How Much is Web Design in South Africa?

It is nearly impossible to tell how much web design might cost before it is actually developed. There is need for all the details of the website to be laid out beforehand so that the developer knows all the elements that are required. Think of it like building a custom car, it depends on the quality of the engine, paint, whether or not it has four-wheel drive etc. In the web design world, the cost of variables depends on a number of features which in a nutshell are:

• How do you want your website to look?
• How many pages do you need?
• What platform will your website be on? (WordPress, Magento, etc.)
• Who will put your content into the website (You agency or will you?)
• Do you need advanced CMS capabilities?
• Will your website integrate with other softwares?
• Do you need to process payments online? (eCommerce)
• Do you have custom functionality that\’s needed?

There are several reasons why your business needs web design. This article will provide a guideline of web design pricing in South Africa.

Have you ever heard of the phrase “too good to be true?” Well this just sums up the functionality of free websites. If your website is just for fun or for a last-minute school project, online website builders such as Wix, Weebly or SquareSpace are adequate. These web design builders’ function via an available set of templates which you can customise based on your tastes. Whilst these may be free to start, they often have tiered pricing structure, meaning you\’d have to pay monthly fees for more advanced features. However, their \”advanced features\” are just too limited for specific, competitive businesses.

Advantages

• Free or Low Cost
• Easy to create

Disadvantages

• Often have hidden costs included
• Very limited functionality
• No scalability

Freelancers are usually individuals who worked on their web design skills and decided to start making website design for others. They are usually informal or remotely based individuals / organisations such as ForbyTech Group. The depth and quality of the website might be decent if the developer is chosen wisely. They do however have the tendency of producing spam works, and since the work is being done by a single person, you can tell that the job isn’t that unique and the quality is low. Freelancers also take more time to complete a project as a job meant for a whole team is done by a single person.

We managed to consult one freelancer and their quotations for web design are as follows:

• One Page Company Website – R1,200
• Four Page Company Website – R2,000
• Six – Ten Page Company Website – R3,000
• E- Commerce Website – R5,000

Advantages

• Lower cost compared to big agencies.
• Informal, personal touch is great for other small business owners.

Disadvantages

• Struggle to cope with big, complex projects.
• Quality is often compromised in exchange for low price.
• Websites might be prone to hacking, slow to load and not optimised for mobile viewing.
• Take a lot of time to complete projects.

If you want your website to perform as a crucial component of your business strategy, software development agencies are the best way to go. Established agencies have limitless functionalities as far as web design and development is concerned. Big Agencies such as Melsoft and The Web Shack offer all sorts of websites from simple business landing pages, e-commerce solutions, job portals, learning management systems and so much more. Melsoft also offers complimentary digital marketing services on all website purchases. This is done to provide an immediate return on investment by boosting your new website’s traffic and ultimately increasing the number of leads and sales for your business. A good website will basically sell your company and your products for you, and this is what big agencies play on.

Software Development Agencies provide clearly outlined contracts for all projects they undertake, and these are used to ensure all parties involved know what’s expected of them. No hidden surprise costs or unfulfilled commitments.  Regular maintenance is often taken care of as agencies assign 3-5 staff members to work on a specific project.

Big Agencies price their web design services at:

• One Page Company Website – R2,000 – R3,500
• Four Page Company Website – R3,500 – R10,000
• Six – Ten Page Company Website – From R10,000
• E- Commerce Website – From R10,000

Advantages

• Enterprise-Level functionalities
• Professional developers produce high quality and reliable work.
• Websites are optimised for speed, search engines, security, and are backed up in case of hacking or site crashes
• Some agencies such as Melsoft offer complimentary Digital Marketing Services

Disadvantages

• May be a bit costly

An E-Commerce website is a completely different breed of websites that requires more than just the basic functions. A good e-commerce website must be fast, powerful, secure and able to handle multiple users at the same time. It should also be a marketing tool useful for lead generation, sales generation and efficient customer service. For e-commerce sites, it’s imperative to go with established agencies due to the high level of investment size. Melsoft’s E-Commerce packages start at R10,000 and go up to as much as R300,000. The cost varies on things such as number of products, number of vendors (in case you want a multi-vendor site similar to Amazon), shipping options, and several other variables.

Conclusion

Buying web design services is like building your Virtual Company Headquarters, and it all comes down to whether or not you pick the right workmen for the building. If you\’re serious about your business and wish to use your website as a strategic tool for your business, contact an Award-Winning Software Development Agency and power your business’ online marketing strategy today!