In this article, we will take a stroll in the cyber market of website builders and explore an important question: How much does it cost to build a website?
With the sagacious minds of the universe coming up with new and improved technologies on a daily basis, website building is no longer an arduous task that requires a professional website designer, thousands of dollars and considerable time. With the advent of intuitive website builders, your dream website is just a few clicks away and won’t compel you to rob a bank.
Countless website builders are available on the cyber market that boast advanced tools to help you create a website, even if you are on a low budget. The cost of website building depends on numerous factors like subscription fees, plugins, templates, and hosting. The more customized and complex your site is the more expensive it will be. However, there are numerous budget-friendly platforms like Wix, and GoDaddy that will help you design a professional-looking website without emptying your wallet.
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Website in 2023?
Essential Website Costs
When setting up a fully functional website, there are a few requirements that should be met, such as domain name registration, website hosting, SEO tools, e-commerce portal (for business websites), SSL certificate etc. It is easy to get a website up and running for very little, but it may lack the necessary components required to attract an audience.
| Domain Name | $0 to $20 per year |
| Web Hosting | $30 to $500 per year |
| Theme or Template | $0 to $100 (one-time fee) |
| Professional Web Design | $100 to $5,000-plus |
| DIY Website Builder | $100 to $400 per year |
| SSL Certificate | $0 to $249 per year |
Cost to Build a Website Depending on the Industry
The cost to build a website also depends on the kind of industry you are in. Every industry has its specific needs and requires certain elements and features in a website for efficient promotion. The more features and plugins you incorporate in your website the more will be the cost. Moreover, if you opt for a professional website designer to build a website for you, depending on your industry and the maintenance of the website, the cost will come out to be anywhere between $2,000 to $60,000.
Website Builders Comparison
| Wix | Web.com | Network Solutions | HubSpot | Squarespace | |
| Price | $4-$35 per month | $1.95-$24.95 per month | $14.95-$109.80 per month | $25-$1,200 per month | $16-$49 per month |
| Best For | Beginners and small businesses | Beginners looking for a reliable website builder | Small websites | Business growth and improvement | Solopreneurs and small businesses |
| Free Version | Yes | No | No | Yes | 14-day trial |
| Templates | 800 | +100 | +150 | +140 | 110 |
| Web Hosting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free SSL Certificate | Yes | Yes (for one year) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free Domain | Yes (for one year) | Yes (for one year) | Yes (for one year) | Yes | Yes (for one year) |
Cost to Build a Website: Key Features that Cost a Fortune
There are certain key features when building a website, that cost money but are too pivotal for the running of the website to miss out on.
Domain Name
When building a website, the first step that you need to take is to find a unique domain name for your website. A domain name is like an ID card, defining the unique identity of your website, with its price depending on:
- The registrar, company that manages your domain name.
- The extension (.com, .app, .org etc.).
- Availability of the domain name
- Renewal cost, and much more.
Most website builders offer a free domain name for a period of one year, however, once your time is up you will have to pay for the renewal, the cost of which depends on the website builder you have opted for. In case you wish to transfer your domain; you will have to pay a transfer fee of about $10-$20. Furthermore, if you wish to buy a domain name that is already taken you will have to negotiate the price that can go up to five figures.
Let’s take Wix as an example, the website builder offers a free domain name for a period of one year however the renewal price costs between $10-$45. Therefore, before settling on a website builder, don’t just fixate on the “free domain for a year” benefit and take into account the renewal price as well.
Hosting Fees
The hosting options and fees depend on your exact needs. Before settling on a hosting option consider the following questions:
- What is the size of your website?
- How complex is your website?
- What is the expected traffic that your website will receive upon launch?
If your website is small and is not overly complex you can opt for shared hosting, a cheap and affordable option. Whereas if you have a large e-commerce site boasting hundreds of products and high traffic volume then it is vital that you opt for a more performant option like VPS, virtual private server hosting, or Dedicated hosting.
With HostGator, shared hosting can cost as little as $ 11.95, whereas the dedicated hosting plans start from $224. 99. Some generous website builders offer free hosting as part of your subscription plans, like with Wix’s premium plans you can get free hosting.
Website Builder Subscription
The website builder market is full of affordable options that lets you build and design a professional website in a reasonable price. The DIY website builders are the cheapest option out there, allowing you to build a website in a span of minutes. These website builders require no coding knowledge and come with a drag-and-drop editor that allows you to modify your website, adding elements and features that best define your website.
Wix is considered to be the number one website builder on the market right now and its website builder costs between $4 to $35 per month.
Which Factors Increase the Cost to Build a Website?
The following factors enhance the cost to build a website.
- Type and size of the website.
- Coding and custom design.
- Incorporating extra features.
Type and Size of Website
The cost to build a website depends on the type and size of website. If you have a small website, you can opt for a website builder package that includes a hosting solution. Some website builders even offer free hosting solutions. However, if you wish to launch an online store that will house hundreds of products and will probably receive heavy visitor traffic, it is best to use VPS or Dedicated hosting. VPS and Dedicated hosting costs about a hundred dollars per month.
Coding and Custom Design
Most website builders were developed with user ease in mind and therefore don’t offer complete design and customization freedom. They will facilitate you in creating a fully functional, professional-looking website, but you won’t be able to customize it to your free will.
Design is the most important aspect of your website, as it attracts visitors and defines your vision, you might want a custom site, harboring custom features. However, in order to have a custom website you will need to avail the services of a web designing company that will cost up to $10,000 or even more.
Extra Features
Who doesn’t want a website that supports premium features like live chat, a PayPal button, QuickBooks connector, a comment section, etc. However, to incorporate these features in your website you will have to install the necessary plugins that cost around $5 to $30 per month. The more plugins you add the more quickly costs will add up. Therefore, it is best to use plugins sparingly and add only the ones that will enhance user experience and increase visitor traffic.
How can the Cost to Build a Website be Reduced?
There are several steps that you can take if you wish to cut the cost of website building.
- Pick a domain name that is unique and isn’t taken.
- Pick a domain extension that is cheap such as .com, .net, .org, .in, etc.
- Before settling on a hosting provider, compare different plans and providers, taking into consideration the renewal costs.
- Go for a website builder that is either cheap or offers a good, free version. Compare the builders and the plans they have to offer. There are countless website builders like Wix that offer premium features at a low price.
- Opt for a website builder that offers free hosting.
- Instead of hiring an expert, build a website with your own two hands to cut back on costs.
Is There a Free Option?
Numerous website builders in the market boast a free version or a trial that allows users to create a fully functional website without spending a dime. Small businesses and solopreneurs usually resort to these free options to build their first website. The free version comes with limited features and is mostly a practice version, where you can experience the workings of the website builder. Another downside of using the free version is that the footer of your website will display the name of the web builder you used. Moreover, for the optimal running of the website, you will have to spend some money to purchase the necessary tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which website builder should I opt for if I’m looking for premium benefits at a cheap price?
A DIY website builder or a professional website designer which is better?
How much does it cost to create a simple website via a website builder for a small business?
