Building a proper website is one of the most important things you can do for your business. But when people look up custom website development costs, they’re often left guessing. Some places say it costs $500, others say $50,000. Who’s right?
In this post, we explain what goes into custom website pricing, when it’s worth the spend, and why Pagecog charges between $3,000 and $25,000 depending on what you need. We also explain why a custom site built with us will give you more value—and less pain—than DIY builders like WordPress, Wix or Squarespace.
Why Pricing Seems So All Over the Place
You’ll find a wide range of quotes because “website” means different things to different people. A five-page brochure site and a complex online store both fall under the same term. That’s why it’s important to look at the scope of work and how it matches what your business actually needs.
It’s also worth noting that many low-cost builders don’t factor in things like your time, add-ons, long-term support, or scalability.
What Affects Custom Website Development Costs?
1. Project Size and Scope
This is the biggest factor. A small website with just a few pages is much faster to build than a large site with dozens of pages, integrations, and different user types. More features means more planning, development, and testing.
2. Custom Design vs Templates
At Pagecog, we don’t use templates. We design everything from scratch to match your brand and your audience. This takes more time, but the result is a site that’s faster, clearer and made for your customers—not someone else’s.
3. Integrations and Special Features
Want a booking system? Headless Shopify? Newsletter sign-ups? CRM sync? Payment flows? These all take extra work. The more connected your site needs to be, the higher the cost—but also the more useful the final product will be.
4. Content and Copy
Some clients come to us with all their words and images ready to go. Others need help writing and sourcing everything. If you need help creating content, that adds to the overall scope.
5. Support and Hosting
Custom sites still need a home. With Pagecog, you get fast Australian hosting and the option for ongoing support if you want us to keep things updated. These costs are small compared to the build but matter over time.
Pagecog Pricing: Clear and Straightforward
We keep our pricing tight and transparent. Most Pagecog projects fall into one of three ranges:
Starter Builds ($3,000 to $6,000)
Perfect for small businesses that need a clean, simple online presence. Includes a handful of custom-designed pages, mobile-first layout, fast load speeds, and built-in SEO structure.
Growth Builds ($6,000 to $12,000)
Ideal for businesses that need more pages, blog content, integrations (like bookings or CRMs), and want to track performance properly with analytics. Often includes content planning and some light strategy work.
Advanced Builds ($12,000 to $25,000)
These are for businesses with complex needs—think headless eCommerce using Shopify, multi-language support, custom data flows, or unique business logic. These sites take longer to build but give full control and scale over time.
We’ll tell you exactly what’s included, what’s optional, and where your money’s going. No surprises.
Why Not Just Use WordPress, Wix or Squarespace?
This is the big question for many businesses: why go custom when platforms like Wix or Squarespace are cheaper?
Here’s the honest answer—those platforms are cheaper up front. But they cost you in the long run. Here’s how:
You’re Stuck With Templates
You might be able to drag things around, but you can’t change how things work. It looks like every other site and it’ll always be someone else’s structure.
Performance is Usually Worse
Most off-the-shelf builders are full of bloat. That means slower load times, especially on mobile. That hurts SEO and conversions. Google favours fast, clean code.
Hidden Costs Add Up
Wix and Squarespace charge monthly. Want more storage? Pay extra. Want to connect a domain? Pay extra. Want advanced analytics? Pay extra. Want a feature they don't support? You'll need expensive custom development. Want a bespoke design and feel for your brand? Again it's either not supported or you'll need expensive custom development.
You’re Locked In
You can’t take your site and host it somewhere else. You can’t export it cleanly. If the platform changes its rules or pricing, you’re stuck.
SEO is Limited
Most template builders aren’t built with technical SEO in mind. You get limited control over headings, schema, metadata and URL structure.
With Pagecog, you own your code. It’s portable, fast, made just for you, and ready to grow.
How to Budget for Your Project
Here’s how to approach budgeting for a custom site:
- Start with your goals. What do you want the site to do? Bring in leads? Sell products? Explain your services?
- Decide what’s essential. List the features and pages you absolutely need at launch.
- Be realistic with content. Writing your own copy is fine—but don’t underestimate how long it takes.
- Consider your timeline. Faster isn’t always better. Give time for testing and feedback.
- Allow a buffer. Always leave a bit of room in your budget for unexpected things. They happen.
We’ll help you scope your project clearly before we start.
Questions You Should Always Ask a Developer
Before you hire anyone—us or someone else—ask these questions:
- How long will the project take, start to finish?
- What happens if we need to make changes mid-way?
- Do you use templates or build from scratch?
- What kind of support is included?
- Will I own the code and be able to host it anywhere?
- Can you show examples of fast sites you’ve built?
You’ll learn a lot from the answers.
Why Pagecog Is a Better Fit for Most Australian Businesses
We’re not trying to be the cheapest. We’re trying to be the most straightforward. Here’s what makes Pagecog different:
- Fast builds
- Most projects are live in weeks, not months. We don’t drag things out.
- No fluff
- We don’t upsell you on things you don’t need. We just build the site you ask for—clean, fast, and solid.
- Australian team
- Based here. Built here. Hosted here. That means faster speeds and no time zone delays.
- Built for growth
- You don’t need everything on day one. We design your site to scale over time.
- Full ownership
- You get all the code. You can host it anywhere. You’re not locked into a platform.
Final Thoughts
A custom website isn’t just a fancier version of a template. It’s a proper tool that fits your business, grows with you, and doesn’t box you in.
The cost is higher up front—but lower over time. Less stress. More speed. Better results.
At Pagecog, custom website development starts from $3,000 and scales up to $25,000 depending on what you need. We’re upfront about pricing, timelines and outcomes. And we build every site to be fast, clear and effective from day one.
Want a real quote? Get a free review of your current setup—or your idea—at pagecog.com.au/free-website-audit. We’ll give you honest feedback and a clear price. No pushy follow-up. Just the facts.