How Much Does a Website Cost?

If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you’re doing research for a new website. Is your company a small business that’s looking for a foothold on the internet? Is it an E-commerce site that’s badly in need of an upgrade? Are you a marketing director for a large enterprise looking to increase reach and revenue? Maybe a non-profit who needs a web presence to more effectively communicate your mission and message?

Xtreme Websites has worked with all of the above. We don’t just build websites; we take a strategic approach to create unique online platforms that generate results. We like to call them “Result Driven Websites”. We’re proud of the work that we do, and we’d love to help educate you about the ins and outs of launching a Website that produces Results! More importantly, help answer the question that many people have and few agencies can answer…

HOW MUCH DOES BUILDING A WEBSITE COST?!

Web Design is a Service, Not a Product

It’s important to keep in mind that web design is a service, and like all services there can be ongoing costs. Websites aren’t a commodity in the same way that computers and printers are. They require a complex level of planning and execution in order to make them work properly. With that mindset, how do you approach pricing out your new website?

Much like the businesses they represent, not all websites are created equal. Websites have different requirements, utilize different technology, and serve various purposes; therefore the website cost will greatly vary depending on the design and functionality needs of your company and the project at hand. At Xtreme Websites our hourly rate is $100, we offer special discounts for non-profits and partner companies. All of our pricing is based on this hourly rate, our overall costs (wages + overhead) and the long term costs of properly servicing and adding value to our clientele.

Based on our experience working with hundreds of clients, we’ve found that websites usually fall in 3 categories. One of these three website categories should fit what you’re looking for, depending on your needs and budget.

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STARTER WEBSITE COST – $2000 – $5000 or $35/mo+

For 2015 we are splitting this section in 2 parts:

1) If you hire a web development company: $2000 – $5000

Starter or basic websites are perfect for anyone just beginning to build their brand and acts primarily as an online brochure. Starter website costs somewhere in the $2,500 – $5,000 range.  A basic website can get your name out onto the web, and give your customers somewhere to communicate with you and your business.

The design of your starter website will most likely be a template at such low costs, which means that your site will probably be very similar to a lot of other sites on the web. It is also important to mention that you will not see much custom functionality with basic sites; functionalities like blog capabilities, responsive capabilities, e-commerce, or the ability to access and edit the site yourself through a CMS (Content Management System) require more time to build and test.

At our firm, we built an all-in-one solution for starter websites called Turnkey Websites. This solution enables you to have the best of both worlds, the affordability of DIY Websites (without the frustration) and the expert touch of a web designer. Moreover functionalities usually not present on basic websites, such as CMS, fully responsive, web analytics and more are included.

Perfect for: The main reason to choose a starter website if budget is your largest priority and/or if time is short and you need a web presence asap. This is also a great solution for entrepreneurs who are just starting in business and do not have a solid business structure or are not profitable yet.

2) If you Do It Yourself (DIY) – Free – $35/mo+

By this point you must have heard about online tools that advertise a Do It Yourself website option where you can simply “drag and drop” and build your own site for free. Platforms like Wix.com, SqueareSpace.com among many have allowed anybody to have a web presence.

However it is important to note that among many limitations these tools are often complicated, and our (general) audience do not feel comfortable dedicating the time learning and using these tools. These platforms do offer some configuration options, but still require some html knowledge, graphic design and other industry knowledge to build a professional site.  A good 50% or more of our Starter Website clients actually come from having one of these free sites and are not happy with the design or results (or lack thereof).

Unless you are willing to dedicate the time required learning and practicing or if you simply want this site for a hobby blog, we wouldn’t recommend this option for any business that takes their branding seriously. You should ask yourself: If you (the owner) is not willing to invest in the business, why would anybody else?

STANDARD CUSTOM WEBSITE COST – $5000 – 12,000

A properly designed standard website comes with custom design elements that highlight your individual business and set you apart from the crowd. Depending on the level of aesthetic design and as well as additional custom features required, Standard custom website costs between $5,000 and $12,000.

These websites are created with both design and functionality in mind, as you will receive the custom art work and the ability to manage content and media using the standard Content Management System (CMS). This is the most requested feature on all of our sites, since these websites are built with the idea that you will have the need to make constant changes, additions or updates to your content as your business evolves. This feature not only saves you time but also money as you will not have to hire a developer on a per hour basis to make simple changes for you.

Other important features that these types of websites take advantage of are Blogging and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) capabilities. These will allow you to communicate with your audience through comments and social media, thus keeping your website content fresh on a constant basis, which will help you increase visibility on search engines like Google organically.

Some E-commerce and Membership websites can be created within this price range, although depending on the number of products, security, analytics and custom functionalities, the website cost will be on the higher end of the price range.

Perfect for: This type of website is perfect for people who have outgrown their original web presence and are ready to take a step beyond just informing your customers and are ready to use their website as a 2-way communication with their visitors/clients and start generating results and profit online.

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PREMIER CUSTOM WEBSITE COST – $12,000 – 25,000+

If you want to outperform the competition and need completely unique and advanced functionalities such as hand-crafted Sales Funnels, Large E-commerce capabilities, advanced 3^rd party integrations, and more, then Premier Custom Website Development should serve as a place for larger companies to start.

Premier Websites are hand coded from the ground up and in most cases will require extreme customization, while coordinating various types of technologies and integrations in order to connect with your existing company infrastructure, therefore you should expect more than the previous 2 sections.

As mentioned before some E-commerce and advanced web applications can be created for less, while most successful ventures are created for much more. There are countless sites that have fallen in this price range including BestBuy.com, Honda.com, Facebook.com to name only a few (all GREATLY exceeding 6 figures)

A site that falls into this category requires months of planning, research, consulting, database design and implementation, software development, site quality assurance and testing; therefore it requires the attention and expertise of an experienced web development company.

Premier Websites focus on lead-generation and a top-of-the-line experience user experience. They are entirely specific to your business, and are optimized to produce the highest conversion rate on your Online Marketing Campaigns.

Perfect for: This type of website is perfect for established companies who have outgrown their original web presence and are ready to take a step beyond just informing your customers and are ready to use their website as an asset of the company and start generating tangible results and profit online. Some firms that are able to produce these type of sites offer Financing, in the case of Xtreme Websites we do offer financing options that can help prevent tying up company cash which can be used for expansion or payroll.

The bottom line is, like in many industries… 

Web Design & Development is definitely an area where you Get what you Pay for.
Recently a local body shop company spent nearly a $million dollars$!! renovating their retail space in order to accommodate and attract more business. However their investment for great website and online marketing plan only costs a TINY FRACTION, but brought MORE BUSINESS!

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Ready to find out the website cost for YOUR site?

Top Quality, Low price, Reliable service… Guaranteed!