When you’re planning a new website for your business, it can be hard to know exactly what to expect in terms of cost. You might know there’s a one-time fee to get it built, but what about all the ongoing costs — like website hosting, domain name renewals, email services, and plugin subscriptions? Whether you decide to get your website built through a design agency or a freelance developer, these website necessities remain the same.
Let’s break it all down so you know exactly what to budget for, both upfront and over time.
1. The Once-Off Website Build
This is the initial cost of designing and developing your website. It can vary widely depending on your needs—are you after a simple one-page site or a fully customised eCommerce store?
What’s typically included:
Strategy and design consultation
Website design and development
Mobile responsiveness
Basic SEO setup
Initial content upload
Integrations (like contact forms, social media links, email sign-ups, etc.)
Approximate cost:
Anywhere from $200 to $50,000+, depending on complexity, number of pages, and any special functionality you require. In general, design agencies also tend to charge more because they have higher overheads. You may also deal with multiple people within an agency depending on the stage of your project; compared to smaller firms or solo developers & designers which would likely be able to offer a more personal, one-on-one approach.
2. Domain Name
Your domain is your website’s address—like www.yourbusiness.com.au. It needs to be registered and renewed annually.
Cost:
From around $20–$50 AUD per year, depending on the domain extension and registrar.
Tip: Stick with a trusted domain name provider and ensure your domain is set to auto-renew so you don’t risk losing it.
3. Website & Email Hosting
Once your site is built, it needs somewhere to live. Website hosting is essentially the space for your website files on the internet. If you want a branded email addresses too (like hello@yourbusiness.com.au), email hosting is also required.
Cost:
Basic website hosting: from $90–$400 AUD per year (or from around $8 per month)
Email hosting: from $80–$200 AUD per year (this can be included with your website hosting or go through a separate service like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365)
Look for a provider that offers good uptime, fast local servers, daily backups, and SSL certificates.
4. Premium Plugins & Tools
Many websites these days use premium plugins or addons for:
Advanced design tools (e.g. Elementor Pro)
Bookings and appointments
eCommerce features (e.g. Woocommerce or Shopify)
Payment facilities integrations (e.g. Stripe, PayPal, Square, etc)
Some plugins are one-off purchases, but most usually require an annual subscription to continue receiving updates and support for the duration of the time you use it.
Cost:
Anywhere from $10 to $500+ AUD per year per plugin, depending on what your site needs.
5. Ongoing Website Maintenance / Care Plans
Websites aren’t “set and forget”. Like any tool, they need regular care to stay in top shape. A maintenance or care plan ensures your site is secure, updated, and performing well.
A care plan might include:
Regular software/plugin updates
Security checks and monitoring
Daily/weekly backups
Speed optimisation
Monthly performance reports
Minor content edits or tech support
Cost:
From $50 to $250+ AUD per month, depending on the level of service and support provided.
6. OPTIONAL Additional Services: Marketing, Advertising & Growth
Once your website is live, the next step is getting it seen! Many businesses invest in digital marketing upfront to drive traffic to the website and generate leads.
Additional services may include:
- Social Media Marketing (SMM):
Includes content creation, scheduling, community management.
From $400–$2,000+ AUD/month Paid Advertising (Google Ads, Facebook/Instagram Ads):
Set a monthly budget for ad spend + management.
Ad spend from $200/month, management fees from $300–$1,000+/monthEmail Marketing:
Tools like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign, plus email design and automation setup.
From $20/month (tool only) to $500+/month with full management
These services are optional, but can make a big difference in reaching your audience and turning visitors into customers faster.
Here’s a quick summary of typical website costs:
Item
Estimated Cost
-
Website Build (once-off)
- Domain Name (yearly)
- Website Hosting (yearly)
- Email Hosting (yearly)
-
Premium Plugins (yearly)
- Maintenance Plan (monthly) - OPTIONAL
- Additional Services - OPTIONAL
-
From $200 – $50,000+
- From $20 – $50
- From $90 – $400
- From $80 – $200
-
From $10 – $500+
- From $50 – $250+ - OPTIONAL
- From $20 – $2,000+ - OPTIONAL
Note: Some of the yearly fees may be payable monthly, depending on the service providers available payment plans.
On first glance all these fees and charges may seem overwhelming and costly, but keep in mind that you may not necessarily require all of them at the start of your project. For clarity on what exactly your project needs, reach out for an honest discussion.
Additional things to consider:
- Some service providers offer monthly payment plans so you don’t need to fork out as much upfront. Keep in mind that this option may come at a slighter higher rate as the risk of them losing you to another provider is higher since you are not locked into a long-term contract.
- Many website developers and design agencies offer payment plans which allow you to pay off your new website project in installments instead of everything upfront.
- If you are thinking that perhaps you don’t need web hosting or a domain name, it may be worth reading my other blog post about ‘Why Your Website Needs a Home and an Address‘ to fully understand why you need most of these things.
A website is a long-term business investment — not just in getting online, but staying online and staying competitive once there. When budgeting, it’s important to consider both the once-off setup costs and the ongoing fees that ensures your site continues to support your goals long-term.
If you’re thinking about launching or revamping your website and want tailored guidance on costs and inclusions, get in touch. Let’s create something that works and lasts.
