You may have heard that web design isn’t cheap. It’s true that website design can get rather expensive, but that’s not standard for every project. Simple websites require fewer features and should cost less than large websites with extensively customized elements. However, just like in any industry, there are people who overcharge for their services, and this article will help you avoid this situation.
What is a fair price for a website?
The total cost of your website will depend on who you hire and your specific needs, so you’ll need to understand what goes into building a website to know if you’re paying a fair price.
Some people pay $200 for a website, while others pay $20,000 and every amount in-between. What’s fair for you will be unique to your needs, so you can’t really compare your project to others. You need to learn a little bit about how sites are designed to gauge your cost.
What is the purpose of your website?
When you want to know if you’re being charged fairly, you need to think about what your developer is building for you. Sure, they’re building a website, but if your website will become an income-generating asset for your business, it’s worth more. This applies to ecommerce websites and sites designed to build an email list.
If there’s anything unique or special about the site you’ve developed that will give you a competitive edge over using a generic template, then you can expect to pay more than just an hourly fee.
If you just need a few pages and aren’t going to use your website to generate leads or sales, then anyone can build it for you. If this situation applies to you, then you should be able to get a lower hourly rate for design work.
Who is building your website?
The next thing to consider is who is building your website, an amateur or a professional? Amateurs can build decent sites using WYSIWYG editors, but the results won’t be outstanding, and these sites usually lack features. You can get a good site from an amateur designer who works for a low hourly rate, but they shouldn’t be charging professional prices.
On the other hand, when you hire a professional, you’re not just paying for someone’s time – you’re paying for their expertise. Some developers incorporate extra compensation into their hourly rate, while others prefer charging a flat fee based on the project. Either way, a professional will cost a bit more than an amateur from Craigslist or Fiverr. However, even professional web design doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can get a professionally designed site for just a few hundred bucks when you have simple needs.
How are you being charged?
To gauge value, it’s critical to know how you’re being charged for your website. Many website developers work strictly for an hourly rate, while others charge project-based fees. In general, hourly rates can range between $25-$200 per hour or more. It’s not hard to figure out if an hourly developer is charging you fairly. They should be able to estimate how long it will take to complete the project, including an estimate for billable hours. Estimates won’t be exact, but a good developer will get close.
Per-project fees vary between $500-$5,000 on average. If you’re paying a project-based fee, you’ll need to assess the total value of what you’re getting. For instance, if you get a $5,000 quote for someone to build your website on Wix, that’s a red flag because it’s a simple and limited web builder. However, it’s not uncommon for businesses to pay much more than that for an outstanding website made from scratch.
A reasonable price is relative to your project.
What you should pay for your website ultimately depends on four things: what you need, who builds your site, where they build it, and your developer’s level of expertise. If you think you’re being overcharged, the best thing to do is gather additional quotes from other developers. As you discuss your project with other designers, you may find that the higher price is due to the fact that you need more work and/or customizations.
Getting a good website doesn’t have to be expensive, but don’t automatically go with the cheapest bid. You get what you pay for, and if you’re looking for a bargain to save money, you’ll end up sacrificing the quality of your site. For the best results, choose your developer based on who can meet your needs and be willing to make adjustments to meet your budget.
