Whether you’re launching a business, growing a brand, or starting a side hustle in 2025, your website is often the first impression you make online.
But the digital landscape is more competitive than ever. Consumer expectations are high, attention spans are short, and trends change fast. A clunky or outdated site can hold your business back, while a fast, mobile-friendly, well-designed one can open doors to new customers and better conversions.
That’s why understanding website costs matters now more than ever. With so many tools and platforms out there, from AI-powered builders to full-service agencies, it’s easy to overspend, underspend, or invest in the wrong things. When you know what to expect (and what to avoid), you can make smarter choices, set a realistic budget, and build a site that actually supports your goals.
Let’s break down the real costs of building a website in 2025 so you can launch with confidence and make every dollar count.
How much does it cost to build a website in 2025?
The average cost of website design is $1,000 to $145,000 per project. You have to consider costs for domains, hosting, and design.
You have three options to build a website:
- Use a website builder.
- Use WordPress.
- Develop a custom site.
| Approach | Price range | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIY | $0 to $200 a year | Cheapest option, full control, great for simple sites | Steeper learning curve, time-consuming, no support | Side hustlers, personal projects, portfolios |
| Website builders | $10 to $50 a month | Easy to use, all-in-one platform, fast setup | Less flexibility, monthly fees add up, some platform lock-in | Small businesses, solopreneurs, beginners |
| Custom development | $1,000 to $20,000+ | Fully tailored to your needs, scalable and professional, better long-term flexibility | Expensive upfront, takes longer, requires ongoing maintenance | Established businesses, ecommerce brands |
Website builder costs
The best website builders offer drag-and-drop tools, so you can create your site in minutes. Many also come with templates to speed up the process.
Website builders are often free, but to publish the site, audit it, and employ advanced features, you’ll likely need to pay. Depending on the platform and the plan you choose, costs can range from $100 to $500 a year.
Here’s a cost breakdown of the top website builders:
| Shopify | Squarespace | GoDaddy | Wix | Weebly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29 per month | $16 per month | $9.99 per month | $17 per month | $10 per month |
| Pre-made templates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Includes web hosting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSL Certificate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free domain name | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Built for ecommerce | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Website costs by business type
The cost of building a website depends on your business needs. For example, if you need out-of-the-box features, your costs may be higher.
Here’s a general breakdown of website costs for different types of businesses.
Small businesses
- Average cost: $120 to $10,000
Small business websites usually have a homepage, an About page, product pages, and contact info. They require less custom programming and fewer integrations, so they’re cheaper.
“We don’t spend a lot on traditional advertising in comparison to our digital,” says Yung Trybez, cofounder of Snotty Nose Rez Kids. “We stick to one color for each design, we don’t saturate. We don’t put a red, a green, a white; we save costs there, and it just makes it easier for us on tour.”
Corporate
- Average cost: $10,000 to $100,000
In many cases, corporate websites need lots of customization, many pages, advanced navigation, and integrations with other tools and systems. It’s possible they’ll require robust security features, which cost more.
Ecommerce
- Average cost: $500 to $10,000
There are several factors that affect ecommerce website costs. Features like shopping carts, payment processing, inventory management, and customer management systems increase the total.
If you need an ecommerce website with out-of-the-box features, a website builder like Shopify is a great option, starting at $29 per month, paid yearly.
Here’s a comparison of the most popular ecommerce website builders.
| Platform | Starting price | Top features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | $29/month | Built-in ecommerce tools, hundreds of themes, app marketplace, easy to scale | Product-based businesses of all sizes |
| Wix Ecommerce | $17/month | Drag-and-drop builder, templates for online stores, basic inventory management | Small stores and beginners |
| Squarespace | $23/month | Beautiful design templates, simple product setup, built-in email marketing | Creative businesses and small brands |
| BigCommerce | $29/month | Strong SEO features, multichannel selling, no transaction fees | Growing ecommerce brands |
| WooCommerce | Free plug-in (plus hosting costs) | Built on WordPress, full control and customization, huge plug-in library | Tech-savvy users or those already using WordPress |
Services
- Average cost: $500 to $20,000
Service-oriented websites are highly functional, including appointment booking systems, customer relationship management (CRM) system integrations, and chat services. Prices vary depending on customizations and the website builder you use.
AI website builders: The new cost-effective option
AI tools are shaking up the way websites are made, offering a budget-friendly alternative to hiring a full design and dev team.
AI website builders like Wix ADI, Framer AI, and Hostinger’s AI builder use smart prompts and automation to help you build a decent-looking site in minutes. You don’t need to know how to code, pick fonts, or even write all your own copy—they’ll do most of that for you.
