DESIGN SERVICES
But why not? Questions about website design cost are common online, but very few people are prepared to answer, even when it comes to professional web design prices.
For this article, the WebpageFX team of professional web designers, developers, and SEO specialists have worked together to examine some of the most important factors that go into a web design quote. These include historical website development costs, as well as web design costs for different components. The data also includes current website features and design costs.
It can still be a challenge to nail down a specific professional website cost. That's why we made a website quote calculator that you can use to ballpark prices for websites you want to create.
Our website cost calculator can help you determine how much you should expect to pay for a site with the functions and features you want. Use the sliders to select the features you prefer, then click "get your quote now" and the cost estimator will generate a quote instantly!
Project Quote Calculator
Use the sliders below to indicate your needs, then click the "See Pricing" button for a free, instant quote.
When it comes to determining website cost, it comes down to the fact that you get what you pay for. A cheaper website will have less content and fewer features, while a more expensive site will have lots of additional design features and functionalities. Your overall web site costs, like functionalities and interactive elements that can include Flash web design prices, completely depends on what you want.
What is the
Average Website Cost in 2017?
Like other goods and services, the costs associated with designing, developing, and building a web site have changed over time. A website's value is drastically different in 2017 than it was even a couple of years ago. The above chart provides a timeline of historical dates compared to web site cost, including the vareage cost to build a website.
The basis for the chart was a small business that wanted a professional web site with approximately 15 pages, website hosting, email hosting, a domain name, and an aesthetic quality level of around 7/10. As website creation has become more streamlined in recent years, the cost of a website has gone down, making it a more effective investment than ever for new businesses. The average cost of a website, particularly basic websites, is now lower than ever.
Cost of a Website Over Time
Why Has Website Cost Fluctuated So Much?
Responsive design is now a necessity for web design. Responsive design means that a website functions on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. With 232 possible screen sizes in 2017, it isn’t difficult to understand why responsive design has driven the high end of website cost upwards. The necessity of having a website with responsive design is one reason for the widening gap between the highest and lowest possible costs for a website.
Although responsive design has driven the high end of website pricing up about 20%, it is definitely not something that websites can afford to skimp on. Websites priced at the higher end of the cost scale because of responsive design needs may spend more money, but they are also able to adjust their website design and functionality to provide better visitor experiences on tablets and mobile devices. This ensures that their visitors experience their website smoothly and efficiently, increasing the cost of a professional website, but also increasing their potential for reoccurring customers.
Websites in the $2,200 range rarely include responsive website design elements, which is why they are less expensive. However, tablet and mobile visitors do not receive a device-specific web visitor experience, so they're less likely to return to these websites. If you can afford professional website design costs for high end websites, you're likely to see better results.
On the lower end of web design pricing, competitive industry pressure and advancements in web design tools pushed pricing down by about 10% in 2017. First, there exist substantially more competitors in the web design market today, perhaps as many as ten times more than a decade ago. Jobs for web developers and computer network architects are expected to grow 22% by 2020, which is faster than the average for all other occupations in the U.S. Because so many jobs are being created in this market, competition is driving the low end of website pricing down. If you're looking for a basic site, your professional website design cost will be more affordable than it has in prior years.
Second, modern tools have made it easier for web designers to create great looking websites. Advancements in web design tools have contributed to the inexpensiveness of the lower end of website cost. Many free web design tools have been created and made available to the public, giving websites access to design tools that they likely would have had to purchase only a few years ago. This allows almost anyone to create a website or design graphics for free or at very little cost. That means that a simple web page costs very little these days.
However, it does pay to spend the money to have a professional company create or redesign your website. While free tools can be useful, you are more likely to get a better, more reliable website if you pay to hire a professional web design company. Websites built on free tools often lack a unique identity because free templates usually only allow a certain extent of customization. Websites using those tools may have no brand identity or may have trouble attracting traffic. When it comes to web page cost, cheaper isn’t always better. But what is a reasonable cost for what your website needs?
Because of the increasingly disparate costs of websites, with freelancers charging as little as $500 and other agencies charging tens of thousands of dollars, the WebpageFX team developed a website cost calculator to help website visitors attempt to put a price tag to their website project. Simply slide the movable bars down the gauge to find the estimated cost of your website and get your web design cost estimate now!
Why Has the Base Cost of Website Design Changed So Much?
Based on client surveys and our team's research, the above pricing data demonstrates a significant decrease in the base cost of a website over the last decade. We believe that the reason for this drop in website cost is driven by two factors.
First, there exist substantially more competitors in the web design market today, perhaps as many as ten times more than a decade ago. Second, modern tools have made it much easier for Web designers to create great looking websites, and typically in much less time than before. As a result, the average cost for website design on a basic level is lower then ever before.
These factors have also led to some unforeseen results. Most notably, in the last five years, the cost of web design has become more disparate. After further analysis, we believe these trends can be explained through the increasing demand for cost-effective websites along with the drive for higher-end, interactive, and highly functional designs.
