How much does a website cost in South Africa?
Basic Website Package — R2,500 once-off; Professional Website Package with Dashboard — R3,500 once-off. Website development fees are once-off. Basic Maintenance — R150 per month; Business Maintenance — R350 per month; Premium Maintenance — R650 per month. Maintenance fees recur monthly and are separate from development and software subscriptions.
What actually drives the price
Website quotes vary widely because the word 'website' covers everything from a single landing page to a full online store. These are the factors that move a quote the most:
- Number of pages — five well-built pages cost far less than twenty.
- E-commerce — a catalogue, cart and checkout add significant scope.
- Custom design versus a template adaptation.
- Content — whether you supply copy and photos or need them produced.
- Functionality — bookings, dashboards, member areas and integrations.
- SEO depth — basic on-page setup versus a full keyword and content strategy.
General market estimates — not Dorbyl package prices
- R3 000 – R6 000: a compact brochure site, roughly five pages, mobile-first, contact form and WhatsApp.
- R6 000 – R15 000: a fuller business site with more pages, deeper SEO setup, a blog or portfolio, and lead capture.
- R15 000 – R40 000+: e-commerce, booking systems, custom dashboards or multi-service structures.
- General market estimates, not Dorbyl package inclusions: domain roughly R150 – R300 per year and hosting from about R80 per month.
- Basic Maintenance — R150 per month; Business Maintenance — R350 per month; Premium Maintenance — R650 per month.
Why the cheapest quote is often the most expensive
A very low quote usually means a template with placeholder content, no SEO structure, and no support after launch. Businesses commonly pay twice: once for the cheap site, and again eighteen months later to rebuild it properly.
The useful question is not 'what does a website cost?' but 'what does this website need to do?' A site that produces two extra enquiries a month justifies its cost quickly; a site that produces none was expensive at any price.
How to budget sensibly
- Decide the single most important action a visitor should take — call, message, book or buy.
- List the pages genuinely required to support that action.
- Separate once-off build cost from ongoing running cost.
- Budget for content: photography and copy are what make a site look expensive.
- Leave room for a maintenance plan so the site does not decay.
Our recommendation
For most South African small businesses, a well-structured five to eight page website with proper SEO foundations, real photography and a clear enquiry path is the right starting point. Add e-commerce or custom systems once the core site is proving itself.
Our pricing page lists the confirmed website development and maintenance fees. Package scope, hosting and domain arrangements should be confirmed before proceeding.