What public price pages say in 2026
About these figures: the ranges below are observed public market ranges taken from price pages and guides published by Indian hosting companies and web development firms in 2026. Each one is linked and dated. They are not Shreem Digital's prices and they are not a quote. Hostinger states its figures exclude GST; check the others before assuming tax is included. Prices change, so check the source and date before relying on them.
We compared three publicly available Indian pricing guides published or updated in 2026. They do not agree exactly, which is itself useful: it shows how much the answer depends on who builds the site and what is included.
| Type of website | Hostinger India (Feb 2026) | Weblink India (Jan 2026) | Fuzen (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder (you build it) | ₹2,000–₹6,000 a year for a basic plan | – | ₹5,000–₹30,000 a year |
| Freelancer-built business site | ₹10,000–₹40,000 (small static); ₹40,000–₹1,50,000 (dynamic) | – | ₹10,000–₹50,000 |
| Basic business site, 5–7 pages | – | ₹8,000–₹15,000 | – |
| CMS / WordPress business site | ₹15,000–₹40,000 (partly customised WordPress, freelancer) | ₹15,000–₹35,000 | – |
| Agency-built small business site | ₹50,000–₹1,50,000 | – | ₹50,000–₹2,00,000 |
| E-commerce site | ₹1,50,000–₹4,00,000+ (agency) | ₹30,000–₹1,00,000+ | ₹50,000–₹3,00,000+ |
| Custom platform or web application | ₹2,50,000–₹10,00,000+ | ₹80,000–₹2,00,000+ (custom site or portal) | ₹2,00,000–₹15,00,000+ |
Sources: Hostinger India, Weblink India, Fuzen. Hostinger states its prices exclude GST. A dash means that source did not give a figure for that category.
Two things stand out. First, the same category can differ by several times between sources, especially for e-commerce. Second, none of these figures tells you what work is included. That is the part you need to find out for yourself.
Why the same five-page website can cost ₹10,000 or ₹1,50,000
A short brief such as "five pages, a contact form and mobile-friendly" can be delivered in very different ways. These are the factors that usually move the price.
Who does the thinking
A low-cost build often assumes you already know which pages you need, what each should say and what a visitor should do next. A higher quote may include that planning: understanding your customers, mapping the pages and deciding how enquiries should flow. If you are unsure what the site should achieve, this work is often worth more than the visual design.
Template or custom design
A purchased theme with your logo and colours added is quicker than a design created for your business. Neither is automatically better. A well-chosen template can work well for a straightforward service business. Custom design makes more sense when your offer needs explaining in a particular way or the template is getting in the way.
Who writes the words
Copywriting is one of the most common hidden variables. Some quotes assume you will send all the text and photos. Others include writing service pages, editing your drafts or translating content. If you need pages in English, Hindi and Marathi, translation and checking each version add time.
Features and integrations
Each of these adds work, testing and sometimes a monthly fee:
- online payments or a product catalogue;
- appointment booking;
- a CRM or WhatsApp connection for enquiries;
- customer logins or member areas;
- multilingual versions;
- connections to accounting, inventory or delivery systems.
Search groundwork
A new site still needs sensible page titles, descriptions, headings, a sitemap and analytics. If you are replacing an existing website, it also needs a plan for old addresses, so pages that already bring visitors are redirected to the right replacement. Google publishes guidance on site moves with URL changes; a cheaper quote may not include this work.
Speed, accessibility and testing
Making a site load quickly on a mid-range phone over mobile data, work with a keyboard and display properly across browsers takes time. Google's Core Web Vitals describe useful measures of loading speed, responsiveness and visual stability. Ask whether testing on real phones and a check of every form are included.
Revisions and project management
The number of review rounds, who collects feedback and how changes are handled all affect the price. A quote with "unlimited revisions" can sound generous but often means the scope has not been defined.
The running costs people forget
The build is a one-off cost. A website also has costs every year. Public 2026 figures from Hostinger India, before GST:
| Running cost | Typical published range |
|---|---|
| Domain registration or renewal | ₹500–₹1,500 a year |
| Shared hosting | ₹2,000–₹5,000 a year |
| Managed WordPress hosting | ₹3,000–₹8,000 a year |
| Outsourced maintenance, small site | ₹1,500–₹10,000 a year |
| Maintenance, larger e-commerce site | ₹10,000–₹25,000 a year |
| Premium e-commerce plugins | ₹2,000–₹10,000 a year |
| Payment gateway fees | around 2–3% per transaction |
Add to these anything specific to your site: business email, premium themes or plugins, stock photos, booking software and time spent updating content. Hosting is often advertised at an introductory rate, so check the renewal price as well as the first-year price.