Prices vary depending on the platform and features, but in general, AI website builder costs can be anything from $5 to $30 per month. That often includes hosting, basic SEO tools, and templates tailored to your industry. Compared to paying hundreds or even thousands upfront for a custom-built site, it’s a bit of a no-brainer, especially if you’re just getting started or working with a tight budget.
Of course, there are trade-offs. AI builders can be a little rigid if you want total creative control, and you might outgrow their features as your business evolves.
5 important factors that affect website costs
1. Domain name
A domain name is a uniform resource locator (URL) that serves as the address for your website.
You can often get a free custom domain name from your website-building software, but if you want a custom name, you must purchase it, typically via a domain name registrar. Shopify merchants can buy domain names using the Shopify platform.
Average cost of a domain name
- Between $10 and $30 annually
2. Website design
The leading website-building platforms have built-in web design tools. These often start with basic website templates (in Shopify, these are called themes), to which you can add images, text blocks, and videos. For a totally custom website, you may need the services of a professional web designer or web design agency.
Average cost of website design
- Prebuilt themes: $0 to $200
- Custom design and development: $2,000 to $20,000+, depending on the complexity, features, and functionality
3. Website hosting
Your website content lives on a computer server, and that server presents your site’s info to users who type in your site’s URL. This is called website hosting.
Businesses use a number of different web hosting plans, including shared hosting (where multiple websites share a single server, as in the Shopify model) and dedicated hosting (where your business gets a server all to itself).
Average cost of web hosting
- Between $5 and $250 monthly (depending on the hosting plan and provider)
4. Ecommerce functionality
If you want your small business website to include an online store, you need a site-building platform that supports ecommerce.
In many cases, this requires purchasing a premium theme from your website builder. It will also require enrolling with a payment processor like Shopify Payments, which requires additional fees.
Average cost of ecommerce functionality
- Open source (WooCommerce, Magento, or PrestaShop): No cost to download, but you may be charged for extensions, plug-ins, and themes.
- Hosted solutions (Shopify, BigCommerce, or Wix): $20 to $300 monthly, depending on the plan and features.
5. SSL
Business websites need secure connections to handle financial transactions. This starts with obtaining a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, which creates an encrypted connection between your website and visitors’ web browsers.
Shopify subscribers get a type of free SSL certificate called a Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificate. Advanced SSLs, like an organization-validated (OV) certificate or an extended validation (EV) certificate, can cost hundreds, if not thousands, per year.
Average cost of SSL
- Basic SSL: $0 (complimentary with Shopify and some other hosting providers) to $200 yearly
- Advanced SSL: $1,000+ annually
6. Mobile optimization
More than half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, and Google even uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it prioritizes the mobile version of your site when ranking search results.
Mobile optimization involves tweaking the layout, buttons, images, load speed, and navigation so your site feels smooth and easy to use on a phone or tablet. A non-optimized site can feel clunky, frustrate website visitors, and send potential customers running for the (virtual) hills.
Some website platforms include responsive design as standard, but custom tweaks might still be needed, especially if your layout is complex or image-heavy.
Average cost of mobile optimization
- Free to $50/month: Included with most drag-and-drop builders (like Squarespace or Wix).
- $100 to $500: For basic mobile tweaks to a custom site.
- $500 to $1,000+: For full mobile optimization of a complex, multi-page site with lots of custom functionality.
Hidden costs to consider when building a website
Your website costs may extend beyond the realm of website builders and web designers. You may find yourself budgeting for additional items such as:
Third-party integrations
Your ecommerce site may use third-party apps and premium plug-ins, like those found in the Shopify App Store. These apps cover all sorts of functions, from shipping to marketing to social media integration, and may require monthly fees.
Themes
Themes, or pre-built templates, dictate the aesthetic and layout of your website. They come in two varieties: free and premium. Free themes are a great starting point. The free themes offered by Shopify have many of the same features as premium paid themes.
Premium themes built by Shopify Partners provide more options for your ecommerce website design. For example, a premium theme may support animations or more font formatting options. You’ll have to pay for premium themes, but they will help you to better customize your site’s look and feel.
License for images
Another overlooked cost of making a website is images. High-quality images are essential to creating a professional online presence. If you can’t afford to hire a photographer, you can always license images on sites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or Getty Images. AI-generated images are another option, although it’s important to know that copyright, privacy, and usage rules vary quite a bit by AI platform.
Costs depend on the license type:
- Royalty-free: You pay a one-time fee to use these images without paying royalties.
