How much does it cost to make a website?

Cost is one of the biggest factors for many business owners when considering creating a website. There is, of course, a very simple answer to this that can be found on my pricing sheet. If you are looking for a more in-depth breakdown of the costs involved in building and managing a website, here is what you should know.

The cost of a website can be broken down into a few main categories:

• Domain Name

• Website Hosting

• Design

• Plugins

Domain Name

The domain name is how your clients will find your website. Typically, it will be your business name or brand, followed by the type of domain. A great example of this would be google.com or hukdesign.com. The domain type can differ based on the purpose or location of your business; for example, a government agency would use .gov, while an organization can use a .org domain. The name of the domain is completely up to you and can typically be purchased from a seller such as GoDaddy.com.

The initial cost of a domain name will vary based on how desirable the name is or if it is already being used by someone else. A domain name like car.com may cost you upwards of a few million dollars, whereas a less popular name like cookiemonster123.com can cost as low as 1 cent.

After the initial cost, you will need to pay a yearly fee of about $20 to maintain ownership of the domain. This fee will not change as long as you continue to be the owner of the domain.

Website Hosting

Website hosting is how your website will actually end up on the internet. Website hosting platforms are responsible for storing all of your website files, keeping your website secure, and ensuring that your clients can always access your website.

Reliability is the biggest priority when looking for a hosting platform and will likely be the largest overall cost of the website. The cost will vary based on the size of your website; this can range from $15 a month to a few hundred dollars for enterprise-grade websites.

At Huk Design, I prefer to use wix.com because they are reliable and provide a very user-friendly dashboard for my clients.

Design

Website design is the portion that most business owners are aware of; it is the process of designing and building a website. This process can be done from scratch using code or through a drag-and-drop website builder. At Huk Design, you can find a clear breakdown of how much we charge for a typical website. The initial cost of designing a website may seem high, but it is truly worth it if you’re not trained in design and development.

Plugins

You can think of plugins as apps that run in the background of your website. Plugins enhance your website's capabilities, enabling features that normally wouldn’t be available, such as eCommerce, special design features, and more. Plugin costs will vary, and some may incur monthly fees, so this is something to consider when reviewing your cost breakdown.

Conclusion

The best way to find out the cost of your business website is to reach out for a free quote. There’s no obligation, and you can always contact Huk Design if you have additional questions.