How much does a website cost in Australia? Prices and what drives them

It depends, but not in a vague way

Ask ten Australian agencies what a website costs and you will get ten different numbers. That isn't because the industry is making it up. It's because "a website" can mean a five page brochure site for a tradie or a custom-built platform with bookings, payments and a client portal.

The good news is the price is driven by a handful of predictable things. Once you understand them, quotes start making sense, and you can tell a fair one from an inflated one. This guide covers typical price ranges, what drives them, the running costs people forget and how to compare quotes properly.

Typical price ranges in Australia

These are broad ranges for professionally designed and built sites, not DIY builders. Where a project lands depends on the factors further down this page.

• Simple small business website, around five to eight pages on Squarespace or similar: roughly $3,000 to $8,000
• Custom-designed marketing website on Framer, Squarespace or WordPress, with more pages, a blog and stronger SEO setup: roughly $6,000 to $20,000
• Online store on Shopify or WooCommerce: roughly $7,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on products, integrations and custom features
• Custom-coded website with real functionality, such as calculators, portals or system integrations: roughly $12,000 to $50,000 or more
• Web apps and software products: usually from $20,000, and scoped very differently from a website

For reference, our own starting prices are on each service page: Squarespace, Framer, WordPress, Shopify, custom code and software.

Where you are matters less than you'd think. Prices vary more between agencies than between cities, and since most projects run over video calls and shared files, you can work with a studio anywhere in Australia.

The five things that actually move the price

• Unique page designs, not total pages. A site with 40 service pages that share one layout can cost less than a site with eight pages that each need their own design.
• The platform. Squarespace and Framer sites are generally quicker to build and cheaper to run. WordPress sits in the middle. Custom code costs more upfront but gives you the most control.
• Content. Who writes the copy, who supplies the photos and who loads it all in. Copywriting and photography are often the biggest hidden line items.
• Functionality. Online bookings, ecommerce, member areas, forms that feed your CRM and multilingual content all add design, build and testing time.
• SEO and migration. If you're replacing an existing site, protecting your Google rankings with redirects and a proper content plan is real work, and it should be in the quote.

Template, custom design or custom code

Most projects fall into one of three tiers.

A customised template is the fastest route. You start with a proven layout and adapt it to your brand. It suits new businesses and anyone who needs to be online quickly.

A custom design on a platform like Framer or Squarespace is where most growing businesses land. The site is designed around your customers and your brand, then built on a platform your team can update without calling a developer.

Custom code is for when a platform gets in the way: complex functionality, unusual integrations, or performance and security requirements that off-the-shelf builders can't meet. It's the most flexible option, and the one that needs the clearest brief.

Not sure which platform fits? Our comparison of Framer vs Squarespace vs WordPress vs custom code walks through the trade-offs.

What about AI builders and DIY?

DIY builders and AI website generators can get you online for a few hundred dollars a year. For a brand-new business testing an idea, that can be the right call. The real cost shows up later, in a site that looks like everyone else's, doesn't rank and doesn't convert. We compare the two honestly in AI website builders vs a designed website.

The costs people forget

The build is only part of the picture. Budget for these too:

• Domain renewal and business email, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
• Your platform or hosting subscription
• Paid plugins, apps or fonts
• Ongoing updates, backups and security for WordPress sites
• SEO and content once the site is live, because a new site doesn't rank on its own

What it costs to run each year

As a rough guide to ongoing costs once the site is live:

• Domain: usually under $50 a year for a .com.au
• Business email: roughly $10 to $25 per person per month
• Squarespace or Framer plan: typically a few hundred dollars a year for a business site
• WordPress hosting and maintenance: from cheap shared hosting to a few hundred dollars a month for managed hosting with updates, backups and support
• Shopify plan and apps: a monthly plan plus apps, which can add up quickly as you grow

Platform prices change, so check the current plans, but this gives you a sense of scale. A site that is cheaper to build can be more expensive to own, and the reverse.

How long does a website take?

A small business site usually takes four to eight weeks from kick-off to launch. Larger custom sites take two to four months, and ecommerce or software longer again. The biggest delays are almost never the build. They're waiting on content, photos and feedback, so having those ready is the easiest way to save both time and money.

How to compare quotes properly

When you're comparing two quotes, the cheaper one is often missing something rather than being better value. Ask each agency:

• How many unique page designs are included?
• Who writes the copy and sources the images?
• How many rounds of revisions do I get?
• Is basic SEO setup included, such as page titles, descriptions, a sitemap and Google Search Console?
• If you're replacing my current site, are redirects included?
• Who owns the site, the design files and the accounts when we're done?
• What does support look like after launch?

If a quote can't answer those clearly, that's your answer.

Red flags in a website quote

• A single price with no breakdown of what's included
• No mention of copy, images or who loads the content
• The site, domain or accounts registered in the agency's name rather than yours
• No redirects or SEO plan when replacing an existing site
• Lock-in contracts that make it expensive to leave
• A promise of page one on Google by a certain date

If you're replacing an existing site, read switching platforms without losing your Google rankings before you sign anything.

Getting the most from your budget

• Start with the pages that bring in enquiries: your homepage, main services, about and contact. Add the rest later
• Write a first draft of your copy yourself, even if a copywriter polishes it
• Invest in real photography once, then use it everywhere
• Choose a platform your team can update, so small changes don't cost money
• Sort your brand first. A clear brand kit makes the web project faster and cheaper

How we quote

At Sault Digital we quote on scope, not on a package. We'll recommend the platform that fits how your business works, even if it's the less expensive one, and we put everything in writing before we start. We work with businesses in Melbourne and right across Australia. You can see what's included on our web design page.