How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Website?
How much does website development cost? It all depends on how complex the website is, what elements it consists of, and how polished it is in terms of UI and UX design. Elements like custom content management systems (CMS) or e-commerce platforms might increase the costs significantly. Thus, it is impossible to calculate one universal cost of website development. Should you invest less to cut down the costs or perhaps more to get the finest design possible? Definitely the latter. Let’s discuss all these aspects in more detail.
What Is Included into the Website Development Costs?
There are many elements that build up the costs of developing a website. Some of them are optional but still good to include if you wish to drive conversions; others might be obligatory, so you will not avoid them. What do you need to consider? Here’s a list:
- domain and web hosting,
- content management system (e.g. WordPress),
- website design – UI and UX,
- SSL certificate,
- e-commerce functionality (if applicable)
- website content,
- apps and integrations.
Bear in mind that not all of these are a part of typical web development services. For instance, while you do need content on your website, it is not the role of the developers to prepare one for you. Yet, we still list it here, as it is a must before you get your website running.
How Much Does Website Development Cost?
As you saw in the introduction, the costs can vary significantly. This is due to the fact that you can introduce various customizations at each step of your website development, which might make the overall investment higher. What elements can vary in price and why?
1. Domain
First of all, the price of the domain might depend on its availability and popularity. A .com domain will be more expensive than a .business one. Additionally, when running an international business, you might need local domains like .uk (United Kingdom), .pl (Poland), or .be (Belgium).
2. Content Management System (CMS)
Another aspect that will affect the costs of website development is the type of content management system that you will choose. For instance, WordPress does offer a free package, but is highly limited, so you might need to pay for additional functions.
You might also want to customize your CMS during the development phase or create a customized platform specifically for your business. This makes the costs even higher, as such customizations may range from just a few thousand dollars to $100,000 or more.
3. Website Design (UX and UI)
This is one of the most critical elements determining whether your website will fulfill its business goals. Designing an intuitive user interface and polishing the user experience should be a goal of any developer, but to have this polished, you might need to invest a bit more. After all, testing and adjusting takes time.
In this case, you could technically make savings, but it is not worth it – choosing experienced and skilled UX/UI design services leads to higher conversion rates and enhanced brand loyalty.
4. E-Commerce Functionality
If you are planning to run an e-commerce, you need a website that enables you to sell your products and makes this process seamless for the customer. This might require you to implement an e-commerce platform like Shopify or WooCommerce. How much does it cost?
Shopify offers three variants:
- Basic – $32/month
- Shopify – $92/month
- Advanced – $399/month
WooCommerce, on the other hand, has these costs divided into different sections, so you need to calculate how much you will need to calculate the price yourself – we recommend here the WooCommerce pricing guide posted on their blog.
5. Content
Finally, you need to invest in graphics and text that will fill your website. This, again, may depend on the graphic designers you choose, the number of pictures and banners on your site, the amount of content you will need, and the expertise and rates of the copywriter you will work with.
Why Should You Invest in a Good Website Development?
While the cost to develop a website may vary, you should not always look for the least expensive options. This is critical for a number of reasons, so let’s look at some data proving how good UX, UI, and overall website development is crucial.
According to Ledgeview Partners, 34% of consumers will make an unplanned purchase after experiencing personalized content, 66% prefer to view a beautifully designed website, and 74% are more likely to revisit if the site is mobile-friendly (2020). Deloitte, on the other hand, claims that just a 0.1-second improvement in load time can boost conversions by 8%-10%.
This proves that you need a website that is intuitive, attractive, and fast. Otherwise, you might lose potential customers and struggle with low conversion rates. Thus, the real question should be: how much does it cost to develop a website that has an excellent UI, offers customized and pleasurable experiences, and has high performance?
The Takeaway
It is impossible to determine how much website development costs – there are numerous variables that can affect the price. But since you know what elements impact the price and have seen the statistics regarding the average prices paid by businesses, you are now able to estimate how much it should cost to develop your website and use this knowledge to plan your budget.
You may also be interested in: Why Integrating UI/UX in Your Website Design Is Essential for Growth?
Sources:
Deloitte (2020). Milliseconds make Millions. https://ledgeviewpartners.com/blog/web-traffic-statistics-you-should-know-in-2020/
Ledgeview Partners (2020, June 24). Web Traffic Statistics You Should Know in 2020. https://ledgeviewpartners.com/blog/web-traffic-statistics-you-should-know-in-2020/
Sebastian, N. (2020) Website Design Stats And Trends For Small Businesses – GoodFirms Research. https://www.goodfirms.co/resources/web-design-research-small-business
Author
