Website Development Cost in 2026 (By Site Type)

Updated September 2026 · Written and maintained by the Progression Agency strategy team

Website development costs range from a few hundred dollars for a template site to several hundred thousand for a custom web application, which makes averages useless. This guide breaks the cost down by site type, by what drives it (design, pages, content, features, integrations, platform, who builds it), gives planning ranges for business websites, WordPress sites, ecommerce stores, custom-coded sites and web apps, and lists the ongoing costs most estimates leave out.

On this page · 10 sections

Why website development cost varies so much
Website development cost by site type
What drives the cost
WordPress website development cost
Ecommerce website development cost
Custom website development cost
Web app development cost
Ongoing costs most estimates leave out
How to get an accurate quote
How Progression Agency prices websites

The short answerAs US planning figures: a small business website on WordPress, Webflow or Squarespace commonly costs $3,000-$15,000 from an agency or freelancer; a custom-designed business website with 20-50 pages $15,000-$60,000; an ecommerce store $10,000-$80,000 depending on catalog and integrations; a custom-coded site or headless build $25,000-$100,000; and a web application $50,000-$250,000 or more. Ongoing costs (hosting, maintenance, licenses, content) commonly run $100-$1,500 a month. The biggest cost drivers are custom design, features and integrations, and the experience of the team, not page count.

Comparisons are based on each project’s official documentation as linked in the text. Progression Agency builds with all of the technologies compared and has no affiliate relationship with any of them.

Why website development cost varies so much

This page covers development cost by build type for teams scoping a project; for designer rates, a price-by-site-type breakdown and an interactive calculator see our how much does a website cost guide. A website can be a template with your logo or a piece of custom software with a public face. Platform plans alone vary from Squarespace and Webflow subscriptions to managed WordPress hosting. Price follows scope: how much design is original, how many templates and page types exist, how much content must be written or migrated, which features go beyond pages (search, portals, calculators, bookings, stores), what must integrate (CRM, ERP, payment, marketing tools), which platform is used, and who builds it (offshore freelancer, US freelancer, boutique agency, large agency). See web development services.

What moves the price of a business website — Design, features and integrations move the price far more than page count.

Website development cost by site type

Website development cost is driven by site type more than by page count, because each type carries a different amount of design, content and integration work. The table gives US planning ranges for each.

Website development cost ranges (US planning figures, 2026)
Site type	Typical scope	Freelancer / small shop	Agency	Notes
Template small business site	5-10 pages, template design, WordPress/Squarespace/Wix	$500-$5,000	$3,000-$15,000	Fastest; limited uniqueness
Custom business website	20-50 pages, custom design system, CMS, SEO setup	$8,000-$25,000	$15,000-$60,000	Most lead-generation sites
WordPress website (custom theme)	Custom theme, blocks, content types, integrations	$6,000-$25,000	$15,000-$60,000	See WordPress section
Webflow website	Custom design, CMS collections, animations	$5,000-$20,000	$12,000-$50,000	Hosting on Webflow plans
Ecommerce store (Shopify or WooCommerce)	Catalog, checkout, shipping, tax, integrations	$5,000-$30,000	$10,000-$80,000	Catalog size and integrations drive it
Custom-coded / headless site	Astro or Next.js front end, headless CMS, custom components	$15,000-$50,000	$25,000-$100,000	Performance and security focus
Web application / portal	Logins, data, workflows, APIs	$30,000-$120,000	$50,000-$250,000+	See web app development cost
Enterprise website	Multi-site, localization, governance, DXP	Rare	$100,000-$500,000+	Procurement-led

What drives the cost

Five drivers move a website quote: design originality, the number of page templates, content production, integrations and the platform. The table shows the typical effect of each.

Cost drivers and their typical effect
Driver	Low end	High end	Effect
Design	Template or theme	Original design system, illustrations, motion	+$5,000 to +$40,000
Page templates	3-5 templates	15+ templates and page types	+$3,000 to +$30,000
Content	Client-supplied	Strategy, copywriting, photography, migration of thousands of pages	+$2,000 to +$50,000
Features	Forms, blog	Search, portals, calculators, bookings, memberships	+$2,000 to +$100,000
Integrations	None	CRM, ERP, payments, marketing automation, SSO	+$2,000 to +$50,000
Platform	Builder or WordPress	Headless, custom framework, enterprise CMS	+$5,000 to +$80,000
Team	Offshore freelancer	US senior agency	2x to 5x on the same scope
SEO and accessibility	Basic	Technical SEO, WCAG 2.2 AA, schema	+$2,000 to +$20,000

WordPress website development cost

A WordPress site built from a premium theme with light customization runs $2,000-$10,000; a custom block theme designed for the brand $15,000-$60,000; a large content site with custom post types, editorial workflows and integrations $40,000-$150,000. Add managed hosting ($20-$300 a month) and maintenance ($100-$500 a month). See WordPress development company and WordPress hosting guide.

