How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website?

Every business that wants to go digital believes in having their own website which can stand as a symbol of trust and authenticity in the online space. This is because websites are a great branding tool for businesses when it comes to building online presence, that can further lead to customer acquisition.  

Fundamentally, a website is a must have for every business as it is an important channel to promote a business’ products and services and also as a branding tool. This makes websites an investment and not a one-time ‘do it and leave it’ activity. Right from hosting a website to getting a domain name, and even designing it, there are quite a few aspects that go into getting a website.  

These aspects contribute to the cost of a website and especially having a secure webhosting provider with a good domain name is as necessary as having great design for the website. In fact, stats say that nearly 90% of the people are less likely to return to a website if it has bad design.  

This makes it imperative to understand website making cost because too much can be going too far and too little can cost your business dearly. So, with this article, we will try to understand the factors affecting website cost and how much does it cost to build a website. With this, we hope that you will understand what kind of a given range you can look at when it comes to making a website. So, if you want to know more, please read further.  

Which factors are responsible for the cost of a website?  

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, domain name and web hosting provider are two critical aspects that affect the cost of a website. But there are others like designing, platform choice etc. too. Let us one by one get into the details of the same so that you guys have total clarity:  

1.Domain name

The name of the website’s domain should be the first thing that you think about. The annual cost of purchasing a new domain name for your website will often fall somewhere between $10 and $20. However, it is essential to keep in mind that the price can change depending on a number of circumstances, including the following:

Domain registrar:

A registrar is an organisation that provides assistance in both the process of purchasing and registering a domain name. There are many different registrars from which to pick, and each one offers a unique set of services and packages at a different pricing range. 

Top Level Domain:

A top-level domain, often known as a TLD, is the extension that comes at the very end of a domain name. Established top-level domains (TLDs), such as “.com” and “.org,” typically cost more than newer ones, such as “.site” or “.xyz.” 

Length of commitment:

When it comes to pricing, the majority of registrars provide varying packages based on the commitment period. In the long run, a commitment of a longer duration will cost you less money, while in the short run, the cost-effectiveness of a shorter contract will be greater. 

Privacy when registering a domain:

Although you are obliged to provide personal information in order to register a domain, you have the option of making that information invisible to the general public. Registrars typically charge their customers an additional price in order to provide privacy features that shield their identities and ensure that they remain anonymous. 

2.Hosting platform and provider

Hosting requirements for different businesses need to be distinct from one another. Getting a dedicated server is the best option for your business if you conduct all of your operations online. Because of this, you will be able to handle an increase in the possible volume of traffic without your server being offline. In addition to this, you will have access to additional security measures that will assist you in better protecting the sensitive data of your clients. 

If you do not intend to use your website to generate cash for your business, you should go with shared hosting because it is the more convenient alternative. These plans are great for the kind of website that comprises of only a few pages of information due to their low maintenance requirements and the fact that they are both affordable and require little in the way of upkeep. 

Hosting on a virtual private server, also known as VPS hosting, is positioned somewhere between shared hosting and hosting on a dedicated server. You have some control and customization choices at your disposal, but your bandwidth cannot currently support the volume of traffic you are experiencing. 

The pricing for these types of hosting is different because each one of them caters to different requirements. Shared can start with a measly INR 100 a month and go till maybe 200/month. VPS can start with INR 800 to 1000 per month and go till maybe INR 2000 per month where as dedicated servers can start from INR 3000 per month. Depending on how much traffic you expect choose a hosting plan. Further, if you are looking to do a DIY platform this is what it can look like in terms of cost:
 

3. Size of the website

There are a lot of factors that might contribute to an increase in website design costs in addition to the quantity of website features and the level of difficulty of a website’s architecture. In many situations, the magnitude of the website itself might be just as important a component. 

The difference in expenses incurred while developing a huge website as opposed to a modest one is significant. It will take a significant amount of time and effort to build an e-commerce website that consists of 500 pages, and the price that you pay for web development services will reflect this reality. On the other hand, a straightforward website with a standard template and a limited number of pages can be developed for a portion of the cost of the more complex option.

*(This denotes the estimated cost range can differ from designer to designer) 

4.Maintenance of a website

Maintenance of your website is essential to the success of your company since it guarantees that the website will continue to run properly and will be secure. However, when it comes to developing their financial plan, a lot of people forget to adequately account for the expenditures of upkeep. The following are some of the responsibilities that fall under the category of website maintenance: 

• Putting broken links back together 
• Fixing bugs in the content management system and the server software 
• Testing of all e-commerce and form-based features on the website once every three months 
• Putting a stop to security flaws and vulnerabilities 
• Maintaining frequent backups of the site 

These duties are typically undertaken by specialised firms or web developers, and the cost will vary according on the size and complexity of the website. Generally speaking, these tasks are outsourced.

