The Real Answer
A business website in 2025 costs anywhere from $500 to $50,000+.
That's a wide range because "website" means different things:
- A 5-page marketing site
- A 50-page corporate portal
- An e-commerce store with 1,000 products
- A custom web application with user accounts
Let's break down realistic costs at every level.
Tier 1: DIY / Template ($500 - $2,000)
What you get:
- Pre-made template (Squarespace, Wix, WordPress theme)
- Basic customization (logo, colors, content)
- Standard features (contact form, gallery, blog)
Who it's for:
- Solo entrepreneurs testing an idea
- Businesses that just need "something online"
- Tight budgets with no room for custom work
The catch:
- Looks like a template (because it is)
- Limited functionality
- You do all the work yourself
- Performance and SEO are often mediocre
Tier 2: Professional WordPress ($2,500 - $6,000)
What you get:
- Custom design (not a template)
- 5-12 pages
- Mobile responsive
- SEO foundations
- Contact forms
- Basic training on how to edit content
Who it's for:
- Small businesses ready to look professional
- Companies that need to launch in 3-5 weeks
- Budgets that prioritize value over cutting edge
What's included at each price point:
$2,500 - $3,500 (Starter):
- 5-8 pages
- Clean, modern design
- Mobile friendly
- Basic SEO setup
$4,000 - $5,000 (Growth):
- 8-12 pages
- Custom layouts
- Stronger visual design
- Lead capture optimization
$5,500 - $6,000 (Premium):
- 12+ pages
- Animations
- Booking/scheduling systems
- Membership features
Tier 3: Custom Next.js ($8,000 - $15,000)
What you get:
- Blazing fast performance
- Smooth animations and interactions
- Custom functionality
- Modern tech stack
- Lower long-term hosting costs
Who it's for:
- Brands that want to stand out
- Businesses where first impressions matter
- Companies planning to scale
- Anyone who values performance
What's included at each price point:
$8,000 - $10,000 (Cinematic):
- Marketing site with premium animations
- Parallax scrolling
- Micro-interactions
- Optimized for speed
$10,000 - $12,000 (With Back-End):
- User authentication
- Dashboards
- Database integration
- API connections
$12,000+ (Web App):
- Multi-user platforms
- Complex integrations
- Custom business logic
- Scalable architecture
Tier 4: Enterprise ($25,000+)
What you get:
- Large-scale custom development
- Multiple user roles and permissions
- Complex integrations (CRM, ERP, payment systems)
- Ongoing development and support
Who it's for:
- Companies with complex requirements
- Businesses with significant web traffic
- Organizations needing custom applications
What Affects the Price?
1. Number of Pages
More pages = more design, more development, more content.
2. Custom Functionality
Every custom feature adds development time:
- E-commerce
- Booking systems
- User accounts
- Calculators
- Interactive tools
3. Design Complexity
- Template-based: Cheaper
- Custom design: Mid-range
- Cinematic with animations: Premium
4. Content
- You provide content: Cheaper
- We write content: Add $150-300/page
- Professional photography: Add $500-2,000
5. Integrations
- CRM connections
- Email marketing
- Payment processing
- Third-party APIs
6. Timeline
- Standard (4-8 weeks): Normal pricing
- Rush (2-3 weeks): Add 25-50%
Ongoing Costs to Budget For
Don't forget these annual costs:
- Hosting: $120-600/year
- Domain: $15-50/year
- SSL certificate: Usually included with hosting
- Maintenance/updates: $0-3,600/year
- Content updates: $0-2,400/year (if you hire someone)
How to Get the Best Value
- Know your goals first — What does success look like?
- Start with must-haves — Add nice-to-haves later
- Get a fixed quote — Avoid hourly billing surprises
- Invest in quality — A cheap site that doesn't convert costs more in the long run
The Bottom Line
Most small businesses spend $3,000-8,000 on their website. That's enough for a professional, custom site that represents your brand well.
If you need performance, animations, or custom functionality, budget $8,000-15,000.
Not sure where you fit? Let's talk through your needs and I'll give you an honest estimate.