In other words, as websites become the marketing standard for all businesses, the competition grows to produce higher-quality, lower-cost designs. And with more Internet competition, a company now needs to work harder to differentiate its site from those of its competitors. In that regard, the cost of websites can quickly grow, depending on all of the features you want to include.
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How Much Does a Website
Cost Per Month?
The monthly costs for a website may fluctuate based on which services you are utilizing from month to month. However, if you have an Internet marketing package that includes ongoing optimization or other services, you may find that your website development costs are similar each month, including your web design costs, web development costs, and more.
Monthly, you should expect to pay for your website hosting, SEO, other ongoing optimization, any content creation, link building services, and special design projects. This may cost anywhere from $100 to $1000 a month.
How Much Does a Website
Cost Per Year?
A website's yearly costs depends on the number of ongoing services associated with it, as well as any special, one-time-only charges or projects. For example, you may factor in the cost of a new logo design or a website redesign, which are typically one-time-only items. If your Internet marketing company performs the same tasks month after month with only one or two special tasks or assignments, your yearly costs will range anywhere from $1500 to $15,000.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to figure out how much your website will cost without knowing what services you need! So in order to help you better understand why a website costs what it does, or what your site will cost on a monthly or yearly basis, you can read the section below about website components and the cost of website creation. This may help you better answer your original question of "how much should a website cost?"
Website Cost Breakdown
Breakdown of Some Common Website Components and Their Costs
The cost of a website can vary dramatically based on the specific components included. As you can probably guess, a website with basic functionality is going to cost much less, both initially and over time, than a site that acts as an online store or integrates with a company database or piece of software.
This section will break down some common website components and how much you should expect to pay for them. Some of the components in this website cost breakdown have initial investments, while others are ongoing. We frequently update this page to ensure that the amounts listed below are current and fit into the average cost of website design for 2017.
Your website’s domain name is the unique name that appears in the URL for your website. It’s kind of like your online fingerprint — it is specific to you. Although other websites may have domain names similar to it, your domain name is yours alone. However, to get the rights to your domain name, you have to register it annually, which factors into the cost of website maintenance.
Your domain name is important because it creates an online identity for your website. Having a domain name establishes credibility with site visitors and potential customers while helping you further grow your brand. It is also important because if you ever change your hosting, your domain name will go with you. Lastly, your domain name is important because it expands your opportunities for online advertising, which has become necessary for attracting traffic to today’s websites.
Cost: $5 to $15 per year
Hosting is simply the service that allows your website to be accessed by other Internet users. A web host will provide space on its server for your website, allowing people around the world to view it. Website hosting is also a factor in your website costs.
Hosting is important because the quality of your host can affect page loading time, the tech support you receive if your site crashes, and the ability of your website to expand in the future. To put it simply, your hosting provider has a huge impact on how your website functions. Although free hosting services exist, their tech support (if they supply any at all) will not be as good as paid hosting services.
Cost: $75 to $200 a year (depending on traffic and hosting features)
A CMS will allow you or your employees to edit information on your website without having to edit any of the code or mess with any of the files you already have in place. A CMS makes it extremely easy for you to adjust the little things here and there just in case you need to add something later or if you want full control of what is shown on your website.
A CMS like Magento may be free, while others may have monthly or yearly licensing fees or usage charges associated with them. What you choose depends on what specific functionality you need your website to have. Choosing a free option may limit you, but it'll also help save on web page prices.
Cost: $0 to $15,000+ per year (depending on the platform chosen)
A CMS will allow you or your employees to edit information on your website without having to edit any of the code or mess with any of the files you already have in place. A CMS makes it extremely easy for you to adjust the little things here and there just in case you need to add something later or if you want full control of what is shown on your website.
A CMS like Magento may be free, while others may have monthly or yearly licensing fees or usage charges associated with them. What you choose depends on what specific functionality you need your website to have. Choosing a free option may limit you, but it'll also help save on web page prices.
Cost: $0 to $15,000+ per year (depending on the platform chosen)
A CMS will allow you or your employees to edit information on your website without having to edit any of the code or mess with any of the files you already have in place. A CMS makes it extremely easy for you to adjust the little things here and there just in case you need to add something later or if you want full control of what is shown on your website.
A CMS like Magento may be free, while others may have monthly or yearly licensing fees or usage charges associated with them. What you choose depends on what specific functionality you need your website to have. Choosing a free option may limit you, but it'll also help save on web page prices.
Cost: $0 to $15,000+ per year (depending on the platform chosen)
Your website’s domain name is the unique name that appears in the URL for your website. It’s kind of like your online fingerprint — it is specific to you. Although other websites may have domain names similar to it, your domain name is yours alone. However, to get the rights to your domain name, you have to register it annually, which factors into the cost of website maintenance.
Your domain name is important because it creates an online identity for your website. Having a domain name establishes credibility with site visitors and potential customers while helping you further grow your brand. It is also important because if you ever change your hosting, your domain name will go with you. Lastly, your domain name is important because it expands your opportunities for online advertising, which has become necessary for attracting traffic to today’s websites.
