How Much Does It Cost to Make a Website? A Full Cost Breakdown
By Manob Editorial ·
A website usually costs more than its design. The total adds up a template or build, a domain, hosting, paid plugins, your time or a developer's, and yearly upkeep. Add every line before you compare quotes, because a low headline price often hides the renewals.
The honest answer to "how much does it cost to make a website" depends on who builds it and how much they build. A brochure site for a local business, a shop with payments and a web app with user accounts are three different budgets. This guide breaks the cost into parts you can price yourself, and shows where the numbers on Manob fit in.
What does it cost to make a website yourself?
If you build it yourself, the cash cost is small and your time is the main expense. A website builder plan or a WordPress theme with hosting covers most first sites. Your time goes into the copy, images and setup. Expect a first site to take real hours even on a template, since you are learning the editor as you go.
How much does a template cost compared with a custom build?
A template sets the price floor. On Manob, the median Regular License price is $41 for a WordPress theme and $23 for an HTML template, across the prices we checked on 13 October 2026. The full range runs from $9 to $93. A custom build starts where a template ends: a designer, a developer and testing, usually billed by the hour or by project. For a line-by-line look at theme prices, read our guide to how much a WordPress theme costs.
Do you need a Regular or an Extended License?
Only if the site is for someone else, or if end users pay you through it. The Regular License covers a single end product where end users are not charged. The Extended License covers an end product where end users are charged. Across the catalog, the Extended price is about 1.45 times the Regular price at the median. Check the license before you buy, because a client site that takes payments may need the higher one.
What does the domain add to the bill?
A domain is a yearly cost, and its price depends on the extension you choose. Budget for the renewal, not only the first purchase. Some hosted builders include a domain for the first year. Our guide to how much a domain name costs lists the typical prices to expect.
How much does hosting cost each year?
Hosting is the server that serves your site to visitors. Shared hosting is the lowest-cost option for a small site, and a VPS costs more because you manage more of the server. Hosted builders bundle hosting into their plans. Read the renewal price on the plan you need, and check what happens to traffic and storage limits as the site grows. Our comparison of VPS and shared hosting explains which one suits which site.
What does a developer charge, and what do you get for it?
A developer bills for time, so the price depends on scope and skill. Quotes vary widely, which is why a clear brief matters more than a low rate. Ask for a fixed price on a defined list of pages and features, and ask what is excluded. Our guide to how to hire a WordPress developer shows how to scope the work, and our article on freelance web development rates gives the market context.
Which costs do people forget?
- Plugins and add-ons. A contact form, a booking tool or a backup plugin can each carry a yearly fee.
- Content. Professional photos, copywriting and translation often cost more than the template.
- Support extensions. Each Manob purchase includes 6 months of seller support. Extending it costs 30% of the item price before it expires and 75% after.
- Maintenance. Updates, security checks and backups need time or a retainer every year.
- Changes after launch. Every new page or feature you add after the build is a new cost.
How do you build a realistic budget?
Start with the pages you need, then price each line in the list above. Add a yearly figure for hosting, the domain, plugins and upkeep, and a one-time figure for the design and content. Keep a 15 to 20 percent reserve for changes you did not plan. Compare every quote against the same list, so one developer does not look cheaper only because a backup or a form is missing from the bill.
Limits of this estimate
This guide gives you the structure of a website budget, not a quote for your project. Prices change, and hosting, domain and developer rates vary by country and by provider. Prices for Manob items come from our catalog snapshot, so check the live price on each product page. A custom application, a marketplace or a site with heavy integrations costs more than any template path described here.
If a template fits your plan, browse WordPress themes on Manob. Every item can be previewed before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a basic website cost in total?
A basic site on a template can stay affordable in the first year, once you add a theme or template, a domain and hosting. The total rises with the number of paid plugins, the content you hire out and the support you extend. Price every line separately, and add the yearly renewals to your first-year figure.
Is it cheaper to build a website yourself?
The cash cost is usually lower, but your time has a value too. A DIY build saves developer fees and costs hours of learning and setup. It is cheaper when the site is simple and you have time, and more expensive when mistakes or redesigns take longer than a developer would need.
Why do website quotes differ so much?
Quotes differ because the work differs. One developer may include hosting setup, testing, training and two rounds of revisions, while another quotes only the build. Ask each supplier for the same list of pages, features and exclusions, then compare the totals line by line.
Do I pay a yearly fee for a website?
Usually, yes. Domains and hosting renew each year, and many plugins and support plans do too. A one-time template purchase does not cover these renewals. Put the yearly figure in your budget from the start.
Does a template save money compared with a custom design?
Often, yes, because the design and the page structure already exist. You still pay for content, setup and any custom work you add. A template saves most when your needs match its layout, and costs more in time when you need to rebuild large parts of it.
What is the cheapest way to start a business website?
Start with a template that matches your business, a low-cost hosting plan and a domain you can renew. Add paid features only when you need them. Keep the first version small, then review the costs after a few months of real use.
Should I pay for an Extended License if I build sites for clients?
Check the license terms first. If you build one site for one client and the client does not charge end users, the Regular License may cover it. If end users pay through the site, you need the Extended License. Read the license page before you buy, and ask a lawyer if the use is unusual.