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.
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.)
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.
| Website Type | Cost Range (AUD) | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| DIY Site Builders | $0 – $2,000 | Hobby projects, temporary pages |
| Freelancer Builds | $2,000 – $8,000 | Brochure sites, MVPs |
| Agency Template Sites | $8,000 – $15,000 | Small business websites |
| Custom Design + CMS | $15,000 – $30,000+ | Brands needing UX + SEO |
| Scalable Platforms | $30,000 – $100,000+ | SaaS, marketplaces, enterprise sites |
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.
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?"
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.