"How much does a website cost?" is the most common question business owners ask before commissioning a web project - and it is also the question that most web agencies answer poorly, because the honest answer is "it depends" and that answer is genuinely correct but frustratingly useless without the framework to apply it.

This guide provides that framework. It breaks website cost into the variables that actually matter - not just page count, but type of site, platform, design quality, copy requirements, and the strategic work that determines whether the site earns back its investment.

Website Cost by Site Type

Brochure / Service Business Website: $3,000-$15,000

A brochure site for a professional service business - law firm, consultant, agency, accounting practice - typically covers 5-10 pages: home, services (often 2-4 service pages), about, and contact. At $3K-$8K, you get a template-based or semi-custom design. At $8K-$15K, you get a custom-designed site with original creative and strategic information architecture. The latter pays off when your pricing is above the market average or when first impressions materially affect whether prospective clients contact you.

Portfolio or Personal Brand Website: $2,000-$8,000

Portfolio sites prioritize visual presentation. Platform choice matters enormously here - Framer and Webflow both produce cleaner, faster portfolio sites than WordPress and at lower ongoing maintenance cost. TTGC builds many portfolio sites in this range for creative professionals and consultants.

E-Commerce Website: $6,000-$40,000+

E-commerce cost is driven by catalog size, custom product page design, checkout customization, and integration requirements (inventory, ERP, loyalty programs). A small Shopify store with standard templates and 20 products can launch for $6K-$12K. A custom-designed e-commerce build with unique product page templates, custom checkout, and integration with a third-party inventory system runs $25K-$50K+. See shopify-vs-woocommerce for a platform comparison that affects cost significantly.

SaaS or Tech Product Website: $12,000-$40,000

Product marketing sites for SaaS and tech companies are among the most demanding web design briefs. They must explain a complex product clearly, differentiate from competitors, and convert visitors across multiple stages of the buying cycle (awareness, evaluation, decision). The design and copy requirements for this site type are as high as any category.

The Real Cost Variables: What Moves the Number

Platform choice is the first major cost lever. WordPress sites have lower upfront licensing costs but higher long-term maintenance burden - plugin updates, security patches, performance degradation over time. Framer and Webflow have subscription costs but essentially eliminate the maintenance overhead. For most business sites under 50 pages, the total cost of ownership over three years favors Framer or Webflow.

Copy is the second under-budgeted variable. Most web design quotes do not include copywriting. If you provide copy that was written for a different site structure, the new design will be forced to fit words that do not serve its layout. Budgeting $2,000-$8,000 for professional web copywriting is one of the highest-ROI additions to any web project.

"The cheapest website is rarely the least expensive one. A $1,500 template site that fails to convert costs you more every month than a $12,000 custom site that pays for itself in ninety days." - Mherie Vic, TTGC

Ongoing Costs After Launch

Website cost does not end at launch. Expect to budget for hosting ($20-$500/month depending on platform and traffic), domain renewal ($15-$50/year), and maintenance ($100-$500/month for WordPress; significantly less for Framer or Webflow). SEO and content production are separate from the site build and are the primary post-launch investment that determines organic traffic growth. The web design pricing piece covers how to evaluate quotes against these total-cost-of-ownership numbers.