Web Design
How to Register a .com.au Domain
How to get a .com.au domain: eligibility, choosing a name, registering it, WHOIS privacy and the .au direct option if you have no ABN.
How much does a website cost? At Rock Solid Marketing, a professionally built business website starts at $5,000 + GST for our Essentials package (up to 5 pages), $6,500 + GST for Standard (10 to 25 pages), $12,000 + GST for Advanced (25 to 50 pages) and from $6,000 + GST for an online store. On top of the build, plan for hosting and ongoing care. Here’s what drives the price and what you get for it.
How much does a website cost in Australia?
How much does a website cost in Australia? Prices vary widely, from free DIY builders to custom projects, because “a website” can mean anything from a one-page brochure to a store with hundreds of products. The fairest way to compare is to look at what’s included. Here’s our own price list, so you can see exactly what each package covers:
| Package | Price | Pages | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $5,000 + GST | Up to 5 | Theme designed for your industry, 3 rounds of feedback, responsive design, SSL, contact forms, up to 2 images a page, domain registration (conditions apply), 12 months’ hosting, 2 weeks’ follow-up support |
| Standard | $6,500 + GST | 10 to 25 | Everything above plus security and SEO plug-ins, 4 social accounts linked, up to 25 products, multiple forms, up to 10 images a page, a WordPress user manual, 12 months’ hosting, 4 weeks’ support |
| Advanced | $12,000 + GST | 25 to 50 | A bespoke, industry-specific site with email marketing integration, SEO set-up, a Google Analytics kit, CRM automation, up to 50 products and 8 weeks’ support |
| E-commerce | From $6,000 + GST | As needed | A full website with an online store, shopping cart and payment gateway |
Each package can also be paid over 6 monthly payments: $833 + GST a month for Essentials, $1,085 + GST for Standard, $2,000 + GST for Advanced and $1,000 + GST for E-commerce. See our website packages for the details.
How much should a website cost?
If you’re asking how much will a website cost for your business, start with what it has to do. A website should cost what it takes to do the job you need it to do. A sole trader who needs people to find a phone number needs something very different from a business that sells online or takes bookings. Ask yourself what the website has to achieve (calls, bookings, sales or credibility), then compare quotes on what they include rather than on the headline number.
What affects the cost of a website?
The website creation cost mostly comes down to these:
- Number of pages. More pages means more design, layout and content work.
- Features. Bookings, payments, member areas, product filters or integrations with a CRM or email platform all add time.
- Products. An online store’s price rises with the number of products to upload and set up.
- Content. If you supply your own text and photos, it costs less than having copywriting and photography done for you.
- Design. A theme adapted to your industry costs less than a fully custom design.
- Rounds of changes. Clear feedback in the included rounds keeps the project on budget.
What brings the price down: a smaller site, content you supply and a clear brief. What pushes it up: extra pages, products, integrations and custom features. If you only need a few changes on top of a package, extra design and marketing work is charged at $175 + GST an hour.
How much does it cost to build a website for a small business?
For most small businesses, a 5-page website covers the essentials: a home page, a services page or two, an about page and a contact page. That’s our Essentials package at $5,000 + GST. How much would it cost to build a website with more pages? Businesses with more services, locations or products usually step up to Standard at $6,500 + GST. Our small business website design page explains what we include for smaller businesses.
If you’re only just starting out, our New Business Package ($4,995 + GST) covers a logo, business cards, a Google Business Profile, social media set-up and a responsive landing page, which can grow into a full website later.
How much does it cost to design a website versus build it?
With most agencies, including us, design and build come together in one price: the package covers designing the look, building the pages and setting up the features. If you only want design (for example, layouts for your own developer), ask for that to be quoted separately, because it’s a different job.
How much does a website cost per month?
After the build, a website has running costs. These are the main ones:
- Hosting: our web hosting starts from $400 + GST a year, and our website packages include the first 12 months.
- Care and maintenance: our website care plans cost $275 + GST a month for Basic, $395 + GST for Essentials and $549 + GST for Premium (each a minimum of 6 months).
- Domain renewal: your domain name has to be renewed each year.
- Software: some premium themes, plugins or booking tools have their own subscriptions.
How much does it cost to run a website?
The cost to run a website depends on how much you want done for you. If you’re comfortable updating it yourself, running costs can be close to just hosting and your domain. If you want someone to handle updates, backups, security checks and small content changes, a care plan covers that each month. Our guide to website maintenance cost goes into more detail.
Are website costs tax deductible?
Usually, but how you claim depends on the type of cost. The Australian Taxation Office treats the cost of running a website (such as maintenance) as an operating expense you generally claim in the year you pay it, while the cost of developing a website is a capital expense, which may be claimed over time or sooner under a depreciation incentive if your business is eligible (ATO: deductions for digital product expenses). This is general information, so check with your accountant.
What we ask before we quote a website
Before we put a price on a website, we ask the same few questions: what the site needs to achieve, how many pages and products it needs, what features it has to have (bookings, payments, forms), and who will supply the content. The answers usually point clearly to one package. If a cheaper option, like a refreshed Google Business Profile or a simple landing page, will do the job for now, we’ll tell you before we quote.
Frequently asked questions
Why do website quotes vary so much?
Because they often include very different things, so the price of a website from two agencies can look very different. One quote may cover a template with your logo, another a custom design with copywriting, hosting and support. Compare what each includes: pages, features, rounds of changes, hosting, support and who owns the site.
How much does it cost for a website that takes bookings?
Most booking websites fit our Standard package (from $6,500 + GST). Setting up online bookings usually adds a few hours of work at $175 + GST an hour, so as an estimate, expect a little more than the package price. You get a fixed quote after the discovery call.
Can I pay for a website in instalments?
Yes. Our website packages can be paid over 6 monthly payments, for example $833 + GST a month for Essentials or $1,085 + GST a month for Standard.
Is a cheap website worth it?
Sometimes, for a simple site you can build and run yourself. A cheap website costs more in the long run if it doesn’t work on phones, can’t be found on Google or needs rebuilding within a year or two.
How much does an ecommerce website cost?
Our E-commerce package starts from $6,000 + GST, covering a full website with an online store, shopping cart and payment gateway. The final price depends on the number of products and the features your store needs.
The short version
How much does a website cost? For a professionally built business website, our packages start at $5,000 + GST, with hosting from $400 + GST a year and care plans from $275 + GST a month if you want it looked after. The right package depends on your pages, features and content.
If you’d like a price for your website, book a free 30-minute discovery call and you’ll get a fixed quote based on what you actually need.
