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How Much Should a Website Cost in 2024?

The average cost to build a website (with an agency or freelancer) is $12,000 to $150,000 — with a website builder, the cost is $0 to $500 per month. Meanwhile, routine site maintenance costs $400 to $60,000 per year or $0 to $5400 per year with a website builder. Keep reading to discover more website pricing info so you can answer the question, “how much does a website cost?”!

Last updated: January 24, 2024

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How much does a website cost?

Get a quick summary of how much it costs to build a website, plus maintain and market it in this table. Keep reading to learn about the different expenses that come with web design and website maintenance, as well as the price differences between agencies, freelancers, and platforms like WordPress and Wix!

Price FactorCost
Web Design
(View Web Design Costs)
$12,000 to $150,000 / design
Website Maintenance
(View Website Maintenance Costs)
$400 to $60,000 / year
Website Marketing
(View Website Marketing Costs)
$2,500 to $12,000 / month
Website Design Services (Agency, Freelancer, or Website Builder)$0 to $100,000
Website Maintenance Services(Agency, Freelancer, or Website Builder)$0 to $5,500 / year

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How much does a website for a business cost?

A business website can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Web design prices for business websites, for example, range from $2,000 to $75,000, while annual website maintenance can cost $400 to $60,000. These prices, however, do depend on the size and features of your site. Depending on your website, you may pay less (or more) than these estimates.

View the average cost for website building and website maintenance, by business type, below.

Business TypeWeb Design CostAnnual Site Maintenance Costs
Informational or Small Business Website (8-16 pages)$2,000 – $9,000$400 – $1,200
Corporate Website (25-75 pages)$10,000 – $35,000$2,000 – $15,000
Ecommerce Website (100-1000 products)$5,000 – $55,000$15,000 – $30,000
Database Driven Website or Website Application
(20-2000 pages)
$6,000 – $75,000$30,000 – $60,000

How much does a website builder cost?

Prices for website builders vary, ranging from $0 to more than $500 per month with annual maintenance costs of $0 to $5400 per year. How much your business pays for a website builder (if you decide to use one) will depend on several factors, including your functionality needs.

Website BuilderCost
Wix$23 – $500+ / month
WordPress$7 – $59 / month
Squarespace$16 – $54 / month
GoDaddy$6.99 – $14.99 / month
Weebly$0 – $26 / month
Jimdo$0 – $39 / month

You can check out what makes up website builder costs, below:

Price FactorCost
Website builder subscription$0 – $500 / month
Plugins or apps$0 – $200 / one-time or recurring
Themes$100 – $200 / theme
Hosting$24 – $10,000 / year
SSL certificate$0 – $1,500 / year
Marketing (SEO, PPC, etc.)$50 – $10,000 / month

In most cases, website builders offer an affordable solution to:

  • Freelancers
  • Start-ups
  • Small businesses

If you’re a small-to-midsized business (or larger), think about partnering with a web design agency or seasoned freelancer to build and manage your site. These professionals will provide the easiest solution to updating and maintaining your website.

Website Costs: Overview

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Website design costs for 2024

Whether you’re looking to launch a brand-new website or redesign your existing site, your business needs to consider some web design and development costs. These costs are often one-time expenses, meaning how much it costs to build a website is often more than how much it costs to maintain a website.

How much does it cost to build a website? Between $12,000 to $150,000.Web Design Costs
Domain Name$0.95 – $12
SSL Certificate$0 – $1,500
Website Hosting$24 – $10,000
Style or Theme$2,000 – $15,000
Responsive Design$3,000 – $25,000
Interactive Multimedia$250 – $10,000
Content Management System (CMS)$2,000 – $25,000
Ecommerce Functionality$2,000 – $25,000
Database Integration$2,000 – $25,000
Pages (1 to 250 pages)$1,000 – $10,000

Of course, with web design and development, you can choose to work with a freelancer, third-party website builder, or web design agency. Each website building option offers different advantages and disadvantages, as well as varying prices. In most cases, businesses will partner with either a freelance web designer or web design agency to create a professional website.

Why?

A third-party website builder, like Wix or Squarespace, still requires web design experience. Even though these do-it-yourself (DIY) website builders can help your team create an attractive website, they don’t ensure a user-friendly site, which is critical if you want people to purchase your product or contact your company.