Which option suits which business
A DIY website builder suits a new business that needs a simple online presence quickly and has someone with time to build and update it. You pay less, but your time is part of the cost.
A freelancer suits a small, well-defined site where you can provide the content and make decisions quickly. Check who will look after updates, security and hosting if the freelancer becomes unavailable.
An agency usually suits a business that wants planning, copy, design, development and ongoing support from one accountable team, or a site with integrations that need to work reliably.
A hosted e-commerce platform can suit a product business that wants payments, inventory and shipping handled by an established system. Compare the monthly plan and transaction fees on the platform's own pricing page.
How to get quotes you can actually compare
Comparing totals without comparing scope rarely helps. Send each supplier the same short brief: what your business does, who your customers are, the pages you think you need, the features you need, who will provide text and photos, and your timeline. Our guide to writing a website brief covers this in more detail.
Then ask for a fixed-scope written quote that answers these questions:
- [ ] Which pages and features are included, and how many review rounds?
- [ ] Who writes, edits or translates the content?
- [ ] Is the domain registered in your name, with you holding the login?
- [ ] Who owns the hosting account, design files and code once the work is paid for?
- [ ] Are basic SEO set-up, analytics and Search Console included?
- [ ] If this replaces an old site, are redirects and checks after launch included?
- [ ] What support is included after launch, and what does ongoing maintenance cost?
- [ ] What is not included: stock images, plugins, paid software, advertising, extra pages?
- [ ] Is GST included, and will you receive a GST invoice?
- [ ] Is there a minimum contract or lock-in for hosting or maintenance?
Warning signs in any quote
Be cautious if a quote:
- does not list pages, features or revision rounds;
- registers the domain or hosting in the supplier's name without saying so;
- guarantees search rankings or a number of enquiries;
- bundles years of hosting or maintenance you cannot cancel;
- is far below every other quote without explaining what has been left out.
A higher price is not proof of better work either. Ask what the extra money buys and whether you need it now.
A sensible way to budget
If your budget is limited, phase the work. Start with the pages that matter most to enquiries (home, your main services, contact) and a reliable enquiry route, then add features once you know what customers use. Keep about a year's running costs in your budget from the start, so hosting renewals and small fixes do not become a surprise.
If you would like an outside view before you request quotes, our free website and SEO audit gives you a 10-point scorecard and a recorded walkthrough within three working days. When you are ready for a quote, our website design and development service for Indian businesses works from a fixed-scope written proposal, with no lock-in, and you own the accounts and files. Once the site is live, our local SEO checklist for Pune and Maharashtra businesses covers the next steps.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum cost of a business website in India?On a do-it-yourself website builder, public price pages published in 2026 put a basic plan at roughly ₹2,000–₹6,000 a year before GST, plus a domain. That assumes you write the content, design the pages and maintain the site yourself.
Why do quotes for the same website vary so much?Quotes often describe different work. One may be a template with your logo added; another may include planning, copywriting, custom design, integrations, testing and training. Ask each supplier to list pages, features, revisions, ownership and exclusions so you can compare like with like.
Is GST included in website prices in India?Often not. Some public price pages, such as Hostinger India's, state that their figures exclude GST, and many quotes add it separately. Ask every supplier to confirm whether tax is included and whether they will issue a GST invoice.
How much does it cost to maintain a website each year?Public 2026 price pages show domain renewal at roughly ₹500–₹1,500 a year, shared or managed hosting at roughly ₹2,000–₹8,000 a year, and outsourced maintenance for a small site at roughly ₹1,500–₹10,000 a year. E-commerce sites usually cost more to run.
Should I choose a freelancer or an agency?A capable freelancer can suit a small, well-defined site if you can provide the content and decisions. An agency usually suits projects that need strategy, copy, design, development and ongoing support from one accountable team. In both cases, check ownership, support and the written scope.