The website development cost varies depending on several factors, including the complexity, the design development team, and additional features the site requires.
A small website with a basic design and limited web pages can cost between $10,000 and $20,000, whereas building a website with moderate functionalities costs $40,000 to $100,000. However, a more complex website with advanced features and integrations can cost over $150,000.
Depending on factors and the specific functionalities, there may be differences in actual and estimated prices. Therefore, it is recommended that the budget and the project’s scope must be clearly defined before starting the development process.
This blog post will take a closer look at each factor and provide an overview of the cost of website development.
Website Development Cost As Per Complexity
The website’s complexity is defined by the number of pages, features, screens, transitions, third-party integrations, and several other factors. Based on the complexity, one can decide the overall budget for web development.
A website with an average of 12-15 pages, a standard design, and a simple infrastructure constitutes a website with basic complexity. On the other hand, a robust design with cloud technology, solid infrastructure, and multifunctional integrations increases the website’s complexity.
Below is the website development cost based on the complexity level.
| Complexity Level | Cost | Development Time |
| Simple | $5,000 to $30,000 | 2 months |
| Average | $30,000 to $80,000 | 4-6 months |
| Difficult | $80,000 to $300,000 | 6-12 months |
Average Web Development Cost As Per Different Website Types
Are you looking to create a simple brochure-style website or a complex e-commerce platform? No matter the requirement, understand your project to make informed decisions.
Let’s define the website development cost as per different types:
| Type of Websites | Average Cost | Average Development Time |
| Business Website | $15,000-$160,000 | 6 to 30 weeks |
| Personal Website | $5000+ | 4+ weeks |
| MVP Business Website | $35,000+ | 12 to 20 weeks |
| E-Commerce Website | $50,000+ | 16 to 26 weeks |
| Custom Web Application | $50,000-$100,000 | 52+ weeks |
| Web Portal | $60,000-$100,000 | 52+ weeks |
| SaaS Website | $120,000+ | 72+ weeks |
Here are examples of some of the well-known websites and their development cost-bifurcation.
Cost to Develop a Website Like Amazon
Companies looking to scale their businesses are moving towards online sales, which, in turn, are increasing the popularity of eCommerce websites.
Retail e-commerce sales are expected to reach about 8.1 trillion by 2026, growing by 56% over the next years. This means developing a website is a lucrative business opportunity.
With features like a shipping & delivery tracker, in-app payment, profile management, inventory management, reviews & ratings, and product description, eCommerce website development costs range from $30,000 to $65,000.
Read our blog on eCommerce app development costs to define the budget for building your online store.
Cost to Develop a News Portal Like CNN
On average, custom-built news website development costs can range from $10,000 to $50,000. This type of website includes features like a content management system, multimedia integration, social media integration, and real-time updates/alerts.
Factors like design complexity, CMS selection, responsive design, data security, and hosting influence the cost of building a news website.
Cost to Develop a Social Networking Site Like Facebook
Developing a social networking website like Facebook can cost between $5,000 and $50,000 (or more as per the feature complexity). You can integrate features like in-app messaging, photo & video uploading, AI-powered content recommendation systems, and push notifications.
You can add various advanced features to your social media networking site: live location, business account, add story, gamification, and report abuse. UI/UX features, developer’s rate, and technology used are some of the factors influencing the cost of developing a social networking site like Facebook.
Cost to Develop a Blogging Website Like Medium
Blogging websites are for sharing thoughts, ideas, and experiences. A simple blog website development costs range from $500 to $5,000. However, this cost can reach up to $50,000 based on advanced features, robust infrastructure, security implementations, and more.
The unique features to integrate into a blog website are a comment & discussion section, social media integration, follow, tag, create personalized reading list, and create a publication.
Cost to Develop an Entertainment Website Like Netflix
With entertainment websites like Netflix, you can stream video content on your PC, TV, or mobile devices. Moreover, there are other entertainment websites for streaming music, games, and videos, too.
The cost of developing a website like Netflix depends on the features and functionality required. These features include multi-lingual support, easy payment system integration, advanced search results, watching offline, or a review and rating system.
The average cost of building an entertainment website ranges from $10,000 to $150,000.
