How Much Does a Website Cost in 2019 Less Than You Might Think

In one sense, asking how much does a website cost? is a little like asking how much does a house cost?That is, the answer depends a lot on the person whos asking it and their needs and preferences. What location? How many bedrooms? What style? You get itHowever, because of how much simpler it is to create a website in 2019 vs the past, you might be surprised by how affordable creating a website can beif youre willing to get your hands a little dirty!In this post, well start by answering how much does a website cost? for a DIY approach, which is an approach thats accessible even if youre not a techie.Then, well discuss what you can expect to pay if you want to hire someone to build your website, with some real survey data from people who build websites for a living. But first how much do you think a website costs?Before we get any further, lets play a little game. Which one of these websites do you think cost more? And more importantly, how much do you think they cost? $500? $5,000?E xhibit a:Exhibit b:Ready?This is kind of a trick question because both of those websites are something you could build for less than $100, even if youre not a technical user.And thats my point building a website in 2019 costs a lot less than you might think!How much does a website cost? Heres what youll need to pay forWhen it comes to the cost of a website, you can break things down into two broad categories:Infrastructure this is all the underlying stuff that powers your website. Software, hosting, domain name, etc.Design and functionality   this is all the stuff that your visitors will interact with, like the design of your site and its functionality.Beyond that, theres also the question of whether you want to pay someone to set that stuff up for you, or if youre happy to go the DIY route.Lets break down the essential costs of a website first (that is, the stuff youd need to pay if you did it yourself). Then, well discuss what it might cost if you want someone else to build yo ur website.How much does a website cost for backend infrastructureThere are three main backend infrastructure costs that youll need to consider when building a website:Domain nameWebsite software/content management systemHosting1. Domain name $10 per yearYour domain name is your websites permanent address on the Internet ours is themeisle.com.Youll purchase your domain name from a domain registrar.The exact cost of your domain depends on your TLD, which is the part that comes after your name e.g. .com, .net, etc. However, a regular .com domain will usually cost you ~$10.Youll need to pay this ~$10 every year to maintain ownership.2. Website software Free OR $16+ per monthNowadays, the vast  majority of websites arent coded from scratch. Instead, youll use premade website software, called a content management system.For example, more than 33% of all the websites on the Internet are powered by one single piece of software WordPress. Yes that number is as crazy as it sounds mo re than one-third of all the websites on the Internet really do use WordPress.Beyond being super flexible, one of the reasons why WordPress is so popular is because the software is 100% free. So if you use WordPress, you wont need to pay a dime for your website software. Side note we mean the free open-source software at WordPress.org, not WordPress.com theyre different things.Another popular route that you could go is a dedicated website builder like Squarespace or Wix. These tools charge you a monthly fee in order to use them, which youll pay for as long as you want your website to work. Heres what you can expect to pay:Squarespace starts at $16 per month or $144 per year with the annual payment discountWix viable plans start at $16 per month or $150 per year with the annual payment discount (there are cheaper plans, but theyre pretty limited)If you want the absolute simplest way to build a website, using one of those website builder tools can be a good choice.Want to see wha t real websites built using those tools look like? Check out these posts:Examples of big brands using WordPress10 Wix website examples10 WordPress sample sites3. Hosting $5 per month to start, more when you get more visitorsWhen you pay for hosting, youre basically renting space on a computer to power your website and make it available to visitors from around the world.If you choose a website builder like Squarespace and Wix, those services already include hosting in their prices, so you wont need to pay anything else.However, if you use self-hosted software like WordPress, or other free content management systems like Joomla or Drupal, youll need to purchase your own hosting to install and run that software.When youre just getting started, cheap hosting is totally fine and will cost you less than $6 per month. For example, Bluehost, one of our recommended WordPress hosts, costs just $71.40 for your entire first year,  including a  free domain name  (youll save even more if y ou purchase multiple years upfront).As you grow, you might need to pay more to handle the increase in traffic but thats a good problem to have.Website infrastructure cost summary As little as $70To sum things up, paying for the backend infrastructure for your site for an entire year will cost you:~$70 if you self-host WordPress free domain via Bluehost, free WordPress software, and $70 for hosting.