How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website in 2023?

With inflation we asked the following – how much does it cost to build a website in 2023? As a business, having a poorly designed website, or worse, not having a website, can be detrimental to customer acquisition. In fact, 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience. As a business owner, one needs to maximize the chances of attracting and retaining customers. This can happen by utilizing your digital and online presence.

Cost of a professional website in 2023:

For competent, experienced web designers that did list their prices, we found the going rate in 2023 to build a modern, professional small business website was typically $5,000 – $10,000 but could be as much as $20,000 (or more) depending on the number of pages on the site and the amount of customization required.

Factors affect the price of a website:

Here’s a closer look at the specific factors affecting the price of building a small business website:

• Number of web pages: Let’s say a web development firm offers a 15-page business website package for $7,500, but your site needs 35 pages — how much extra will that cost? Add about $100/page for each page over and above what’s included in the standard website package. In this example, adding 20 pages (to the 15 pages included in the standard website package) would cost $2,000. Add this amount to the original base price of $7,500 and the revised total is $9,500.
• Customized themes: Every website starts with a theme or template. Nobody codes a website totally from scratch anymore. That’s way too time-consuming and expensive. A template or theme often gets you 50-60% of the way to the finish line, but there’s still tons of customization and coding needed to get your site looking and functioning how you want it. The more customization and coding required, the greater the cost. Templates and themes are a major reason you can often build a professional small business website in the $5,000-$10,000 range instead of $15,000-$20,000 or more.
• Custom images & graphics. Fancy images and graphics can give your site a one-of-a-kind look, but it comes at a price. Sophisticated visual effects often require special editing software, not to mention the talent of a custom graphic design specialist.
• Custom logo. Although not required, a custom logo is a nice addition to any website. A custom logo kicks up the trust/credibility factor a notch. To get a decent-looking, professionally designed logo in 2023, expect to pay somewhere in the $500-$1,000 range.
• Custom programming. Anytime coding is involved that does add more to the budget of the website – customizations make life easier but they take time and a lot of effort from the development side.
• Number of design revisions. Most website projects start with an initial concept design (kind of like a rough draft), then it’s common to have 1 or 2 rounds of design revisions to get everything just right. Some website designers offer as many as 3-5 rounds of design revisions. Technically, a website designer can offer as many rounds of design revisions as they want. But keep in mind, every design iteration adds to the overall cost of the project.
• Website content development (i.e. copywriting). Solid, thoughtful, persuasive content is the foundation of any great website. If you’re launching a new site but don’t have any content yet, it needs to be developed. Over the years I’ve discovered the # 1 obstacle to launching a website is content development. Clients struggle with this because it’s time-consuming and difficult to do. That’s why a few years ago we began offering professional copywriting services to our website design and development offerings. Yes, you want your website to look modern and stylish, but it’s your website’s content that moves the needle.

Key Takeaways:

Having your own website is exciting – however it does come with a price. And always remember – you get what you pay for. A cheap website construction will leave you with a cheap job – so always try to invest in your digital experience – because your clients will be the ones to see your website.