Budgeting for Website Development: Costs of Domain, Hosting, and Design

The budget for website development typically includes three main cost components: domain registration, web hosting, and design/development.

1. Domain Name Costs

   • Registering a domain name usually costs between $20 to $60 per year (approximately ₱1,175 to ₱3,525 annually).
   • Common domain extensions include .com, .net, .org, and country-specific ones like .ph or .com.ph.
   • Renewal fees are paid annually, and there may be additional transfer fees if you move your domain to another provider.

2. Web Hosting Costs

   • Hosting fees vary depending on the type of hosting (shared, VPS, dedicated) and provider, ranging from about ₱1,200 to ₱6,000 annually.
   • Hosting provides the server space where your website files are stored and accessed online.

3. Design and Development Costs

   • Design and user experience (UX) work can cost from ₱600 to ₱4,400 per hour, or ₱50,000 to ₱500,000 per project, depending on complexity and expertise.
   • Development costs vary widely based on website type and features:
     • Simple websites or landing pages can cost from $500 to $8,000.
     • Small business websites typically range from $2,000 to $30,000.
     • E-commerce sites with payment gateways can cost $5,000 to $70,000+.
     • Complex enterprise or SaaS platforms may exceed $75,000.
   • Maintenance fees for ongoing updates and support usually range from ₱1,000 to ₱2,000 per month.

Summary Table of Typical Costs:

Key factors influencing costs include website complexity, number of pages, custom features, developer expertise, and technology stack. For example, a simple landing page requires less investment than a full-featured e-commerce or social media platform.

Budgeting realistically for these components ensures you cover essential expenses and avoid surprises during website development.