- Rights-managed: This license lets you use images for a specific purpose. They are more expensive and restrictive than royalty-free images.
- Creative Commons: These are often free to use but come with restrictions. For example, you may not be able to use them for commercial purposes.
- AI: You will likely have to pay for a program to be certain you own the rights to the images it generates.
Overall, royalty-free images can cost anywhere between $10 and a few hundred dollars. Rights-managed images can go for much higher depending on your usage rights.
AI-generated content and images
AI tools can be a lifesaver when you’re trying to create a website quickly. They can write your homepage copy, generate blog posts, or even create slick images in seconds. But while many of these tools seem “free” or low-cost at first, the costs can creep up fast.
Some platforms limit how much you can generate before charging, and others lock better-quality outputs behind a paywall. Plus, if you’re using AI for blog content or marketing copy, you’ll likely need to edit it heavily to make sure it sounds human, on-brand, and accurate.
Then there’s the legal side. AI-generated images, for example, can raise copyright questions if they’re based on protected styles or artists’ work. These costs can all add up.
SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your website land on search engine results pages (SERPs). Optimizing for search engines can take time and money.
The internet abounds with free SEO tools to help boost your search visibility, but most of these free platforms push you toward paid subscriptions. An SEO strategy can also involve SEO content writing, which may require paying a writing staff or hiring a content marketing agency.
Website security beyond SSL
Website security goes deeper than an SSL certificate. There are firewall protections, malware scans, regular backups, login protections, and software/plug-in updates. If something goes wrong (like your site gets hacked or you lose data), recovery can be stressful, expensive, and time-consuming.
Some hosts offer “security packages” that include things like:
- Daily malware scans
- DDoS protection
- Automatic backups
- Security monitoring and alerts
But these aren’t always included in your hosting fee and can add anywhere from $5 to $30 a month to your subscription, depending on the provider.
Website maintenance expenses 2025
The majority of costs will be incurred when you set up your website. Keeping it live will require a few ongoing maintenance costs.
| Service | Cost range |
|---|---|
| Domain name | $10 to $30 per year |
| Web hosting | $2 to $500 per month |
| SSL certificate | $0 to $850 per year |
| CMS updates | $0 to $3,500 per month |
| SEO | $0 to $800 per month |
| Backup and disaster recovery | $20 to $500+ per month |
Domain name
Domain names typically cost $10 to $30 annually.
The cost of domain names can vary depending on how popular a particular name is. Domains that are more catchy or relevant to popular topics can be more expensive.
Web hosting
Web hosting costs can range from $2 to $500 per month.
Depending on your needs, different types of hosting are available, including shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, and cloud hosting. Each offers different levels of resource availability and performance.
SSL certificate
An SSL certificate costs between $0 and $850 per year.
There are different types of SSL certificates, like domain validated (DV), organization validated (OV), and extended validation (EV) certificates. Costs increase for more rigorous validation processes.
Content management system (CMS) updates
Content management system costs range from $0 to $3,500 per month, depending on whether you use a free platform or a paid one. Paid services often include technical support, security updates, and more frequent platform updates, which can justify higher costs.
SEO (search engine optimization)
SEO costs can range from $0 for DIY efforts to $800 per month for basic agency services.
Doing SEO yourself can cost nothing but your time, whereas hiring an SEO agency or consultants can involve significant monthly fees.
Backup and disaster recovery
Data backup and disaster recovery can range from $20 to $500 or more per month.
Data size affects price, and since larger data sets require more resources, they cost more. Frequent or real-time backups can also increase costs.
How to save money on website costs
Your website may need to be built on a budget, depending on where your business stands. Some ways you can save money on website costs include:
DIY vs. professional ecommerce website development cost
One of the biggest decisions that affects your website budget is whether you build it yourself or hire a pro. Doing it yourself using a platform like Squarespace, Wix, or Shopify can save you hundreds (even thousands) of dollars.
DIY is great if:
- You have a simple site (a few pages, contact form, maybe a blog).
- You’re OK with using a template.
- You have time to figure out the basics (or don’t mind Googling your way through it).
Professional development is worth the investment if:
- You need something more complex (like a booking system, custom features, or ecommerce functionality).
- You want a fully bespoke design.
- You’re short on time or just want someone to handle it all.
Money-saving tip: Consider a hybrid approach. Build the website yourself to start, then hire a developer down the line for the fancy stuff.
Annual vs. monthly payments
Most website builders, hosting platforms, and tools offer both monthly and annual plans. It might be tempting to stick with the lower monthly fee, especially when cash is tight, but paying annually can save you up to 20 to 30% in some cases.
