How Much Does a Website Really Cost?

You’ve probably heard it—or maybe even said it yourself:

“We just need a simple website. Nothing fancy.”

That’s exactly what Tom said. Tom was a startup founder with a brilliant product idea and a lean $5k budget. He found a freelancer, got a decent-looking website, and launched. But what followed wasn’t traffic, leads or traction. It was silence.

Turns out, that "simple website" wasn’t enough. Tom hadn’t budgeted for performance, UX, SEO, or backend automation. Within three months, he was back at square one—with less money and a painful lesson: websites aren’t expenses. They’re investments. And cutting corners early can cost you big.

This guide will help you avoid Tom’s mistake.

We'll walk through real-world website costs, explain why pricing varies, and show you when it makes sense to go custom—and when it doesn’t. Whether you're bootstrapping or scaling, you’ll walk away knowing how to invest wisely.

Section 1: What Really Affects Website Costs?

Pricing isn’t random. Here’s what actually drives cost:

• The site’s purpose (lead gen, eCommerce, SaaS platform)

• Number of pages and content complexity

• Custom design vs templates

• Backend functionality (CRM, booking system, etc.)

• CMS choice (WordPress, Webflow, Headless CMS)

• SEO, mobile performance, accessibility compliance

• Who builds it: freelancer, offshore team, or agency

Pro tip: The earlier your website impacts your revenue model, the more critical its quality becomes.

Section 2: Website Pricing Ranges in 2025

Remember, these aren’t apples-to-apples quotes. A $10k site with no strategy or SEO may deliver zero ROI. A $25k site with a strong funnel and proper tech stack might bring in $250k worth of leads in year one.

Section 3: Pricing Psychology—Why Founders Get Trapped

Founders tend to underbudget websites. Why?

• Anchoring bias: We compare agency quotes to Wix ads

• The sunk cost fallacy: We stick with a bad site to avoid rebuilding

• Feature blindness: We think "5 pages" means simple

Shift your thinking: Don't ask “What’s the cheapest option?” Ask:

• "What outcome do we need from this website?"

• "How do we minimise rework, maximise conversions, and scale this asset?"

Section 4: Cost-Based vs Value-Based Pricing

Cost-based pricing = hourly rates + markup.

Value-based pricing = pricing based on the business outcome you’ll achieve.

Let’s say your website helps you:

• Get 10 qualified leads/week

• Close 2 sales per week worth $2k each

That’s $208,000 in annual revenue. A $25k investment suddenly looks like a no-brainer.

Section 5: When to Invest in Custom Development

Go custom when:

• You’ve validated product-market fit

• Your workflows aren’t served by templates

• You need deep integrations (CRM, payment, 3rd-party systems)

• You’re scaling and want long-term maintainability

Hold off if:

• You’re still testing demand

• Budget is under $5k

• Your core goal is a quick MVP with minimal complexity

Section 6: Don’t Forget Lifecycle Costs

Beyond the build:

• Hosting: $20–$200/month depending on traffic

• Security & backups

• Maintenance and updates

• SEO audits and optimisations

• Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)

• Content generation and blogs

Tip: Set aside 10–15% of your website cost annually for maintenance and growth.

Section 7: What You’re Really Paying For

Breakdown of a quality build:

• Discovery & research

• Wireframes & UX planning

• Custom UI design

• SEO foundation: sitemap, schema, load speed

• Front + back-end development

• QA testing across devices

• Launch support

• Analytics setup and handover

If a quote doesn’t list these? Ask why.

Section 8: How EB Pearls Builds Value, Not Just Pages

At EB Pearls, we don’t just “design websites.” We solve business problems. We start with strategy, map your customer journey, and build digital experiences that convert.

Our pricing is transparent and tailored. Whether it’s a $15k lead-gen site or a $75k SaaS platform, our focus is always ROI.

We use agile delivery, senior project managers, and cross-functional teams—all based here in Sydney.

Section 9: Real Examples

• Startup: $12k site → generated 40 inbound leads/month

• Retail brand: $35k eCommerce build → 3x increase in revenue

• SaaS firm: $95k platform → launched with 2,000+ beta users

Section 10: Final Thoughts

Tom’s mistake wasn’t hiring a freelancer. It was skipping strategy.

Your website is your first impression, your 24/7 salesperson, your digital storefront. Treat it that way.

Invest based on outcome. Work with experts. Build something that actually works—for your customers and your business.

Need help figuring out what your website should cost?

Book a free strategy session with EB Pearls. We’ll walk through your business model, help you scope your ideal solution, and show you how to get maximum ROI at every stage.

Ready to build smarter? Let’s talk.

Frequently Asked Questions