Explore the price differences between these three parties, below:Freelancer, Website Builder, and Web Design Agency Costs
Website Builder$0 – $300
Freelancer$500 – $5,000
Web Design Agency$3,000 – $100,000

Want to learn more about upfront website costs, from what they include to what you should pay?

Skip ahead to our breakdown of website development costs, below. If you’re looking to receive a custom estimate for designing or redesigning your company’s website, use our free website cost calculator!

Get a Custom Quote for Building My Site

Learn More About the Upfront Costs of Website Design

Website maintenance costs for 2024

A website requires routine maintenance — without it, your website will go offline. That’s why businesses need to ask not only, “How much does it cost to build a website?” but also, “How much does it cost to maintain a website?”.

So, how much does website maintenance cost? Around $400 to $60,000 per year.Ongoing Website Costs
Domain Name $2 – $20 / year
SSL Certificate $0 – $1,500 / year
Website Hosting$24 – $10,000 / year
Content Management System (CMS)$0 – $40,000 / year
Ecommerce Functionality$180 – $300 / year
Website Maintenance$200 – $1,250 / year
Freelancer, Agency or Website Builder$0 – $5,400 / year

Monthly & Annual Website Costs

How much does a website cost per month?

On a monthly basis, your website can cost $35 to $5000 per month. It’s worth mentioning, however, that prices can fluctuate month to month. In some cases, service providers may even request upfront payment for the entire year.

How much does a website cost per year?

On a yearly basis, your website can cost $400 to $60,000 per year. In some cases, your annual website maintenance costs may increase due to one-time investments, like the redesign of a logo or critical page.

Curious about the price difference between freelancers, website builders, and web design agencies?Freelancer, Website Builder, and Web Design Agency Costs
Website Builder$0 – $25 / month
Freelancer$50 – $100 / hour
Web Design Agency$119 – $449 / month

Want to learn more about website maintenance costs?

Jump ahead to our breakdown of ongoing website costs, from regular maintenance to domain name renewal. If you want to learn more about our website maintenance services, contact us online or call us at 888-601-5359 to chat about your website!

Explore Plans for Maintaining My Site

Learn More About the Maintenance Costs of Websites

Marketing website costs for 2024

Marketing website costs for 2024

In today’s online marketplace, it’s become critical for companies to invest in digital marketing. This marketing sector consists of online strategies that improve your online visibility, resulting in more site visits, conversions, and revenue.

So, how much can marketing your website cost? Most businesses invest $2,500 to $12,000 per month, though some spend upwards of $20,000 per month.Website Marketing Costs
SEO$1,500 – $5,000 / month
PPC$9,000 – $10,000 / month
Professional Copywriting$50 – $500 / page
Content Marketing$2000 – $10,000 / month
Social Media Marketing & Advertising$4,000 – $7,000 / month
Email Marketing$9 – $1,000 / month

Even if your company operates offline, you can use your website to drive in-store visits. Why? Today’s businesses and consumers rely on search engines, like Google, as well as social media and email to discover new products, brands, and places to spend their money.

Want to learn more about website marketing prices? View our handy cost breakdown below!

In comparison to web design and website maintenance costs, you have immense flexibility with website marketing costs. Your company can invest in the services that offer the most value, like search engine optimization (SEO), creating a custom marketing strategy that fits your budget.

Get a Custom Proposal for Marketing My Site

Learn More About the Marketing Costs of Websites

Website Costs: Cost Factors

How much does it cost to build a website?

The average price of developing and designing a website ranges from $12,000 to $150,000. That’s a broad price range, which can make company leaders hesitant about investing in a brand-new or redesigned website — even though an updated site can have an immense impact on your bottom line and growth.

For your business’ decision-makers, as well as your team, it’s essential to understand the price factors behind website costs. By knowing these features, you can provide a thorough and helpful answer to the all-too-common question — how much should a website cost?

Explore the cost factors of web design and development:

Domain ($0.95 – $12 / DOMAIN)

A domain name costs $0.95 to $12, per domain.

What is a domain?

DOMAIN: Your domain is the unique name that appears in your website’s URL

It’s kind of like your online fingerprint — it’s specific to you. Although other websites may have domain names like it, your domain name is yours alone. However, to get the rights to your domain name, you must purchase a domain name and register it annually, which factors into your initial and ongoing website costs.

Why does a domain matter?

Your domain name is essential because it creates an online identity for your website.

A domain name also establishes credibility with site visitors and potential customers while helping you grow your brand. It’s also valuable because if you ever change your hosting, your domain name will go with you.

