By the Phnix Tech team, Sydney · Published November 2026 · Last updated November 2026
Most web design packages look the same on the surface. Three columns, three prices, a list of ticks. Basic, Business, Ecommerce. The trouble is that the same word means different things at different agencies. A "Business package" at $2,000 and a "Business package" at $7,000 can be completely different products, and the quote rarely explains why.
This guide explains what each tier of website design packages actually contains, what each budget buys, and what the price on the page leaves out. You will find a line-by-line cost breakdown for each tier, the yearly running costs, 10% GST, a three-year total, a break-even table, a seven-question guide to choosing, and a checklist for comparing quotes. It is written for Sydney and Australian business owners who are choosing between a basic website, a full business website and an online store.
All prices are in Australian dollars and exclude GST unless stated.
| Basic | Business | Ecommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $1,500 to $3,500 | $3,500 to $8,000 | $5,000 to $15,000+ |
| What it is | A small, professional brochure site | A custom multi-page site with a content management system | An online store with cart, checkout and payments |
| Typical size | 4 to 6 pages | 8 to 15 pages | A catalogue of products, plus core pages |
| Design | Theme-based, customised to your brand | Custom layout around your customers | Custom or heavily adapted store design |
| Main goal | Look credible and be contactable | Win enquiries and rank in search | Take orders and payments |
| Three-year cost, with GST | About $6,500 | About $13,400 | About $21,200 |
| Best for | New business, sole trader, local service | Established small business, clinic, firm, trades business | Retailers, makers, wholesalers selling online |
Phnix Tech publishes these three ranges for website design: $1,500 to $3,500 for a small business website, $3,500 to $8,000 for a custom multi-page website with a CMS, and $5,000 to $15,000 and above for an ecommerce store. The three-year costs in the table come from the model later in this article, which adds domain, hosting, maintenance and GST.
For comparison, Bark's Australian pricing guide gives brochure sites at $500 to $1,775, custom business sites at $3,000 to $15,000 and simple ecommerce from $8,000. Ranges overlap between providers because each provider bundles different work. That is the reason to compare what is inside a package, not only its price.
A package is a bundle of separate jobs. When you compare website design packages, check every one of these lines:
Two packages with the same price can differ on five or six of these lines. The next three sections show what each tier usually puts on each line.
A Basic package suits a business that needs to be found and trusted online, without a large number of pages or special features.
| Cost line | Typical range (AUD, before GST) |
|---|---|
| Design and layout | 400 to 900 |
| Development (4 to 6 pages) | 500 to 1,000 |
| Content writing | 300 to 700 |
| Images | 0 to 200 |
| On-page SEO setup | 150 to 350 |
| Speed, forms and analytics | 150 to 350 |
| Total build | $1,500 to $3,500 |
A new business, a sole trader, a tradie, a consultant or a local service that already wins work through referrals and needs a credible website to confirm it. Also a business testing an idea before investing more.
A Business package moves from "a website" to "a website that works for you." Design is built around your customers, content is planned around what they search, and the CMS lets you grow.
| Cost line | Typical range (AUD, before GST) |
|---|---|
| Design and layout | 1,000 to 2,200 |
| Development and CMS | 1,000 to 2,200 |
| Content writing and planning | 600 to 1,300 |
| Images or a small photo shoot | 200 to 600 |
| SEO setup | 400 to 800 |
| Speed, forms and integrations | 300 to 900 |
| Total build | $3,500 to $8,000 |
A clinic, accounting or legal practice, building or trades company, school or professional service, where trust and search visibility decide whether people call. It also suits any business that sells several services and wants each one to rank on its own page.
Ecommerce is the biggest jump because it adds a store: product catalogue, cart, checkout, payments, shipping and tax settings.
| Cost line | Typical range (AUD, before GST) |
|---|---|
| Design and layout | 1,200 to 3,500 |
| Store development (catalogue, cart, checkout) | 1,800 to 5,000 |
| Payments and shipping setup | 400 to 1,500 |
| Product data entry or import | 300 to 1,500 |
| Content writing | 500 to 1,500 |
| SEO setup | 500 to 1,200 |
| Speed, security and integrations | 300 to 800 |
| Total build | $5,000 to $15,000+ |
The top of the range moves much higher for large catalogues, custom features, stock-system integration and complex shipping.
