Quick pricing overview
| Type | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Basic brochure site | $1,500 – $5,000 |
| Business site + SEO | $3,000 – $10,000 |
| eCommerce store | $5,000 – $20,000+ |
| Custom web app | $15,000 – $50,000+ |
What drives the cost up?
1. Number of pages
More pages = more design, more content, more time.
2. Custom functionality
Contact forms are cheap. Custom booking systems, member portals, or integrations are not.
3. eCommerce
Product pages, payment gateways, inventory management — all add cost.
4. SEO setup
A site built with SEO in mind from day one costs more upfront but saves money long term.
5. Copywriting
Most quotes don't include copy. If you need someone to write your content, budget an extra $500–$3,000.
What drives the cost down?
- Using a template (Webflow, Squarespace, Shopify)
- Providing your own content and images
- Keeping the scope tight and simple
- Using a freelancer instead of an agency
Why cheap websites are often expensive
A $500 website that:
- Doesn't rank on Google
- Loads slowly
- Confuses visitors
- Breaks after 6 months
…costs you far more in lost business than a $5,000 site that works properly.
The Nielsen Norman Group consistently shows that poor UX directly reduces conversion rates — sometimes by 50% or more.
What should be included in any quote
- ✅ Design and development
- ✅ Mobile responsiveness
- ✅ Basic SEO setup
- ✅ Contact forms
- ✅ Hosting setup guidance
- ✅ Training on how to update content
If any of these are missing, ask why.
Final takeaway
Budget for what you actually need, not the cheapest option available.
A well-built website pays for itself. A cheap one usually costs more to fix than to replace.
👉 See full guide: Best Web Designers in NZ