Cost: $5 to $15 per year
Hosting is simply the service that allows your website to be accessed by other Internet users. A web host will provide space on its server for your website, allowing people around the world to view it. Website hosting is also a factor in your website costs.
Hosting is important because the quality of your host can affect page loading time, the tech support you receive if your site crashes, and the ability of your website to expand in the future. To put it simply, your hosting provider has a huge impact on how your website functions. Although free hosting services exist, their tech support (if they supply any at all) will not be as good as paid hosting services.
Cost: $75 to $200 a year (depending on traffic and hosting features)
A CMS will allow you or your employees to edit information on your website without having to edit any of the code or mess with any of the files you already have in place. A CMS makes it extremely easy for you to adjust the little things here and there just in case you need to add something later or if you want full control of what is shown on your website.
A CMS like Magento may be free, while others may have monthly or yearly licensing fees or usage charges associated with them. What you choose depends on what specific functionality you need your website to have. Choosing a free option may limit you, but it'll also help save on web page prices.
Cost: $0 to $15,000+ per year (depending on the platform chosen)
A CMS will allow you or your employees to edit information on your website without having to edit any of the code or mess with any of the files you already have in place. A CMS makes it extremely easy for you to adjust the little things here and there just in case you need to add something later or if you want full control of what is shown on your website.
A CMS like Magento may be free, while others may have monthly or yearly licensing fees or usage charges associated with them. What you choose depends on what specific functionality you need your website to have. Choosing a free option may limit you, but it'll also help save on web page prices.
Cost: $0 to $15,000+ per year (depending on the platform chosen)
A CMS will allow you or your employees to edit information on your website without having to edit any of the code or mess with any of the files you already have in place. A CMS makes it extremely easy for you to adjust the little things here and there just in case you need to add something later or if you want full control of what is shown on your website.
A CMS like Magento may be free, while others may have monthly or yearly licensing fees or usage charges associated with them. What you choose depends on what specific functionality you need your website to have. Choosing a free option may limit you, but it'll also help save on web page prices.
Cost: $0 to $15,000+ per year (depending on the platform chosen)
Website Cost & Types
The cost of a website can vary dramatically based on the specific components included. As you can probably guess, a website with basic functionality is going to cost much less, both initially and over time, than a site that acts as an online store or integrates with a company database or piece of software.
This section will break down some common website components and how much you should expect to pay for them. Some of the components in this website cost breakdown have initial investments, while others are ongoing. We frequently update this page to ensure that the amounts listed below are current and fit into the average cost of website design for 2017.
INFORMATIONAL OR SMALL BUSINESS WEBSITE
8 - 16 web pages
Custom graphics
Stock photos
Little or no Flash design
Web forms sending to email accounts
Project duration: 30 to 75 days
$2,000 - $6,000
CORPORATE WEBSITE
25 - 75 Web pages
Heavy use of flash
High quality design work
Content management system
Extra components: Intranet, calendars, web site search
Project duration: 60 to 90 days
$10,000 - $25,000
ECOMMERCE WEBSITE
100 - 1000 products
Payment gateway integration
Product descriptions and images
Sales tax and shipping calculation
Customer and administrative control panel
Project duration: 60 to 120 days
$5,000 - $15,000
DATABASE DRIVEN WEBSITE OR WEB APPLICATION
Dynamic Web pages 20 - 2,000
Administrative control panel
Advanced programming skill sets
Interactivity with web site visitor
Enterprise database (MS SQL Server or MySQL)
Project duration: 90 to 180 days
$6,000 - $35,000
In Conclusion
So How Much Should a Website Cost?
In conclusion, the cost of a web site can vary greatly depending upon the site's features, its needed Internet marketing services, aesthetic qualities, and the company that is creating the web design. While the cost of a basic website has dropped, the need for more interactivity has helped hold steady the price of a high-end, competitive design.
As of 2017, you should expect to pay between $2,250 and $10,000 for a fully functional small business website. This price may be lower if your site has very few pages and minimal functionality, or higher if you require custom development, extensive design, or interactive elements and advanced integration.
The price of a website will continue to change as time goes on and new technologies and features are developed and become popular. Because of this, it may be wise to invest in a website maintenance plan so that you do not have to pay for a new site again in a few years.
Planning for Your New Website
When determining the budget for your website design or redesign project, it is important to take the costs into consideration. However, the costs of your website project are not the only factors influencing the profit that you are able to make from your site. As mobile internet usage continues to surge, designing for mobile users is imperative. Investing money in creating a responsive Web design may allow you to make future conversions and profits that outweigh the initial cost of redesigning you site.
Planning ahead and finding the exact cost of your new web site design or redesign in 2017 will keep your project on track. Timelines, features, and custom design factors will all vary greatly based on the price your website requirements. We think that the charts above will prove very useful in getting a grasp on what your final website cost will be.
If you are considering investing in a new or upgraded website, the WebpageFX team recommends that you view the portfolios of several web design firms and inquire "how much should my web site cost?" You can get your first quote now by using our own free website cost project quote form!
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