For example:
- Wix might cost $17/month, or just $10/month if you pay annually.
- Hosting providers like SiteGround or Bluehost often run big discounts for first-year annual plans.
Money-saving tip: If you’re just testing things out, monthly is fine. But once you’re committed, switch to annual to lock in savings.
Free and low-cost alternatives to premium services
You don’t always need the fanciest tools to launch a great website. There are loads of free or very affordable website solutions and alternatives that do the job well.
Many platforms offer free templates to create your site. They also offer free or affordable plug-ins to improve your site’s functionality. The Shopify App Store has free plug-ins for everything from email marketing to page speed and upselling tools for merchants.
There’s a free or budget-friendly alternative to pretty much any tool.
Instead of:
- Paying for premium stock images → try Unsplash or Pexels.
- Hiring a copywriter → use ChatGPT or a tool like Copy.ai to get started (then edit for personality).
- Buying an expensive template → check out free themes.
Money-saving tip: Start lean. You can always upgrade tools and services as your business grows, but you don’t need everything at once.
Final thoughts on website costs
So, how much does a website cost? As you’ve seen, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and website design pricing trends change all the time. It totally depends on what you need, how you build it, and the tools you use along the way.
Some of the biggest cost factors include:
- Who’s building it (DIY vs. hiring a pro)
- Design complexity (template vs. custom)
- Platform and hosting costs (monthly or annual pricing)
- Extras like SEO, mobile optimization, content, and security
- Hidden or ongoing development costs like AI tools, premium plug-ins, or tech support
At the low end, a basic DIY site might only cost you $50 to $200 per year. A more polished, custom-built site with all the bells and whistles might be more like $1,000 to $5,000 or more, especially if you’re outsourcing the work.
For example, a solo fitness coach might get up and running with a sleek one-page Carrd site for less than $100 a year, while a fast-growing skin care brand might invest $5,000+ in a custom Shopify site with ecommerce functionality, custom design, and marketing integrations. Meanwhile, a local café might choose a middle-ground option, spending around $500 on a simple Wix site with a booking widget and an events calendar.
Whatever your budget, the good news is this: It’s never been easier to launch a beautiful, functional website without breaking the bank. Shopify makes it super simple to start an online store, manage everything in one place, and grow at your own pace, with flexible pricing to suit wherever you are in your journey.
How much does a website cost FAQ
Are there any free website builders available?
Yes, there are free website builders available, including Google Sites and free tiers of popular builders like Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy. Totally free websites tend to have limited functionality, but they can be fine for those who only need a simple landing page with embedded text, images, and videos.
How much should I budget for a domain name and hosting services?
In most cases, you can expect to pay between $10 and $20 per year for a domain name ending in .com. Web hosting frequently falls in the $10 to $25 per month range, or you can opt for an all-in-one platform like Shopify that bundles site building and web hosting with many other ecommerce services. Shopify plans start at $39 per month.
How much does it cost to make a website mobile-friendly?
In most cases, there are no added costs to make a website mobile-friendly. Popular builders like Shopify offer themes that are mobile-friendly once you launch them, so the cost is included in the plan you choose. If you choose to custom build your website, a professional can make it mobile-friendly for anywhere between $500 and $5,000.
What are the costs of website marketing and advertising?
Data from WebFX found that digital marketing costs between $51 and $10,000 per month on average in 2024. The costs of marketing and advertising your website vary due to factors like strategic direction, business size, and personnel expenses.
How much does it cost to build a website with user registration and login features?
Building a membership website with registration and login features can cost anywhere from $0 to $50,000 or more for a custom build. You can use the Appstle Memberships app on the Shopify App Store to add up to 50 members for free.
What is the average cost of a website?
The average cost of a website ranges from $500 to $20,000, depending on whether you build it yourself or hire professionals. Simple DIY sites are on the lower end, while custom-designed, feature-rich sites cost more.
Is it worth paying for AI website-building tools?
Yes, if you’re on a tight budget or need to get online quickly, AI website builders can be a smart, cost-effective option. They’re not as flexible as hiring a developer, but they’re great for simple sites and small businesses.
How much does a 50-page website cost?
A 50-page website typically costs $2,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the design, functionality, and who’s building it. The more pages you have, the more time and customizations are involved, especially if you’re including things like SEO or ecommerce.
How expensive is a good website?
A “good” website (meaning one that’s fast, mobile-friendly, well-designed, and optimized) can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $20,000, whether you’re working with a freelancer or agency. That said, with modern tools, you can build a solid site for much less if you’re willing to DIY.
