How Much Does a Website Cost?
"How much does a website cost?" is usually the first question we get — and fairly, since quotes online range from a few thousand shillings to figures that feel designed for large corporations, not small businesses. Here's a straightforward breakdown of what actually drives website pricing, whether you're based in Kenya or working with us from abroad.
Typical website pricing
| Package | Starting from | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Starter site | KSh 25,000 (~$195) | New businesses, up to 5 pages |
| Growth site | KSh 55,000 (~$425) | Businesses needing a blog, more pages, stronger SEO |
| Complex e-commerce | KSh 110,000+ (~$855+) | Online stores with product catalogs and checkout |
These are our own current starting prices — other studios and freelancers will vary, but this range reflects what a professionally built, mobile-friendly site costs today. USD figures are an approximate guide for international clients and will shift slightly with the exchange rate — we'll always confirm an exact quote in your preferred currency before any work begins.
What actually drives the cost?
1. Number of pages
A one-page landing site is naturally cheaper to design and build than a ten-page business site with a blog, team page, and service breakdowns.
2. E-commerce functionality
Adding a product catalog, shopping cart, and secure checkout requires more development time than a standard informational site — this is usually the biggest jump in price. Payment integration is a big part of that, and it depends on where your customers are:
- M-Pesa (Till or Paybill) — the standard for customers in Kenya
- Card payments (Visa, Mastercard) — works for customers anywhere
- Stripe — the most common choice for international, card-first stores, with strong multi-currency support
- PayPal — widely trusted by international buyers, especially in the US and Europe
- Multi-currency display — showing prices in a visitor's local currency, useful once you're selling across more than one region
Most stores need just one or two of these, matched to where customers actually are — adding every option "just in case" adds cost and complexity without much real benefit. See our e-commerce website page for a full breakdown of what's included.
3. Custom design vs. templates
A site designed specifically around your brand costs more than a generic template, but it also looks and performs noticeably better — and won't look identical to five other businesses in your industry.
4. SEO and speed optimization
Structuring pages properly for Google and optimizing images and code for fast loading takes extra work upfront, but pays off in visitors found organically instead of only through paid ads.
5. Ongoing maintenance
Some quotes only cover the build. Updates, backups, and security monitoring after launch are usually a separate, smaller monthly cost — ask what's included before you compare two quotes.
💬 Short on time? We can just tell you what you need.
Chat with us →Costs beyond the design fee
- Domain name — typically KSh 1,000–2,500 (~$8–20) per year (e.g. a .co.ke or .com domain)
- Hosting — typically KSh 3,000–15,000 (~$25–115) per year depending on traffic and storage needs
- Maintenance — optional monthly plans covering updates and backups
Is a cheap website worth it?
An extremely low-cost site is sometimes fine for a very simple one-pager, but it often comes with slow load times, poor mobile design, and no SEO structure — all things that quietly cost you customers later. The goal isn't the cheapest site; it's the site that pays for itself through the customers it brings in.
How we price at Nordlyte Web Studio
We use fixed, published starting prices so there are no surprises: from KSh 25,000 for a starter site, from KSh 55,000 for a growth site, and from KSh 110,000 for a complex e-commerce build. If your project doesn't fit neatly into a package, or you're an international client working in USD, we scope it and send a free custom quote before any work begins — usually with 50% due upfront and the rest on completion.
What if you're outside Kenya?
We work with clients locally and internationally — the process is the same either way: a short call or message about what you need, a fixed quote in your currency, and a remote-friendly build and handover. Payment for international clients is typically arranged via bank transfer or card, and the USD ranges above are a starting reference, not a fixed rate — we'll confirm the exact number for your project upfront.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to make a website?
Starting from around KSh 25,000 (~$195) for a simple 5-page site, up to KSh 110,000+ (~$855+) for a full online store — the exact cost depends on pages, functionality, and design complexity.
How much does a website cost in Kenya specifically?
Our own published starting prices run from KSh 25,000 to KSh 110,000+ depending on the package, with hosting (KSh 3,000–15,000/year, ~$25–115) and a domain (KSh 1,000–2,500/year, ~$8–20) as separate ongoing costs.
How much does it cost to make a website for a small business?
Most small businesses land in the starter-to-growth range — a straightforward informational site with a handful of pages, without full e-commerce, which is the most cost-effective place to start.
Does the price change for international clients?
The scope-based pricing logic is the same wherever you're based — we quote in your preferred currency, and the USD figures above are an approximate starting reference for that purpose.
Want an exact quote for your project?
Tell us what you need and we'll send a clear, fixed price — no obligation.
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