Ecommerce website development cost

A Shopify store on a premium theme with a few hundred products costs $5,000-$25,000 to set up well; a custom Shopify or WooCommerce build with integrations (ERP, fulfillment, subscriptions) $30,000-$80,000; headless storefronts and B2B platforms $80,000-$300,000. Ongoing: platform plan, apps, payment processing and maintenance. See Shopify vs WooCommerce and ecommerce web development.

Custom website development cost

A custom-coded site (Astro or Next.js with a headless CMS, or a fully custom WordPress theme) costs more than a builder because every component is designed and built, but it delivers the fastest pages, tightest security and exact design. Planning range for a business site: $25,000-$100,000. See custom website development services and headless vs traditional CMS.

Web app development cost

Web applications are priced like software: an MVP with core workflows $50,000-$120,000; a business web app or customer portal $100,000-$250,000; a SaaS platform $250,000 and up for the first year. Hosting and maintenance commonly run 15-25% of the build cost per year. See web app development company and app development cost.

Code — Custom-coded / headless. $25k-$100k..

Ongoing costs most estimates leave out

A website keeps costing money after launch, and estimates that leave out hosting, maintenance and licenses understate the total by a wide margin. The monthly items to budget for:

Ongoing website costs (monthly planning figures)
Item	Range	Notes
Hosting	$0-$500	Static hosting is cheapest; managed WordPress and app hosting cost more
Domain, DNS, email	$10-$30	Keep in your own accounts
Maintenance and security	$100-$1,000	Updates, backups, monitoring, fixes; see maintenance services
Platform and plugin licenses	$0-$300	Builders, premium plugins, CMS subscriptions
Content and SEO	$500-$5,000+	If growth depends on content
Analytics and tools	$0-$200	GA4 is free; heatmaps and forms may cost

How to get an accurate quote

An accurate website quote comes from a written brief; the steps below produce one that agencies can price like for like.

Write a one-page brief: goals, audience, page types, features, integrations, content status, deadline.
List sites you admire and what specifically you like.
Decide the platform preference or ask for a recommendation.
Ask for a written scope with what is included, what is not, and a change process.
Compare quotes on scope and team, not on price alone.
Ask who owns the code, design files and accounts.

How Progression Agency prices websites

We quote from a written scope with a fixed price for the first release and itemized options, and we state hosting and maintenance costs up front. See web development services and website design and development.

Want a real number for your site?

Send a short brief and we will return a scoped estimate with build, hosting and maintenance costs itemized.

Request an estimate

Getting found in search

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Paid media and lead generation

Websites and design

Choosing and working with an agency

Software and app development

Web development, platforms and hosting

Social, content and brand

By industry and by situation

Frequently asked questions

How much does website development cost?

From $500 for a template site to $250,000 or more for a web application; a custom business website commonly costs $15,000-$60,000 from a US agency.

What is the average website development cost?

Averages mislead; for a US small business site the common range is $3,000-$15,000, and for a custom business site $15,000-$60,000.

How much does a WordPress website cost?

$2,000-$10,000 on a premium theme, $15,000-$60,000 for a custom theme, more for large content sites.

How much does an ecommerce website cost?

$5,000-$25,000 for a well-set-up Shopify store, $30,000-$80,000 for custom builds with integrations, more for headless or B2B.

How much does a custom-coded website cost?

$25,000-$100,000 for a business site on Astro or Next.js with a headless CMS.

How much does a web app cost?

$50,000-$120,000 for an MVP, $100,000-$250,000 for a business web app, $250,000+ for a SaaS platform’s first year.

Why do agency quotes differ so much?

Different scopes, team seniority, design originality and what is included (content, SEO, maintenance).

What ongoing costs should I budget?

Hosting, domain and email, maintenance, licenses, content and tools: commonly $100-$1,500 a month.

Is a cheap website a bad idea?

Not for a simple brochure site; it is a bad idea when the site must generate leads or sales and the cheap build cannot be maintained or improved.

How long does a website take to build?

4-8 weeks for a small site, 8-16 weeks for a custom business site, 3-9 months for a web application.

Should I pay hourly or fixed price?

Fixed price for a defined first release; hourly or retainer for ongoing improvement.

Do I own the website?

You should: code, design files, content, domain and hosting accounts in your name.

Does the platform change the price?

Builders are cheapest to start; WordPress mid; headless and custom highest, with different ongoing costs.

How much does website maintenance cost?

$100-$1,000 a month depending on platform and response time; see WordPress maintenance services.

How does Progression Agency price?

Fixed price from a written scope, with options and ongoing costs itemized.

Planning a website or web app?We design, build, deploy and host custom websites, React and Next.js applications and WordPress sites, with a written scope first.

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Website Development Cost in 2026: What a Business Website, WordPress Site, Ecommerce Store or Web App Costs (and Why)