What actually affects the cost of a website
A website's price is shaped by a handful of factors that stack on top of each other, not by a single flat rate. The main ones are:
- Number of pages and how much original content each one needs
- Whether the design is custom or built from a template
- Ecommerce, booking, or account-based features
- Copywriting, photography, and content preparation
- Integrations — payment methods, WhatsApp, email, booking calendars
- Number of design revisions included
- Turnaround time
Starter and simple business websites
For a business that just needs a professional presence online — a place to send customers so they can see what you offer, read your contact details, and message you on WhatsApp — a starter website is usually the right starting point. AllDigital GY's Starter Website is priced at US$100 and includes a Home page, About page, Services page, and Contact page, with WhatsApp integration built in, a mobile-friendly layout, and a basic animation built around your logo. Domain registration and hosting are quoted separately, since those are ongoing costs tied to the domain registrar and hosting provider rather than the build itself.
This kind of package works well for businesses that need to move fast — a shop that wants to stop relying only on a Facebook page, a service provider who needs somewhere professional to send potential clients, or a new business getting its first digital presence in place.
Custom websites
Once a business needs more than four static pages, custom sections, a distinct visual identity, or content that goes beyond the basics, the project moves from a starter package into custom pricing. A custom website usually involves original layout design for each page type, more planning around navigation and content structure, and more testing across devices. Custom website pricing is quoted after a discovery conversation about what the site needs to do, not from a flat rate.
Ecommerce websites
An online store adds real scope on top of a standard website: product catalog structure, product pages, a cart and checkout flow, and — where relevant — a connection to a payment method. The size of a product catalog, whether variants like size or colour are needed, and whether orders are placed directly on the site or coordinated through WhatsApp all affect the final scope and price.
Booking and appointment features
Businesses that take appointments — salons, driving schools, consultants, service providers — often need a booking flow rather than a static contact form. This can range from a simple form that collects preferred dates and times, through to a full calendar system with availability rules and confirmations. The more automated and rule-based the booking flow needs to be, the more development work it involves.
Web apps and custom platforms
Some businesses need something beyond a marketing website entirely — a dashboard, an internal tracking tool, a customer portal, or a system with logins and multiple user roles. These are effectively small software products rather than websites, and they are priced according to the features, data structure, and workflows involved rather than a page count.
Domain and hosting
A website build and a domain/hosting plan are two separate costs. The domain is the address people type to reach your site, and hosting is what keeps the site online and accessible. These are ongoing costs, usually billed annually, paid to a domain registrar and hosting provider rather than the developer directly, and they continue regardless of who built the site.
Maintenance and updates
A website is not a one-time purchase that never needs attention. Content changes, new pages, seasonal updates, and technical maintenance like keeping software current all cost time. Some developers include a limited support period after launch; ongoing changes beyond that are usually billed separately or through a maintenance arrangement.
What changes the cost after launch
Once a site is live, the most common cost drivers are adding new pages or sections, adding ecommerce or booking after launch, redesigning existing pages, and adding integrations that were not part of the original scope. Knowing this upfront helps you plan a starting package that leaves room to grow rather than needing a rebuild in six months.
Questions to ask before choosing a developer
- What exactly is included in the quoted price, and what counts as an extra?
- Who owns the domain and hosting account once the site is live?
- How many rounds of design revisions are included?
- What is the expected timeline from content handover to launch?
- Is there support included after launch, and for how long?
- Can the site grow into ecommerce or booking later without a full rebuild?