What does it cost to run once it’s built?

A domain is about $20 to $40 a year. Hosting for a small business site is usually free to a few dollars a month. If you take payments, Stripe takes a percentage of each sale rather than a monthly fee. That’s about it, unless you’d like ongoing help from me.

Why is one quote $1,500 and another $8,000?

Usually because they’re quoting different things. One might be a template filled in, the other a custom design with the words written for you. It’s worth asking each of them what’s included, how you make changes, and who owns the site at the end.

Do I pay it all up front?

No. Half to start, half when it goes live, is how I usually do it. For bigger jobs we can split it further.

Do I own it at the end?

Yes. The domain is in your name, the code is yours, the payment account is yours and the content is yours. If you ever want to take it somewhere else, you can, and I’ll help you move it.

Is a cheap site worse than no site?

Not at all. A simple site is much better than nothing. Just make sure it looks finished, because people will judge your business by it.

How long does it take?

A small site usually takes a few weeks once the words and photos are ready. Most delays come from waiting on content, which is why I’m happy to write it for you.

Web design · What it costs

What a website actually costs.

Nobody puts numbers on their site, so everybody has to ring around to find out. Here’s what the bands look like in Australia and what moves you between them.

These are the ranges I see in the market rather than a price list. What I quote depends on the job, and you get a fixed number before anything starts, not an hourly rate that grows.

Get a number for your job What I do

Quote

Your business

No. 042
Valid 30 days

✓Website design, five pages
✓Words, written for you
✓The build, with an editor you can use
✓Google basics, set up

Paid

Half to start,
half on launch

Total

Agreed up front

Fixed price

(01) The bands

Do it yourself

A subscription, and your weekends

Squarespace, Wix or Shopify with a ready-made theme. You pay monthly and do the work yourself. A good way to get started, but it takes a lot of your time and it can be hard to stand out.

A freelancer on a template

Roughly $1,000 to $3,000

Someone sets up one of those platforms for you and adds your content. It’s quick and saves you time, but the site will still look like its template.

Designed and built for you

Roughly $3,000 to $10,000

This is where I work. The design and the words are made for your business, and the site is built from scratch. You get an editor so you can make changes yourself, and your site won’t look like anyone else’s.

An agency

$15,000 and up

A whole team and a bigger project. Worth it for complex sites, like booking systems or member areas, or for bigger businesses with lots of people involved.

(02) What moves the number

Cheaper ← → Dearer

Pages
A fewLots
Words
You writeI write
Photos
Have themNeed a shoot
Selling
Just a siteA shop
Editing
Email meDo it yourself

How many pages

More pages means more design, writing and building. For most small businesses, a handful of good pages is plenty.

Who writes the words

If I write the words, that’s part of the price. If you write them it’s cheaper, though waiting on words is the most common reason a website takes longer than planned.

Photography

Good photos make a big difference to how a site looks. If you don’t have any, it can be worth putting some of the budget toward a photographer.

Selling online

An online shop is more work than a regular website. Products, a cart, checkout, postage, stock and order emails all need setting up.

Updating it yourself

Being able to edit your own site costs a little more to build, but saves you time and money every time something changes.

(03) Questions

Running costs

Once it’s built

Domainabout $20–$40 a year
Hostingfree to a few dollars a month
Paymentsa small % of each sale
Meonly if you want me

That’s about it.

What does it cost to run once it’s built?: A domain is about $20 to $40 a year. Hosting for a small business site is usually free to a few dollars a month. If you take payments, Stripe takes a percentage of each sale rather than a monthly fee. That’s about it, unless you’d like ongoing help from me.
Why is one quote $1,500 and another $8,000?: Usually because they’re quoting different things. One might be a template filled in, the other a custom design with the words written for you. It’s worth asking each of them what’s included, how you make changes, and who owns the site at the end.
Do I pay it all up front?: No. Half to start, half when it goes live, is how I usually do it. For bigger jobs we can split it further.
Do I own it at the end?: Yes. The domain is in your name, the code is yours, the payment account is yours and the content is yours. If you ever want to take it somewhere else, you can, and I’ll help you move it.
Is a cheap site worse than no site?: Not at all. A simple site is much better than nothing. Just make sure it looks finished, because people will judge your business by it.
How long does it take?: A small site usually takes a few weeks once the words and photos are ready. Most delays come from waiting on content, which is why I’m happy to write it for you.

(04) Get a number