How Much Does a Website Cost in Australia? 2026 Website Design Pricing Guide
If you're planning a new website, one of the first questions you're probably going to ask is how much it will cost.
For a professionally designed small business website in Australia, you can generally expect to spend anywhere from around $3,000 to $15,000+, depending on the size of the site, the platform, the level of customisation and what's included in the project.
A straightforward service based website will usually sit toward the lower end of that range, while ecommerce websites and more complex builds can cost considerably more.
There isn't really a standard price for a website because two websites with the same number of pages can involve very different amounts of work. A five page website for a consultant with a simple enquiry form is a very different project from an online store with product collections, filtering, shipping requirements and third party integrations.
Here's what actually affects the cost.
What does a professionally designed website cost in Australia?
Website pricing varies depending on who you work with and how much support you need.
At the lower end, DIY website builders can cost very little beyond the platform subscription and your own time. Template based builds with limited customisation may start from around $1,000 to $3,000.
For a professionally designed small business website, a more realistic budget is generally around $3,000 to $10,000+. Ecommerce websites commonly start higher, particularly once you add a larger product catalogue, custom functionality, integrations or migration from another platform.
Larger agency projects and websites requiring complex development can easily move beyond $15,000 or $20,000.
The price itself only tells you so much. When comparing website quotes, it's important to look closely at what is actually included. Design, development, copywriting, SEO, mobile optimisation, strategy and post launch support aren't included in every website package.
What affects the cost of a website?
The biggest factor is usually scope.
A website with five relatively straightforward pages will take considerably less time to plan, design and build than a site with 15 pages, multiple services, a blog, custom forms and integrations.
Some of the main things that affect website design costs include:
Number of pages
Custom design and layout requirements
Copywriting or copy editing
SEO and keyword research
Ecommerce functionality
Number of products and collections
Booking or scheduling systems
Email marketing integrations
Custom forms
Membership or gated content
Migration from an existing website and link redirects
Custom code
Third party apps and integrations
Photography, video or other content requirements
This is why I always recommend getting a quote based on the actual requirements of your business rather than choosing a website package based purely on the number of pages.
Squarespace website costs for service based businesses
For service based businesses, I primarily design and build in Squarespace.
Squarespace works particularly well for businesses such as consultants, professional services, healthcare practices, designers, architects, property businesses and other service providers where the website needs to explain what the business does, build credibility and encourage someone to make an enquiry or booking.
It's also relatively easy for clients to manage once the website has been handed over, which matters. You shouldn't need to contact a developer every time you want to change a paragraph, add a team member or publish a new article.
A professionally designed Squarespace website might include strategy and planning, custom page layouts, responsive design, copywriting, SEO, custom CSS, integrations and training.
For most established service businesses, I would suggest allowing around $5,000 to $10,000+ for a professionally designed website, depending on the scope.
A smaller business with simple requirements may spend less, while a larger professional services website with more pages, substantial copywriting or additional functionality may spend more.
Shopify website costs for ecommerce businesses
For ecommerce businesses, I work in Shopify.
Shopify is built specifically for selling products online, so it gives businesses much more control over products, collections, inventory, payments, shipping and the customer buying experience.
A Shopify website usually involves more moving parts than a standard service website.
Along with the main website pages, the project may involve product templates, collection structures, filtering, product uploads, shipping settings, payment setup, apps, email marketing integrations and migration from an existing store.
The Shopify theme itself may also be an additional cost.
For a professionally designed Shopify website in Australia, a realistic starting budget is around $6,000 to $10,000+, with larger or more complex ecommerce projects moving well beyond this.
The number of products isn't the only thing that matters. A store selling ten products with multiple variants, subscriptions and complicated shipping requirements may require more work than a store selling 50 relatively simple products.
Squarespace or Shopify: which platform should you choose?
I design and build websites in both Squarespace and Shopify, and the platform I recommend depends on what the business needs the website to do.
For most service based businesses, Squarespace is a strong fit. It gives us plenty of design flexibility without adding unnecessary complexity, and it's straightforward for clients to manage themselves.
If selling products online is a core part of the business, I generally recommend Shopify. Its ecommerce tools are much more comprehensive and the platform is designed to manage products, orders, inventory and online sales as the business grows.
If you're deciding between the two, I've also written a full guide comparing Squarespace and Shopify and which businesses each platform suits.
What should be included in a professional website quote?
Website quotes can look surprisingly similar on the surface while covering very different amounts of work.
Before comparing prices, check whether the quote includes:
Website strategy and planning
Sitemap and page structure
Custom design
Website development
Mobile and tablet optimisation
Copywriting or copy editing
Basic or advanced SEO
Contact forms and integrations
Blog or resource setup
Ecommerce setup, if required
Revision rounds
Training before handover
Post launch support
It's also worth checking what you'll need to supply yourself. Some designers expect final copy, imagery and page structure to be ready before the project begins. Others can help with those parts of the process.
Understanding this upfront makes it much easier to compare quotes properly.
How much should a small business budget for a website?
If you're a small business looking for a professionally designed website rather than a DIY or basic template solution, I would generally suggest budgeting at least $5,000.
That gives you more room to work with an experienced designer who can think about the structure, content, user experience and overall presentation of the business rather than simply placing your content into a template.
For an established service business, a budget of around $5,000 to $10,000+ is realistic for many projects.
For ecommerce, I'd allow at least $6,000 to $10,000+, with the expectation that requirements such as product volume, integrations, migration and custom functionality can increase the investment.
If you're launching a new business, it also makes sense to look at the website alongside your overall launch budget. Branding, photography, copywriting, website design and marketing often need to work together, so deciding where to invest first can make a big difference.
What ongoing website costs should you budget for?
The initial design and build isn't the only website cost to consider.
You'll usually also have ongoing costs for your domain, website platform and any paid apps or integrations you use.
Shopify currently starts from $42 AUD per month when its Basic plan is billed annually, while higher plans increase depending on the features a business requires.
Ecommerce businesses may also need to budget for premium themes, paid apps, transaction costs and email marketing software.
Service based websites tend to have fewer ongoing costs, although this depends on the functionality you're using.
These costs are separate from what you pay a designer to plan, design and build the website.
Is it worth paying for a professional website designer?
It depends on where your business is at.
If you're testing a business idea, working with a very limited budget or simply need somewhere online to list basic information, building your own website can make complete sense.
For a business relying on its website to generate enquiries, establish credibility or sell products, there is more riding on how the site works.
A website designer is making decisions about how information should be structured, what needs to appear first, how someone moves through the site, how your brand translates online and what a potential customer needs to know before taking the next step.
There is also the practical side of getting the website built properly across desktop and mobile, connecting forms and integrations, setting up SEO foundations and making sure you can actually manage the site once it has been handed over.
The value isn't simply in having someone build the pages. It's having someone make the hundreds of smaller decisions that determine how those pages work together.
Website design at So Swell Studio
So Swell Studio is a Brisbane based brand and website design studio working with new and established businesses across Australia.
I design custom Squarespace websites for service based businesses and Shopify websites for ecommerce brands, with the platform chosen around what the business actually needs.
Website projects can include planning and strategy, custom design, copywriting, responsive development, technical SEO, integrations and post launch support, depending on the scope.
I also work across branding and website design, which can be particularly useful for new businesses building everything from the ground up or established businesses whose visual identity and website both need to move forward together.
If you're planning a new website and aren't sure what you need or what you should budget, get in touch and tell me a little about your business and where you're at. I can recommend the most appropriate approach and provide a quote based on the actual scope of the project.
