How Much Does A Website Cost?

This single question has been boggling the mind of business owners, entrepreneurs and everyone in between. The part that generates the most confusion is not the actual cost, it is the wild range ($150 – $100,000+) which makes it very difficult to determine what is accurately priced and considered a “good deal”.

Typically, a website budget is determined by the estimated number of hours required to design and build it. Web design/development firms have different rates depending on their overhead. An offshore web company  may charge anywhere from $10 – $40/hr while an established US web agency may charge between $60 – $200/hr or more. You may find a freelancer in the US charging between $15 – 50/hr.

However, I do not recommend that any serious business use a one-person shop or an offshore team. Successful website design leverages several distinct disciplines (marketing, user experience design, visual design, programming, and project management) and these are very hard to find in one person. With offshore agencies, communication can be a real challenge:  Do they understand your business goals? Do their design sensibilities match your market? Do they understand your instructions? The time difference can prove a difficulty as well.

If you are looking to starting a business and your business concept combines features from popular sites like Angieslist, eBay, Facebook, Thumbtack etc., then you must carefully define your website. The popular sites listed above spent millions of dollars perfecting and maintaining their core applications.

In conclusion, the price of a website will vary pending the type of site, features & functionality, and the list goes on. If you want a very basic website that is not visible to anyone, a website builder will be the way to go. If you have a business and want a site that will act as a direct representation of who you are and making your appearance known on the web, the return on investment will justify the cost of going with a web company that will work with you to bring your business to the next level.

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