How much does a charity website cost?
Charity web design costs vary significantly depending on the functionality you need. Do-it-yourself website builders start as little as £30 per month and web design service providers range from £25 per hour to £100+ per hour. For a complete website design you should expect to pay at least £3000. This may be a lump sum or spread over months or years on a finance plan.
What’s included in the charity website cost?
The website development process included in a typical charity web design cost is extensive. You should expect to work closely with the service provider as they walk you through a process similar to the following:
- Discovery session to work out what you need, typically beginning with an audit to determine where you currently are
- A proposal or quote for your charity website cost, often given as a ballpark estimate
- Planning and development of a website solution, usually with your frequent involvement
- Stakeholder testing either during website build or just before website launch
- Launch of website and ongoing customer support
Your web design cost will typically include delivery of the website and sometimes free support for 30 days or other set period of time. Some providers may charge a monthly fee immediately after website launch. It’s important to discuss post-launch support with your provider at the earliest possible opportunity to avoid cost issues later on.
Why do web design costs vary so much?
There are many factors that go in to working out how much a charity website costs. Charity web design prices are largely affected by the following:
- Functionality – a basic website with only a contact form will cost less than a website with a robust membership area, for example
- Quality and expertise – as a rule of thumb, expect a better service and end product if you spend more money
- Team size – larger companies will typically charger higher fees
- Team location – the economic situation of a provider can impact what fees are charged. Indian or Chinese providers will typically charge less than their western counterparts, for example.
How much should I pay for charity website design?
Taking into consideration the factors mentioned previously you should be able to get an expectation of how much to spend. Ask yourself a few pertinent questions to help answer this question:
- How important is the website to my charity?
- How much post-launch support am I likely to need?
- What functions will my website need to perform (i.e. is it simply a place for people to contact us, or something more?)
- How much time, realistically, will I spend maintaining my website?
Take the time to discuss these questions with your team to work out your website design budget and ultimately, how much your charity website will cost.