Custom Website Development: These Are Your Options

You've started your business, now it's time to let the world know about it. The best way to do this is through your own website where you can showcase yourself and your services properly.

However, a good website needs to be planned and built first – and since there's a lot to consider, it makes sense to hire professionals for custom website development. But how exactly does this work, and what costs should you expect?

If you want to get professional website development help, you have several options. We'll show you the three most popular methods, look at the effort and costs involved, and explore possible alternatives.

There are many freelance experts who can help you build your website. They offer programming and web design skills in one package to create your website based on your requirements. First, you just need to find the right person.

You have several options to find suitable freelancers for your website project:

There are many online platforms that connect freelancers with potential clients like you. A search on websites like Upwork and Fiverr reveals countless website experts with different specialties and prices.

On these platforms, you can narrow down your search using different filters, such as price or experience level. The freelancers' profiles show all their past jobs, often including customer reviews.

Before choosing someone, make sure they have the right experience, have successfully completed similar projects with satisfied customers, and have the skills needed for your website.

If your website needs an online store, look for freelancers with ecommerce experience.

Search engines can answer almost any question, so there's nothing wrong with using them to find suitable freelancers. You can narrow down your search to find freelancers in your area or with specific skills.

Take a close look at the freelancers' websites to see if they're a good fit for your website project. Most freelancers have a portfolio showing examples of their completed projects and a section for client testimonials. If you like what you see, you can ask them for a quote.

Many website builder and web solution providers have partner networks where you can connect with freelancers who specialize in their platforms. You can find such partner programs at Wix, IONOS, and Shopify.

If you already have a provider in mind or use other services from them, it might be worth checking their partner network for freelancers who match your website project needs.

Freelancers are active on social networks too. On Facebook, you'll find many dedicated groups where freelancers offer their expertise. You can also find plenty of freelancers open to new projects on business platforms like LinkedIn.

Never underestimate the power of your own network: Maybe you or someone in your company knows someone who has already had a website built by a freelancer.

You might even find someone in your personal circle - many college students are open to freelance work (and they're often more affordable than full-time professionals). So don't hesitate to ask around in your professional or personal network, you might get lucky.

The cost of your website depends on a) the scope and features you want and b) your freelancer's quality, experience, and location.

Simple one-page websites without many extras cost less than complex, multi-page websites with custom features.

Freelancer prices also vary greatly: On platforms like Upwork, some freelancers compete with surprisingly low hourly rates under $10. These are often freelancers from countries with lower living costs.

You need to consider potential time zone differences that could affect availability and communication issues - not to mention concerns about fair compensation.

Of course, you can also find freelancers charging more typical rates of $50 to $100 per hour. Generally, custom website development with a freelancer costs between $1,000 and $5,000, though prices can go much higher.

Instead of a freelancer, you can put your website in the hands of an agency. Here, multiple specialists work together to make your website project successful.

You're not putting all your eggs in one basket, but investing in a team of pros who bring multiple skill sets - though they usually cost more.

All the methods we discussed for freelancers also apply to agencies: For example, agencies are active on platforms like Upwork, and of course, a Google search will give you many results.

You can also find online directories and comparison sites that list well-known web design agencies, their specialties, and contact information. For example, on EXPERTE.com, we've put together a list of proven ecommerce agencies.

Generally, agencies cost more than freelancers because you're paying for a team rather than just one person. For agencies in the US, expect hourly rates between $100 and $149.

The cost for a complete website - depending on its scope and features - typically ranges from $2,000 to $100,000.

Some website solution providers and website builders also offer services to build your website (and possibly handle future changes) for you.

For example, the hosting provider dogado offers the Website Butler service: The dogado team builds a website based on your requirements and makes changes for you several times a year, depending on your plan. The provider Homepage Helden offers different fixed-price packages, with the cheapest starting at €4,640. International providers like GoDaddy also offer similar services.

The scope of services varies by provider and plan. If you want to edit your website yourself occasionally, make sure this option is available - for example, dogado doesn't allow this, but GoDaddy does.

Prices depend on the provider. With dogado, you pay monthly between $42 and $83, depending on how many pages, email addresses, or changes you need. This monthly fee includes hosting and domains, which you'd otherwise have to manage yourself.

GoDaddy offers four plans, but their website experts will give you a specific quote only after discussing your needs in an initial consultation.

Now you know what to expect when you want to get started with custom website development.

Would you like to try building a website yourself first? If you have little to no programming or web design experience, website builders are probably your best option.

Website builders are user-friendly web services that let you create websites without any coding knowledge. You can design your site using simple editors where you can add and edit content elements using drag-and-drop.

This means you can work on your website's design and structure hands-on, without dealing with complex programming in the backend - the builder handles all of that automatically. The trade-off is that you have somewhat limited design options since you can only use the design tools and features that come with the builder.

There are different types of website builders for different users:

Most website builders are quick-start solutions that work great for complete beginners but offer limited design options. all-in-one builders try to balance depth and simplicity. Pro builders are better suited for experienced designers who want more visual control.

Our website builder guide shows the different types and examples of each:

In our EXPERTE.com website builder review, we tested 15 of the most popular services and compared them based on features and ease of use.

In our EXPERTE.com website builder comparison, Wix took the top spot. This Israeli website builder combines great ease of use with a wide range of features.

Wix's standard package includes countless features and content elements, plus comprehensive ecommerce and marketing solutions. And if you need something that's not in the standard package, you'll likely find it in their packed app market.

If you want to try Wix first, you can start with their free version. While it lacks some features and you can only publish your website with a Wix subdomain, it's a great way to test the basic features without any commitment. The paid plans start at about $12 per month.

Wix is just one of many options. Here's our complete ranking of providers from our comparison, with links to detailed reviews:

If you want a professional to handle your custom website development, you can choose between freelancers and agencies.

If you prefer to create your website yourself but don't have coding or design skills, you can use a website builder. While design options are more limited compared to custom development, even complete beginners can create a professional website.