How much does a website cost? To be honest, this isn’t a clear cut answer. But hopefully this article will arm you with enough information to get a sense of what the average cost of a website is and how to determine whether you’re getting a fair price or not.

Average Cost for a 5 page website

Now when I say 5 pages, I mean 5 basic pages that do nothing more then introduce services. Below is a list of common pages:

• Home
• About
• Services
• Gallery
• Contact

The most time consuming page out of the 5 will most likely be the homepage. Being the first page your users will see, naturally it should deserve the most attention (remember you only have one chance to make a first impression). But nowadays, web developers are combining these pages into one very long page. I recently used this “one-pager” method on a recent client’s website. Now this method won’t always work for every design and strategy, but they’re becoming very popular and have decreased the overall cost of a website.

Now what is the average cost of a website? Well, there are many variables to consider. Below is a list of different price points I’ve encountered through out my years in the field.

$100 – $500:

These prices might seem like a deal, but I would approach this with caution. Why? Lets do the math. The minimum any decent web developer charges per hour could be between $15 to $25. Now lets break down the tasks involved from conception to working website.

The latter table is very basic. However, you can see how quickly things can start adding up. The total cost here would exceed $1,300. Now I wouldn’t say there aren’t any highly skilled developers who can’t accomplish these tasks within a shorter time period, but finding one will require some luck. Like with any career, the bad always out weight the good. So thread cautiously if someone claims to build your website for under $500.

$1,000 – $2,000:

This price point is more realistic for most good freelance web developers. More so, it’s usually indicative of what their past clients are paying. But of course, I wouldn’t take this at face value. Ask to see their portfolio and verify their work. Ask for references and search them on the web.

$5,000 – $10,000

These prices are usually quoted by mid-sized agencies or websites that go beyond the basic 5 page design. I personally don’t consider a job unless the budget is a minimum of $2500. But again, price does not mean you will get quality work. At the end, you should base your decision on the quality of their portfolio and speaking to actual past clients.

To conclude, there isn’t a finite price. Each website is unique and requires a different approach. Your needs and the skill level of the developer will ultimately determine your price. But I hope you got a better sense of how much does a website cost and how to determine if the price your getting is fair.

And one last note. Website design and development is similar to art; sometimes it’s worth what a person is willing to pay.