

Some important factors to consider when looking for a website host are how fast you want your site to run, user traffic, and support. The more traffic your website has, the more storage it will require to host and still run smoothly. As your website grows, the cost of hosting may increase as well. Luckily, many website builders also offer website hosting services included in their monthly fees, so you won’t have to add another subscription fee. Website hosting and content management systems are essential for keeping the site up and running but can vary in price if you don’t use a website builder’s host services.

average website cost

Website Design Cost

If you don’t feel comfortable building your own website through a website builder, you can hire a web designer to create your website for you. These are professionals who can create a site for you from scratch. However, this is typically the most expensive way to create a website. Website design costs usually start around $500 but can increase greatly depending on how complicated your website is. The more pages of content required for your website, the more it will cost to design. 

Businesses that require online shopping will usually need significant development, which means they will cost a lot more to design. For example, hiring a web designer for a small business could cost over $2,000 while a larger one can reach as high as $40,000. Some developers may charge flat rates while others charge by the hour. Hourly web designers average about $75 an hour. 

Content Management System Cost

Additionally, once your website is finished you might need to purchase a content management system. This is a tool that lets you make changes to your website even if you don’t have any coding skills. You can also use a CMS to ensure that employees can edit certain parts of the website without having access to other pages. This means that they can work independently on their tasks without being able to edit other aspects of the website. A CMS makes it easy to edit your website without having to change its code. Again, website builders like WordPress.org or Wix offer CMS services for free or as part of their monthly packages. Some other brands like WebHost or Shopify cost between $25 and $30 a month. Some of the more expensive content management systems cost $900 or even $3,000 a month. 

website design cost

Average Website Cost 

The average cost of creating a website varies based on what type of website it is. That being said, the cost for an average, medium-sized website is usually around $200 for creation with a $50 monthly fee for maintenance, web hosting, and e-commerce functionality. While that price is about the average, it includes business which means it requires certain features to operate. 

Blog Websites

The average price of a website can change drastically depending on what type of website you’re looking to create. Small, simple sites like blogs require a lot less to create than a website for a large business. A small blog can cost as little as $10 a month provided that you don’t require any complicated features. A medium-sized blog could require more complicated features, costing between $20-$60 a month for maintenance and hosting. The larger the blog, the more expensive it can be, so a large blog usually costs between $50-$300 a month. 

Business Websites

Other types of websites have different average prices since they have different needs in terms of content and maintenance. Business websites require unique features like a Secure Socket Layer certificate or “SSL.” These ensure that transactions on your website are safe and secure. Depending on what kind of SSL you purchase, these can range anywhere from $10 to $1,000 a month. The larger and more complicated your website is, the more expensive it’ll be. If you’re looking to create a website for a small business, you’re likely going to spend around $2,000 when all is said and done. 

A website for a medium-sized business could cost somewhere between $5,000 and $50,000 if it’s created by a web designer. Similarly, a large business’s website designed by a professional could cost as much as $100,000. Some businesses may acquire additional costs if you choose to hire graphic designers, photographers, or copywriters to create the content on your website. These services may be done by your web designer or they may be done by professionals in each of these fields. 

building a website

Determining the Cost of Your Website

While it is difficult to pinpoint how much your website will cost ahead of time, you can plan for a certain budget if you know what kind of website you’re creating. Additionally, knowing whether you want to use a website builder or a website designer will have a huge impact on the cost of your website. While website builders can cost as little as $6 a month, hiring a web designer will involve spending a lot more since you’re using a professional to create your website from scratch. 

After all is said and done, you can expect to pay around $250 to create a website for a business or as little as $20 for a blog. With all that goes into determining the cost of a website, it can seem overwhelming, but luckily many website builders incorporate all the necessary features into one monthly package. Through brands like Wix or Squarespace, you can create a website and get web hosting, content management systems, and more all through one company. 

FAQs:

  • Can you create a website for free?
  • How much does it cost to create a website for a business?
  • How much does it cost to create your own website?
  • Do I need a content management system?
  • What is a website host?

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