Quick answer: Most Australian small businesses pay between $2,000 and $6,000 for a professionally built website in 2026. A simple 3 to 5 page site sits around $1,500 to $3,000, a lead-generation site with a page per service runs about $3,000 to $8,000, and larger multi-location or custom sites start around $8,000. Budget another $15 to $40 a month for hosting and $100 to $300 a month if you want it professionally maintained.
Website quotes in Australia range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands for what sounds like the same thing. The difference is almost always in what is included: strategy, copywriting, number of pages, design work, integrations and support after launch.
Here is what you can realistically expect to pay in 2026, and what you get at each level.
Typical website prices in Australia
| Type of website | Typical price (AUD) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $20 to $60 per month, plus your time | Testing an idea, very early stage |
| Template site from a freelancer | $800 to $1,500 | Simple online presence on a tight budget |
| Small business site (3 to 5 pages) | $1,500 to $3,000 | Sole traders and new businesses |
| Lead-generation site (6 to 12 pages) | $3,000 to $8,000 | Established service businesses |
| Large or multi-location site | $8,000 to $20,000+ | Multiple services, areas or custom features |
| Single landing page for ads | $1,000 to $3,500 | Google Ads or Meta Ads campaigns |
| Ecommerce store | $5,000 to $25,000+ | Selling products online |
Industry price guides in 2026 broadly agree: most small businesses spend in the $2,000 to $6,000 range, Sydney and Melbourne studios commonly quote $3,000 to $8,000 for a professional small business site, and lead-focused sites with a page per service sit toward the upper end.
What drives the price
Number of pages
A page for each service and each location you target is one of the best things you can do for enquiries and search, but each one needs its own content, layout and photos. A 5-page site and a 15-page site are different jobs.
Who writes the words
Copywriting is often the hidden cost. If you supply finished copy, the build is cheaper. If the designer writes it, expect to pay more, but you usually get a better result, because copy that sells is a skill of its own.
Design depth
Some sites use a lightly customised template. Others start with several design concepts so you can compare directions before anything is built. More concepts and custom inner-page designs cost more, but remove the risk of ending up with a site you do not like.
Features and integrations
Booking systems, quote calculators, CRM connections, member areas, multiple languages and payments all add time. A basic contact form is simple. A multi-step quote form that sends leads into your CRM is not.
Strategy, SEO and tracking
A cheap site often skips keyword planning, page structure for search, redirects from your old site and conversion tracking. These are invisible on launch day and very visible six months later when the phone is quiet.
Ongoing costs to budget for
- Domain name: about $15 to $40 a year for a .com.au or .com.
- Hosting: $15 to $40 a month for quality small business hosting. Avoid the cheapest shared plans for a business site.
- Care plan: $100 to $300 a month for updates, backups, security and small changes. Plans in the $75 to $200 range are the most common.
- Premium plugins or tools: $0 to $30 a month depending on features like bookings or forms.
- Email: Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, about $10 to $20 per user per month.
Cheap websites that end up expensive
The most expensive website is usually the one you replace within two years. Common reasons:
- It was built on a platform you do not control, and you cannot move it.
- The domain or hosting is in the designer’s name, not yours.
- It looks fine but generates no enquiries because the message, structure and calls to action were never planned.
- Plugins were never updated and it was hacked or broke.
- Nobody set up tracking, so you cannot tell whether it works.
How to compare quotes
Ask every designer the same questions and compare like for like:
- How many pages are included, and which ones?
- Do you write the copy, or do I?
- How many design concepts and revision rounds?
- Will the domain and hosting be in my name?
- Is conversion tracking and Google Search Console included?
- What happens after launch, and what does support cost?
There is a longer list in questions to ask a web designer before you hire them.
Our pricing, for reference
We publish fixed prices so you can compare: Starter websites from $1,990, Business websites (up to 10 pages with copywriting for key pages) from $3,490, and Premium websites from $5,990, all with design concepts before the build. Care plans start at $149 a month. Full details on the websites page.
Planning a new website?
Next step: fill in the website brief. It takes about 10 minutes, and you get a fixed quote within one business day, then 2 or 3 design concepts to compare before anything is built. See website packages and care plans.
Written by Gregory
20 years building websites and running lead generation, mostly with my own money on the line. Based in Sydney, working with clients worldwide. How I work →