One of the first things people ask when they reach out about a new WordPress site is: “How much is this going to cost?”
Fair question — but like a lot of things in web development, the answer is: it depends. The price can vary a lot depending on what kind of site you need, how custom it needs to be, and who you hire to build it.
Here’s a breakdown to give you a realistic idea of what to expect, especially if you’re thinking about working with someone like me (I charge $90/hour).
Freelancers vs. Agencies
If you’re hiring a freelancer, rates usually fall anywhere from $50 to $150/hour. I land somewhere in the middle at $90/hour. For most small-to-medium WordPress projects, you’re looking at a total cost between $3,600 and $18,000 depending on the size and scope of the site, and if it’s going to use a pre-built theme or a custom build.
Agencies tend to charge more — think $25,000 to $75,000+ — since you’re working with a full team (project managers, designers, developers, copywriters, etc.). That can make sense for larger companies, but if you want to work directly with the person building your site and avoid the agency overhead, a freelancer is often the better fit.
Theme-Based vs. Custom Build
A lot of sites these days are built on premium WordPress themes, and for good reason — they’re fast to set up, cost-effective, and flexible. If I’m customizing a theme to match your branding and content, that usually falls in the $3,600 to $5,400 range.
If you want something built from scratch with a custom design and no reliance on third-party themes, and a bunch of plugins (often paid) that’s more time-intensive and typically starts around $12,000 and goes up from there depending on requested features.
What’s Included in That Price?
Every project is a little different, but here’s what a typical WordPress site build might include:
- Discovery & planning
- Design (or theme selection & customization)
- Development
- Browser and Responsive Testing
- Basic SEO setup
- Speed optimization
- A few training sessions and documentation
- Revisions based on feedback
Hosting, premium plugin licenses, content creation (like copy or photos), and ongoing maintenance are usually separate, but I can help guide you through those pieces too.
What About After Launch?
Once your site is live, there are a few things to budget for:
- Hosting: $10–$150+/month depending on the provider and size of the site
- Premium plugins or tools: Many have yearly license renewals in order to receive continued updates
- Maintenance & updates: Some clients handle this themselves, others hire me to take care of it monthly or quarterly
I also offer ongoing support for tweaks, updates, or feature additions — billed hourly at $90.
Ballpark Estimates
To give you a rough idea:
- Basic WordPress site (brochure-style, 4–6 pages), using prebuilt theme: $3,600–$5,500+
- Custom WordPress site (unique design, more features, less plugins): Starting at $12,000
These are typical ranges. I always provide a personalized estimate based on your specific needs — no cookie-cutter quotes.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, a website is an investment. And it should feel like a good one. My job isn’t just to build you something that looks good — it’s to create a site that supports your goals and actually works for your business.
If you’re curious what your site might cost or want to talk through a project, I’m happy to chat. No pressure, no upsells — just real talk.
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