How Much Does a Website Cost in South Africa?

Ask five agencies what a website costs and you will get five very different numbers. That is because the price depends on how the site is built, who hosts it, and what happens after launch. Here is how to compare quotes properly.

What drives the price

• Number of pages: a 4 page site and a 15 page site are very different amounts of work.
• How it is built: a template or page builder is cheaper up front but often slower and harder to secure. A custom static site takes more design time but has no plugins or database to break.
• Hosting, domain and email: some quotes include these and some leave them out, so the cheap quote is not always the cheap option.
• Updates: ask what a text or image change costs after launch, and how long it takes.

Two ways to pay

Most small business websites are paid for in one of two ways. The first is a once-off project fee: you pay for the design, receive the files, and arrange your own hosting. The second is a monthly retainer, where the agency builds the site, hosts it and looks after it for a fixed monthly amount with no build fee.

At Webrio, the monthly option starts at R299 a month with no build fee, and the once-off Design Only option starts at R3,500. Check the packages page for the current details, because that is the source we keep up to date.

Questions to ask before you sign

• Who owns the domain? It should be registered in your name.
• Who owns the website files and when do you get them?
• What is included each month, and what costs extra?
• How long is the minimum term and what does it cost to leave early?
• What happens to your data and your site if you cancel?
• Is the site POPIA friendly, and does it collect personal data you then have to protect?

The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest site

A low build price with expensive hosting, paid updates and a hard-to-leave contract can cost more over two years than a clear monthly price. Add up the full cost over 24 months for every quote you get, and compare that number instead.

If you want a clear price for your business, have a look at the packages or get in touch and we will tell you straight what fits.