Site type
Marketing, SaaS marketing, e-commerce, web app, or multi-tenant platform.
Free Tool
Website Cost Calculator: Estimate Your Project Cost and Timeline.
Pick your site type, CMS, page count, and features. The calculator returns a realistic cost range and timeline estimate based on agency pricing in major markets. Free, no signup.
- 3 min
- Cost and timeline
- Free
- No signup
Website Cost Calculator
What is it?
What is the Website Cost Calculator?
The Website Cost Calculator is a free planning tool that produces a realistic cost range and timeline estimate for a website or web app build. You pick a site type (marketing, SaaS marketing, e-commerce, web app, or multi-tenant platform), a CMS (headless Next.js, WordPress, Shopify, or static), a page count, and any features your project needs (blog, multi-language, e-commerce, auth, dashboard, integrations, search, chatbot, membership, custom design). The calculator returns a cost range (low to high end) and a timeline range in weeks. Use it to size budgets, sanity-check vendor proposals, or build an internal business case.
What you provide
The 4 inputs
Four inputs the calculator uses to estimate cost and timeline.
CMS / stack
Headless (Next.js + Sanity/Contentful/Payload), WordPress, Shopify, or static.
Pages
Number of unique page templates (e.g., home, about, services, blog post).
Features
Blog, multi-language, e-commerce, auth, dashboard, integrations, search, chatbot, membership, custom design.
Methodology
How the estimate works
Base costs and timelines per site type reflect typical agency pricing in major markets. CMS choice applies a multiplier (WordPress and Shopify themes are cheaper and faster; headless Next.js is the most expensive but highest performing). Each additional feature adds cost and time. A 20 percent range (low to high) reflects realistic variation in vendor pricing for the same scope.
The biggest swing factor we cannot capture in a calculator is design ambition. A marketing site built from a clean template with light brand adjustment costs dramatically less than the same site built fully custom with bespoke illustrations, animations, and a new visual identity. We assume mid-range design effort, which covers most real projects. Highly custom design work can add 30 to 60 percent on top of the high-end estimate.
Three things the calculator deliberately under-counts so you do not under-budget: content production (writing or migrating page copy is often more work than the build itself), third-party integrations whose APIs change mid-project, and stakeholder review cycles in larger organisations. If your project has multiple stakeholders or a long approval chain, add 20 to 40 percent to the timeline estimate (not the cost, which reflects build effort not waiting time).
Built by Magnis AI senior practitioners based on 30+ web build engagements across marketing sites, SaaS, e-commerce, and custom apps. Last updated: 14 June 2026.
Related services
Web Development
Modern web development on Next.js, React, and headless CMS. Marketing sites built for SEO and speed, SaaS dashboards built for product velocity, and e-commerce stores built for revenue.
ExploreWeb Design
UI and UX design for marketing sites, SaaS products, and e-commerce. Figma-first, conversion-tested, and developer-ready. We design to be built, not just to win awards.
ExploreWebsite Maintenance
Monthly maintenance for marketing sites, e-commerce stores, and web apps. Security patches, backups, content edits, performance monitoring, and small feature work, all on a predictable retainer.
ExploreFrequently asked questions
How accurate is this cost estimate?
It is a planning range based on typical agency pricing in major markets (USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, INR). Real quotes vary by 20 to 30 percent based on design complexity, content scope, integrations, and team seniority. Use this as a budget framing, not a binding quote.
Why is WordPress cheaper than headless Next.js in the calculator?
WordPress benefits from a massive ecosystem of themes, plugins, and developers, which reduces build cost. Headless Next.js is more expensive upfront but typically faster, more secure, more flexible, and ranks better. Pick based on your scale and team capability, not just cost.
Does the cost include hosting and ongoing maintenance?
No. The estimate covers initial build only. Hosting (Vercel, Netlify, AWS, traditional shared hosting) typically runs USD 20 to 500 per month depending on stack and traffic. Ongoing maintenance retainers run USD 500 to 3,000+ per month. See our Website Maintenance service for details.
What if my site needs something not in the feature list?
Add an extra 15 to 30 percent buffer to the high end of the range. Custom features (booking systems, calculators, AI tools, real-time collaboration) can swing the cost meaningfully. Book a scoping call for a quote that covers your specific requirements.
Why such a wide cost range?
The range reflects realistic variation in agency pricing for the same scope. Senior-led agencies cost more than commodity shops but deliver better outcomes. The low end is what you might pay a mid-tier agency; the high end reflects senior or specialist work.
Can Magnis AI quote a fixed price?
Yes. After a free 30-minute scoping call we provide a fixed-fee, fixed-scope quote. Most projects ship within the original budget; scope changes are quoted separately and approved before work starts.
Should I budget more or less than the calculator suggests?
If your project has any of these, budget toward the high end of the range or beyond: a brand-new visual identity that has not been designed yet, multiple stakeholders with veto rights on design, complex integrations into legacy or custom systems, internationalisation across 3+ languages, or accessibility requirements beyond WCAG AA. If your project is straightforward (existing brand, single stakeholder, standard CMS, English-only, brochure-ware), budget toward the low end. The middle of the range covers most well-scoped projects.
Why does the calculator add cost for a blog and CMS?
Because a true content-management system is more work than a static blog template. It needs editor accounts, role permissions, content modelling (categories, tags, authors, related posts), a preview workflow, image optimisation, SEO fields per post, and a deployment pipeline that does not break the live site when an editor publishes. Cheap blog builds skip these and create maintenance pain in month 6. The cost we add reflects the work to do it right the first time.
What about ongoing performance and security after launch?
Not included in the build cost. A new site is fast and secure the day it launches; staying that way requires monthly dependency updates, security patches, performance monitoring, and CMS upgrades. Plan for USD 500 to 3,000 per month of maintenance retainer, or budget 8 to 12 hours per month of in-house developer time. The Website Maintenance service covers this on a fixed monthly fee.
Want a fixed-fee quote for your project?
The calculator gives a planning range. For a fixed-fee, fixed-scope quote, book a free 30-minute scoping call.