A website is an essential element of running a business in 2020. Alongside social media accounts and Google Map addresses, a website is a fundamental way to communicate with customers and reach new audiences. However, a website is an additional—and quite prominent—point in an entrepreneur's budget. How much does it cost to create a website?
How much does it cost to create a website and what your business needs are?
A website is a source of information about our business. Its purpose is to provide information about services or products, communicate transaction procedures, and provide contact information. Just a few years ago, a simple page consisting of a few tabs would have fulfilled all these purposes. Today, however, the requirements associated with it are much greater – industry and online trends must be taken into account, and if you want to reach as many customers as possible, the requirements of search engines must also be taken into account.
The cost of creating a website depends largely on its anticipated size and the technologies used. So, it's worth answering a few questions first:
- Page size If you're planning a website for a small, very local business, building a simple page that will provide basic information for your customers will be enough. It will tell you about the business, who's behind it, and where and when they can use the services. What does "simple website" mean?
These are several tabs – subpages, e.g. the local community center:
e.g. osiedlowe-niebo.pl
osiedlowe-niebo.pl/o-nas
osiedlowe-niebo.pl/oferta-zajec
osiedlowe-niebo.pl/aktualnosci
osiedlowe-niebo.pl/kontakt
These types of websites are designed for a small audience. By locating the site on a map and tailoring searches to the user's location, interested users can easily find the website and access the necessary information.
A website can be based on pure HTML and CSS, without a content management system. However, if you plan to frequently add posts to the news section and be able to independently change, for example, course offerings, it's worth meeting the needs of those unfamiliar with code and investing in one of the popular CMSs. The simplest solution is WordPress – popular, intuitive, and with the ability to create users with varying levels of access to the administration panel. However, installing a CMS is associated with higher costs and a longer project completion time. Web page.
However, for this type of website you can use alternative solutions – website creators (which I wrote about in the previous entry). This type of solution also provides GoogleWebsites created using these solutions are typically inexpensive (costs include a subscription to the chosen builder, plus domain and hosting costs) and can be created independently. These builders have their limitations, and creating large websites with the ambition to storm the top of search results may prove ineffective.
Websites that need to contain more tabs—for example, if the "offer" category is to be expanded to include various types of services, and the page allows customers to contact the company directly or book appointments—are best built using a CMS. A larger number of subpages requires agile administration, which will be significantly facilitated by installing a content management system.
- Technology A larger website usually requires more customized solutions. The simplest and cheapest solution is to create a static page using HTML, CSS, and simple JavaScript. How much does it cost to create a simple website? A skilled developer can code and—to put it colloquially—"deploy" such a page in a matter of days. The cost should also be increased by the graphic designer's work, responsible for creating the website's layout and the time required to make any design changes.
More complex websites, with features that allow for greater interaction with the site—for example, using forms, creating accounts, and logging in—require more advanced solutions. In these cases, the site is most often based on a CMS. Again, the most popular solution for medium-sized websites is WordPress, which, thanks to its plugin system, can extend a standard website with almost any functionality.
The advantage of popular CMSs is easily accessible documentation and forums, where solutions to virtually any problem can be found. Their significant drawback is their vulnerability to hacking. The lack of an up-to-date system version, untested plugins, and add-ons can lead to spam or website takeovers. Therefore, if you choose this type of solution, you may incur additional costs in updating the version (which isn't always efficient) and, in the worst-case scenario, repairing the effects of a hack.
They also have a separate price list. Internet shopsThere are several solutions available here – installing the engine on a server or using software in a SaaS model.
Hosting a store on your own server requires taking care not only of its appearance but, above all, of its security. This includes meeting GDPR requirements, ensuring server stability, securing your and your customers' data, and eliminating errors related to installed extensions. However, this solution allows for full access to the website's code and full modification according to your vision. This is how Presta and Magento, engines primarily designed for large stores, operate.
You can also open an online store using the offers of companies operating in the SaaS model – Software as a serviceBy choosing this solution, we sublease a portion of the cloud and the store software in exchange for a monthly fee. There are many companies operating this system on the market, and the most popular in Poland certainly include Shoper, IdoSell (IAI-Shop), RedCart, Shoplo, and Shopify. Each brand offers several subscription options. The price depends on factors such as the number of accounts in the administration panel, integration with other sales channels and wholesalers, product volume, and so on.
The costs associated with setting up a store can be lower at the start – the minimum subscription is approximately 50 PLN/month. This, of course, brings with it limitations, such as the inability to customize the appearance to the store's vision or paste the codes necessary to run it. Google Ads campaignFees must be paid monthly, which can be quite painful for the entrepreneur during bad times.
How much does it cost to create a small website?
As I mentioned above, making Web page it's a few hours of work and a graphic. The list of items in the cost estimate will look like this:
– domain cost,
– hosting cost,
– cost of creating the website layout (graphic designer’s working time),
– cost of work to code the website (web developer’s working time).
