How much does a website cost in South Africa?
Written by Carl, the person who builds every site. Updated 14 October 2026.
A 4 to 5 page website for a South African small business costs R5,500 with me, excluding VAT. A 6 to 12 page site is R16,500. The price goes up for three things above all: selling online, connecting the site to other systems, and having the design and the words done for you. Agency quotes for the same site often come in at several times that, and the difference is mostly who else is being paid.
Why website prices are so hard to compare
Ask five web designers for a price and you will get five numbers that are miles apart, usually after a call, and usually after being asked what your budget is. That is not because some of them are crooks. It is because "a website" can mean a single page someone puts together from a template in an afternoon, or a booking system that talks to your accounting software. Until you know which one you are being quoted for, the numbers mean nothing.
So instead of a range, here is what actually moves the price, with the number next to each one. These are the same figures my estimator uses, and they are all published on the pricing page.
What moves the price
- How many pages. A 4 to 5 page site (home, about, services, contact and one more) is R5,500. Separate pages for every service, a team page and case studies take it to R16,500. A large site with a member or client area is R26,000.
- Selling online. A small catalogue with a pay-by-link checkout adds R7,500. A proper shop with a cart, stock levels and delivery options adds R14,000. Taking money brings in security, tax and stock, which a brochure site never has to think about.
- Connecting to other systems, such as Xero, a booking calendar or your CRM. The first connection is R4,500 and each one after it is R3,500, because the groundwork is already done.
- Design. If you have brand guidelines, I build to them at no charge. A logo and nothing else adds R3,500. A logo, colours and fonts designed from scratch adds R8,500.
- The words. If you write them, there is no charge. If I interview you and write them, it adds R3,000. Be honest with yourself here: waiting for the words is what stalls most website projects.
- The domain. If you own it and can get into its settings, nothing. If someone else controls it, R1,500 for me to chase them. If you need a new one, R950 and it is registered in your name.
Four real examples, priced
These are worked out by the same calculator the estimator uses, so they are exactly what you would see if you picked the same answers.
A trade business with a logo
A plumber or electrician who has a logo, owns the domain and would rather not write the words.
- Small site (4 to 5 pages)R5,500
- I have a logo, nothing elseR3,500
- Please write it for meR3,000
About 8 to 14 working days.
Starting from nothing
A new business with no logo, no domain and no words yet.
- Small site (4 to 5 pages)R5,500
- I need the lot designedR8,500
- Please write it for meR3,000
- I do not have a domain yetR950
About 10 to 18 working days.
A small catalogue
A maker selling about 20 products, who writes their own descriptions.
- Small site (4 to 5 pages)R5,500
- A small catalogueR7,500
- I have a logo, nothing elseR3,500
About 8 to 14 working days.
Bookings that reach the accounts
A practice with 6 to 12 pages, online booking and invoices that go straight into Xero.
- Standard site (6 to 12 pages)R16,500
- Online booking or calendarR4,500
- XeroR3,500
About 10 to 20 working days.
What a cheap quote usually leaves out
When a quote looks far below everyone else's, check what it does not include. The usual gaps are the words (you are expected to write them), the domain (registered in the designer's name, not yours), a monthly fee to keep the site running, and a platform you cannot take with you if you leave. None of these show up on the first invoice. All of them show up later.
With me, the domain, the site and every login are yours. Hosting for the first year is included. An optional care plan is R450 a month, it is never part of the build price, and the site keeps working if you cancel it.
Why one person costs less than an agency
An agency quote pays for an account manager, a project manager, a designer, a developer, a tester and an office. With me you pay for the person who actually builds the site. I use AI to speed up the repetitive parts of the work, the way a carpenter uses power tools, but every design decision, every line that ships and every phone call afterwards is mine. That is where the saving comes from, not from cutting corners.
Common questions
- Are these prices including VAT?
- No. Every price on the site is in rands and excludes VAT.
- Is there a monthly fee?
- Only if you want one. The care plan is R450 a month for hosting, updates, backups and small tweaks. The site works without it and you keep everything if you cancel.
- How do I get a price for my business?
- Use the estimator. Nine questions, about two minutes, and the number updates as you answer. A PDF breakdown is emailed to you straight away, with no call needed first.
- Will the final price match the estimate?
- After a 30-minute call I give you a fixed quote, and it lands within 20% of the estimate. If the work turns out bigger than I judged, that is mine to absorb.
Work out your own number
Nine questions, two minutes, and a PDF breakdown in your inbox. No call needed.