If you’re interested in online advertising — or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising — your domain name also plays a role because it’s where you direct users that click on your ad. Without a domain, you force your business to direct traffic elsewhere, like social media.

How much does a domain name cost?

In most cases, a brand-new domain name costs $0.95 to $12.

Companies, like GoDaddy, HostGator, or Dreamhost, offer new domain names for sale.

If you’re looking to purchase a domain name already in use, your business must contact the domain name owner and arrange a price. A pre-owned domain name can cost thousands of dollars, depending on its age and history.

SSL certificate ($0 – $1500 / CERTIFICATE)

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate costs between $0 to $1500 per year.

SSL CERTIFICATE: Protects your company as well as your site’s visitors by safeguarding the transfer of sensitive data

What is an SSL certificate?

An SSL certificate protects your company, as well as your site’s visitors, by safeguarding the transfer of sensitive data. Like your domain name, your SSL certificate displays in your URL — it’s also visible to users.

Web address bar

If a website has a valid SSL certificate, your website URL will display with “https” versus “http.” To the right of your URL, you will also see a padlock. If you click on this padlock, a menu appears with information on the certificate.

Why does an SSL certificate matter?

In today’s digital landscape, users share a tremendous amount of sensitive data online. From entering their credit card information when purchasing a product to providing their name and email when signing up for a newsletter.

As a business, you want users to take similar actions on your site.

If your website appears untrustworthy, however, consumers will not interact with it, which doesn’t help your company increase its revenue, build its email subscriber list, or improve its lead generation efforts. Internet browsers, like Chrome, also alert users when they visit a site without a valid certificate.

With an SSL certificate, you can demonstrate the credibility and safety of your website.

How much does an SSL certificate cost?

Your SSL certificate can cost $0 to $1500 per year.

While most vendors offer paid SSL certificates, some companies provide certificates for free. For optimal security, experts recommend investing in a paid SSL certificate. A paid SSL certificate often comes with additional protection, like a higher warranty and advanced encryption levels.

Companies like GoDaddy, Comodo, and Norton are reputable vendors for SSL certificates.

Website hosting ($24 – $24,000 PER YEAR)

The cost of hosting your website ranges from $24 to $24,000 per year.

WEBSITE HOSTING: Hosting is a service that allows Internet users to access your website

What is website hosting?

Hosting is a service that allows Internet users to access your website.

A web host provides space on its server for your site, allowing people around the world to view it. Like your domain name and SSL certificate, website hosting is an upfront and ongoing website cost factor.

Why does website hosting matter?

While essential, a website hosting plan also matters for the following reasons:

  • Impacts page loading times
  • Influences website expansions
  • Affects customer support during site issues or crashes

In short, your hosting provider has a massive impact on how your website functions. While free hosting services exist, it’s rare for companies to use them because these organizations do not offer tech support.

How much does website hosting cost?

For businesses, website hosting costs $24 to $10,000 per year. That’s a massive price range, which is why it’s helpful to separate hosting costs into these categories:

  • Shared host: A shared host service costs $24 to $120 per year. With this service, your provider hosts your website on a server shared by several other clients. Since you’re sharing resources with other customers, your site may experience sluggish performance.
  • Website builder: A hosting service from a website builder, like Wix, costs $60 to $180 per year. While a useful option for startups or small businesses, enterprise and mid-sized businesses often benefit more from another website hosting option.
  • Virtual private server (VPS): A VPS costs $240 to $600 per year. With a VPS, your business shares a server with other clients but has full access to that server’s resources because the server’s allotted into several “virtual” servers.
  • Dedicated server: A dedicated server service costs $1200 to $24,000 per year. With this service, your company receives its own server, with complete use of that server’s resources. For websites that earn more than 100,000 site visitors per month, a dedicated server is a must.

If you’re partnering with a professional web design company, they can advise your team on the best website hosting option. Even if you outsource your website maintenance, your agency can monitor the performance of your website hosting provider and provide suggestions.

Style or theme ($2,000 – $15,000)

Companies can expect to spend $2000 to $15,000 on the theme or design of their website.

STYLE / THEME: Design elements that work together to create your website

What is web design?

Web design focuses on not only the visuals of your website but also the usability of your site. As a result, it’s one of the most expensive — and influential — website cost factors, having a direct impact on the performance of your site.

Why does web design matter?

From the perspective of users, as well as search engines, web design is critical.

