The True Cost of Website Development: Beyond the Upfront Investment

The upfront investment in web development can cost you anywhere between a few hundred dollars to several hundred dollars. The actual number will depend on the level of complexity in design, code used, number of pages, features, and more. So, to quote a fixed price can be difficult at first glance. It is only after careful analysis and consideration that you can settle upon a rough figure which will again be tentative.

According to statistics, small and medium-sized businesses spend between $100-$10,000 on web development. And, that’s exclusive of the other costs related to design, content, graphics, and optimization. So, to quote the upfront investment you need to make, you’ll need to decide on the number of pages you want on the website, the kind of features you want, and the components you wish to add to the website. This will help your web development partner to work on a single quote to offer to you based on your requirements.

The team at Webguruz takes time to understand your requirements and prepares a custom quote based on your specific needs. This helps clients better understand the costs involved and what to expect during the development phase.

To understand the actual costs involved in web development, you’ll need to understand the web development journey. Since there are a lot of processes and components involved, the actual cost can be difficult to quote at first. From initial planning to wireframing, design, development, testing, launch, and maintenance, you must also factor in costs associated with domain purchase, and hosting. Furthermore, when building a website, there are three different approaches you can take that can help dictate the costs involved. These can be using a website builder, using WordPress, or working with a web developer. Let’s look at the essential costs involved in website development.

 

As clear from the graphic above, there are several requirements you may have when building a website. So, even though you can get a website up and running with little investment, it may not have the necessary components that make it searchable. To build a secure website that users would want to stay on, shop from, or get information from, you’ll need to invest in these essential elements as well.

 

In addition, there are some additional costs to consider as well. These may be related to Add-ons and plugins, Search Engine Optimization, Services from a Webmaster, Images, and Design. 

Add-Ons and Plugins

If you are using a website builder like WordPress or building an e-commerce website, you will need add-ons. These are helpful components that enable features like testimonials, newsletter subscription forms, contact forms, etc. 

Although there are free plugins available, it is up to you to decide which ones you want to invest in. Depending on the type of Plugins you want, the cost can sit anywhere between $0- $100 per annum. So, to completely neglect the costs associated with such add-ons and plugins may not be a good idea.

SEO(Search Engine Optimization)

There’s no point in building a website that doesn’t show up in the search engine result pages. Ranking well on search engines requires work and additional financial investment. Now, a typical SEO guy would charge anywhere between $250-$6000 per month, based on their experience, skill level, and the scope of the work. 

SEO experts can help you with content recommendations based on keyword research, and a host of other SEO strategies. They may help you fix issues within your website and improve the overall user experience.

Services from a WebMaster

If you are looking to build a large website, managing the content is where you’ll find it the most difficult. Fortunately, people like WebMasters aka Content Managers can help you do that with ease. By helping you manage and maintain your website content regularly, they can help you keep your website in the best shape.

Working with a webmaster full-time can cost you anywhere between $1500- $6500 per month. If you are looking to work part-time or on a contractual basis, the costs will vary accordingly.

Images and Design

While you can always use royalty-free images from random websites like Unsplash or Freepik, for free, there are some images that come at a certain fee. Alternatively, if you are looking to hire a professional photographer to have images clicked, it will incur extra costs. The prices for such services range anywhere from $25-$500 per hour. If you are looking to purchase images online, websites like Envato Elements provide an unlimited-use subscription for $16.50 per month. So based on your specific requirements, the costs associated with using images can also vary.

Furthermore, website design costs will also form a major chunk of your investment. Moreover, the number of pages on your website will also impact this cost. Below is a general overview of the web design costs quoted by professional web design agencies:

Business Type	Web Design Costs	Maintenance Costs
Small Businesses(Up to 16 Pages)	$2,000- $9,000	Up to $1,200
Corporate Website(Up to 75 Pages)	$10,000-$35,000	Up to $15,000
E-Commerce(Up to 1000 Products)	$5,000- $55,000	Up to $30,000
Web Apps(Up to 2000 Pages)	$6,000- $75,000	Up to $60,000

Keeping in mind the components you have on your website, all the features, design, maintenance, security, updates, and overall functionality, the true cost can vary widely. If you are looking to get things done at cheap prices, using a website builder can help you wrap up the costs within a few hundred dollars. However, if you are looking for professional expertise to help you add a lot of features and functionality to the website, the costs can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Important is to work with a web development consultant to get an idea about the costs that may be involved during and after the process. They may help you with measures to keep the development costs in check.

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