One of the first questions people ask when they decide they need a website is: how much is it going to cost? There isn't one price that applies to every website. A simple website for a small business can cost considerably less than a large ecommerce website with hundreds of products and custom functionality. The cost also depends on how much of the work you do yourself, whether you use a website builder or hire someone to build the site, and what you need your website to do.
This guide explains the main costs involved in building and running a website in New Zealand so you can work out what you actually need to budget for.
What Does a Website Cost?
A website can involve several different costs.
You may need to budget for:
- A domain name
- Website hosting
- A website builder or website software
- Website design
- Website development
- Written content
- Photography and images
- Ecommerce functionality
- Professional email
- SEO
- Ongoing maintenance
You won't necessarily need to pay for all of these separately. For example, a website builder may combine hosting, website software, templates and other features into one subscription.
The Cost Depends on the Type of Website
Before thinking about price, think about what you actually need your website to do.
A small service-based business might need:
- A homepage
- About page
- Service pages
- Contact page
- Enquiry form
An online store needs considerably more functionality, including products, categories, shopping carts, payments and order management. A larger organisation might also need membership systems, bookings, customer accounts or integrations with other software. The more functionality you need, the more complex and potentially expensive your website becomes.
Domain Name Costs
Your domain name is the web address people use to find your website. For example: yourbusiness.co.nz
Domain names are generally registered for a set period and need to be renewed to keep them. The price depends on the domain extension and the company you register it through. For a New Zealand business, a .co.nz domain is a common choice, although other domain extensions may also be appropriate.
When comparing website costs, check whether your domain is included in your website plan or whether it is an additional cost.
Website Hosting Costs
Website hosting is where your website's files and data are stored so people can access your site online. If you build a website using a website builder, hosting is often included in your subscription. If you build your website using other software, you may need to purchase hosting separately. Hosting costs can vary depending on the type of hosting, the provider and the resources your website requires. For a small business website, you generally don't need the same hosting setup as a large website with significant traffic or complex requirements.
Website Builder Costs
A website builder can provide the tools needed to create and manage your website without building the underlying technology yourself.
Depending on the provider, a website builder subscription may include:
- Website hosting
- Templates
- Website editing tools
- Security
- SEO tools
- Forms
- Domain connection
- Customer support
Some providers offer free plans, while others charge a monthly or annual subscription. When comparing website builders, look at the complete cost rather than simply choosing the cheapest advertised plan.
How Much Does It Cost to Have a Website Designed?
If you hire a professional to design your website, the cost can vary significantly. A small website with a relatively simple design will generally require less work than a large website with custom layouts and functionality.
Professional website design costs can include:
- Planning
- Design concepts
- Page layouts
- Branding
- Responsive design
- User experience
- Revisions
If you use a website builder and choose a professionally designed template, you can reduce the amount of custom design work required.
How Much Does It Cost to Have a Website Built?
Website development costs depend on the complexity of the website. A developer may need to build custom functionality, integrations or features that aren't available through standard website-building tools.
For example, you may need development work if your website requires:
- Custom applications
- Complex booking systems
- Customer portals
- Bespoke eCommerce functionality
- Custom integrations
- Specialised databases
If your requirements are relatively straightforward, a website builder may provide a more affordable way to create and manage your website yourself.
What About Website Content?
Website content is sometimes overlooked when people budget for a website. Someone needs to write the words that appear on your pages.
This could include:
- Homepage content
- About page
- Service descriptions
- Product descriptions
- FAQs
- Blog or Resources articles
- Calls to action
You can write the content yourself, use an AI writing tool as part of the process, or hire a professional copywriter. The cost will depend on how much content you need and who creates it.
Photography and Images
Good images can make a significant difference to how your website looks.
You might use:
- Your own photography
- Professional business photography
- Product photography
- Stock photography
- Illustrations
- Graphics
If you're a service business, photographs of your team, premises, projects or completed work can often be more useful than generic stock images. Photography is another cost worth considering when planning your website.
How Much Does an eCommerce Website Cost?
An eCommerce website generally costs more than a simple brochure-style business website because it needs additional functionality.
An online store may require:
- Product pages
- Product categories
- Shopping cart
- Online payments
- Shipping options
- Stock management
- Order management
- Customer accounts
- Transaction processing
There may also be additional costs associated with payment providers and ecommerce software. If you only have a small number of products, your requirements may be relatively straightforward. A large online store with hundreds or thousands of products can require significantly more work.
