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Website development cost in India can be anything from ₹8,000 to well over ₹5,00,000, and that gap is why “how much should I pay for a website?” keeps coming up in founder communities like r/IndianStartups. This guide explains what each price level actually buys, so you can tell a fair quote from a risky one.
Quick answer: a small business website in India usually costs ₹15,000 to ₹45,000 on a template, ₹70,000 to ₹1,80,000 for a properly designed custom site, and ₹1,50,000 or more for an online store. On top of that you pay every year for a domain, hosting and upkeep.
Website development cost in India by type of site
The type of site decides most of the website development cost. These are the ranges we see most often when businesses bring us quotes from other developers, and they match our detailed WordPress website development cost guide.
| Type of website | Typical cost in India | What you usually get |
|---|---|---|
| One-page or landing page | ₹8,000 to ₹25,000 | A single page with a contact form, often on a template |
| Template business site | ₹15,000 to ₹45,000 | 5 to 10 pages on a bought theme, limited changes |
| Custom business site | ₹70,000 to ₹1,80,000 | Design made for your brand, speed and SEO set up properly |
| WooCommerce or custom WordPress build | ₹1,50,000 to ₹4,50,000 | Store, payments, shipping rules, custom features |
| Shopify store | ₹1,00,000 and up | Theme setup or custom theme, apps, payment and COD setup |
For online stores the range is wider because product count, payment gateways and custom features change the work a lot. Our ecommerce website cost guide breaks that down line by line.
Why website development cost quotes can be 10x apart
When one developer says ₹10,000 and another says ₹1,50,000, they are almost never quoting the same thing. The cheap quote usually leaves out the parts you only notice after launch.
- Design: a bought template with your logo, or a layout planned around your customers.
- Content: who writes the page copy and who uploads products.
- Speed: whether the site is built to load fast on a phone, or just to look fine on a laptop.
- SEO setup: page titles, schema, sitemaps and redirects, or nothing at all.
- Ownership: whether you get the admin login, hosting access and code, or only a link.
- Support: whether fixes after launch are included or billed one by one.
Ask every developer to list these in writing so you can compare website development cost on equal terms. If a quote cannot answer them, the low price is usually paid back later in rework.
The yearly costs most quotes leave out
The build is a one-time cost. Running the site is not. Budget for these every year so the total website development cost you planned does not double by surprise.
| Running cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Domain name | ₹800 to ₹2,500 per year |
| Hosting (WordPress) | From a few thousand rupees a year on shared hosting, more for managed hosting |
| Premium plugins or apps | ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 per year for a typical WordPress setup |
| Shopify plan | Monthly fee, see the current Shopify India pricing |
| Maintenance and updates | ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 per month from an agency, if you want it handled |
WordPress or Shopify: which costs less over time?
WordPress usually has the lower running cost and more control, while Shopify is faster to launch and easier to run for a small team. For a service business, WordPress is normally the better value. For a product brand that wants to start selling quickly, Shopify often is. Our WordPress vs Shopify comparison covers the trade-offs in detail.
Freelancer or agency: does it change the price?
Freelancers are usually cheaper for small, simple sites. Agencies cost more but bring design, development and testing together, and they are still there when something breaks. We compare both honestly in freelancer vs agency in India.
How to lower your website development cost without cutting quality
You can bring the website development cost down a lot by preparing well, without settling for a weak site.
- Have your content ready. Waiting for text and photos is the most common reason projects run over budget.
- Launch with the pages that sell. Home, services, about and contact first. Add the blog and extra pages later.
- Start from a good theme when it fits. A well-chosen theme with careful setup costs far less than a fully custom design and is often enough for a first site.
- Pick features you will actually use. Booking, multi-language and member areas each add real cost.
- Agree the scope in writing. Changes after design approval are where budgets grow.
What about a redesign?
A redesign usually costs a little less than a new build because the content and structure already exist, but it needs extra care with redirects so you do not lose Google rankings. Our WordPress website redesign service covers how we handle that safely.
How we price a project at CrestVox
We give a fixed price after a short scope call, with the pages, features, timeline and payment milestones written down before any work starts. If the scope changes, we quote the change first. That way the website development cost you agree is the cost you pay.
Red flags in a cheap website quote
- No written scope, only a total price.
- The developer keeps the hosting and admin login in their own name.
- “Unlimited pages” for a very low fixed price.
- No mention of mobile speed, backups or security updates.
- Full payment asked upfront with no milestones.
How to get an accurate website development cost quote
The fastest way to get comparable quotes is to send every developer the same short brief: your goal, the pages you need, sites you like and your budget range. Use our web developer brief checklist to write one, and try the free WordPress cost calculator to see a starting range before you talk to anyone.
If you would rather have a fixed-price plan, our team builds sites for businesses across the country. See our website development company in India page, or compare options for WordPress development in India and Shopify development in India.
Frequently asked questions
Is ₹10,000 enough for a business website in India?
It can buy a basic template site with a few pages. It rarely includes custom design, speed work or SEO setup, so treat it as a starting point rather than a long-term site.
How much does a 5-page website cost in India?
On a template, roughly ₹15,000 to ₹45,000. With custom design and proper SEO setup, expect ₹70,000 or more.
Do I have to pay every year after the website is built?
Yes. The domain and hosting renew every year, and plugins or apps often do too. Maintenance is optional but recommended if nobody on your team can update the site safely.
What is included in website development cost?
It depends on the developer, which is why you should ask for a written scope. A fair quote lists design, number of pages, content, speed and SEO setup, payment setup for stores, and what support you get after launch.
Which is cheaper to build, WordPress or Shopify?
For a simple business site, WordPress is usually cheaper to build and to run. For a small store that needs to launch fast, Shopify can cost less upfront because hosting and checkout are included, but you pay a monthly plan.
How long does it take to build a website?
A small business site often takes a few weeks once content is ready. Custom designs and online stores take longer. Ask for a dated plan as part of the quote.
Not sure if your current quote is fair? Send us your site or brief for a free website audit and we will tell you what a sensible budget looks like.