The short answer
Website cost in Australia ranges from about $1,000 to well over $10,000 for a professional small business site, depending on who builds it and what it needs to do. At Diverse Website Design, a custom website starts at $995, and the only other costs are a domain name, hosting and an SSL certificate.
That range is wide because the word “website” covers very different jobs. A five-page site for a plumber and an online store with hundreds of products are not the same project, and they should not be priced as if they were.
We have built more than 8,000 websites for Australian businesses since 2013, and our customers have left us 400 reviews across Google and Trustpilot. This guide explains what drives the price, shows what a $995 website really costs over a year, and gives you questions to ask before you accept any quote.
What affects website cost in Australia
Prices published by Australian agencies vary a lot, and the gap between them usually comes down to the same few factors.
- Custom design or a template. Custom design for your brand takes more time than adapting a ready-made theme.
- Number of pages. More pages mean more layout, content and testing work.
- Online selling. A store needs product pages, a cart, payments and shipping, which adds build and testing time.
- Features and integrations. Booking systems, member areas, live chat and payment gateways all add work.
- Content. Copywriting, photography and logo design are often separate costs.
- Who does the work. A large agency carries higher overheads than a small in-house team.
- Ongoing costs. Hosting, a domain name, an SSL certificate and maintenance continue after launch.
Here is how published prices compare. The first rows are our own prices; the others come from other Australian agencies’ guides and are shown so you can see the market.
| Type of website | Typical price (AUD) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Custom small business website | From $995 | Diverse Website Design |
| Online store | From $1,495 | Diverse Website Design |
| Small business information site | $1,000 to $3,000 | WebAlive, updated April 2026 |
| Online store (agency guide) | $6,000 to $15,000 in its summary; its table shows higher | WebAlive, updated April 2026 |
| Average agency-built website | $10,000 to $30,000 | White Peak Digital, updated October 2026 |
These figures are published guides, not quotes, and they describe different levels of service. Compare what is included, not just the headline price.
What a $995 website costs over the first year
A $995 website costs $1,328 in its first year if you use our hosting, SSL certificate and a new domain name. In year two, the running cost falls to $279.
The $995 covers a custom, mobile-friendly design, unlimited pages, a content management system you can update yourself, a blog, onsite SEO setup (keywords, title tags and meta descriptions), a contact form, email accounts and Google submission. It also includes a $100 Google Ads credit.
| Cost | Year one | Year two |
|---|---|---|
| Custom website design | $995 | $0 |
| Domain name (two years) | $99 | $0 |
| Hosting ($15 per month after three free months) | $135 | $180 |
| SSL certificate ($99 per year after three free months) | $99 | $99 |
| Total | $1,328 | $279 |
This assumes you use our hosting and SSL and register a new domain with us. You are welcome to use your own domain and web host instead, which can reduce these costs. Domain renewal after the first two years is not included in the table.
How to compare website quotes
Two quotes with the same headline price can be very different once you read the detail. Ask every provider these questions before you decide:
- What is included in the price? Check pages, design revisions, SEO setup, email accounts and training.
- Is the design custom or built from a template? Both are legitimate, but they should be priced differently.
- What are the ongoing costs? Ask for hosting, domain, SSL and maintenance figures in writing, and when each one starts.
- Do I own the website, domain and content? You should be able to take your site with you if you move.
- Is there a lock-in contract? Ask what the minimum term is and what it costs to leave.
- Can I update the site myself? A content management system saves you paying for small edits.
- Who builds it? An in-house team, freelancers or an overseas subcontractor can mean different quality and support.
If you are still weighing up providers, our guide on how to choose a web designer in Australia goes through what to look for in more detail. Our content management system page explains how updating your own site works, and our website maintenance and support page covers ongoing care.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a website cost in Australia?
Website cost in Australia ranges from under $1,000 for a small custom business site to $10,000 or more at larger agencies. Our custom websites start at $995.
What does it cost to run a website each year?
With our hosting and SSL, the running cost from the second year is $279 ($180 hosting plus $99 SSL). Other agencies’ guides put annual running costs for agency-built sites at $1,000 to $3,000, which usually includes maintenance as well.
Is a website builder cheaper than a custom website?
Often the monthly fee is lower at first. White Peak Digital’s guide lists Wix plans from $15 to over $58 per month and Squarespace at $16 to $25 per month for its main plans, and those fees continue for as long as you use the platform. A builder also means you do the design and setup work yourself.
Can I use my own domain name and hosting?
Yes. You are welcome to use your own domain and web host instead of ours.
Does the price include SEO?
Our $995 website includes onsite SEO setup: keywords, title tags and meta descriptions, plus submission to Google. Ongoing SEO work to build rankings over time is a separate service, which you can read about on our search engine optimisation page.
Get a clear price for your website
Now that you know the typical website cost in Australia, see exactly what is included in our $995 website design, or see our eCommerce website design if you need to sell online. When you are ready, request a free quote and we will give you a fixed price.
Sources
Prices from other agencies were taken from the pages below on 8 November 2026. They are published guides, not quotes.
- WebAlive: website cost, last modified April 2026
- White Peak Digital: how much does a website cost in Australia, last updated October 2026
