Cost guide
Website development cost in India (2026): what you get at each price
By Samuel Marndi · Updated
The short answer
A small business website in India costs ₹25,000–₹1,50,000 in 2026 for a CMS-based site of 5–15 pages, and e-commerce runs ₹50,000–₹8,00,000 depending on catalogue size, features and integrations. Freelancers typically quote ₹15,000–₹80,000 for a full small-business site; agencies charge ₹1,00,000–₹5,00,000+ for custom builds.
The gap between a ₹30,000 quote and a ₹90,000 quote for the same page count is almost never the pages. It is design originality, content, technical SEO, integrations and post-launch support — each of which is either included or quietly absent.
What each price band actually buys
| Budget | What you realistically get |
|---|---|
| ₹15,000 – ₹30,000 | A template site with your content dropped in. Fine for a basic presence; expect minimal SEO and no strategy |
| ₹30,000 – ₹80,000 | Custom-styled design, proper page structure, technical SEO, CMS, forms, analytics. The sweet spot for most SMEs |
| ₹80,000 – ₹1,50,000 | Original design, 10–20 pages, keyword-mapped service pages, schema, integrations, conversion-focused layouts |
| ₹1,50,000 – ₹5,00,000 | Custom functionality, portals, complex integrations, or agency overheads on the same scope |
| ₹50,000 – ₹8,00,000 (e-commerce) | Scales with catalogue size, payment and shipping integrations, GST invoicing and order management |
The recurring costs that belong in the decision
| Item | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|
| Domain | ₹1,000 – ₹2,000 / year |
| Hosting | ₹2,000 – ₹50,000 / year depending on traffic |
| Maintenance & updates | ₹15,000 – ₹60,000 / year |
| SSL certificate | Usually free with modern hosting |
| Plugin / theme licences (WordPress) | Varies — ask for the list before you commit |
Why the cheapest quote often costs more
Cheap quotes are usually cheap because something was excluded, and the exclusions are predictable: no keyword research, no schema markup, stock imagery, content you write yourself, no analytics configuration, no post-launch support, and hosting on a shared plan that makes the site slow enough to hurt rankings.
None of that is fraud — it is just scope. The fix is to compare line items rather than totals, and to ask every quote the same five questions below.
- Is keyword research included, and will I see the keyword map?
- Is schema markup and Search Console setup included?
- Who writes the content, and is copywriting in this price?
- What happens in the first 30 days after launch if something breaks?
- Do I own the domain, hosting, repository and CMS logins on day one?
FAQ
Related questions
Is a freelancer cheaper than an agency?
Usually, for the same scope — you are not paying for account managers and office overhead. The trade-off is capacity and continuity, so ask what happens if the freelancer is unavailable for two weeks, and make sure you hold every credential yourself.
How long should a business website take?
Two to four weeks for 5–8 pages once content is approved. The delay is almost always content, not development.
Do I need to pay for maintenance?
WordPress sites genuinely need it — plugins are the usual attack path and unpatched sites get compromised. Statically generated sites need far less. Budget ₹15,000–₹60,000 a year for anything running a CMS.