There are many things to consider before having a website created. The process needs to be looked at like an ongoing relationship, not a one time encounter. There are upfront costs when the site is first created, and ongoing costs of keeping the website hosted and operating. It’s a lot like buying a car. Costs up front like the price of the car, taxes, title, etc. Then ongoing costs like gas, insurance, repairs, etc. Knowing this ahead of time will reduce disenchantment with the experience. And like a car, once you start driving, or owning a website, you wonder how you ever got by without it.
Upfront costs
- Obtaining a Web Host
- Obtaining a Domain
- Establishing a company email
- Website Creation
- SSL Certificates
- Purchasing any premium Themes or Plugins
Obtaining a Web Host
A Web host provides a secure place to store online content. The code, images, videos, and text that comprise a website all have to be stored somewhere. Without a stable digital repository, none of us could consistently access content on the web. All websites on the internet need hosting of one kind or another. While it’s possible to set up your own server, that’s an advanced (and often expensive) task. So it’s important to understand that to make your website available to internet users, you’ll need a hosting plan. We use GoDaddy and we will take care of all the details for you. The cost of the hosting varies depending on the services you require. Though the cost is listed here as an upfront cost, it’s a yearly fee that starts when you obtain the hosting services.
Obtaining a Domain
This is sometimes included in the web hosting package if the domain name is not popular. Domain names range from Free, to Millions of dollars. Voice.com sold for $30,000,000.00 in 2019. Tesla.com sold for $11,000,000.00 in 2014. As you can see, if the domain name is wanted by everyone, or someone specific, it becomes a seller’s market and the prices can become unbelievably expensive. Plan on getting your domain name for around $20.00 unless you just choose to shoot for a specific domain name.
Establishing a company email
Again, this is sometimes included in the web hosting package. (At least the first year is free.) Even if it’s not, expect to pay around $50.00 to obtain a domain name matching email address for use with your website.
Website Creation
The cost of having a website designed can range widely. Obviously, a very simple, one page site will require less work than a multi-page site with lots of bells and whistles. A phone call with us will be the first step to determine several factors that will impact the cost of the website you have in mind.
SSL Certificates
An SSL certificate is a bit of code on your web server that provides security for online communications. When a web browser contacts your secured website, the SSL certificate enables an encrypted connection. It’s kind of like sealing a letter in an envelope before sending it through the mail. A website needs an SSL certificate in order to keep user data secure, verify ownership of the website, prevent attackers from creating a fake version of the site, and gain user trust.
SSL Certificates are recommended for all websites on the internet. However, it is absolutely required for all websites that collect user information like login details, payment information, credit cards, and more.
The pricing of an SSL certificate is about $60 per year on average, but this can vary wildly. To give you an idea, it can range from $5 per year to a whopping $1,000 per year, depending on your site’s security needs.
Purchasing any premium themes or plugins
Most website builders, including WordPress, offer a mix of free and paid themes. The average cost of a premium theme is around $50, but they can be much more than that depending on the one you choose.
The cost of plugins truly depends on the plugin, and the pricing model the plugin’s developer chooses to employ. Some plugins are free. Some plugins can be had for a one time charge, and these tend to range from as little as $5 to well over $100.
Our promise
We will do our best to keep the cost of creating and maintaining your site to a minimum. We will try to get your domain name as cheap as possible. We will try to use the free themes and plugins. And in the event that you request an element on your site that requires the purchase or upgrade to a premium theme or plugin, we will let you make the choice on how to proceed. We will NOT waste your money!
The bottom line
When all the dust settles no two websites will cost the same. There are simply too many variables to factor in, and the process is too dynamic. Meaning that websites change with the owner’s needs. A website is a digital storefront. Just like a real storefront, sometimes the store needs a facelift. A great place to start to figure this all out is by clicking on the button below.