You can build a website using one of the three most common methods. Those methods include the following: using a website builder, using WordPress, and hiring a professional web designer. And all of those methods vary greatly in cost.
For example, if you hire a professional web designer, you can be looking at fees of more than $5,000. On the other hand, if you use WordPress, it will cost you a lot less. You can check out this WordPress hosting cost article to get a feel of how much it will cost you. Aside from paying for WordPress hosting, you can use the CSM for free. So, at the least, you’ll have to pay only for hosting to build a website with WordPress. There are also themes and plugins, but you don’t have to use paid ones if you don’t want to.
The cheapest option to create a website is by using a website builder. You can even use some free ones if you don’t mind having ads on your site.
However, all of this information only scratches the surface. So, let’s dig in deeper and break down all the costs that go into creating a website.
Costs of Building a Website
Of course, every website is different. The exact cost that you will have to pay for your website depends a lot on what kind of hosting you choose, how you’re going to create your site, which plugins you’ll use, etc.
However, on average, you can expect an initial investment of around $200 and then lower monthly payments of about $50 to maintain your site. Those are the costs you can expect if you use WordPress or a website builder to create your site. But if you hire a professional website developer, you’ll be looking at an initial cost of around $5,000-$6,000 and a recurring yearly payment of around $1,000 a year.
But, in order for you to have an even cleared image, we’ll go through the costs of using a website builder, WordPress, and hiring a web developer separately. And while we’re on the topic of building websites, here are some things to consider when developing a business website.
Website Builders
Here is a full breakdown of the costs you will incur if you create your website with a website builder:
- Subscription – every website builder offers plans that you can pay on a monthly basis or for a longer period. The subscription includes web hosting, security, themes, and some built-in features and can cost you between $6 and $50 per month.
- Apps – you can install apps for free or get some paid ones if you need them. So, apps can cost you between $0 and $60 a month.
- Domain Name – some website builders include custom domain names in their plans. But if your website builder doesn’t, you can get a domain name for around $12 a year.
And that’s it. Everything else that your website needs, like hosting, security, themes, and customer support, are included in your monthly subscription. So, this is the cheapest method for creating a website, with a cost of $10-$111 a month (if you have to buy a domain name).
WordPress
The costs of creating a WordPress website include the following:
- WordPress plugins – you can get both free and paid WordPress plugins. Some have monthly or annual fees, while others have one-time fees. So, plugins can cost you anywhere between $0 and $100+ a month.
- Themes – like plugins, there are also free and paid themes. So, it’s up to you to decide whether you pay for them or not. WordPress themes can cost between $0 and $50+/theme.
- Web hosting – web hosting is a must for any website. You can get it for as low as $2.95/month, with the most expensive ones being around $85/month.
- Security – Security is also a must for your website. It can come built-in with your hosting plan, so you won’t have to pay extra. However, if your website provider doesn’t offer enough security, you can buy some plugins and features on your own. This can cost you anywhere between $0 and $200/year.
All in all, the average upfront cost of a WordPress website is around $200, while the average ongoing (monthly) costs can be anywhere between $11 and $50 a month.
Website Developer
Lastly, here is a breakdown of the costs you can expect from hiring a professional web developer:
- Subscription – your subscription can be monthly, or it can be a one-time fee you pay upfront. It can be between $500 and $1,000 a year.
- Hosting – depending on your contract with your developer, you can either get hosting separately, or the developer can get it for you and include it in your monthly or yearly subscription. This can cost you between $2.95 and $50 a month or at least $35 a year.
- Security – as mentioned above, security can come built-in with your hosting plan, but if it’s not adequate, you can discuss it with your developer to get extra features. They can cost you from $0 to $200 a year.
- Tech support – if your site is too complex to maintain, you can hire your developer on an ongoing basis to maintain it for you and make the necessary changes. This can cost between $5,000 and $30,000 upfront.
Overall, the average upfront cost for hiring a developer is around $6,000, while the average ongoing costs are around $500 to $1,000 a year.
Last Words
So, let’s make a quick recap. Creating a site with a website builder can cost you between $10 and $111 a month (if you have to buy a domain name). Creating a site with WordPress can cost between $11 and $50 a month, with an average upfront cost of around $200. Lastly, hiring a developer can cost around $500 to $1,000 a year, with an upfront cost of around $6,000 (one-time cost).
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.