There is no single honest answer to “how much does a website cost,” because “a website” can mean a one-page landing page or a 40-product online store. What follows is the real breakdown of what actually moves the price, so you can judge a quote — from us or anyone else — rather than just compare a number.
The five things that set the price
In our experience quoting South African small businesses, the final number almost always comes down to the same five factors:
- Number of pages. A five-page business site is a different job to a 20-page site with service pages for every offering.
- Functionality. A brochure site is simpler than a booking system, a membership area, or an online store with payments.
- Content readiness. If you already have photos and written copy, that's less work than starting from a blank page — copywriting and photography both take real time.
- Integrations. Payment gateways (PayFast, Yoco, Ozow), booking systems, CRMs and WhatsApp automation all add scope.
- How custom the design is. A tailored, designed-from-scratch look costs more than a well-executed template — neither is automatically the "right" choice, it depends on your budget and how much the website needs to stand out.
Rough price bands
Treat these as a starting orientation, not a quote — every project is scoped individually:
| Project type | Typical starting point |
|---|---|
| Single landing page | From R3,000 |
| Small business website (5–8 pages) | From R6,000–R12,000 |
| Larger custom site with integrations | R15,000+ |
| Online store | Scoped individually — payment integration, product count and catalogue complexity all matter |
What you're actually paying for
- Design that fits your brand and your actual customers, not a generic template look
- Development: a fast, secure, mobile-friendly build
- Real testing on real devices and screen sizes, not just a desktop preview
- SEO foundations, working forms, WhatsApp click-to-chat and analytics set up from day one
- Launch, a proper handover, and a person you can actually call afterwards
Costs beyond the build (the part most quotes leave out)
A website isn't a once-off purchase. Budget for these ongoing costs too, since they're real whether or not a quote mentions them upfront:
- Domain name — a .co.za or .com, typically a modest annual fee
- Hosting — where your website actually lives; see our managed hosting from R499/month for what's reasonable to expect included
- Business email — optional but recommended over a free Gmail address for anything client-facing
- Ongoing support — updates, content changes and small improvements after launch, if you want someone else handling them
A good studio itemises every one of these in your quote. If a quote doesn't mention hosting or a domain at all, ask where your site is actually going to live.
Why the cheapest option can end up costing more
Very cheap websites often reuse an overcrowded template, load slowly, haven't been properly checked on phones, and are painful to change later. If a website doesn't bring in enquiries, it isn't cheap — it's just inexpensive. The right question isn't "what's the lowest price," it's "what am I actually getting for this price."
How to get an accurate quote
The fastest way to a real number is to describe your business, roughly how many pages you need, and whether you need anything beyond a standard brochure site (bookings, payments, a store). Send us those details and we'll reply with a clear, written quote in rand — no obligation, and we'll tell you honestly if a simpler option would serve you just as well.