Studies show that when it comes to users, 94 percent of their first impression relates to web design. If your site appears outdated or makes navigation difficult, users will leave your website. Even worse, their opinion of your brand will drop.

Google and other search engines also care about your site’s functionality, performance, and design. They want to provide users with relevant results and the best online performance, so if you have a slow, unusable website, they won’t display it at the top of search results.

Instead, your site will appear pages back, losing a substantial amount of traffic.

How much does web design cost?

The price of designing a website ranges from $2000 to $15,000.

In most cases, the simpler the design, the lower the price. That doesn’t mean businesses should opt for a laid back, bare bones design. Instead, your company needs to consider its target audience and create a website that captures user expectations for your brand and products.

If your company sells luxury goods, like fine jewelry, for example, you need a site that demonstrates the quality of your products and services. Invest in a simple website, and you’ll miss the mark with your target audience, resulting in lost revenue.

That’s why a web design agency will often ask about your target audience.

Responsive design ($3,000 – $25,000)

A responsive design costs $3000 to $25,000.

RESPONSIVE DESIGN: Allows users on any device to experience your website in the same way

What is responsive design?

responsive design adapts your website to a user’s device. If a user visits your site on their desktop, tablet, or mobile device, they have a seamless experience. With more consumers browsing on-the-go, responsive design is essential.

Why does responsive design matter?

With more than half of the world’s Internet traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s clear that users are changing the way they browse the Internet. That’s why it’s critical for companies to invest in responsive web design.

If your business bypasses responsive design, it can have a noticeable impact on your website’s performance — undoing your investment in a well-designed website. As an example, consider that more than 65 percent of users are more likely to purchase from a company with a mobile-friendly site.

A responsive design ensures your website supports every member of your target audience.

How much does responsive design cost?

Companies and business owners can approach responsive design two ways:

  • Responsive design: A responsive design enables your website to automatically adapt to a user’s device, whether it’s a laptop, tablet, desktop, or mobile device. This design option costs around $3000.
  • Separate mobile site: This design option allows your company to support tablet and mobile users by creating a mobile version of your site. An independent mobile site, however, costs $5000 to $25,000.

For most businesses, a responsive design offers the best — and most cost-effective — option.

Website pages ($1,000 – $10,000)

Page prices for web design range from $1000 to $10,000 for up to 250 pages.

WEBSITE PAGES: Website pages, or content, is crucial to your site and often times will be sold with your website design at an additional cost.

A website needs content, which is why most freelance designers and web design agencies scale their rates by the number of pages. A few factors, like your products, services, and business, can influence your page count.

An ecommerce store with an expansive product line, for example, will probably require more pages than a local bakery. If you’re investing in web marketing, your company may purchase additional pages to support your content marketing or SEO strategy.

In most cases, web designers and web design agencies will scale their pages prices as follows:

  • 1 to 10 pages: $1,000 to $2,000
  • 10 to 50 pages: $2,000 to $3,000
  • 50 to 150 pages: $3,000 to $6,500
  • 150 to 250 pages: $6,500 to $10,000

If you’re redesigning your website or launching a brand-new one, your web design team can help your business determine how many pages your website needs. With an accurate page count, designers can create an intuitive and smart layout for your site.

Interactive media ($250 – $10,000)

Developing and adding interactive media to a website can cost anywhere from $250 to $10,000.

INTERACTIVE MEDIA: Helps provide site visitors with an engaging experience.

What is interactive media?

With interactive media, your company provides visitors with an engaging experience. This type of media can range from interactive video games to compelling visuals to choose-your-story scenarios. It’s an excellent tool for capturing — and keeping — audience attention.

Why does interactive media matter?

For businesses looking to build brand awareness, explain complex products, or engage users, interactive media is a go-to tool. It works because it relies on user interaction, providing website visitors with an engaging experience that responds to their actions and decisions.

How much does interactive media cost?

It’s a time- and resource-intensive process to create interactive media — for both your team and agency. Together, you need to develop a plan and purpose for your interactive media, determining how it’ll engage users, as well as accomplish your company goals.

That’s why interactive media prices vary widely, from $250 to $10,000.

In most cases, the more development work interactive media requires, the more it will cost. That’s why many businesses will partner with an agency versus a freelance developer, as freelancers may charge an hourly versus flat rate for their services.

Content management system ($2,000 – $25,000)

Adding a content management system (CMS) to your site can cost $2000 to $25,000.

CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Helps provide site visitors with an engaging experience.

What is a CMS?

A CMS allows you and your team to edit information on your website — without having to modify any site code or mess with any files you have in place. With a CMS, you can make minor updates to your website, without the expertise of a developer.

Some examples of CMS platforms include:

  • WordPress
  • Magento
  • Joomla
  • Drupal

Your web design agency can provide recommendations when it comes to choosing a platform.

Why does a CMS matter?

For your team, a CMS offers several advantages.

For example, it’s simple and convenient for your team to update your website with blog posts. A CMS also makes it hassle-free for your company to update essential contact information, like your phone number or store hours, if you’re a business with a physical location.

How much does a CMS cost?

Incorporating a standard or custom CMS into your web design package comes with an average price of $2000 to $25,000. Even if you’re investing in a free CMS, like Magento, your freelance design or web design agency will charge a fee for adding a CMS.

If you’re unsure what kind of CMS your company needs, a web design agency can advise you.

Ecommerce functionality ($2,000 – $25,000)

For ecommerce companies, adding ecommerce functionality to their site costs $2000 to $25,000.

ECOMMERCE FUNCTIONALITY: Allows you to easily and effectively sell your products through your website.

What is ecommerce functionality?

Ecommerce functionality encompasses several tasks, including:

  • Adding a payment processing system
  • Installing payment gateways
  • Testing shopping carts, payment options, and shipping systems
  • Launching product pages

One way to look at ecommerce functionality? It not only ensures shoppers can purchase your products (like via credit card) but also that your team can process those orders. As an ecommerce business, that’s invaluable to your success.

Why does ecommerce functionality matter?

If an ecommerce business wants to succeed online, it’s critical to have ecommerce functionality. Without a payment gateway, shopping cart, or shipping system, your company cannot accept or process online orders.

For your website, an ecommerce system is essential. As it’s vital to your operations, your team needs to consider the cost of ecommerce functionality in your web design budget. It’s also critical for your company to invest in an ecommerce system that provides the best experience for shoppers.

How much does ecommerce functionality cost?

The price of ecommerce functionality ranges from $2000 to $25,000. What your business pays depends on a few factors, including:

  • Size of the product line
  • Average number of daily, monthly, and annual orders
  • Size of business

For perspective, a small company will pay less than a large retailer for ecommerce functionality. Why? In most cases, a large retailer offers a wide range of products, plus processes far more orders than a small business, which demands a robust ecommerce system.

Database integration ($2,000 – $25,000)

A database integration can cost $2000 to $25,000.

DATABASE INTEGRATION: If you have an internal/third party database, this helps integrate it into your website

What is database integration?

Depending on your business, you may have an internal or third-party database, which stores valuable company and customer information. A database may feature client account information, for example, which users can access by logging into your website.

If you want to make that information accessible to your team or clients, then you need to integrate a database into your website. Whether you’re adding a custom or third-party database to your site, this task requires developer expertise.

Why does database integration matter?

A database integration matters from a user- and company-perspective.

With an integrated database, your team and shoppers can access helpful information via your website. This feature eliminates easy-to-solve questions, like account balances, product orders, or appointment dates, which can save your support team valuable time.

Even better, a database can help your business offer unique perks to shoppers. For example, a database can allow your company to provide a loyalty program to customers or send exclusive offers to repeat shoppers.

For ecommerce businesses — or even offline service providers — database integration is a useful addition to your website. It helps your team, as well as your shoppers. Plus, it serves as a unique selling point (USP) for users that prefer online convenience.

How much does database integration cost?

The cost of a database integration can range from $2000 to $25,000.

A database’s complexity, as well as customization, tends to have the most significant influence on database integration costs. If your company’s looking to develop a one-of-a-kind database, for example, you will pay more than a business using an established, third-party database.

That doesn’t mean your company shouldn’t invest in a custom database. With a custom database, your business can resolve bottlenecks, as well as user inconveniences, in your operations. That kind of database can help your company improve productivity, customer satisfaction, and more.

Website costs: Maintenance

The average price of maintaining a website is $400 to $60,000 per year.

For any business, it’s critical to invest in routine site maintenance. This annual investment ensures your site remains functional, secure, and live. It also provides your company the chance to improve the usability and content of your website, which can impact shopper decisions.

