Are you planning on launching a new website? Whether it is a personal blog, business portfolio, or e-commerce website, you have to know all your options to make a smart decision. One of the most important factors to consider when building a website is: “How much will it cost?”
To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of several ways to get your hands on website design and how much it will typically cost you.
Drag and Drop Website Builders
Drag and drop website builders are developed to streamline the website design process. These tools are designed as online platforms which you can use to create and launch a website without even knowing how to code or how to design a website. The most popular drag and drop website builders include Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace.
Design Cost
Designing a website via a drag and drop website builder won’t break the bank. In fact, if you don’t want to use any of the premium features, you can get your website up and running completely free.
Pros and Cons
The pros of using drag and drop website builders include:
- No design skills required
- Very cheap
- No coding skills required
- Get a website up and running in no time
The cons of using drag and drop website builders include:
- Generic templates make it hard to achieve a unique look
- Bad user experience due to slow loading times
- Questionable customer support
- Pricey premium features
WordPress Website Design
WordPress is the most popular content management system. Launching a WordPress website is also considered simple, but unlike drag and drop website builders, it requires some technical knowledge.
Design cost
WordPress comes with a completely free theme that users can use to build a website. Apart from the default WordPress theme, users have access to a number of free and paid ones. The design cost depends on your choice. If you go with a free theme, the overall costs will be minimal, but even purchasing premium themes won’t set you back much, as they usually come with an average price tag of $70.
Pros and Cons
The pros of using WordPress include:
- WordPress and the majority of themes are free
- Complete control over website files and data
- Access to free plugins and extensions to enhance the user experience
- Easy to customize
The cons of using WordPress include:
- Maintenance requires technical knowledge and experience
- You need at least some basic coding knowledge
- Expensive managed WordPress hosting services for those who want to automate updates
Custom Website Design
Designing a website from scratch is also a viable option.
Design Cost
The design costs depend on the overall functionality and number of elements of a new website. According to the current prices on the market, it’s safe to assume that hiring a web designer will cost you approximately $2000, $6,000 and up.
Pros and Cons
The pros of using custom website design services include:
- Get the exact design you want to
- Achieve a unique design and unique brand experience
- Outrank competitor websites with SEO Web Design strategies.
- Have complete control over the brand of your website.
- Mobile Friendly
The cons of using custom website design services include:
- Medium to High up-front cost
- It’s difficult to find a trustworthy web designer
- You’ll need long-term cooperation for updates and maintenance
Hopefully, this information will help you make a better decision and get the website that gives you the biggest bang for your buck.