If your website looks like it should be featured at your local history museum, it’s time for a new website.
It takes consumers 0.05 seconds to form an opinion about your website. So show up in a business suit and not your sweats.
We get asked this question all the time: The quick answer? “Well, it depends.”
Custom websites range from $1,500 to $100,000+. There’s no “one price fits all” formula because the cost to build websites ultimately depends on what your business needs. But here’s what we know for certain: good web design increases sales through conversions and pays for itself over time. For agencies, user experience (UX) is paramount, encompassing how architecture, design, and functionality influence the user experience.
VIDEO: What to Expect With a New Website Build
Cost to Build a Website Explained: Beyond The Basics
Avoid the Website Redesign Loop
While website build costs vary, we can say with certainty that if someone quotes a new B2B website for less than $2,000—it’s probably best to keep looking, unless you like to gamble. If you’re doing a one-page branded site, that could be fair. Otherwise, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That runs the risk of poor execution—which means you’re back at square one, down a couple of grand. Hiring a professional web developer can significantly impact website build costs, but it ensures a custom, high-quality website tailored to your needs, unlike pre-built themes or tools. Your brand is nuanced your website should be as well.
What Affects Website Build Costs?
Buying a website is like buying a house—it depends on your needs, preferences, and budget. Here are the real factors that move the needle on price:
Scope & Complexity: A simple 5-page brochure site? That’s one thing. A 20-page site that incorporates custom functionality, user portals, or intricate integrations is a different matter. That’s another beast entirely. The more pages and features you need, the more hours go into building it. Ask yourself: do I really need twenty pages, or can I get my message across with ten?
Custom Design vs. Templates: This is the big one. Templates are cheaper and faster—but they look like templates. Custom design means your site is built from scratch to reflect your unique brand, stand out from competitors, and convert visitors into customers. It’s the difference between renting a cookie-cutter apartment and building your dream home.
Content & Assets: High-quality photography, professional video or animated explainers aren’t free. If you’re starting from scratch and need these created, expect the investment to increase. However, if you already have strong brand assets, you’re ahead of the game!
E-commerce & Advanced Features: Selling products online? You’ll need secure payment processing, inventory management, shipping calculations, and more. Building an online store involves specific costs like advanced security and eCommerce functionality—essential for a secure shopping experience. Custom calculators, appointment booking, member portals, or third-party integrations all require additional development time. The good news is that if you’re using WordPress, it has a large ecosystem of developers who have created technology for all of these upgrades—no custom coding is needed, but it still requires time to make them work.
SEO & Performance: Sites built with SEO in mind from day one cost more upfront because they require strategic planning, optimized code, and careful architecture. But this investment pays off—you’re not bolting on technical SEO as an afterthought. Premium hosting, fast load times, and mobile optimization aren’t nice-to-haves anymore; they’re essential for keeping visitors engaged and ranking well.
The Agency You Choose: Reputation matters. An experienced agency brings expertise, quality control, ongoing support, and a team of specialists. You’re not just paying for a website—you’re paying for strategy, problem-solving, and peace of mind.
Bottom line? The more custom and strategic your site needs to be, the more investment it requires. But remember, your website is your hardest-working employee, grinding 24/7 without breaks. Invest accordingly.
Cost to Build Websites: What to Expect
At the highest level, websites can cost a staggering amount. Large businesses with complex websites typically reserve these solutions, which require half a year or more to develop.
Our agency-created websites start at $10,000 and include custom designs that showcase your business in an engaging way. A medium-sized website with additional features and customization will cost roughly $15,000. We can meet your enterprise-level features and complex expectations beginning at $25,000 and increasing depending on your specific requirements. Our agency never uses templates, and you shouldn’t either unless you’re a scrappy startup.
Remember that the more pages you have, the longer it takes to complete your site and increase the budget. So ask yourself: do I really need twenty pages, or can I get my message across with ten?
The price can be lower if you only require a single customized landing page for digital marketing campaign.
Think of your website like a capital expenditure—because it is. Your website is your company’s only asset that can work for you day and night without ever stopping for breaks. So investing in one that’s done right will pay off generously.
Additionally, you may consider redesigning the site in multiple phases. For instance, your brand might be considering an e-commerce solution or subscription-based website down the road, but you need to establish some brand awareness now. Put your money into making a world-class website and add the other components later. This process lets you prioritize your most pressing demands first, “getting seen,” resulting in a more cost-effective approach.
What Should Your Website Accomplish?
Before you think about design, features, or budget, ask yourself: what does this website need to do for my business?
This is the most important question, and it’s worth spending real time on. Your website isn’t just a digital brochure—it’s a business tool. So what’s the job you’re hiring it to do?
Are you generating leads? Then your site needs clear calls to action, strategically placed contact forms, and a user journey that moves visitors toward conversion. Every page should have a purpose and supported UX.
Are you building credibility? You need compelling case studies, testimonials, and content that positions you as the expert. First impressions happen in 0.05 seconds—make them count.
Are you selling products? E-commerce changes everything. You’ll need secure payment processing, inventory management, shipping calculations, and a seamless checkout experience.
Are you educating or informing? Then content organization, search functionality, and resource libraries become critical. Think about how visitors will navigate and find what they need. Also, do they need a subscription for your training?
Once you’re clear on your primary goal, you can identify which features are essential versus nice-to-have. Remember, you can always add functionality in phases to meet your budget and give your coffers time to replenish. Start with what moves the needle for your business.
