Typical website costs in Australia (2026).
These are the ranges Australian web agencies quote in their own 2026 pricing guides. Your quote will depend on the pages, features and content you need.
| Option | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $16–$180 a month | Software only. You plan, write and build it. |
| Local freelancer, simple 5–8 page site | $1,500–$5,000 up front | A built site. Copy and hosting vary. |
| Small agency | $3,000–$7,000+ up front | More process. Hosting and changes usually extra. |
| Custom or creative agency | $10,000–$50,000+ | Bespoke design and larger sites. |
| Hosting after launch | $5–$50 a month | Keeping the site online. |
| Maintenance plans | $100–$500 a month | Updates, backups and small changes. |
| SMB Sites | $99 a month + GST, $0 up front | Five pages, copywriting, hosting, maintenance and SEO setup. |
Ranges from Grove Foundry and Paramark, checked 24 September 2026. They are published by web agencies, not an independent survey.
What are you paying someone to do?
A website price can cover very different things. You might be buying access to a website builder, paying a designer to build the site, or paying monthly for a website and its ongoing hosting. Start by checking which one the quote describes.
What makes a website quote higher?
More pages, original photography, a large product catalogue, customer logins and connections to other software all add work. A five-page site for a plumber has a different scope from an online shop with stock, payments and shipping.
If you sell online, also check the platform subscription, payment fees and paid apps. For example, Shopify lists its subscription and card-processing rates separately. Those are running costs as well as any amount you pay someone to build the shop.
Compare the cost over the same period.
Put the upfront fee and every recurring charge together. A low monthly amount can come with a 12- or 24-month minimum term; a larger build fee can still have hosting and maintenance bills of $5 to $500 a month after launch.
A worked 12-month comparison
The upfront quote below is an illustrative example, not a market average or an actual provider quote. It shows how to compare payments with our starting plan. The scope and cancellation terms still need to be compared separately.
| Cost | Example upfront quote | SMB Sites starting plan |
|---|---|---|
| Build / setup fee | $2,500 | $0 |
| Monthly charge | $30 hosting | $99 plan |
| 12-month total, ex GST | $2,860 | $1,188 |
| 12-month total, inc GST | $3,146 | $1,306.80 |
The example assumes both monthly charges start immediately and continue for 12 months. Domain registration, email and any extra work are excluded. Twelve months is the comparison period; it is not a minimum term for the SMB Sites plan.
Check these separately: domain renewal, business email, hosting, SSL, maintenance, content changes, paid software and any transfer fees. If a charge is already included in the plan, don’t add it again.
What does website hosting cost include?
Hosting keeps the website available online. A hosting-only price may cover server space and an SSL certificate, while a managed website plan can also include maintenance and someone responsible for technical problems. Check the inclusions before comparing the monthly amount.
Ask who handles backups, software updates and a failed enquiry form. Use the website maintenance checklist to agree those responsibilities. Check renewal prices, storage or traffic limits and any paid plugins. Your domain name and business email are separate services unless the quote specifically includes them.
With SMB Sites, hosting, SSL and technical maintenance are included in the $99/month + GST website plan. Domain registration and business email are separate. The plan price includes the website build; it is not a standalone hosting price.
If you already have a site and are changing providers, confirm what can be transferred and what needs rebuilding. Keep access to your domain account so its settings can be updated when the new website is ready.
Put two quotes beside each other.
Use the figures in your quotes. Enter each charge once: a deposit included in the project total is not an extra cost. Leave the handover field blank if there is no separate charge.
Figures stay in this tab. Blank costs count as $0, so check missing items with the provider. This calculator adds payments; it does not judge scope, value or contract terms.
The 12, 24 and 36-month comparisons include any handover amount entered. They add extra hosting or care only after the initial payment period. The full initial commitment excludes that handover amount and later care.
Enter a quoted amount to see the comparison.
| Measure | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Full initial commitment | — | — |
| Payments by month 12 | — | — |
| Payments by month 24 | — | — |
| Payments by month 36 | — | — |
Seven questions to ask before you agree.
Which pages and features are included?
Get a page list. Confirm the forms, project gallery, booking or shop features you need. A “five-page website” does not tell you what those pages will do.
Who writes the copy?
Ask whether you need to supply finished text or just your business information. Check who selects and prepares the images as well.
When do payments start and stop?
Confirm the deposit, launch payment, monthly amount and minimum term. Ask what you owe if you stop before the end of a payment plan.
How are changes handled?
Find out how you review the design and wording, which changes are included before launch, and how later updates are priced.
What does SEO include?
Ask for the actual work: page titles, headings, service content, internal links and technical setup. An ongoing SEO campaign is a different service from setting up a new site.
Who fixes a problem after launch?
Know who looks after hosting, technical maintenance and form delivery. Ask how to report a fault and whether extra work is chargeable.
What happens if I leave?
Ask what happens to your website, domain, content and hosting. Get the access, transfer options and any fees explained before ordering.
Keep the answers with your quote. If something is missing, ask the provider instead of assuming it is included. The guide to choosing a web designer also covers checking their work and agreeing the review process.
What the SMB Sites plan includes.
Our five-page website starts at $99 per month + GST ($108.90 including GST). There’s no setup fee or minimum term, and you can cancel any time.
- Website design and build, with help writing the pages.
- Layouts for phones, tablets and computers.
- Contact forms and tap-to-call phone links.
- Hosting, SSL security and technical maintenance.
- On-page and technical SEO setup.
Delivered in 7 days. Payment starts when you order. You review the content and design before the website goes live; sending an enquiry does not place an order or start a payment.
Domain registration, business email, extra pages, bookings, online shops and ongoing SEO campaigns are separate. We discuss any extra scope and cost before starting. Read the website plan details or browse our websites for trades and contractors.
Further reading and price notes.
Our offer and the external pages linked here were checked on 22 September 2026. Provider prices and inclusions can change, so use a current quote when making a comparison.
- Squarespace plans and platform features
- Shopify Australia subscriptions and payment fees
- Google’s explanation of SEO fundamentals
The worked quote is illustrative. The calculator uses your entries; it does not check a provider’s scope or contract. Enter each cost once and use the same GST basis for both quotes.