Professional Email
You may also want an email address using your own domain. For example: hello@yourbusiness.co.nz
Professional email can help create a consistent business identity and makes it clear that customers are dealing with your business. Email may be included with some website or hosting services, while other providers charge separately.
SEO Costs
Search engine optimisation can also form part of your website budget. Basic SEO involves making sure your website is structured and written in a way that helps search engines understand your pages.
You can do many basic SEO tasks yourself, including:
- Writing useful page content
- Creating descriptive page titles
- Using clear headings
- Creating useful internal links
- Optimising images
- Creating helpful Resources content
More advanced SEO work may involve hiring an SEO professional or agency. The amount you spend should depend on how important organic search traffic is to your business and how competitive your market is. You can learn more in our Website SEO guide.
Website Maintenance Costs
A website isn't finished forever once it goes live. You may need to spend time or money maintaining it.
Ongoing tasks can include:
- Updating content
- Adding new products
- Updating prices
- Replacing images
- Checking forms
- Updating business information
- Publishing new content
- Monitoring website performance
- Making improvements based on customer behaviour
If you use a website builder, many technical aspects of maintaining the website are handled by the provider, while you can manage the content yourself.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website Yourself?
Building a website yourself can reduce the cost of professional design and development.
You still need to account for things such as:
- Domain name
- Website builder or hosting
- Images
- eCommerce or other paid features
The main investment is often your time. If you have the time and are comfortable learning as you go, building your own website can be a practical option for a small business.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire Someone?
Hiring a freelancer, web designer or agency can save you time and provide professional expertise. However, you're paying for their time as well as the technology involved in running the website.
The final price can depend on:
- Number of pages
- Design requirements
- Content requirements
- eCommerce
- Custom functionality
- Integrations
- SEO
- Photography
- Ongoing support
Ask for a clear breakdown of what is included before agreeing to a project.
Don't Forget the Ongoing Cost
It's easy to focus on the initial cost of getting a website built. But your real website budget should also consider the ongoing cost of keeping it online and useful.
Depending on your setup, this could include:
- Domain renewal
- Website subscription
- Hosting
- Payment processing
- Maintenance
- SEO
- New content
- Marketing
A website that is inexpensive to build but expensive or difficult to maintain may not be the best value.
How to Keep Website Costs Under Control
You don't need to build the biggest possible website from the beginning. Start with the pages and features your customers actually need.
You can keep costs under control by:
- Start with the essentials - build the core pages first and add additional features as your business grows.
- Create your own content - if you have the time and ability, writing your own content can reduce the initial cost.
- Use a website builder - a website builder can reduce the need for custom development and bring several website services together.
- Use your own photographs - good original photography can often be more useful than expensive stock imagery.
- Avoid paying for features you don't need - choose a website plan based on what your business actually requires.
- Plan before you build - a clear website plan can help prevent expensive changes and unnecessary work later.
Is a Website Builder Cheaper?
A website builder can be a cost-effective option for many small businesses, particularly when the alternative is paying someone to design and develop a website from scratch. However, don't assume that every website builder is automatically cheaper. Compare what each option includes and consider both the initial and ongoing costs.
Our Website Builder Pricing page looks specifically at the costs associated with website builders.
What Should You Budget For?
Before starting your website, make a simple list of everything you'll need.
For example:
| Website cost | Do you need it? |
|---|---|
|
Yes Yes Depends Yes Depends Usually useful Only if selling online Yes, at least the basics Yes |
This gives you a much more realistic picture than looking at the cost of website development alone.
Build a Website That Fits Your Budget
The best website isn't necessarily the most expensive one. For many small businesses, a straightforward website with clear content, good design and the right functionality can do everything that's needed. Start by working out what your customers need, what you want the website to achieve and which features are genuinely important. Then choose a website-building approach that fits your budget and your ability to manage the site.
Build Your Own Website With Website World
If you want to keep website costs manageable while still having the tools to create a professional website, Website World gives you a straightforward way to build and manage your own website. You can choose a template, create your pages, add your own content and manage your website without needing to build the underlying technology yourself.
Build Your Website with Website World
The Cost of a Website Depends on What You Need
There is no single price for building a website. A simple website for a small business has very different requirements from a large ecommerce store or a custom web application. The key is to work out what you actually need before you start spending money.
Once you understand the different costs involved — from your domain and website builder through to content, design and ongoing maintenance — you can make a much more informed decision about how to build your website.
Posted: Tuesday 22 September 2026