A retailer, maker, wholesaler or brand that sells products online and has product photos, stock levels and a plan to attract shoppers. If you sell a handful of items, ask whether a Business site with a simple payment link would do the job for less. Our ecommerce development in Sydney page explains the options.
Another way to read web design packages is by budget. Here is what a given amount usually gets you in the Sydney market.
| Budget (before GST) | What it usually buys | What you probably give up |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500 | Basic site, theme-based, 4 to 5 pages, you supply most content | Custom design, content writing, advanced SEO |
| $3,500 | A stronger Basic site, or the entry point of a Business site with 8 pages and some content | Photography, integrations, extra service pages |
| $5,000 | A Business site with custom design and SEO setup, or a simple online store with a small catalogue | Large catalogue, custom features |
| $8,000 | A full Business site with 12 to 15 pages, content planning and integrations, or a mid-sized store | Bespoke functionality |
| $15,000 | A large store or a site with custom features, integrations and a substantial content plan | Little. Spend the money only if the business case is clear |
If your budget sits on a boundary, such as $3,500, the right question is which package you could grow into, not which one you can just afford.
Every package has running costs. Some are in the price for the first year only.
| Yearly cost | Basic | Business | Ecommerce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain name | $20 to $50 | $20 to $50 | $20 to $50 |
| Hosting | About $200 to $400 | About $400 to $900 | About $500 to $1,500, or a platform plan |
| SSL certificate | Usually included | Usually included | Usually included |
| Maintenance and updates (optional but advisable) | $100 to $300 a month | $150 to $350 a month | $250 to $600 a month |
Hosting and maintenance ranges follow typical Australian pricing. Bark gives shared hosting at $10 to $30 a month and managed WordPress at $30 to $100 a month, and basic maintenance at $100 to $300 a month. A site that never gets updated becomes slower and less secure, so budget for it.
Some providers include 12 months of hosting. Imagineering, for example, lists hosting free for the first 12 months, then $20 a month. Always ask what happens in year two.
Website design is a taxable service, so GST of 10% is added to the price if the provider is registered. If your own business is registered for GST, you can usually claim the GST back as an input tax credit. Whether the website cost is deductible, and how, is a question for your accountant. Always ask whether a quote is "inclusive" or "exclusive" of GST. A $5,000 quote becomes $5,500 on the invoice.
Comparing day-one prices hides the real cost. These scenarios use a mid-range build for each tier and add domain, hosting and maintenance from year two.
| Basic | Business | Ecommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost | 2,500 | 5,500 | 9,000 |
| Domain and hosting, per year | 330 | 630 | 1,030 |
| Maintenance, per year, from year two | 1,200 ($100 a month) | 2,400 ($200 a month) | 3,600 ($300 a month) |
| Year 1 | 2,830 | 6,130 | 10,030 |
| Year 2 | 1,530 | 3,030 | 4,630 |
| Year 3 | 1,530 | 3,030 | 4,630 |
| Three-year total, before GST | 5,890 | 12,190 | 19,290 |
| Three-year total, with 10% GST | About $6,480 | About $13,400 | About $21,200 |
| Average cost per month | About $180 | About $372 | About $589 |
Payment processing fees for an online store are not included because they depend on your sales. They are the largest cost difference between ecommerce and the other two tiers over time.
A website is an investment. The question is how many new customers it must bring in over three years to repay its full cost. The answer depends on your profit from one customer, not the amount they pay you.
| Profit per new customer | Basic ($6,480) | Business ($13,400) |
|---|---|---|
| $100 (a low-value job or product) | 65 customers | 135 customers |
| $500 (a typical small service job) | 13 customers | 27 customers |
| $2,000 (a large job or a clinic treatment plan) | 4 customers | 7 customers |
For an online store, the measure is orders. At a profit of $15, $30 or $60 per order after costs, the three-year cost of $21,200 is repaid by about 1,415, 708 or 354 orders. That works out at roughly 39, 20 or 10 orders a month for 36 months.
Treat these as planning figures. They assume the customers came through the website and not through other marketing, which you should check against your own enquiry records.
Answer these seven questions. The tier with the most "yes" answers is likely your fit.
A short rule of thumb. If you sell services, choose between Basic and Business. If you sell products and want orders online, choose Ecommerce. If you sell a handful of products or a small number of services that you can quote individually, a Business site with a payment link or enquiry form may be enough.