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The total cost should be around PLN 1000-1500.
These costs can be reduced by using, for example, one of the programs that allow you to create a website yourself. In this case, the main investment will be your time – necessary to choose the program, familiarize yourself with it, and build a functioning website. The cost of a domain and hosting will remain the same, plus the subscription fee resulting from using the builder – the cheapest ones start at around 17 PLN/month. Note – using builders has its limitations – for example, a lower subscription requires consent to display ads on your website.
A small website is the perfect solution for businesses that don't have ambitions to dominate search results.
How much does it cost to create a website for a medium-sized business?
A website that is intended to be a tool for acquiring new customers should meet a number of requirements – it should be fast, mobile and accessible to recipients.
Building this type of website will be more complex, with a larger number of tabs and the need to incorporate additional features. The cost factors for such a project are similar to those for a small website, but the costs will be significantly higher. Depending on the planned features and projected traffic, it may be necessary to choose a more expensive option or a dedicated server.
The cost of creating a website for a medium-sized business also depends on the chosen CMS system. Installing it alone typically adds around 500-1000 PLN to the price. Additionally , there are the costs of some additional solutions that must be installed on top of the basic system.
Additional costs worth bearing
not all projects are the sameUsing a CMS requires familiarity with its limitations and capabilities. Unless you plan to hire a dedicated employee to manage your website, it's worth considering the matter and, for example, including a section in your website contract regarding system training. It's worth keeping this in mind – simple fixes that you can do yourself in minutes can be expensive if outsourced. Managing the system yourself also saves time – delegating tasks in this case can postpone their completion by up to several days.
Please note – a website delivered by a web developer does not necessarily mean it is fully prepared for active online activity. If SEO or Google Ads activities are initiated , adjustments may be necessary. However, this does not mean that the website was "bad," but merely that it did not fully comply with Google's guidelines. Optimization may, however, require additional changes, especially if the website is managed by a proprietary CMS system that lacks comprehensive online documentation.
Shop – virtual shelves, salesperson and cash register
One of the more complex types of websites is undoubtedly online stores. This directly translates into how much they cost to create. What should you consider?
Beyond the basic costs of domain and hosting, there's the cost of the engine. As mentioned above, this can be addressed in two ways: by installing open-source options like Magento or PrestaShop, or by choosing a SaaS solution.
Presta and Magento are seemingly more flexible solutions. However, creating a storefront based on these systems will require close collaboration with a programmer (the cost of their time must therefore be added to the bill), not only at the time of the store's launch but practically throughout its entire lifespan. Another element to consider is the cost of extensions, without which the store cannot fully function.
Prices for stores using the above-mentioned software start from around PLN 10 and increase depending on the solutions and integrations used.
Find out more from our post – Cost of setting up an online store
SaaS for those who like it fast
At first glance, it might seem that the cost of building a website and store using open source engines is incomparably higher than using a SaaS store. A subscription allows us to set up a fully functional store, but depending on the price, it limits the ability to customize its appearance and optimization. Such solutions are not suitable for large e-commerce businesses selling thousands of products. This solution will be appreciated by small businesses that don't have the financial resources to build their own sales platform.
(Not) perfect solution
The biggest drawback of these solutions is the inability to modify the code and implement changes, including those required for optimization for advertising campaigns . Of course, many of them offer the option of more advanced customization, but this comes at an additional cost that the company must shoulder. Many providers of ready-made stores emphasize the ability to give their websites a unique look, but unfortunately, most implementations – especially those with lower subscription plans – differ little from one another.
SaaS also has its advantages – the service provider is responsible for maintaining the website's continuous operation and ensuring the security of data and transactions. For businesses with several employees, delegating these tasks allows them to focus on product development and brand management.
The cost of setting up a SaaS store starts at around 50 PLN/month. Prices for more advanced packages start at around 299 PLN.
Thinking about creating even a simple website? Contact us! We have hundreds of completed projects in our portfolio!
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- The relationship between website costs and their size and technology was discussed – from simple HTML websites to complex CMS-based websites such as WordPress.
- It was indicated that the cost of a small website is approximately PLN 1000–1500 and includes a domain, hosting, graphic design and coding.
- It was explained that websites for medium-sized businesses require higher expenditure due to additional functionalities, and CMS installation increases the price by approximately PLN 500–1000.
- The value of CMS training and the need for subsequent website optimization for SEO and advertising campaigns were emphasized.
- Two models of creating online stores are described: installation of open source engines (Presta, Magento) from approximately PLN 10 and SaaS solutions (Shoper, Shopify) with a subscription from approximately PLN 50 per month.
- The advantages and disadvantages of the SaaS model are presented – ease of use and security at the expense of limited possibilities of modifying the code and appearance.