Ready to learn about the factors behind website maintenance costs? Keep reading:

Domain ($2 – $20 / YEAR)

In addition to purchasing your customized domain name, your company must renew your purchase each year. If you skip on this website maintenance cost, your business can lose access to your domain, with ownership reverting to the domain name registrar.

Costs vary, but in most cases, companies pay $2 to $20 per year to renew their domain name.

SSL certificate ($10 – $1,500 / YEAR)

Your SSL certificate is another website design and maintenance costs — your company needs to purchase an SSL certificate to launch your site, and then needs to renew your certification every year. Without an SSL certificate, your site appears unsafe to users and Internet browsers.

While you can use a free SSL certificate, it’s often better for business owners and companies to invest in a paid SSL certificate. With a paid SSL certificate, your company gains access to helpful features, like customer support, greater encryption, and more.

A paid SSL certificate can cost as little as $10 or as much as $1500 per year.

Website hosting ($24 – $10,000 / YEAR)

For your website to remain live and accessible to users, your company needs to pay for website hosting. Providers offer several hosting plans, from shared to dedicated servers — a shared server is the lowest cost option available, while a dedicated server is the most expensive.

That’s why website hosting comes with a broad price range of $24 to $10,000 per year.

Your website traffic will influence your server choice, which will have a direct impact on your website hosting costs. If your site receives more than 100,000 unique visitors each month, plan for up to $10,000 in yearly dedicated server costs.

Ecommerce functionality ($180 – $300 / YEAR)

If your company operates an ecommerce business, ecommerce functionality is a non-negotiable website maintenance cost. Your business needs to provide a secure and functional payment gateway if it wants to continue to grow its sales and revenue.

Plan to pay around $180 to $300 per year to maintain your payment system.

As your business grows, your ecommerce functionality costs will likely increase. That’s why your team needs to monitor the performance of your ecommerce system, as well as react fast when it’s in need of an upgrade — otherwise, you risk lost sales.

Content management system ($0 – $40,000 / YEAR)

If your business invested in a CMS, you may have costs associated with it. While many platforms like WordPress and Joomla are free, others like HubSpot require a monthly or annual subscription. These CMS applications also tend to come with additional features, like an SSL certificate.

Companies can spend up to $40,000 per year on a CMS. In most cases, larger businesses, like enterprises, require a paid CMS to manage their website and content, as well as additional marketing efforts.

Website maintenance ($200 – $1,250 / YEAR)

What is website maintenance?

When it comes to website maintenance, it encompasses a variety of tasks. A few examples include completing updates on your CMS, managing customer support tickets, and resolving any website-related issues. With website maintenance, you keep your website functional and your visitors happy.

Why does website maintenance matter?

For companies today, website maintenance is essential. It keeps your website functional and usable, which ensures visitors can find what they need on your site, from your phone number to your product to your location.

This service also alleviates the needs for businesses to have a full-time developer on-staff. While feasible for established enterprises, it’s a significant strain on a small business. For a mid-size company, it can also seem like an ineffective use of resources.

How much does website maintenance cost?

When it comes to how much a website costs, website maintenance is one of the lower expenses. This website cost, however, can have a massive impact on the functionality and performance of your site, especially when it comes to sales and leads.

On average, your team should expect to pay $200 to $1250 per year for website maintenance. In some cases, your costs may exceed this amount. For example, if your website requires emergency support during after-work hours, you may see higher fees.

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Website costs: Marketing

Most small-to-midsized businesses spend $2,500 to $12,000 per month on marketing their website, though some companies invest more than $20,000 per month.

This price range includes several digital marketing services, from SEO to PPC. Companies can decrease their marketing costs, however, by limiting their number of digital marketing strategies. If a company decides to focus on SEO, versus SEO and PPC, for example, they will have lower costs.

For businesses that want to improve their sales and revenue numbers, digital marketing is a proven strategy. It depends, however, on your website. Tactics like SEO and PPC, for example, direct users to your site, which is why it’s vital to design, launch, and maintain a user-friendly website.

Learn more about the individual costs of marketing a website:

SEO ($1500 – $5,000 / MONTH)

Companies that invest in SEO services for their website can expect to spend $1500 to $5000 per month.

What is SEO?

SEO refers to an umbrella of strategies that improve your website’s visibility in search results.

If you search, “stainless steel cooking pot,” for example, you receive a list of relevant search results. As you can see in the case below, the results focus on product listings for stainless steel cooking pots. If your company sold this item, you’d want to appear in that list to reach shoppers.