Yes, and planning for it saves money. When you start with Basic and move to Business, these items carry over:
What usually does not carry over is a theme-based design, which gets replaced. To avoid paying twice, ask these questions at the start:
| Business | Basic (4 to 6 pages) | Business (8 to 15 pages) |
|---|---|---|
| Tradie or home services | Home, Services, Gallery, Reviews, Contact | Home, a page per service, areas served, About, Gallery, Reviews, Contact |
| Clinic or dental practice | Home, Treatments, Team, Contact | Home, a page per treatment, Team, Patient information, Reviews, Contact |
| Accountant or lawyer | Home, Services, About, Contact | Home, a page per practice area, About, Insights, Contact |
| Cafe or restaurant | Home, Menu, Gallery, Contact | Home, Menu, Catering, Events, Gallery, About, Contact |
Local businesses can also benefit from one page for each main suburb or area served, as long as each page has unique, genuinely local content. You can see how we approach this in our guide to web design for dentists and clinics in Parramatta and Westmead.
| Stage | Basic | Business | Ecommerce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brief and content collection | Week 1 | Weeks 1 to 2 | Weeks 1 to 2 |
| Design | Week 1 to 2 | Weeks 2 to 3 | Weeks 2 to 4 |
| Build, testing and launch | Weeks 2 to 3 | Weeks 3 to 5 | Weeks 4 to 8 |
| Typical total | 2 to 3 weeks | 4 to 6 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
The most common cause of delay is waiting for the business owner's text, photos and approvals. Send your logo, service list and photos at the start and you can save a week or more. Product data entry can add time to an ecommerce build.
Reasonable agencies take payment in stages, for example a deposit to start, a second payment at design approval and a final payment before launch. Be cautious if you are asked for the full amount before seeing any work, or if the provider holds your domain or files until a dispute is settled.
Ask each provider to answer these questions in writing:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is GST included in the price? | A quote exclusive of GST is 10% higher on the invoice |
| Who writes the content, and for how many pages? | Content is often the largest hidden cost |
| How many pages are included, and what does an extra page cost? | Page creep is common |
| Are hosting and domain included, and for how long? | Many offers cover only year one |
| What is the price in year two? | Introductory prices often rise |
| Will the domain and hosting be in my name? | You should own your website |
| What does SEO setup include? | "SEO included" can mean very little |
| How many design revisions are included? | Two to three rounds is normal |
| How long is free support after launch? | Ranges from 30 days to several months |
| Can I edit the site myself? | Avoids paying for every small change |
| What is the payment schedule? | Staged payments protect you |
A package that cannot answer these is not necessarily dishonest, but it is not ready to compare.
They are bundles of web design work sold at fixed prices, usually in three tiers. Each tier sets the number of pages, the type of design, the features and the support included.
A basic website is a small brochure site that makes you findable and credible. A business website is a custom multi-page site built to win enquiries and rank in search. An ecommerce website is an online store that takes orders and payments.
Typically $1,500 to $3,500 for a basic site, $3,500 to $8,000 for a business site, and $5,000 to $15,000 or more for an ecommerce store. Prices vary by provider and by what is bundled.
Common inclusions are design, page build, mobile responsiveness, basic SEO setup, contact forms and training. Content writing, photography, hosting, maintenance and online store features are often listed separately. Check each line.
Sometimes for the first year only. Ask for the year-two cost in writing.
Yes, 10% GST is added if the provider is registered for GST. Confirm whether the quote is inclusive or exclusive. If your business is registered, you can usually claim the GST back.
Yes, if the platform can grow and your domain, content and analytics are in your name. A theme-based design is usually replaced, so plan the page structure early.
About 2 to 3 weeks for a basic site, 4 to 6 weeks for a business site and 6 to 10 weeks for an online store, assuming your content arrives on time.
If you want customers to add products to a cart and pay online, choose ecommerce. If you quote jobs individually or sell a few products, a business site with an enquiry form or payment link can cost much less.
It can, particularly for local searches, if the pages are well written, load quickly and target what your customers search for. Rankings also depend on competition, reviews and links, and no one can guarantee a position.
Tell us what you sell, who your customers are and which tier you are considering. We will send a clear, fixed-price quote that lists the build, the yearly costs and GST on separate lines, so you can compare it with any other quote you hold. You can also see our recent projects, read our testimonials or explore our website design in Sydney service.
