What a small business website actually costs

Nobody likes the phrase it depends, so let me be specific about what it depends on. My websites start from A$3,500. Where a project lands above that comes down to a handful of things, and most of them are decisions you get to make.

What actually moves the price

Size is the obvious one. A five-page site takes less time than a twenty-page site with a blog and a case study library. But size is rarely the biggest factor.

The bigger one is how much of the raw material already exists. If you have a brand you are happy with, current photography, and a clear sense of what each page should say, a lot of the work is already done. If none of that exists, it has to be made, and making it is the expensive part. Branding, photography, video and copywriting are each real work with real hours behind them.

Functionality matters too, though less often than people expect. Most local businesses need a site that explains what they do and makes it easy to get in touch. That is not complicated. Booking systems, member areas and integrations are where complexity and cost start climbing.

Why I quote a fixed price

You get one page: scope, what is included, what is excluded, the timeline, and a single number. Not an hourly rate with a vague estimate attached. If the scope does not change, neither does the price.

I will also say the range out loud on our first call, before anything is written down. There is no reason for you to sit through a proposal process to find out whether we are in the same ballpark.

The number nobody quotes

The cost people forget is the one they are already paying. A site that does not bring in enquiries is not free because you already built it. It is costing you every month in work that goes to someone else who looked more credible online.

That is the comparison worth making. Not what the website costs, but what the current one is costing you.

What happens after

Websites drift. Pricing changes, services change, the photos start looking dated. If you want it kept current without thinking about it, care plans start at $180 a month. If you would rather handle it yourself, the site is built so you can, and I will train you on it before handover.