What a Website
Actually Costs
and Why

Why prices vary so much

A website is not a single product. It is a collection of decisions. Two people can both ask for a website and need something completely different. One needs five clean pages and a contact form. The other needs a full store with 30 products, payment processing, shipping setup, and a supplier connected on the back end.

Charging them the same price makes no sense. Here is what actually drives the cost.

What type of site do you need?

What adds to the price regardless of site type

• Your copy. Copy is the written content on every page of your site. Before anything can be built, that content has to exist. If you do not have it ready, someone has to write it. That is either a separate service or a cost absorbed into your quote. Either way, it costs something.
• Number of pages. A 10-page site takes more time than a 5-page site.
• Number of services or products. More offerings mean more pages, more layout decisions, and more setup time.
• Custom design. Some builds use a theme with light customization. Others require more deliberate design work to match a specific brand identity.
• Integrations. If you need your site connected to an email list, a booking system, a CRM, or a payment processor, that adds scope and time.
• Timeline. Standard builds have a standard timeline. Rush builds cost more.

What about AI? Can you just build it yourself?

You can try. AI tools have made it easier to get something on screen faster. What they have not changed is what it takes to get something that actually works for your business.

Here is what AI still cannot do for you:

• Tell you which platform is right for your specific situation
• Write copy that sounds like you and converts
• Know what your customers need to see before they decide to buy or book
• Set up payment processing, shipping, domains, and integrations correctly
• Make your site look like a real business instead of a template someone dropped in an afternoon

What does a $350 website get you?

It depends on who built it and why they charged that. Some possibilities:

• A template with your logo dropped in and minimal customization
• A build by someone just starting out who underpriced their work
• A site that looks finished but is missing SEO setup, mobile optimization, or proper page structure
• Something that will need to be rebuilt in six months

Questions to ask before you hire anyone

Whether you hire us or someone else, ask these questions before you agree to anything. If someone cannot answer them clearly before you pay, that is your answer.

1. What platform will you build on and why?
2. What is included in the price and what is not?
3. Does this include copy, or do I need to provide that?
4. How many pages and products does this cover?
5. Is mobile optimization included?
6. Is basic SEO setup included?
7. What happens if I need changes after the site goes live?
8. What is the timeline from start to launch?
9. What do you need from me to get started?
10. What does the handoff look like? Will I be able to manage the site myself?