With SEO, your digital marketing agency helps your company’s website earn a spot in relevant, high-value search results. They work towards this goal with a few strategies,

Why does SEO matter?

As 80 percent of shoppers start their product research online, SEO matters. From a consumer perspective, a company that doesn’t appear in search results doesn’t exist. That massively decreases your chances of turning that shopper into a customer.

Another reason why SEO matters? Around 75 percent of users remain on the first page of search results. If your website doesn’t appear on that initial page, you reach a much smaller audience, which impacts your bottom line.

That’s why SEO is essential for offline and online businesses. It helps users find your company.

How much does SEO cost?

Companies can invest a substantial amount into SEO — and receive impressive results. In most cases, however, businesses spend $1500 to $5000 per month on SEO either in-house or when partnering with an SEO agency. Some companies will exceed this average, especially if they’re competing in a competitive industry or looking to launch an aggressive strategy.

PPC ($300 – $100 million / MONTH)

A company can invest $300 to $100 million per month on a PPC campaign.

What is PPC?

PPC refers to an advertising strategy that operates on a pay-per-click pricing model. Unlike traditional ads, which see your company pay upfront, your business pays only for the clicks your ad earns. This pricing model makes PPC one of the most cost-effective ad strategies for businesses today.

A PPC ad can appear in several locations, including search results. With a PPC ad, your company earns a valuable spot at the top of search results. That’s why PPC is a go-to tactic for businesses building their SEO strategy.

Like SEO, PPC directs users to a relevant page on your website.

Why does PPC matter?

Businesses earn $2 for every $1 they invest in PPC, which is why it’s a trusted digital advertising strategy. Even better, people who click on ads are 50 percent more likely than an organic visitor to purchase a product.

Why?

With PPC, you’re targeting users that are ready to buy, versus research a product. If you want consumers to complete their purchase, however, you need to provide them with an intuitive and easy-to-use website. That’s why it’s important to keep up with routine website maintenance costs.

How much does PPC cost?

If you invest in PPC, your company can spend $300 to $100 million per month.

This total includes your ad spend, as well as ad management. While your ad spend goes directly to the advertising platform, like Google, your ad management goes to the digital marketing agency overseeing your campaigns.

Professional copywriting ($50 – $500 / PAGE)

With professional copywriting for your website, your business may spend $50 to $500 per page.

What is professional copywriting?

Professional copywriting focuses on creating on-brand content for your website. It can also include content optimized for SEO, which is why many businesses will partner with a full-service digital marketing agency — you can access all the services you need in one place.

Why does professional copywriting matter?

While visuals are an immense help to shoppers, so is content. Consumers read almost 12 pieces of content before purchasing an item, which is why well-written content, from sales copy to blog posts, is in-demand.

Plus, if your company’s investing in SEO and PPC, you want to direct users to helpful website content. If you send shoppers to poorly written pages — or pages with almost zero content — it can push users away from your company.

How much does professional copywriting cost?

Rates for professional copywriting vary, with companies spending $50 to $500 per page.

How much your business spends on a page depends on a few factors, including:

  • Page topic
  • Page word count
  • Page deadline

If your company occupies a technical, complex industry, you can expect to pay more for professional copywriting due to the expertise required. In comparison, a nontechnical business can often spend less and still receive high-quality content for their site.

Content marketing ($2,000 – $10,000 / MONTH)

When it comes to content marketing, businesses spend $2000 to $10,000 per month.

What is content marketing?

With content marketing, your company focuses on creating relevant content for your target audience. This content, which can concentrate on top-of-the-funnel and bottom-of-the-funnel shoppers, answers user questions, builds user trust, and guides users to purchase.

For example, your business may publish regular blog posts, online guides, or infographics. All this content requires a home, however — your website. With the continuous addition of new content, your company needs to ensure your site remains up-to-date and functional.

Why does content marketing matter?

For companies worldwide, content marketing is an essential digital marketing strategy.

Compared to traditional marketing, it generates three times more leads. Even better, it almost doubles website conversion rates, which can mean more purchases, email sign-ups, or calls, actions that can all improve your company’s performance.

How much does content marketing cost?

Companies can invest a significant amount in content marketing — and earn a substantial return. In most cases, however, businesses spend $2000 to $10,000 per month. This total includes the cost of partnering with a digital marketing agency for this service.

Social media marketing and advertising ($4,000 – $7,000 / MONTH)

With social media marketing and advertising, businesses can spend $4000 to $7000 per month.

