Short answer: a professional small-business website in India usually costs ₹15,000 to ₹50,000 as a one-time build, plus roughly ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 a year for the domain and hosting. A basic template site from a freelancer can cost under ₹10,000. Custom-built sites with bookings, logins or integrations start around ₹1 lakh.
The range is wide because "a website" can mean a one-page profile or a full sales system. Below is what each type typically costs, what pushes the price up, the yearly costs nobody quotes upfront, and exactly what we charge.
Website cost in India by type
| Type of website | Typical one-time cost | Pages | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic template site (freelancer) | ₹5,000 – ₹15,000 | 1–5 | 3–10 days |
| Small business website | ₹15,000 – ₹35,000 | 5–10 | 1–3 weeks |
| Larger business / corporate site | ₹35,000 – ₹1,00,000 | 10–30 | 3–6 weeks |
| E-commerce store | ₹25,000 – ₹1,50,000+ | Depends on catalogue | 3–8 weeks |
| Custom web application | ₹1,00,000 – ₹10,00,000+ | — | 6 weeks + |
What actually drives the price
- Number of unique page designs. Ten pages that share one layout cost far less than ten pages that each need their own design.
- Template or custom design. A customised theme is cheaper and faster. A design made from scratch for your brand takes longer and costs more, but looks like no one else.
- Who writes the content. If you supply text and photos, the price stays low. Professional copywriting typically adds ₹15,000 to ₹40,000 for a full site.
- Features. Online booking, payments, multiple languages, CRM or WhatsApp API integrations, member logins and calculators all add development time.
- Platform. WordPress and Shopify are quicker to build on. Custom code (React, Next.js) costs more upfront but gives you full control and speed.
- Who builds it. Freelancers are cheapest, large agencies the most expensive. Small studios sit in between with a process and support.
- SEO and speed work. A site built to rank (structure, schema, fast loading, local SEO setup) takes more effort than one that only looks good.
The yearly costs most quotes leave out
The build is a one-time cost, but every website has running costs. Before you sign, ask: "What will I pay in year two?"
| Item | Typical yearly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domain (.in or .com) | ₹600 – ₹1,500 | First-year offers are often cheap; check the renewal price. |
| Hosting | ₹2,000 – ₹8,000 | Shared hosting is fine for most small sites; stores need more. |
| SSL certificate | Free – ₹5,000 | Free SSL is perfectly fine for most businesses. |
| Business email | ₹0 – ₹2,000 per user | Google Workspace or Zoho; some hosts include basic mail. |
| Maintenance & updates | ₹0 – ₹36,000 | Updates, backups and small content changes. |
| Paid plugins / themes | ₹0 – ₹10,000 | Renewals for premium WordPress plugins, if used. |
We break these down further in our guide to website maintenance costs.
What we charge at WebAlchemy
Our prices are published and fixed. Every plan is a one-time payment, and Starter and Growth include the domain, hosting and SSL for the first year.
| Plan | Price (one-time) | Pages | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | ₹14,999 | Up to 5 | Small businesses, portfolios and landing pages. Live in 7 days. |
| Growth | ₹29,999 | Up to 10 | Blog/CMS, e-commerce ready (50 products), advanced SEO. |
| Premium | ₹49,999 | Up to 20 | Redesigns, custom UI/UX, 200 products, multi-language. |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Unlimited | CRM/ERP integrations, dedicated project manager. |
Two promises are written into every quote: your launch date, with 10% off for every week we are late, and a 90+ Google PageSpeed score on mobile at launch, or we optimise it free.
Freelancer, agency or DIY website builder?
- DIY builders (Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, etc.). Low upfront cost, but monthly subscriptions add up over the years and the time cost is yours. Good if you enjoy doing it yourself.
- Freelancer. Usually the cheapest custom option. Check live sites they have built, and make sure the domain and hosting are registered in your name in case they become unavailable later.
- Studio or agency. Costs more than a freelancer, but you get a team, a process, a written timeline and someone accountable for support after launch.
How to avoid overpaying (or underpaying)
- Own your domain. It should be registered in your name, with the login shared with you.
- Get inclusions in writing. Number of pages, rounds of revisions, who writes content, SEO setup, and months of free support.
- Ask for year-two costs. A ₹4,999 website with a ₹9,999 yearly renewal is not cheap.
- Open their past work on your phone. Most of your visitors will be on mobile. If their sites are slow there, yours will be too.
- Insist on admin access. You should be able to log in, edit text and add pages without depending on the developer.
- Pay in stages. A deposit to start and the balance at launch is standard. We take 50% upfront and 50% when the site goes live.
Website cost: common questions
A basic one-page or template site can be built for ₹5,000 to ₹10,000. For a professional small-business site with your own domain, about 5 pages, mobile design and basic SEO, budget around ₹15,000 to ₹30,000. Our Starter plan is ₹14,999 including the first year of domain and hosting.
For most small businesses, such as a clinic, shop or consultant, yes, as long as the site is around 5 pages and you provide the photos and basic text. Online payments, bookings or many service pages need a larger budget.
Quotes differ in what is included: custom design versus a template, content writing, SEO setup, number of revisions, support period and who hosts the site. Ask every provider for a written list of inclusions and year-two costs, then compare like for like.
The build is a one-time cost. The domain and hosting renew every year, typically ₹3,000 to ₹8,000 for a small site, and maintenance is optional. On our Starter plan, the first year is included and hosting renewal is ₹2,999 a year after that.
A Starter website goes live in about 7 days once your content is ready. A 10-page site usually takes 2 to 3 weeks, and an e-commerce store or redesign 3 to 5 weeks.
Usually, yes. WordPress has ready-made themes and plugins, so standard business sites are faster to build. Custom-coded sites cost more upfront but can be faster and more flexible. We recommend the platform based on what your business needs, not a default.