Cost to Develop a Job Portal Like Indeed
The parameters influencing the cost of building job portals like Indeed include UI/UX design, platforms, databases, analytics, and development teams. You can integrate features like a job posting system, applicant tracking system, resume builder, multimedia integration, and more.
The average cost of building a job portal website can range from $10,000 to $50,000.
Step-by-Step Cost Breakdown of Website Development
How much does it cost to build a website? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Various parameters affect the development cost at every step of the website development.
Let’s understand the cost breakdown as per the web development process.
-
Discovery Phase
In this first phase of website development, your team will define the development scope, specify the budget, and outline vital details. Thus, you can create a well-described and detailed plan based on the website features, timeline, objectives, and target audience.
Business analysis, market research, competitor research, and UX/UI research are the primary parts of the discovery phase, with an estimated time of 2-12 weeks. Considering factors such as UX/UI designing, mockups, and wireframing, this step may cost you $500-$15,000.
-
Front-end Development
The front end of a website includes design elements such as animations, dynamic forms, and real-time updates. Considering factors like design complexity, templates or custom design, technology use, development team (location and experience), and project size, the cost to develop a website front-end changes. A website with basic to medium-level complexity costs range from $1,000 to $12,500.
-
Back-end Development
The feature complexity, such as user authentication, real-time updates, and integration with third-party services, is a significant factor in determining the cost of building a website.
Another factor that can impact the web development cost is technology. Using open-source technology can often save costs as compared to using proprietary technology. The location and experience of the development team also play a role in determining the cost.
The size of the project is also a major factor in determining the cost. A small to medium-sized website with simple functionality can cost around $5,000 to $15,000 for back-end development. However, a complex website with advanced features can cost more than $50,000.
-
Testing
Testing a website to ensure it works as intended is a crucial process in web development. The testing process involves planning, defining test tasks, recruiting test users, conducting a test, analyzing the results, and documenting.
Depending on your website size, features, and complexity, it can take approximately 2-3 weeks to complete the testing process. Considering testing processes like security, pen-testing, usability, performance, compatibility, and accessibility, testing cost estimation can be $2,500-$30,000.
By partnering with a reliable website development company, you can get a thoroughly tested website that performs consistently.
-
Website Maintenance
Website development costs are not just a one-time expense but an ongoing investment that should be considered when planning a website. Assigning 15%-20% of the budget per year for ongoing testing, maintenance, and updates of a website will ensure your website continues to function at its best.
The Hidden (or Additional) Costs in Website Development
A website is a valuable investment for any business, as it helps increase visibility, establish credibility, and improve customer engagement. With proper project planning and detailing, you can ensure that your website development process is cost-effective.
However, there are additional costs associated with web development. Let’s go through some of these factors:
| Cost-driving Factors | Features/Functionality | Cost |
| Mandatory Features | Domain Name | $30-$60 Per Year |
| SSL Certificate | $10-$70 Per Year | |
| Web Hosting | $600+ Per Year | |
| Web Platform (WordPress) | $100-$300 Per Year | |
| Add-ons (Themes and Plugin) | $100-$200 for custom or advanced features | |
| Complex Features | E-Commerce Functionality | $5000+ |
| Payment Option | $5000+ | |
| Implementing a CMS | $30,000+ | |
| Order Tracking functionality | $30,000+ | |
| Basic Database Support | $20,000+ | |
| Implementing Chatbots | 30,000+ | |
| Marketing Cost | Content and Copywriting | $15-$80 Per Hour. |
| Search Engine Optimization (SEO) | $300-$1,500 | |
| Link Building | $2500-$3500 per month. |
Website Development Cost Breakdown Based on Development Type
When choosing a type of website development, focus on ease of use and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, the objective and complexity of your project will also influence your decision.
Here are some procedures you can follow to build your website according to your requirements and budget.
-
DIY Website Development
If you are looking for a cost-effective option to build your website, an open-source website builder like Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly is the right solution for you. The drag-and-drop editor of these platforms allows you to effortlessly add, edit, remove, and manage the layout, content, and other elements.
However, remember that features like hosting, themes, plugins, and additional features will add to your web development cost.