~$150+ for a website builder $10 for your domain and $140+ for a year of the website builder.Remember these are ongoing prices. So youll pay this amount every year to continue running your website.How much does a website cost for design and functionalityOnce you pay for the stuff above, youll have a working websitebut it wont look or function how you want it toyet.Next, lets discuss how much youll need to pay to add your own design and functionality.1. Website theme/design Free to $60+Lets go back to the examples before. How much do you think these two websites paid for just their de signs:Exhibit a:Exhibit b:$0!How does that happen? Well, one big benefit of using a content management system like WordPress is that you can change your websites design using pre-built themes, rather than needing to design your site from scratch.Youll install a theme with a few clicks. Then, youll be able to customize that theme to meet your needs using a beginner-friendly interface.All the website software options WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, etc. offer both free and premium themes.So if youre on a budget, its totally safe and fine to choose a free option. For example, the first site above is using the free Zelle Lite theme, and the second site is using the free Hestia Lite theme.If you find a premium theme that you love, heres what you can expect to pay:WordPress $59 is the average price of a WordPress theme, though it varies per theme.Squarespace and Wix usually $100+Additionally, WordPress page builder plugins like Elementor can help you further enhance your design using dra g-and-drop visual editing for free.2. Website functionality Free to This is the category that has the biggest variability because a lot of this depends on your needs.Like themes, pretty much all of the major website builder options let you add functionality to your site via third-party extensions. Usually, these are called plugins or apps.And again like themes, these come in both free and premium packages. For example, the official WordPress.org plugin directory offers over 55,000 free plugins alone.For a very basic site, you might be able to get by entirely with free solutions.However, most sites whether built with WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix will need at least a few premium extensions.Its impossible to tell you the exact price per extension, because it 100% depends on the developer. However, we can point out a difference in payment structure between different platforms:WordPress most premium plugins are a one-time payment, though you might need to renew to continue receivin g updates after the first year. Even if you dont renew, you can keep using the toolit just wont receive updates.Squarespace and Wix most premium apps charge a monthly fee that you need to pay for as long as you want to continue using them.Website design and functionality cost summary $0 to $100+The total cost for design and functionality depends entirely on your needs. For a basic site, you could not spend a dime. However, if you want lots of advanced functionality, be prepared to increase your budget.Most simple sites will probably spend at least $100 on extensions.So how much does a website cost if you go DIY? Not that muchOk, so if youre willing to go the DIY route, a website can be surprisingly affordable. Youre looking at just a couple hundred dollars for your entire first year.Most websites just plain dont require custom functionality, which means you can be totally fine with off-the-rack solutions. Whats more, the technical part of creating a website has become a lot easier , and its possible for anyone to create their own website.Our how to make a website guide shows the whole process 👈So if youre just looking to get your business online with a basic brochure site, or if youre looking to create a blog, you definitely dont need to spend a fortune or hire someone to do it for you.In fact, you can create something that looks good and functions well for as little as ~$70, though a more realistic budget would probably be $200-$300 to allow for some premium extensions.How much it costs to pay someone to build your websiteGoing the DIY route is the cheapest way to make a website, but its also cheaper in part because youre putting your own sweat equity into the process.If you want to hire someone to build your website, youre going to pay for the same basic infrastructure costsplus that persons sweat equityplus a hefty premium for their expertise.So what does that cost?Sorry for the annoying answer, but again it depends on:Your needs.Who youre talking to.However, to try and give you a rough idea, I dug into some Facebook communities for people who build websites for a living.First, I found this poll of 111 designers who build WordPress sites with Elementor. These estimates are for a basic 10-15 page website:Second, I found a similar poll of 158 designers who build WordPress sites with the Beaver Builder page builder:Because both these polls cover designers who build sites using WordPress and a visual page builder (rather than, say, coding something from scratch), these polls represent the bare minimum of what you should expect to pay for a simple website.And if you need something beyond a basic website, costs can quickly rise.How much does a website cost? Less than you might thinkBecause its now possible for regular people to make a website, the cost of building a website is less than you might think.Squaring away the basic infrastructure will cost you ~$70 per year for something like WordPress, or ~$150 for a premium website bui lder.From there, you could squeak by exclusively with free extensions, or, more realistically, youll probably spend at least another $100-$200 on premium extensions.On the other hand, if you want to hire a professional, youre looking at ~$2,000 for a basic website at a bare minimum, with higher costs for larger sites or more advanced functionality, like an eCommerce store.Do you have any questions about how much a website should cost? Ask away in the comments! How much does a #website really cost? 💠° It might be less than you think