3 ways to build a website and how it can affect the cost of building the website 

The final decision on how to approach the project will determine how much it will cost to design a website: hire a professional and pay more, or do it yourself and save money. The benefits and drawbacks of each strategy are compared below. 

Self-assemble (DIY) 

The most economical way to create a website is to Do-It-Yourself (DIY). Your charges, if you choose to do it yourself, will just include the setup and hosting fees. These consist of a premium theme, an SSL certificate, your domain name, hosting fees, and a drag-and-drop website builder such as Squarespace, Weebly, or Wix. A more conventional content management system (CMS), such as WordPress, is another option. 

Remember that you will be in charge of every part of the website once you take on the project. This includes, among many other things, working out how to make your website templates mobile-friendly, making sure security measures are in place, confirming that your WordPress theme works with third-party plugins, and installing the required add-ons. 

However, while the do-it-yourself method might be worth considering for constructing a basic website, it’s not always a practical choice for working on bigger projects. 

Advantages:

• If you value saving money, this is the best choice 
• It’s a fantastic chance to broaden your knowledge and gain additional expertise in website creation 
• You will have the opportunity to try out numerous theories and notions

Disadvantages:

• If you have never worked in web development before, the learning curve may be too great for you 
• The procedure can take a while 
• The website may not meet professional standards for quality

What would you estimate the price to be? 

To create a small corporate website in the manner of a brochure, you will need a website builder that costs between $12 and $15, a domain name that costs at least $12 per year, a shared hosting plan that costs at least $60 per year, premium plugins that cost at least $60 per year, and a premium theme that costs at least $60 per year. If you decide to create your own website, you should anticipate spending more than $200 to do so. 

Hire an independent expert or consultant  

It is crucial to engage the services of a freelancer in order to guarantee that your website will satisfy the necessary standards. You can bring your thoughts into reality with the help of professional web designers, who can also make recommendations to help enhance your company and guide you through the process of launching your website. 

You will have the ability to quickly recruit a qualified web developer if you use Upwork because the platform connects businesses with professional individuals. These experts are able to collaborate directly with you to ensure the success of your online endeavour, and they are also able to assist you in the creation of a bespoke website at a range of different pricing points.‎ 

Advantages

• You may rest assured that the final product will have a polished and professional appearance. 
• In order to become an expert in website design, it will not take you weeks at all. 
• You can handle the launch of the website with the assistance of independent talent.

Disadvantages

• Bringing in an expert to assist with a project might run up the cost, especially if there are a lot of moving parts involved. 
• In the event that you require alterations to be made to the website at a later time, the independent contractor might not be available. A new freelancer will require some time in order to familiarise themselves with the current code. 
• If you are not well-versed in technology concepts, articulating your thoughts may prove to be difficult.

What would you estimate the price to be? 

The final price will be based on a number of elements, such as the number of pages, the custom programming, the features of the website, and the hourly rate of the independent professional. 

Freelancers that work independently and possess specific talents typically charge between $20 and $80 per hour. To give you an idea, the cost of creating a website for a small business could range anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000. 

Hiring an agency  

Hiring a professional web design agency can be extremely beneficial for companies that consistently take on difficult tasks. These companies are capable of handling complex website designs in addition to offering a broad variety of other services that go beyond the realm of traditional web development. 

Because employing the services of a web design agency typically requires an investment of tens of thousands of dollars, the majority of their customers are huge corporations. 

Advantages 

• The resources necessary to undertake difficult projects are available to agencies. 
• They provide an all-inclusive plan that consists of website design, website maintenance, and search engine optimisation services. 
• They are able to assist you in articulating your marketing approach.

Disadvantages

• The majority of proprietors of small businesses are unable to afford their prices. 
• They require a greater amount of time to complete assignments. 
• When compared to an independent professional, an agency is not going to give the same level of importance to a less significant project.

What is the price going to be? 

It is possible that the cost of employing an agency will reach up to $100,000 depending on the size of the agency and the level of difficulty of the project. 

Conclusion 

Finding top talent for your company isn’t as challenging as estimating the actual cost of constructing a website, which can be a daunting proposition in and of itself. This article can assist you in locating highly experienced individuals that are capable of guiding you through the process of constructing your ideal website, regardless of whether it is a straightforward WordPress site or a sizable e-commerce platform.  

BigRock is a reliable domain, web security and web hosting provider that offers 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support, high scalability and performance. In case you have any doubts, queries or feedback for this article, please share them in the comments section below.