FAQ Friday: How much should your website cost?
Do you know how much your website costs each year?
As we wrap up 2023, I'm taking some time to evaluate how much I'm spending in my business and if I'm seeing a return on those investments.
Some things (like my mini-podcast, Transform Your Website) will be moving to a different platform to save on costs, while others (like the SEO tool I just added to my VIP Experience process) will be on a lifetime license.
While you're taking some time to look at your business costs, don't forget one of your most important expenses - your website.
Website costs can vary, from the initial design cost to ongoing monthly hosting and maintenance fees. But what should you really be paying?
Let's just say that if you're paying more than $200 per month and it doesn't include design, you're getting robbed.
Before I jump into details, I'll make a few quick disclaimers. You cost may be higher than what I'm sharing if...
You are using a course platform like Kajabi to also host your website (think $250/month)
You are an ecommerce business, but you should be seeing reduced transaction fees
If your website hosting & maintenance plan includes actual time for your designer to make updates
So, how much should you really be paying for your website?
Let's start by breaking down what your website costs actually entail. First, all the techy pieces you need:
Domain
Your domain is your website address or URL. Think of it like your website's address. This is probably purchased through something like GoDaddy, BlueHost, Google Domains, or through your website platform.
Most domains cost between $20-$30 per year unless you've agreed to a higher price for a specific reason.
Hosting
Your website hosting is where your website actually lives. It's the online house of your business. Your website hosting may also include the website builder, like Squarespace or Wix.
My clients on Squarespace spend $23-33 per month for hosting.
If you're using Elementor for WordPress, you can expect to pay $10-$20 per month.
Website Builder (WordPress)
If you're using WordPress for your website, you may be paying for a website builder in addition to your hosting in order to create the design. This is like the decor of your house.
Elementor costs $59/year as a plugin.
Plugins (WordPress)
In order to have all the functionality you need for your website, you may also need to purchase plugins to connect to your website.
Plugins range from $10-100 per year, but what you need to purchase depends on your website needs.
Let's do some math!
You should be spending less than $50 per month for a Squarespace website and less than $75 per month for a WordPress website.
What about the design?
The cost of your website design depends if you want to DIY or hire a designer to do it all for you.
Website Theme
If you decide not to hire a designer or DIY your website, you can purchase a pre-designed theme that you install on your website host.
Themes can range anywhere from $50-$1000 depending on the platform, how many pages are included, and the amount of support. and should be a one-time fee.
Website Design
Hiring a website designer is a large upfront investment, but it's a huge time saver in the long run.
Depending on the designer, platform, and size of your website, website design can cost anywhere from $2000-$10,000.
Maintenance
Just like every home needs maintenance on a monthly and yearly basis, your website needs it too. There are a few ways to handle this:
Do-it-yourself
Hourly rate
Design retainer
Monthly retainers with a designer and cost anywhere from $250-$500 depending on how many hours of work are included.
Paying a designer hourly for updates may cost more per hour, but you can choose when you need their help. Expect to pay $100-$250 per hour.
Larger Updates
For larger projects, like adding new pages or overhauling your services, you can expect to pay $1000-$3000 depending on the scope. These should only happen 1-2 times per year or less.
Let's do some math!
If you have a retainer plan with your designer, you should be spending less that $600 per month and that should include at least 4 hours of work.
Here's what my clients spend
Now that you know a bit more about what you should be spending per month for your website, I'll share the details of what my clients spend for a Squarespace website.
Domain: $20/year
Hosting: $33/month
Website Builder: included with hosting
Plugins: none
Website Theme: $0
Website Design: $3500 for a 4-page website
Maintenance: $100/hour for requests
Larger Updates: $750 for a 1/2 project, $1500 for a new sales page
Let's do some math!
That means that if my clients spend $35 per month to host their website and only pay me for the initial website design and any updates they actually need.
And you aren't paying me for that hosting - it's directly through Squarespace.
You aren't locked into a $350/month contract for hosting and maintenance where you have no control over your website and have to rely on your designer to add blog posts, change pricing, or update copy.
Hiring me might seem like a big investment, but it actually costs less in the long run because you're in charge of your website and aren't tied to me for every detail or edit.
In fact, if you use your website for just 2 years after your VIP Experience, it only costs you $180 per month - much less than the agencies charging $350/month into eternity for your website to just be available online.
When you're ready to break free from expensive monthly hosting fees and create a website that feels like sitting down with you for coffee, let's chat! Apply now for my Website Design VIP Experience to reserve spot and be ready to launch in just one week!