-
Template-Based Website Development
Website builders like Shopify, Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress offer easy-to-use templates and, at the same time, customization options, making them more sophisticated than simple constructors.
Using a Content Management System (CMS) to build a website can cost you more than $30,000. These template-based website builders have essential elements and features to rearrange the layout of your website.
-
Custom Website Development
If you want to build a website for your business from scratch, you can choose to develop a custom website. Corporate websites, landing pages, SaaS websites, and eCommerce websites require custom website development.
SaaS website development costs over $120,000, and the website can be built from 10 months to a year. Moreover, on average, custom website development costs can be anywhere from $30,000 to $300,000, depending on the required exclusive features and integrations.
Which Team Should You Hire for Your Web Development Project?
One of the most crucial factors that influence the web development cost is the developer’s price. Based on the location, web development timeframe, hiring model, and team composition, you can decide your budget for building a website.
-
Vendor Type
You have various options for choosing the type of vendor for your project, each with pros and cons. Therefore, it is essential to define your requirements properly in order to build your website efficiently.
| Vendor Type | Development Cost |
| In-house | $80,000-$120,000 |
| Freelancers | $10,000-$30,000 |
| Local Web Development Agency | $90,000 – $150,000 |
| Outsource Web Development Agency | $30,000 – $75,000 |
By establishing an in-house team, you can ensure your developers are aligned with your company’s vision and goals. Moreover, they will be available for you every time you need them, which provides you with more control over the development process. However, you may not find professionals with expertise in all the required technologies for website development. Also, it is a comparatively costly process.
On the other hand, freelance web developers might be an affordable option, but you may face issues with reliability, communication, and lack of accountability. Although hiring a local agency can fill this technical and communication gap, it has cons like low availability, high cost, and slow development.
The next option is outsourcing a web development agency, which ensures expertise, proficiency, seamless communication, and cost-effectiveness. At the same time, you can hire dedicated web developers from an outsourcing agency and onboard them remotely according to your technical requirements.
-
Team’s Location
The website development cost can vary depending on the team’s location. Various countries and regions have different prices based on the cost of living. Therefore, the location of developers is also a factor that must be considered to answer the question, “How much does a website cost?”
| Country | Rate |
| The United States of America | $120,000-$150,000 |
| Australia | $90,000-$120,000 |
| India | $30,000-$60,000 |
| The United Kingdom | $90,000-$120,000 |
| Ukraine | $60,000-$90,000 |
-
Team Composition
The next parameter that affects your website development cost is the team composition. Every member of your website development team is responsible for their particular tasks. Therefore, establishing your ideal team is crucial for building a successful website with guaranteed quality and performance.
Your web development team and hiring cost will look something like this:
| Team Member | Average Cost of Hiring |
| Project Manager | $2,500 to $30,000 |
| Business Analyst | $2,000 to $20,000 |
| UX/UI Designer | $3,500 to $25,000 |
| Back-end Developer | $80 to $250 Per Hour |
| Front-end Developer | $35 to $150 Per Hour |
How Does Successive Digital Redefine the Web Experience for Your Business?
Successive Digital is a reputed technology provider with over a decade of experience catering to the needs of various industry sectors. Be it eCommerce, SaaS, eLearning, or any other custom website development, we are your one-stop destination to get enterprise-grade solutions.
Integrated with the right set of technologies like IoT, AR/VR, AI, and Cloud Computing, we provide cost-effective custom-made website development services. We have served a wide range of businesses, including enterprises, small-scale, and startups, with our industry-leading solutions.
Improve the online exposure of your business with our flexible, robust, and agile solutions. Contact us today!
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost to build a website ranges from $20,000 to $200,000 based on various factors like technologies, platforms, features, complexity, and more. Here, a basic website can cost you approximately $20,000, and a medium-complexity website can cost anywhere between $40,000 and $100,000. This cost can reach up to $300,000 as per advanced features and elements.
On average, you can expect to pay a website design cost from $2,000 to $25,000 according to your requirements. The time and resources invested in your project affect this cost estimation.
The developer’s location, technical expertise, roles and responsibilities, and hiring model are some of the parameters you must consider while hiring web developers. Your developers may charge you anywhere between $30 and $90 per hour to develop a website.