One important note: if your company doesn’t have established brand standards—like a logo, color palette, typography, brand voice and tone, or messaging—you should consider developing those first. Branding defines who you are, what you stand for, and how you want to be perceived. It’s a separate strategic process from website design, but it creates the foundation that guides every design decision. It creates a stronger foundation to build on.
DIY Website Builders vs. Hiring Professionals
Should I Use Website Builders?
Using a website builder like Squarespace, or Wix can be practical if you’re redesigning your site yourself. DIY platforms are budget-friendly, letting you create a website without the upfront cost of hiring a designer. Creating your own business website has become more accessible and affordable with modern website builders, making it a viable option for small business owners.
However, using a design professional is recommended if you’re aiming for a highly polished, unique site that truly sets your brand apart.
Cost isn’t the only thing to think about; there’s also the time it takes. Every hour you spend designing your site takes time away from other important business duties. Also, your skill level matters: to get results that are as good as a professional’s, you need to know about design, SEO, hosting, and troubleshooting, which can take a lot of time to learn.
Time constraints also play a role. You want your site ready quickly, especially if it might influence landing an important client—you don’t want to miss landing the whale.
For more guidance, check out our article outlining six essential steps in the web design process.
Hire a Web Design Agency
Agencies have the resources to create higher-quality websites, customized solutions for your branding strategy, solutions tailored to your business’s requirements, and the ability to maintain your website so it’s performing at its highest level. You want your website to run at olympic levels.
A creative agency will create and archive all the website design systems and keep an inventory of everything used to create your site. An agency is one call or email away from making any changes you need. Collaboration is key, and as an agency, we understand quick communication is essential.
Although working with a local web design agency isn’t necessary, it could be helpful if you need fresh media produced, including video and photos that will specific to your team.
Additionally, you’ll have an experienced team who can handle the maybe not-so-sexy parts of your website—such as speed optimization, security, premium hosting, and general maintenance.
Pros: You get a team comprised of professionals with specialized skills, including brand specialists, copywriters, designers, and developers, as well as a creative director who supervises each project.
Downside: Hiring an agency usually ends up costing more.
Freelancer Website Build Costs
Working with a freelancer can be a good option for smaller projects or tighter budgets. For example, if you’re budgeting around $2,000 for a website, a freelance web designer might cost $100 an hour (on the lower end) and spend 20 hours. Twenty hours might get you a suitable single-page site with the essentials.
However, for larger, more complex websites, budget constraints may lead some freelancers to use templates or shortcuts—at the end of the day, you get what you pay for. On average, we spend over 100 hours on our starter websites.
That said, there are excellent freelancers out there who do outstanding work. The trade-off is that you’re working with one person instead of a team. This means longer turnaround times, potential bottlenecks if they’re juggling multiple clients, and communication that depends entirely on one individual’s availability. If they get sick or go on vacation, your project pauses.
Pros: Professional quality and design can be a great value for smaller sites, and direct communication with the person doing the work.
Downside: Not a team experience—you’re relying on one person’s bandwidth and expertise. Communication and project timelines may take longer. Freelancers typically lack the diverse resources and specialized roles that agencies bring to larger, more complex websites.
Ongoing Website Costs
Website build costs don’t end at launch. Here are the ongoing expenses to factor in:
Website Maintenance: Like a car needing gas, oil changes, and regular service, websites require maintenance to ensure they stay updated, secure, and fully functional. Reputable agencies often offer maintenance services that take care of software updates, security monitoring, and performance optimization, preventing costly issues. and keep the site running lean.
Hosting: Premium hosting plans are essential for fast load times and high performance. Agencies often provide premium hosting at lower costs due to their volume of clients, saving you money compared to managing it independently. Quality hosting improves your website’s speed—a critical factor in keeping visitors engaged and reducing bounce rates. We’ve gone through three hosts in 15 years, all good, but our third and final hosting platform is Rocket, which incorporates Enterprise Cloudflare it’s been a game changer for us and our clients.
Premium Plugins: For WordPress sites, premium plugins are often necessary for enhanced functionality and security. Free plugins may have vulnerabilities or outdated support, while premium plugins offer reliability, frequent updates, and a more feature-rich environment.
Third-Party Integrations: Additional tools such as email marketing platforms, live chat software, or digital advertising services are separate costs that need to be factored into your budget as needed.
Most agencies bundle these services into maintenance packages, making it easier to manage and more cost-effective than piecing it together yourself.
What’s Not Included in Website Development Costs
Here’s something important to understand upfront: website development costs typically don’t include logo refreshes, rebranding, or bespoke photography. Those services are either à la carte additions or entirely separate projects. It benefits everyone in the process to provide all content upfront and be as responsive as possible—it’s a collaborative effort, after all.
Another thing to consider is having only one point of contact on your team for the process. Websites that are designed by committees often get derailed and lose sight of the initial goal since everyone has something to input—as the saying goes, too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth. Websites that evolve past the agreed-upon scope will incur even more costs that could have been avoided.
Final Thoughts on Website Build Costs
With more than 1.8 billion websites online, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your website is well-designed and functional. By now, you should have a pretty good handle on the factors that cost to build a website and what goes into them.
Remember, a well-designed website is a valuable asset that works tirelessly for your company, making it a capital expenditure well worth considering. At the end of the day, investing in a well-crafted website will undoubtedly pay off generously, as it serves as a vital tool in your online presence and business success.
We recognize that developing a website is a significant task, and initiating the process can appear daunting. If you have any questions about the process, Mighty Fine Co. is always here to help. No need to thank us—it’s our job and our passion.
