How much does a website cost in Australia? (2026 guide)
Most Australian small business websites cost between $3,000 and $15,000 to build, plus a few hundred dollars a year to run. Here's what drives the price, what you should get for your money, and the questions to ask before you sign.
If you’re planning a new website, the first question is usually the hardest one to get a straight answer to: how much does a website cost in Australia? Here’s the honest answer, based on current Australian market pricing and the 60+ websites we’ve built since 2022.
In short, most small business websites in Australia cost between $3,000 and $15,000 to design and build. A simple template site can come in under $2,000, while an online store usually starts around $8,000. On top of that, budget a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a year to keep it running.
Typical website prices in Australia
These ranges come from Bark’s Australian pricing data (updated March 2026) and line up with what we see on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane. All prices exclude GST.
| Type of website | What you usually get | Typical price (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic template site | 3–5 pages on a ready-made theme, your logo and text dropped in | $500 – $1,775 |
| Small business website | 10–15 pages, custom design, mobile friendly, contact forms, basic SEO | $3,000 – $10,000+ |
| Fully custom website | Designed from scratch around your brand and customers, with extra features | $5,000 – $15,000+ |
| Online store | 20–50 products, payments, shipping, stock and order management | $8,000 – $20,000+ |
| Large or complex store | Hundreds of products, integrations, custom functionality | $20,000 – $50,000+ |
The gap between the bottom and top of each range is big, and that’s normal. Two websites with the same number of pages can be very different jobs. Here’s what actually moves the price.
What affects the cost of a website?
1. Template or custom design
A template gets you online quickly and cheaply, but you’ll look like every other business using it, and you’re stuck with its layout. A custom design is built around your customers and what you want them to do, which is usually where the extra enquiries come from.
2. Number of pages and how much content
More pages means more design, building and testing. Service businesses often need a page per service (and per location) to rank on Google, so plan for this early rather than adding pages later.
3. Who writes the words and supplies the photos
Copywriting and photography are often left out of quotes. If you’re writing your own content, ask how much time the builder allows to load it. If they’re writing it, check it’s written for search (SEO) and for your customers, not just to fill space.
4. Features and integrations
Online bookings, quote calculators, member areas, CRM integration, email marketing, automated lead follow-up and payment gateways all add time. They can also pay for themselves quickly. For example, our build for SirMixAlot connected the website to a CRM and automated lead management, which helped deliver 3X more enquiries.
5. Ecommerce
An online store needs product pages, a cart, checkout, shipping rules, tax settings and payment testing, so it costs more than a brochure site. The number of products, variations (sizes, colours) and integrations (accounting, inventory, marketplaces) all affect the price. If you’re weighing up platforms, our guide Shopify vs WooCommerce compares the running costs.
6. Who builds it
Australian web designers typically charge $80 to $250 an hour, from junior freelancers at the lower end to senior agency teams at the top. A cheaper hourly rate doesn’t always mean a cheaper website if the job takes longer or needs fixing later.
Good to know
The cheapest quote isn’t always the cheapest website. A site that looks fine but doesn’t bring in enquiries, loads slowly or can’t be updated often gets rebuilt within two or three years. Compare what each quote includes, not just the total.
Ongoing costs: what you’ll pay after launch
Building the website is only part of the cost. Every website also needs a domain, hosting and someone keeping it updated and secure.
| Ongoing cost | Typical price (ex GST) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name (.com.au or .au) | $20 – $50 a year | Premium domains cost more |
| Shared hosting | $10 – $30 a month | Fine for small, low-traffic sites |
| Managed WordPress hosting | $30 – $100 a month | Faster, more secure, with backups |
| Basic maintenance or care plan | $100 – $300 a month | Updates, backups, security, small changes |
| Monthly SEO | $500 – $3,000+ a month | Optional, for competitive markets |
Not sure whether you need ongoing support? Our guide What is a website care plan? explains what’s included and when it’s worth it.
Questions to ask before you sign a website quote
- Who owns the website and domain? You should, in your name, with full logins.
- What’s included? Number of pages, rounds of changes, copywriting, images, SEO setup and training.
- What will it cost to run each year? Hosting, domain, licences, plugins and maintenance.
- Can I update it myself? Ask for a quick demo of editing a page.
- How long will it take? And what do they need from you to stay on schedule?
- What happens after launch? Who fixes things if something breaks, and how fast?
- Can I see similar work? Look for real results, not just nice screenshots.
How we price websites at VK Group
We don’t do one-size-fits-all packages, because no two businesses need the same thing. After a quick chat about your business and goals, we give you a clear, itemised quote, so you know exactly what you’re getting and what it costs to run. You can see the kind of work you’d be paying for in our recent projects, or read more about our web design on the Gold Coast.
Ready to talk about your website? Get in touch and we’ll help you work out the right budget for your business.
Sources and further information
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