Websites
What does a website cost in Australia?
In this guide
"How much does a website cost?" is one of the most common questions we hear, and the honest answer is that it depends. That can feel like a dodge, so this guide explains exactly what it depends on.
Once you understand what drives the cost, you can compare quotes properly, decide what you really need now and avoid paying for things you do not.
What you'll learn
- The main factors that drive the cost of a website
- The ongoing costs to plan for after launch
- Why quotes vary so much between providers
- How to get an accurate quote, and what to ask
Why website costs vary so much
Asking what a website costs is a bit like asking what a house costs. A small, simple site and a large online store with custom features are both "websites", but they involve very different amounts of work.
Quotes also vary because providers include different things. One quote might include strategy, copywriting, SEO set-up and training. Another might be design only, with everything else left to you. Comparing the price alone tells you very little.
1. The number of pages and templates
More pages mean more design, content and build work. But the number of unique page layouts, called templates, matters more than the raw page count.
Ten service pages that share one layout take less design work than ten pages that are all different. A blog with fifty articles uses one article template. Planning your sitemap early is one of the best ways to keep the scope clear.
2. Design: template or custom
A pre-made theme adapted with your logo and colours is quicker to set up. A custom design, built around your brand and your customers, takes more work but gives you a site that looks like yours and is planned around what you need visitors to do.
Many businesses sit somewhere in between: a design system built for them, using proven layouts where it makes sense. Ask each provider exactly what "custom" means in their quote.
3. Features and functionality
Features are often where costs grow fastest. Each of these adds work:
- Online booking or appointment systems
- An online store, product filters and payment options
- Member areas, logins or client portals
- Integrations with your CRM, email platform or accounting software
- Multiple languages
- Custom calculators, quote forms or configurators
Some features can be added with ready-made tools, others need custom development. A good provider will tell you which is which, and which features can wait until later.
4. Content: who writes it and who sources the images
Content is the most underestimated part of a website project. Someone has to write every page, and someone has to provide the photos, illustrations and video.
If you write the copy yourself, the project may cost less, but it will take your time and can delay launch. Professional copywriting costs more, but it is written to convert visitors and to rank in search. The same goes for photography: stock images are cheaper, real photos of your business build more trust.
Tip
Content is the most common reason website projects run late. Whoever is writing it, start early.
5. The platform
The platform affects both the build and the ongoing cost. WordPress is flexible and widely supported. Shopify is built for selling online and includes hosting in its monthly plans. Webflow suits design-led sites that marketing teams want to edit easily. Fully custom builds suit unusual requirements but cost more to build and maintain.
The right choice depends on what you sell, who will update the site and how you plan to grow. Our website build page explains how we help clients choose.
6. SEO, speed and accessibility
A website that nobody can find, that loads slowly or that some people cannot use is not finished. Check whether each quote includes:
- SEO set-up: page titles, descriptions, structure, redirects from your old site and structured data
- Speed optimisation, especially for mobile
- Accessibility basics: colour contrast, keyboard navigation and alt text
- Analytics and conversion tracking
Leaving these out makes a quote look cheaper, but you will pay for them later, either in fixes or in lost enquiries.
7. Ongoing costs after launch
The build is not the only cost. Plan for these too:
- Domain name, renewed every year or two
- Hosting, or a platform subscription such as Shopify
- Software licences for premium themes, plugins or apps
- Maintenance: updates, backups, security and fixes
- Improvements: new pages, features and content as your business grows
- Marketing: SEO, ads and email to bring people to the site
How to get an accurate quote
The clearer your brief, the more accurate and comparable your quotes will be. Before you ask, try to answer these:
- What should the website achieve? More enquiries, bookings, online sales?
- Who is it for, and what do they need to find?
- Which pages and features do you need now, and which can wait?
- Who will write the content and provide the images?
- Do you have a brand, or does that need work too?
- Who will update the site after launch?
Then ask each provider what is included, what is not, who owns the site and the domain, and what support looks like after launch.
How we price websites
We do not publish set prices, because every website we build is scoped around what the business needs. Instead, we start with a free discovery call, then send a tailored proposal that sets out every deliverable and every cost, so there are no surprises.
Frequently asked questions
Why do website quotes vary so much?
Providers include different things. Some quotes cover strategy, copywriting, SEO set-up and training. Others cover design and build only. Compare what is included, not just the total.
Is a cheap website a false economy?
Not always. A simple site can be the right start for a new business. It becomes a false economy when it cannot be found on Google, does not work on mobile or has to be rebuilt soon after launch.
Should I redesign or rebuild my existing website?
It depends on what is holding it back. If the structure and platform are sound, targeted improvements may be enough. If it is slow at its core or hard to update, a rebuild is often better value.
Who should own my website and domain?
You should. Make sure the domain, hosting account and website are in your name, with your provider given access to manage them.
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