Engineering
Website Development Cost in India: What Drives the Price and How to Compare Quotes
What actually decides the cost of a website in India, why quotes for the same site vary so much, the running costs after launch, and how to compare quotes fairly.
Arterns TechnologiesUpdated 4 min read
The cost of a website in India depends mainly on four things: how many unique page designs it needs, what it has to do beyond showing information, which systems it connects to, and who builds it. That's why two quotes for "a website" can differ several times over. They're often not quoting the same thing.
We don't publish a price list, because a number without your scope attached is more misleading than helpful. Instead, this guide explains what drives the price, so you can read any quote, including ours, and know what you're paying for.
What kinds of websites are there?
Most projects fall into one of these groups. Each step up adds real work, not just a bigger number.
| Type | What it usually includes | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Brochure site | 5 to 10 pages, contact form, basic SEO setup | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Business site with CMS | Custom design, blog, editable pages, lead forms, analytics | 4 to 6 weeks |
| E-commerce store | Product catalogue, cart, payments, COD, shipping, GST invoices | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Web application | User accounts, dashboards, data from other systems, custom logic | 6 weeks and up |
Timelines assume content and feedback arrive on time. In our experience, waiting for content is one of the most common reasons websites launch late.
What pushes the price up?
Custom design. A site built on a ready-made theme costs less than one designed from scratch in Figma. Custom design is worth it when your brand matters to sales, but every unique page layout adds design and build time.
Number of unique templates, not pages. Twenty blog posts using one layout is cheap. Twenty pages that each look different is not. Ask the developer to count templates, not pages.
Features beyond pages. Booking, calculators, member logins, multi-step forms, search and filters, payments. Each is a small project of its own.
Integrations. Connecting to a CRM, ERP, payment gateway, WhatsApp, Google Sheets or an inventory system often takes longer than building the pages. List every integration up front.
Languages. A Hindi and English site is more than a translation. Each language needs its own pages, URLs and SEO setup.
Content. Writing copy, product descriptions and taking photos is real work. Find out whether the quote includes it or assumes you'll provide it.
SEO and speed. A site built properly for Google, with structured data, clean URLs, fast mobile loading and a sitemap, takes more care than one that just looks good. It's cheaper to do this at the start than to fix later.
Who builds it. A freelancer, a small agency and a large agency will quote very differently for the same scope. The difference usually reflects how much design, testing, project management and support is included.
Why do quotes for the same site vary so much?
Usually for one of these reasons:
- One quote uses a theme, the other a custom design.
- One includes copywriting, SEO setup and testing on real devices; the other doesn't.
- One includes hosting, maintenance or support for a period after launch; the other ends at launch.
- One assumes you'll add all the content yourself.
- One is padded for unknowns because the brief was vague.
Line up quotes in a table with these items as rows. The gaps become obvious quickly.
What does a website cost to run after launch?
The build is only part of the cost. These are the main running costs, with third-party list prices checked on 11 October 2026:
| Item | What it costs |
|---|---|
| Domain name | Renewed every year; the price depends on the extension (.in, .com) and the registrar |
| Hosting for a custom-built site (for example on Vercel) | The free Hobby plan is for personal, non-commercial use only, so a business site needs Pro at $20 per developer seat a month (see Vercel pricing page) |
| Managed WordPress hosting | Varies widely by provider, traffic and support level |
| Online store on Shopify | Basic is ₹1,994 a month billed monthly (₹1,499 a month billed yearly), plus 2% on each order paid through a third-party gateway (see Shopify India pricing page) |
| Payment gateway | Razorpay charges 2% per domestic payment (cards, UPI, net banking) and up to 3% on international cards, plus 18% GST on the fee, with no setup fee (see Razorpay pricing page) |
| Database, if your site has user logins or dashboards | Supabase has a free plan (free projects pause after a week of inactivity) and Pro at $25 a month (see Supabase pricing page) |
| Google Business Profile | Free |
| Business email | Per user per month, from providers such as Google Workspace or Zoho |
| Maintenance and SEO | Depends on scope: updates, backups, security, content |
Prices change, so check each provider's page before you budget. Then ask every developer for an estimate of the yearly running cost, not just the build price.
How do you get an accurate quote?
Give every developer the same clear brief. You don't need anything fancy, one page is enough. The essentials are:
- What the site is for, and how you'll measure success
- The pages and templates you think you need
- Features beyond pages, and every system it must connect to
- Who will write content and provide photos
- Examples of sites you like
- Your deadline and a budget range
Sharing a budget range helps. A good developer will tell you what's realistic for it, instead of quoting an ideal version you can't afford.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is this a custom design or a theme? How many unique templates are included?
- What exactly is included: content, SEO setup, testing, training, support?
- What will it cost to run each year?
- Who owns the code, the domain and the hosting account? (It should be you.)
- How many rounds of changes are included, and how are extra changes priced?
- What happens if the timeline slips because of either side?
What would we do?
After a free 30-minute call, we send a written plan that splits the project into milestones, each with a clear deliverable and a fixed price. You pay as each milestone is accepted. We'll tell you if a theme would serve you better than a custom design, and we'll list running costs up front. You can see what's included in our builds on the web development and e-commerce development pages.
If you have a quote you'd like a second opinion on, or want an estimate for your own site, book a free call.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a website cost in India?
It depends mostly on custom design versus a theme, the number of unique page templates, features like booking or payments, and integrations with other systems. Get a written quote based on a clear brief, and compare what each quote includes, not just the total.
Why is one quote so much cheaper than another?
Usually because it includes less: a theme instead of custom design, no copywriting or SEO setup, no testing on real devices, or no support after launch. Compare quotes line by line.
How long does it take to build a website?
A simple business site typically takes 3 to 6 weeks and an online store 4 to 8 weeks, provided content and feedback arrive on time.
Do I own my website after it's built?
You should. Make sure the domain, hosting account and code are in your name, and that the contract says so.
