A professional website in Australia typically costs A$2,500–$15,000 for a custom build in 2026. Quick ranges most Melbourne and Australian business owners ask about:
- Small business / custom brochure site: A$2,500–$6,000
- Melbourne tradie or local service site: A$2,500–$8,000
- Custom marketing site: A$5,000–$15,000
- eCommerce store: A$5,000–$35,000 (see our eCommerce cost guide)
- DIY builders: A$200–$600/year — cheaper upfront, weaker results
Here's the honest, line-by-line breakdown of what drives those numbers — and how to budget without nasty surprises.
Website Cost Summary
| Type | Price Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| DIY Website Builder | $200-$600/year | Side projects, testing ideas |
| Template Website | $1,500-$4,000 | Small businesses, simple needs |
| Custom Website | $5,000-$15,000 | Growing businesses, specific requirements |
| Advanced Custom | $15,000-$50,000+ | Complex functionality, enterprise |
Factors That Affect Website Cost
1. Number of Pages
More pages means more design, content, and development work. A 5-page brochure site costs less than a 30-page service business site.
2. Custom Design vs Templates
A fully custom design created specifically for your brand costs more than customising an existing template. Custom designs typically add $2,000-$8,000 to a project.
3. Functionality Requirements
Basic contact forms are simple. Booking systems, member areas, calculators, or complex integrations add significant cost. Each custom feature might add $500-$5,000 depending on complexity.
4. Content Creation
Do you have content ready, or do you need copywriting and photography? Professional copywriting typically costs $100-$300 per page. Photography can range from $500-$2,000 for a shoot.
5. Platform Choice
WordPress sites often cost $3,000-$10,000. Custom Next.js builds typically start at $8,000. Squarespace or Framer sites might be $2,000-$6,000.
6. SEO Requirements
Basic SEO setup is usually included. Comprehensive keyword research, content strategy, and technical SEO adds $1,000-$5,000 or ongoing monthly costs.
Typical Website Packages in Australia
Starter Package: $2,500-$4,000
- 5-8 pages
- Template-based design
- Mobile responsive
- Contact form
- Basic SEO setup
- 30-day support
Best for: New small businesses ready for a fuller custom brief, testing a business idea.
Professional Package: $5,000-$10,000
- 8-15 pages
- Custom design
- Mobile responsive
- Advanced forms
- CMS for easy updates
- SEO foundations
- Google Analytics
- 60-day support
Best for: Established small businesses, service providers, professional services.
Premium Package: $10,000-$20,000
- 15-30+ pages
- Fully custom design
- Advanced functionality
- Performance optimisation
- Comprehensive SEO
- Content strategy support
- Training and documentation
- 90-day support
Best for: Growing businesses, competitive industries, lead generation focus.
Enterprise/Custom: $20,000-$50,000+
- Unlimited pages
- Complex functionality
- Custom integrations
- Web application features
- Ongoing development
- Dedicated support
Best for: Large businesses, SaaS products, complex requirements.
Ongoing Costs to Consider
Hosting: $10-$100/month
- Shared hosting: $10-$30/month
- Managed WordPress: $30-$100/month
- Premium hosting (Vercel, Netlify): $20-$50/month
Domain Name: $15-$50/year
.com.au domains typically cost $15-$25/year. Premium domains cost more.
SSL Certificate: Usually free
Most hosts include free SSL via Let's Encrypt.
Maintenance: $50-$500/month
- Basic updates and backups: $50-$150/month
- Active maintenance and improvements: $200-$500/month
Email Hosting: $5-$15/user/month
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for professional email.
Red Flags: When Pricing Seems Wrong
Too Cheap
If someone quotes $500 for a custom business website, something is wrong. You'll likely get a poorly executed template, offshore work with communication issues, or hidden costs later.
Too Expensive
Equally, paying $30,000 for a basic 10-page business website doesn't make sense unless there's significant custom functionality involved.
No Written Quote
Always get detailed quotes in writing. A professional web designer will explain what's included and excluded.
How to Budget for Your Website
Start with Your Goals
What does your website need to achieve? Lead generation, online sales, brand presence? Your goals should drive your budget.
Consider Total Cost of Ownership
The cheapest option upfront isn't always the cheapest long-term. Factor in ongoing costs, scalability, and future development needs.
Plan for Quality Content
Budget for professional photography and copywriting if you don't have quality content ready. These make a huge difference.
Include a Buffer
Projects often grow slightly in scope. Budget 10-20% extra for contingencies.
Getting Accurate Quotes
When requesting quotes, provide:
- Your business and industry
- Website goals and success metrics
- Required pages and functionality
- Content status (ready or needed)
- Timeline expectations
- Examples of sites you like
This helps designers provide accurate, comparable quotes.
Our Pricing
At Blu Mint Digital, our website projects typically range from A$3,000 to A$15,000 depending on scope — whether that's a custom website design build, a focused small business website, or an ongoing SEO and digital growth engagement. We provide fixed-price quotes after a discovery conversation so you know exactly what's included.
Typical project ranges from our Melbourne studio
These are the bands we most often quote (AUD, fixed-price after discovery):
- Local service / tradie sites: A$2,500–$6,500 — mobile-first, call-now CTAs, suburb pages, Google Business Profile alignment
- Professional / clinic / hospitality sites: A$4,000–$10,000 — custom design, booking or enquiry flows, stronger content structure (projects like Chickita and Golden Care Centre sit in this territory depending on scope)
- Growth marketing sites: A$6,500–$15,000 — more pages, custom UI, deeper SEO foundations, optional care plan
For category-specific budgets, see our guides on eCommerce website costs and website redesign costs.
Ready for a custom build? Get in touch for a free consultation and quote — or see our small business website design service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a small business website cost in Australia?
For a professional custom small business website, expect roughly A$2,500–$10,000 depending on the number of pages, whether the design is custom or template-based, and the functionality you need.
Why do website prices vary so much?
Price is driven by scope, not just page count. Custom design, bespoke functionality (booking systems, member areas, integrations), content creation, and SEO depth all move the number. A simple brochure site and a $15,000 custom build are genuinely different products.
What ongoing costs should I budget for after launch?
Plan for hosting (A$10–$100/month), domain renewal (A$15–$50/year), and maintenance (A$50–$500/month depending on how actively the site is managed). SSL is usually free. Email hosting via Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 is around A$5–$15 per user per month.
Is a cheap website worth it?
A vague $500 "custom" business website with open-ended promises is almost always a red flag — generic templates, offshore communication gaps, or hidden costs later. What matters is whether the scope is written down: clear inclusions, a defined revision process, and no surprises at handover. Cheap *and* vague is the problem. Clearly scoped and honestly priced can be a smart first step — then upgrade to a custom build when you need one.
How much does a website cost in Melbourne specifically?
Melbourne pricing sits in the same national bands — typically A$2,500–$15,000 for a professional custom site — because the work is the same. What changes is competition: in denser local markets (inner-north, CBD, south-east), investing in speed, local SEO, and clear service-area pages usually pays back faster than shaving the build budget.