Do you have an idea for a custom-made website and need a web designer to bring it to life? First, you must consider your budget and the price of available web designers. A common misconception is that web designing is an expensive endeavour, leading many businesses to waste money on hiring cheap web designers.
In reality, web design can be very cost-effective, especially when you consider the potential savings. By setting clear budget expectations and choosing a skilled web designer, you can save significantly. A well-designed website often provides value that far exceeds its initial cost.
This article will highlight the average pricing and value of web design and give you tips on how to manage your web design budget.
The Importance of Website Design
As the world becomes ever more connected through the internet, having a strong online presence is crucial for a business to succeed. Your website often serves as the first impression of your brand, and can significantly impact whether they become repeat customers. Therefore, teaming up with a professional web design company is essential to ensure the success of your website and, consequently, your business.
Factors Affecting Web Design Cost
Web design costs change across the board, but some factors can affect the pricing and value of your web development process. They are:
-
Website design requirements
Several key elements of effective web design can significantly impact your website development costs. For instance, a top-notch UI/UX design may seem like a hefty investment. Still, its ability to enhance user experience and drive customer engagement designer makes it a cost-effective choice in the long run.
-
Size of website
The number of pages is an overlooked but significant factor in website design costs. Depending on the quality you are after, the average price per page in Malaysia can be RM200 at the lowest to RM800+ at the highest. For example, a 12-page website in Malaysia will cost around RM3,600 to RM12,000.
-
Functionality and features
If your website has a lot of different features (i.e. login area, custom forms, e-commerce functionality, video content, etc.), you’ll have to pay more than for a simpler site.
-
Customisation and uniqueness
Customising your website is the best way to improve your online presence and drive up SEO scores. But customisation adds complexity to your site, potentially increasing your costs. While a basic template-based web design will cost around RM2,500 to RM12,000+ in Malaysia, a fully customised website can cost anywhere from RM8,000 to RM100,000. Of course, a well-designed custom website will bring in more income from converted customers, more than making up for the higher prices.
-
Platform
Using an open-source CMS like WordPress or Drupal may be cheaper than using a custom-built content management system or platform.
-
Domain name
Although domain names are not a part of website design, it is a cost you need to pay in order to own a website. If you wish to own a website in Malaysia, you will need to pay RM80 per year in order to use the .com.my domain name or RM120 per year for the .my domain name.
-
Website hosting
The quality and type of your website host can affect your site’s costs. Shared web hosting is cheap and easy to set up, making it suitable for newer websites which don’t expect too much traffic. Dedicated hosting is more expensive by comparison; for this reason, it’s largely used when a website has a lot of traffic or when more server control is required.
-
Type of website
Basic template-based websites with barebones features are significantly cheaper compared to custom-made websites with tons of unique features and custom functions like SEO optimisation and social media compatibility.
-
Development timeframe
If you need your web design project completed quickly within a certain time frame, the web design company may add additional costs for expedited work.
-
Developer’s expertise
An experienced web design company staffed by professionals and specialists will naturally charge higher rates for their skill and quality of work.
-
Web maintenance and support requirements
Creating a website is just the first step. You will also need to provide post-launch maintenance and technical support in order to ensure that everything runs smoothly and your customers remain satisfied. These will, of course, contribute to ongoing costs and depending on how well everything is maintained, the costs may either add up or be covered by your profits.
-
Additional services
If you’re planning on services like SEO optimisation, ongoing website maintenance and support, graphic design and content creation, you’ll have to pay more for the additional features and functions required to support such services.
-
Location and market rates
Whether you’re a local Malaysian business or aiming to hit globally, web design rates can vary greatly depending on the country and the prevailing market rates in the area.
The Average Cost of Web Design in Malaysia
If you’re a Malaysian business hoping to establish a strong online presence, you’ll first need to look at the average cost of web design in this country. Depending on your marketing goal, the web design cost can start from RM4,000 inclusive of web services.
Here’s a breakdown of the prices involved in designing a website in Malaysia:
| Features | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Domain Name | RM60 – 200 Per Year |
| Web Hosting | RM200 – 3,000+ Per Year |
| Website Design | Template-based : RM 2,500 – 12,000+
Fully Customised: RM 10,000 - 100,000+ |
| Development and Programming | RM 6,000 – 20,000+ |
| Content Creation | RM500 – 5,000+ |
| E-commerce Functionality | RM 5,000 – 50,000+ |
| Maintenance and Updates | RM500 – 3,000+ Per Month |
The types of web design packages you use can also affect the price of your web design project. Here are some common web design packages used in Malaysia:
-
Basic
Complexity: Easy, simple template
Duration: 1 to 2 weeks
Price: RM500 to RM3,000 per year
Expertise: DIY, students or part-timers
-
Semi-pro
Complexity: Moderate, looks okay with a few features
Duration: 1 to 2 months
Price: From RM5,000 per engagement
Expertise: Freelancers, solo business or part-timers
-
Professional
Complexity: Moderate, looks great with lots of features that generate leads
Duration: From 3 months
Price: Up to RM30,000 per engagement
Expertise: Web design company
-
Custom
Complexity: Difficult; you choose the features and how unique the site is
Duration: From 6 months above
Price: From RM50,000 above
Expertise: IT vendors + Web design company
Setting your Budget Expectations
Now that you are familiar with average web design costs in Malaysia, it is time to set up your budget. Here’s a list of important things to consider when setting aside your web design budget:
- Choose the domain name you want.
- Determine the number of pages on your site.
- The level of customisation you seek.
- Decide on the type of website you’re building.
- Decide whether you want to create a new site from the ground up or refurbish an existing site or template.
- Consider your predicted traffic and what type of web host you need.
- Decide on your website’s features and integrations with other software.
- Hosting, maintenance, technical support and other post-launch requirements.
- Find a professional web design company that fits within your budget.
Remember, if you want a successfully-designed website, you need to set realistic costs that fit within your budget. Hiring a cheap web design company may be light on your budget, but if the resulting website needs to be adequately redesigned, then the price you paid may not be worth it.
Start a Cost-effective Web Design with Bikebear!
The businesses with the biggest online presence are the ones who choose quality over cost, partnering up with a reliable and cost-effective web design company like Bikebear. Our team of professionals is dedicated to building award-winning web designs that are simultaneously appealing, user-friendly and affordable.
Want to start a paw-some project with us? Contact us now, and we’ll discuss the prices.
