One of the most common questions we get asked at hellooodesign is how much does it cost to get a website.
Truth be told, there isn’t a single answer when it comes to website cost.
It depends.
It depends on what you need the website to do, what purpose does the website need to serve, and how much time you’re willing to spend managing it.
Yes, we have website packages with prices, but they are usually a starting point for most clients. Extra functionality means more time needed to design and develop, which will increase the cost.
But don’t worry, we can give a basic cost breakdown of the different elements you’ll need so you have a rough idea of what to expect.
Essential, every website will need these 3 things to get started:
- Domain Name
- Website Design
- Website Hosting
Some additional areas to consider are:
- Website Management
- Additional Plugins
- SEO Service
Let’s break down each one and discuss what it is and what it might cost.
Oh, and before we begin, please note that we are talking about a website built and designed on WordPress. A website built fully with code will increase the cost.
Domain Name
Purchasing a domain name is vital when starting your own website. There are no workarounds or alternative methods.
The price of a domain name does vary depending on what top-level domain (TLD) you intend to use and what registrar you pick.
Usually, you can pick up a .com domain for under £10 per year and a .co.uk for even less. The registrar we recommend is Namecheap.
Be aware, that some registrars will offer you a heavily discounted rate for the first year, but then charge a lot when it comes time to renew.
We always suggest you purchase the .com version as well as the TLD for your location. In the UK, it would be .co.uk.
You can find out more about how to pick the best domain name for your website here.
Because a domain name is an essential part, you must remember to factor in the price when you’re planning to start your website project.
There are a lot of alternatives and workarounds for the other stuff if your budget is tight, but a domain is a must-have if you want to look professional and legit.
Website Hosting
If you have no knowledge of how to set up your own website hosting, you’re going to have to consider the cost of commercial web hosting for your website.
Website hosting is basically rented space on a server that houses your website on the internet. Your website’s files (images, design, text) need to be housed on a server to be viewable online.
The cost of hosting can range from as little as £5 per month to up to £100 per month and beyond. This is because different websites will have different requirements.
Website hosting packages are usually sold with differences in storage, speed, and other features, which is why the prices can vary a lot.
As your website gets more visitors, or if you need to put a lot of big files on your website, you may have to upgrade your website’s hosting plan to one that meets your requirements.
Paying for your hosting yearly will reduce the cost compared to paying monthly.
Now, there are free website hosting plans you could use, but in exchange for letting you host your website for nothing, the hosting company may want to place advertisements on your website. They may also be more unreliable and not offer much in terms of support. You don’t want your website to suddenly go offline.
It’s best to start as you mean to go on and don’t use a free hosting plan.
Website Design
Now you have your domain name and hosting plan, it’s time to consider the design of your website.
As mentioned at the start of this post, we’re discussing a website built using the content management system WordPress.
If you want to start a website yourself, WordPress is one of the best options because it’s very user-friendly and easy to manage.
To design the website, you’re going to have to either use a theme, install a page builder, or hire someone to do it for you.
Theme
A WordPress theme is a group of ready-made files that determine how your website looks.
Themes are made by a designer who then sells them online. Once you purchase a theme it’s now up to you to make any adjustments you like.
Sometimes you can buy a theme that matches exactly what you’re looking for so you won’t need to make any adjustments to the style.
Themes are a great way to get a design up, but understand that many other websites could be using the same theme as yours.
Your websites speed will also be affected as themes are usually bloated with plugins.
No matter how good your website theme looks, a slow website is a bad website.
The cost of a theme will set you back about £50.
Page Builder
The other option is to use a page builder.
These are plugins that allow you to drag and drop different elements into the backend of your website.
Page builders offer greater control compared to a theme but can be a steep learning curve for someone with no experience.
There are many different page builders to pick from so you’ll have to do some research to discover which one is best for your b business.
We use Elementor to design our client’s websites, which costs $49 per year for a single license fee. Elementor is one of the cheapest website builders on the market.
We include this in our price if you decide to have your website designed and hosted by us.
Hire a Web Design Team
This option is going to be the most expensive element, but also the most rewarding.
Hiring a web design team allows you and your business to get a website that truly represents what you are about and delivers what you need.
The expertise of a website team could be the difference between ranking well on Google and not ranking at all. A design team will be able to guide you on design ideas as well making everything look perfect across all devices and screen sizes.
You’ll also save a bunch of time, which you might not have.
A standard multi page website will most likely cost you around £500. Low cost website design options are available, however, if you’re ok with fewer pages and features.
If you don’t have the resources to pay for a website design, but really want a professional-looking website, you could consider a pay monthly web design.
Discover our best tips for hiring a web design team.
Other Things to Consider
Once you have the above 3 areas covered, your new website is good to go.
If you want to take your website to the next level, and your budget allows it, you may want to consider some of these elements.
Website Management
Managing your website will take up your time. Time you may not have or wish you could spend elsewhere.
Remember, websites aren’t static and they need attention. Website maintenance costs are easily overlooked when starting out.
From backs up to security, websites need a hands-on approach.
Opting for a website management option could save you time and headaches in the future.
You’ll have a team constantly monitoring your website ensuring it runs smoothly. Your website management team will also be there to update your website when you need to change any content, a new phone number for example.
Our website management service covers it all so you can focus on other things; whether that’s your business or family.
Additional Plugins
Adding additional plugins to your website might be needed if you desire your website to perform certain functionalities.
Or maybe your website has been online for a while and you need to expand to offer more to your visitors.
Premium plugins can transform your website but they are likely to come at a cost.
Every plugin is different but you should expect to pay around £50 to £100 for a year’s license.
After a year, the plugins will still work but future updates won’t be available.
You can find plugins that require a one-off payment too, so be sure to search around and look at reviews.
Free plugins can sometimes do the trick but make sure they’re from a credible developer.
SEO Services
SEO is a science… well, kind of.
If you’re trying to drive traffic to your website, hiring a search engine optimisation management team to handle your SEO is a smart idea.
There are many factors that make up an SEO strategy and it’s best left to someone who knows what they’re doing. It can take time to see results so should be considered a long-term investment.
Don’t expect to rank number 1 overnight.
There are also many areas of SEO and some might not be applicable to your business.
One area you could start on is optimising your on-site SEO by ensuring your website is structured correctly and there are no major errors on your website.
If you are looking for help, we provide an SEO service starting at £149 per month.
Conclusion
I hope we’ve covered the basics of what it will cost you to get a website and you now have a better understanding moving forward.
A website is a great way to take your business to the next level and really show off your business and brand.
If you have any questions, or you prefer to hire a team to help you get started, please get in contact with us.
We’ve worked with a variety of different people so we’re sure we’ll be able to help you.