What is social media marketing and advertising?

Social media marketing focuses on improving your company’s brand awareness via social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. In some cases, social media can also drive website visits and purchases.

While brand awareness doesn’t provide immediate value, it can lead to long-term gains. A user that follows your business on social media, for example, may become more loyal due to your active presence. They may even refer friends and family to your business.

That’s why more than 50 percent of users that follow a brand on social media are loyal to it.

Why does social media marketing and advertising matter?

For consumers today, social media is a go-to hub for product recommendations, as well as customer service. Studies show that 74 percent of people use social media when making a purchase decision, with 80 percent receiving advice about a purchase through a social media platform.

With social media marketing, your business can place your company front-and-center. Plus, you can take an active role in user discussions about your products and services. You can even respond to user reviews, comments, and questions to maximize your impact.

How much does social media marketing and advertising cost?

Companies can spend $4000 to $7000 per month on social media marketing and social media ads. This cost depends on several factors, including the number of social media platforms you target and the number of ads you run.

Email marketing ($9 – $1,000 / MONTH)

A business can spend as as little as $9 to as much as $1000 per month on email marketing.

What is email marketing?

Email marketing focuses on generating and nurturing valuable leads. In most cases, your emails direct a user to take action, whether by viewing your website, contacting your company, or visiting your store. Like content marketing, email marketing requires your team to develop relevant content for readers.

Why does email marketing matter?

With an average return on investment (ROI) of $44 for every $1 invested, email marketing is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies. It also generates 50 percent more leads than other lead generation tactics.

How much does email marketing cost?

Companies can spend various amounts on email marketing. The total monthly cost of email marketing, which ranges from $9 to $1000, includes several features. A few examples include copywriting, analytics, and sending.

Website Cost Summary

Need a quick summary of how much a website should cost? Use this handy cheat sheet for quick reference!Website Costs
Web Design$12,000 to $150,000 / design
Website Maintenance$400 to $60,000 / year
Website Marketing$2,500 to $12,000 / month

FAQs about website costs

Get fast, accurate answers to some of the most common (and important) questions about website costs:

How much does a website cost?

Websites cost $12,000 to $150,000, on average. Your site’s costs will depend on your website’s size, features, and build. Expect to pay $300 to create a website with a website builder, $500 to $5000 to build a site with a freelancer, and $3000 to $100,000 to make a website with a web design agency. Plan for $400 to $60,000 in annual maintenance too.

How much does it cost to make a website?

Building a website costs $12,000 to $150,000, on average. Factors like style and features, as well as who builds your site, impact website costs. A site with fewer features and less customization generally costs less than a fully custom, feature-rich website from a web design agency. For example, websites for small businesses cost around $2000 to $9000, while ecommerce websites cost $5000 to $55,000.

How much does it cost to hire someone to build a website?

Hiring someone to build a website costs $0 to $100,000. Website builder prices range from $0 to $300. In comparison, freelance web designers cost $500 to $5000, and professional web design agencies cost $3000 to $100,000.

What are the factors that influence the cost of a website?

Expenses related to web design, website maintenance, and website marketing all affect the total cost of a website. Other important factors are the type of website and whether you use a website builder to make the website yourself or hire a designer to create a custom site.

More specific cost factors include your domain name, SSL certificate, hosting, site style or theme, ecommerce functionality, database integration, website size, responsive design, interactive media, and content management system.

Should I hire someone to build my website or use a website builder like Wix?

Choosing to hire someone, like a web design agency, to build your website versus using a website builder, like Wix or Squarespace, requires your company to think about your time, resources, and capabilities.

Creating a website demands design and development experience, as well as time and money. Even if your company builds your site in-house, you will need to recruit and hire the necessary talent to bring your website to life — unless you have the time and skills to do it yourself.

If you don’t have the time or skill to build your website, as well as the resources to hire a full-time team member or team, think about using a freelance designer or professional web design agency. They can help you create and launch your site fast, which means getting in front of your target audience faster.

In comparison, if you have the time and skill, go ahead and use a website builder, especially if you don’t have the funds to hire additional help. This option can get a basic version of your site live and help you reach your target market.

Get started on your new website

Looking to find a website designer? Ready to create a high-performing website for your company? Get a free estimate for designing and launching your site with our free website cost calculator. You can also chat with our team by contacting us online or calling 888-601-5359!

Last Updated May 1, 2023

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