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How Much Does It Cost To Build a Website? Here’s What You Can Expect To Pay

Today having a website for the business is necessary. However, if you are running a small business and have a limited budget, then building an online presence might seem a daunting task. With that, if you are wondering, “how much does a website cost?” you are at the right place. While the cost of creating a website varies tremendously, you can estimate how much it will cost by considering what you will need to allocate the funds for.

Let’s see what essentials you need and calculate how much it costs to build a website.

Different Ways to Build a Website

You can create websites in different ways, which is one factor affecting your overall website cost. If you create a website alone, your cost will obviously be much less than other options. But you may only get the quality and functionality you want for your site if you are an expert in web development.

When you want to build a website, you generally have three options:

Do It Yourself

Estimated cost: $12 to $300

Plenty of website builders and CMS make it easy for anyone to build a website. You can get started with Website builders like Wix and Squarespace for $12 to $19 per month, depending on your country. These are hosted platforms, so you don’t need to worry about web hosting, servers, maintenance, etc.

You can also get started with platforms like WordPress that are totally free to use, but you will need to buy web hosting and domain separately, and you will also need to handle website maintenance on your own.

With these platforms, You can easily create an essential website with no coding knowledge and start your small business without spending a fortune on your website.

Hire a Web Developer

Estimated cost: $200 to $2,500

Professional web developers are available to build and launch a website for you. Some developers charge $20 to $200 per hour, depending on the site’s functionality. At the same time, some developers charge an upfront fee and determine the total price depending on your requirements.

The price depends on the website’s size, content, and how many pages it includes. You can find a freelance web developer, but remember to avoid falling for the lower price. It’s essential to choose a developer who is an expert and is worth the price they charge.

Hire a Web Designing Agency

Estimated cost: $500 to $10,000

A web design agency taps you into the pool of resources because they have all the elements of launching a website, including expert web designers, developers, marketers, and graphic designers working together.

It’s the most expensive option, costing around $500 to $10,000 or sometimes higher depending on the agency and your requirements.

After your site is built and launched, they also offer site maintenance, adding more cost. They will handle all technical tasks and ensure your site is updated, backed up, secure, and running efficiently.

Essential Factors That Affect the Cost of a Website

Website cost varies highly depending on the final product and the method you choose for building a website.

A method is important when weighing the cost; it’s crucial to have a plan and consider every element you will need to create a website.

Here are some of the unavoidable expenses you can expect to pay when developing a website:

Domain Registration

Registering a domain should be on top of the checklist when you are creating a website. A domain name is your website’s web address/URL that users type into a web browser to visit your site. Without this, the only way to visit your site is to type in your IP address (which no one will do). Your URL also features any custom email you use for your business.

A domain name usually costs between $10 to $20. For a premium domain name, you can expect the price to be as high as $200 to $300 per year, depending on the domain’s value. You can pay for a domain name for one year and max for ten years.

Software Costs

After domain registration, you will need software to build your website; it can be a CMS or website builder. The most popular one is WordPress. It’s a CMS you can use to display text, pictures, videos, articles, etc., on your website.

A CMS or a website builder is optional, but it will save you time and make your website more efficient.

The cost will depend on your choice. You can pay thousands of dollars for a customized one or a free one, just like WordPress.

Website Functionality

Website functionality plays a vital role in determining the cost. The more functions you add, the higher the price will be. Website functions range from ones essential to your business to optional ones to improve user experience.

Here are some examples:

E-Commerce Functions:

It is surrounded by all the necessary functions to run an eCommerce website. The site has several design features to provide customers with the ease of finding products and making purchases. Basic eCommerce store design elements include customer portals, payment gateways, delivery options, and order fulfilment. While the price may vary, a fully customized eCommerce site can easily exceed $2000.

Membership Portals:

These are the sites that only registered members can access. Installing these portals can improve content credibility, provide a smooth UX and grow a base of loyal customers. Depending on the functions and license you are getting, it can run you anything from $89 to $399 per year.

Subscription Services:

When you need to set up a subscription model for your site, you will require this function. They’re regular replacement services that offer re
curring deliveries of products or unique ones that provide products depending on each customer’s requirement. Apps like Bold Subscriptions offer full subscription services starting at $49.99 per month.

Custom Programming:

a small business only requires a little backend programming. Other businesses may need more complex functionalities for their sites. For example, web portals. These websites consist of extensive data and provide customized access to different users. You might need to hire a web developer when dealing with such complex architectures. You can hire an individual web developer for your programming needs.

Web Hosting

When you purchase a domain name, you will have an address but need land to store all your data. In this case, web hosting is the land where you can keep your website content so that users can access it through the web.

The cheapest option is shared hosting, which costs you around $10 to $50 per month. And for managed hosting, expect the cost to be as high as $200. The more traffic you get, the more features you add, and the higher the price will be.

Website Maintenance

Website maintenance is essential to your business. It ensures your site runs efficiently and securely. Many people need to account for maintenance costs when planning on a budget. Critical tasks that are a part of website maintenance are:

Fixing Broken Links
Regular Backups
Patching CMS and Server Software Issues
Testing of All Forms and E-Commerce Functions
Fixing Security Vulnerabilities

Agencies and web developers handle maintenance tasks, and the cost will vary based on the size and complexity of the website, usually between $100 to $1500 per year.

So, How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website?

With so many ways to build a website, it’s hard to predict the actual cost. And even harder to know the website management cost. If we calculate the overall cost, the estimated grand total can be anywhere from $439 to $365,475 per year.

At this point, you might have a clear idea of how much a website costs. Figuring out every element of website building will help you calculate the approximate amount you will spend.

In essence, starting small is the best way to cut costs. You can always explore the free options first. But when your website is growing, you may need a powerful web hosting solution.

If you are ready to launch your website, you can always look into AEserver UAE-based hosting plans. You can start your journey with our shared hosting plan and switch anytime. We provide a smooth transfer without you worrying about any loss.