Ep. 12 How Much Does It Really Cost To Build A Website
The honest answer? It depends. The cost of building a website varies widely based on how much you're doing yourself, how much you're hiring out, what platform you're using, and several other factors. Today, I'm breaking down everything you need to build a website from domains and hosting to copy, photography, design, and more. I'll share price ranges, money-saving tips, and those behind-the-scenes costs you might not be thinking about.
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Essential Website Components and Their Costs
1. Domain Name
Your domain is your web address (www.yourbusiness.com), and it's typically one of your lower expenses. Expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $40 per year, purchased through providers like Bluehost, Namecheap, Google Domains, or directly through your website platform like Squarespace.
One important note: If there's a particular domain you want that's already taken, costs can skyrocket into the thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. Unless you're running a massive business where that specific domain is crucial, I recommend finding an alternative you can be happy with rather than breaking the bank.
2. Website Hosting
Once you have your domain, you need somewhere to build and host your site. Pricing varies significantly by platform:
Squarespace: At Specht & Co., we primarily build sites on Squarespace. Their plans range from $25 to $140 monthly, with their popular Business plan (what we typically set clients up with) running around $36 monthly. This includes hosting, pre-made templates, and basic e-commerce functionality, with additional fees for scheduling tools, email marketing, etc.
Wix: Another popular platform with pricing between $17 and $160 monthly. Their most popular plan is also around $36 monthly. While I used Wix for my very first website years ago, I haven't used it recently, though I've heard they've improved their tech and SEO capabilities pretty significantly over the last couple of years.
Showit: This platform has gained significant popularity in recent years. Plans range from $25 to $125 monthly, with their most popular option at $40 monthly including a website and WordPress-hosted blog. Any pricing above $39 primarily reflects increased blog storage and traffic, so smaller businesses likely won't need to go higher than the $40 tier.
Kajabi: Unlike the others, Kajabi includes membership and course platform capabilities alongside website functionality. Their pricing reflects this expanded functionality, starting at $89 monthly and ranging up to $399 monthly. From my experience using Kajabi for my membership and building client sites, most users will need at least the middle tier at around $200 monthly. This includes website hosting, course and membership capabilities, email marketing, digital product sales, and podcasting features.
Most platforms offer do discounts for annual payment and free trials to test before committing and I would highly encourage you to choose based on your long-term business needs rather than price alone.
3. Website Template
If you're DIYing your site, purchasing a template can make the process much easier. Templates are pre-designed layouts you can customize, ideal for saving money while still creating a professional site. However, they can limit creativity if you have unique content needs that don't fit standard templates.
Pricing varies widely:
Simple, basic templates: $50-$150
Higher-end, conversion-focused templates: $200-$500
Showit templates tend to be pricier but offer more creative freedom and fewer design constraints. Before purchasing any template, ensure it includes all the pages you'll need and comes with tutorials on customization. I can't tell you how many clients have come to me saying, "I spent $500 on this template but have no idea how to use it"—and then they end up paying me to customize it anyway.
4. Website Designer
If DIY isn't your style and you prefer hiring a professional website designer, expect to invest more. Pricing depends on the platform, the designer's experience level, and your site's complexity:
Basic site by a skilled beginner: $1,000-$3,000
Mid-tier option (where Spectrum Co. falls): $3,000-$6,000
High-end designer/agency or complex e-commerce site: $7,000-$10,000+
When hiring a designer, remember you're not just paying for them to build the site—you're paying for strategy, experience troubleshooting issues, custom coding knowledge, and expertise in creating a website designed to convert visitors into clients.
Consider the time investment as well. Could the hours you'd spend building your own site be better spent serving clients or creating offerings that would more than cover the cost of hiring a professional? Also consider how custom and strategic your site really needs to be for your business goals.
5. Copywriting
Besides beautiful design, the most important element of your website is the words that sell your service. Like design, copywriting is typically a one-time investment with occasional updates rather than an ongoing expense.
Your options include:
DIY: Free, but requires strong writing skills and an understanding of conversion copywriting
Copy templates: Around $500 for a quality template (I recommend my friend Val Casola's template, which I'll link in the show notes)
Professional copywriter: $2,000-$5,000+, depending on their experience level, format (VIP day vs. project basis), and how many pages they're writing
If you're using AI tools like ChatGPT to create your copy—which can be a helpful resource—please edit and refine it for clarity, accuracy, and your unique personality. Trust me, we can tell when you've just copied and pasted without making it your own.
6. Photography
Quality photography can make or break a website design. I could create the most beautiful website ever, but if we populate it with poor-quality photos, the overall impression suffers. Your options include:
Free stock photos: Platforms like Unsplash or Pexels
Paid stock photography: $10-$40 monthly for memberships, or $2-$20 per individual photo
Custom brand photoshoot: $1,000 minimum, with $2,000-$5,000 for a comprehensive session
If you're investing in a custom photoshoot, I recommend budgeting for a longer session to get more images, as you might only do this once every few years. The more content you can generate from a single shoot, the better your investment.
You can absolutely have a beautiful website without a custom photoshoot, but be intentional about selecting the right photos for your brand, whether through stock images or custom photography.
7. Branding
As you likely know if you're listening to episode 12 of this podcast, your brand is your business's visual identity—though it goes much deeper than that, as I've discussed in previous episodes. Branding is what creates the look and feel of your website.
Like other elements, branding options range from DIY to fully custom:
DIY: Budget $10-$200 for design assets, Canva membership, etc.
Semi-custom or templated branding: $100-$500 for pre-made kits from Etsy, Creative Market, or designers who offer customization
Full custom branding: $2,000-$5,000+, including strategy, brand design, marketing assets, and brand guidelines
I strongly advocate investing in branding when possible. A professional brand makes your website look polished and helps you stand out. It also simplifies the rest of the website creation process—choosing photos becomes easier because your branding dictates their style, writing copy is simpler because your brand defines your voice.
I would strongly advise against creating a website without at least some defined visual branding, even if it's templated or DIY. If you're thinking, "I don't know how to DIY anything and can't afford a designer," there are affordable options available, including my Six Figure Brand Society , which guides you through creating your own brand.
Total Budget Considerations
So how much should you budget for your website? Here's a breakdown:
Low Budget: $200-$500
Domain and hosting: $20/year for domain, $100-$200/year for hosting
DIY copy and use free stock photos
Potentially purchase a template for brand or website
Mid-Tier: $1,500-$5,000
Same domain and hosting costs
Investing more in branding
Potentially hiring a copywriter and/or designer to help with parts of the process
High-End: $7,000-$15,000+
For multi-six figure businesses or large e-commerce operations
Hiring professionals for every aspect
Choosing premium options across the board
Setting Yourself Up for Success
The cost of a website depends greatly on how much you DIY versus how much you invest in professional help. I encourage you to first evaluate your budget, then think carefully about what you're able and willing to do yourself. Consider hiring professionals to fill the gaps, for example if you're comfortable with design but struggle with writing, DIY your branding but hire a copywriter (or vice versa).
If you're looking for more done-for-you brand and website design support, I'd love to chat on a discovery call about how that might look. And if you need recommendations for photographers, copywriters, SEO specialists, or other website professionals, I know plenty and would be happy to connect you. Just drop me a DM on Instagram, and I'll hook you up with whoever will support you best.
🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned In The Episode:
➡️ Follow me on Instagram @spechtand.co
➡️ Book A Discovery Call With Morgan
➡️ Learn more about The Six Figure Brand Society
➡️ Book Your Free 5min Brand Audit
➡️ Val Casola's Killer Website Copy Template
🎧 Listen to episode 12 of The Six Figure Brand Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube
