Website Development Costs: What to Expect

Building a website isn’t just about programming and design; it’s about establishing a strategic powerhouse for your online business. Every page, feature, and detail plays a role in shaping your reputation, attracting customers, streamlining operations, and achieving key business goals.

The cost of developing a website hinges on factors like its purpose, functionality, and design complexity. Do you want a simple landing page highlighting your services or a full-featured platform with advanced analytics integration, payment systems, and personalized user experiences? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but we’re here to help you figure it out.

Current costs of website development in Ukraine

Let’s break down the approximate cost of creating a website depending on the type of website.

There is a big difference between setting up a simple blog and building an enterprise platform with sophisticated integrations. On average, you can expect the following costs for the different types of websites:

Each website type has its complexities, some of which may not be immediately apparent. Let’s take a closer look at the details.

Corporate websites: beyond the business card

A company website is a digital reflection of your identity and brand language. It is often the first port of call for anyone wanting to learn more about your company. These websites can range from simple, minimalist designs with a handful of pages to complex platforms with content management systems and advanced functionalities.

Developing a company website requires more than just basic design and structure. It also includes thoughtful organization of content, suitability for mobile devices, and SEO settings on the tech level. The cost rises when you aim to transform your website into a powerful customer acquisition tool. And why? This level of performance often requires integrations with CRM systems, process automation, and advanced data management and analytics features.

A quality corporate website is never just a pre-built template. It requires careful planning, a deep understanding of your business goals, and consideration of industry-specific requirements. These customized requirements and advanced features significantly impact the final cost. Here’s what you need to know:

Online store: beyond a simple catalog

An online store takes a website to the next level. It’s a platform for browsing and buying, where customers can interact with your brand and discover various products. As a hub for your business, it must be efficient, reliable, and work seamlessly.

Creating an online store is a meticulous process. Every detail is essential, from intuitive navigation and a smooth shopping experience to integrating payment systems, delivery services, and inventory management. You must also consider important aspects such as data protection, optimizing loading speed, and responsive mobile device designs.

The number of functions you integrate directly impacts the time and resources required. An uncomplicated catalog is a simple store with a few product categories and essential functions. In contrast, a large store with thousands of products, advanced filters, price comparison tools, special offers, and ERP system integrations is a more significant challenge.

When your goal is not just to sell but to create a customized shopping experience tailored to your business’s needs and the complexity of e-commerce, the cost naturally increases. Every aspect, from security to scalability, shapes the customer experience and the final project cost.

Portal: the hub of B2B relationships

A portal goes beyond the scope of a traditional website. It is a robust business tool that centralizes key processes and interactions. Its primary role is streamlining operations, fostering connections between employees, customers, and partners, and providing round-the-clock access to critical information and services.

A portal is a large-scale, multi-functional platform that handles large volumes of data — orders, products, reports, and more. It is optimized to deliver uninterrupted transaction flows, transactions, and requests, provide quick access to various functions such as product catalogs, analytics tools, or order management systems, and deliver exceptional performance even under heavy use.

Developing a corporate portal is a complex, multi-layered undertaking. It involves thorough analysis, careful design, advanced development, implementation of specialized features, rigorous testing, and integrations. Below are some common types of enterprise portals, each tailored to specific business requirements:

• A B2B portal aims to enhance interaction with business partners, streamline processes, and promote efficiency. Key features include electronic document management, product catalogs, delivery tracking, CRM/ERP integration, and advanced analytics and reporting. The functionality is designed to strengthen relationships between companies and improve collaboration.
• A B2C portal is aimed at end consumers and provides a user-friendly experience focused on services or goods. Features such as user accounts, personalized content, order histories, reservations, and loyalty programs create a dynamic and engaging platform that increases customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• The B2E portal is designed for employees and provides tools to improve internal communication and increase productivity. Features include project management systems, HR resources, work plans, gamification elements, training modules, and multi-level data access that ensures smooth workflows and improved team collaboration.
• The purpose of the B2Edu portal is to bring together students, teachers, and administrators in educational institutions. It provides access to teaching materials, lesson plans, forums, multimedia resources, online payment systems, and collaboration tools, creating a central hub for academic activities and administration.
• Medical portals focus on managing patient records and medical histories with secure data storage and sharing. They support online consultations, appointment scheduling, medication searches, and information exchange between patients and healthcare providers, ensuring optimized and safe healthcare.
• Financial portals are designed for banking and financial services and integrate functions such as advanced payment systems, economic analysis, account management, and investment tools. These platforms provide a comprehensive solution for investors, financial institutions, and customers managing their financial activities.
• A logistics portal optimizes supply chain management by automating workflows and improving delivery efficiency. Key features include route optimization, delivery organization, integration with delivery service APIs, automatic document generation, and detailed analytics that provide companies with an optimized logistics solution.

You should be prepared for some unique challenges when developing a company portal. High-security standards and integration with various databases and servers capable of handling large amounts of content are often non-negotiable. As these are not off-the-shelf projects, giving a fixed price from the outset is almost impossible. The cost depends on the specific functions, the technical requirements, and the overall scope of the work.

Each project is calculated based on the development hours required, which means that the exact figure will only become apparent after a thorough analysis. However, you should expect a starting price of around $12,000 — an investment that reflects these portals’ complexity and customization requirements.

Landing pages: driving targeted actions

A landing page is more than just a simple website — it’s a conversion tool that can directly influence a user’s decision. With a clear focus and objective, it should attract attention, build trust, and close the deal on one page.

The thoughtfulness of every detail directly influences the cost of creating a landing page. The price will increase if the design is more complex, has more interactive elements, and has more requirements for loading speed and SEO optimization. All of these aspects depend on your goal.

Think of a landing page as a “one-page powerhouse” that needs to be fine-tuned for maximum efficiency. Everything must be flawless, whether a contact form or integration with a payment system, to avoid alienating visitors at the decision stage.

The cost of building a website will vary depending on its complexity. A landing page for launching an ad campaign can be reasonably affordable. However, a landing page tailored for more complex business objectives, complete with analytics, operates on a different level.

In short, the more you focus on achieving measurable results, the higher the cost. But remember: if you do it right, a well-designed landing page becomes a tool that generates revenue without you having to monitor it constantly.

Other types of websites: features and costs

Now, let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of other types of websites and their typical costs.

• Social networks like Facebook or Instagram require sophisticated algorithms to handle the vast user base, API integration, content moderation, and analytics. The cost of developing these sites starts at $200,000 but can increase significantly depending on the feature set: chats, video streaming, or AI-powered content recommendations.
• Marketplaces like Amazon or eBay have a multi-tier architecture that includes modules for transaction management, user analytics, and dynamic pricing. This type of solution requires the integration of payment gateways and logistics services and the management of millions of items (SKUs). Budget? At least $50,000.
• Cloud storage solutions like Google Drive or Dropbox offer cross-device file synchronization, high-assurance data encryption, and flexible APIs for third-party services. Creating such a solution costs several hundred thousand dollars.
• In addition to streaming, video platforms such as YouTube require optimization for high loads (CDN), recommendation systems, and monetization functions. Expect costs starting at 100,000 dollars.
• Business platforms such as Jira or Trello require task coordination, cloud storage, and integration with other services. Development costs start at $200,000.
• CRM/ERP systems require database integration, analytics modules, and personalization tailored to business needs. A CRM can cost up to 30,000 dollars to develop, while SaaS versions start at 100,000.
• Booking systems like Booking.com require calendar integration, payment processing, and demand analysis. These solutions start at $50,000.
• Education platforms such as Prometheus or Coursera offer content streaming, testing modules, and interactive tools for students. The minimum setup cost is $25,000.
• Streaming services like Netflix require content storage and transmission infrastructure, intelligent movie recommendations, and a global CDN. Development costs run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Cryptocurrency platforms like Coinbase or Binance need security modules, real-time transaction processing, and API support for trading. Their starting prices are expected to be 500,000 dollars.
• B2B platforms for talent search, such as Upwork and Behance, include feature-rich profiles, search algorithms, and secure transactions. Development starts at 70,000 dollars.

Each project requires a deep dive into the target group's needs and the technology. Investing in first-class UX/UI, optimized databases, and modern integrations is the key to the platform's long-term success.

UX/UI design: what makes it worth the investment?

This article examines how UX/UI design's complexity directly impacts website development costs. The era of static websites with simple colors and text is over. Modern UX/UI blends art and marketing to drive users to take specific actions: clicks, browsing, purchases, and subscriptions.

UX/UI is not just about designing buttons but also developing strategic user interactions. It influences brand perception, increases recognition value, and strengthens professionalism. In today’s market, design has become a competitive advantage that often requires investments on par with back-end development. Let’s take a closer look at the key concepts.

UI (User Interface): the key to building trust

UI (User Interface) is the visual layer of a digital product, which includes colors, buttons, icons, fonts, and graphics. While the UX describes the user’s journey, the UI defines the look and feel of the path. It emphasizes aesthetics, visual harmony, and brand consistency. A strong UI is essential for online businesses because:

• First impressions count. A professional user interface immediately creates trust.
• It strengthens your brand. A distinctive design makes your product memorable and recognizable.
• It encourages engagement. A visually appealing and user-friendly interface encourages users to explore your offering and stay longer.

Great design isn’t just about esthetics — it’s a strategic tool for enhancing the customer experience and helping your business stand out in the digital landscape.

UX (User Experience): driving conversions

UX (user experience) encompasses the interaction between users and your product. It’s not just about looks but also functionality — how easily users can find information, how quickly pages load, and how effortlessly customers can make purchases.

From a business perspective, UX ensures that your product is effective and fun. Good UX delivers:

• Higher sales. Intuitive websites lead to more desired actions, such as orders.
• Lower churn rates. Confusing or cumbersome platforms drive users away.
• Cost savings. Thoughtful UX design minimizes rework and complaints after launch.

Front-end development brings a designer's vision to life, transforming concepts into a fully functional reality. This process goes beyond simply sketching ideas, focusing on refining every detail with meticulous care. Creating a unique, intuitive, user-friendly design that grabs attention requires more than just "drawing a few mockups."

A design-centric approach integrates branding, competitive analysis, and deep audience insights. It requires rigorous testing and close collaboration between designers and developers to experiment with colors, fonts, layouts, and element spacing while creating custom graphics and ensuring responsive design for all devices — from smartphones to desktops.

The complexity of a design directly impacts development time and cost. Personalization and interactivity increase resource requirements, making more sophisticated designs an investment in time and budget.

UX/UI is not a one-off task but a constant cycle of research, testing, and refinement, especially for high-traffic websites with advanced functionality.

Ultimately, a successful fusion of design and UX/UI is an investment in creating a polished user experience. When done right, it leads to happy, loyal users who keep coming back. A website that is frustrating or unpleasant to use won't convert.

That's why the cost of good design and UX/UI is not just an extra line item but a strategic investment in your business's long-term success.

Functionality: varying levels of complexity

We have compared the development of a website to the construction of a ship. A great blueprint and a stunning design are not enough — the ship needs a core engine that supports all its amenities. In web development, that engine is the backend.

The backend is the “invisible” powerhouse of the website, responsible for storing, processing, and transmitting data. The complexity of the backend has a direct impact on development costs. While simple websites can rely on databases such as Firebird or SQLite, more advanced systems often require scalable solutions such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Oracle. The larger the volume of data — e.g., products, orders, or customers for an online store — the more sophisticated the backend becomes, which drives up costs.

The backend architecture plays a primary role in determining a website’s speed. Complex logic requires extensive optimization and rigorous testing. Security measures are essential for websites that handle sensitive data, such as payments or personal information. These include encryption, vulnerability analysis, and careful server configuration.

Functionality is the lifeblood of your website. The more features you add, the more complicated the development process becomes, leading to higher costs. However, choosing the right development team is vital if you want a website that meets specific business objectives and functions as an effective tool rather than just a static image. This has a direct impact on the overall price.

New features: chatbots and multimedia elements

The inclusion of unique features inevitably increases development costs. The more non-standard elements you require, the longer the development process will take.

An increasingly popular feature is the integration of GPT-driven chatbots tailored to your business's needs. These chatbots operate effortlessly through the website's admin panel and are particularly effective for marketing and customer engagement tasks. While this functionality comes at a slightly higher cost, its benefits are significant. Asabix is proud to offer this service as part of its development solutions.

Integrations: connecting social networks to payment systems

Websites today seldom operate in isolation. Integration with other systems — CRM, ERP, payment platforms, or logistics services — is a cornerstone of modern web development. These integrations impact functionality and costs, and the type of integration plays a significant role here.

1. For example, connecting to established solutions such as PayPal or Stripe for payments is generally cheaper and less complicated than developing your payment module. Similarly, using standard tools such as payment gateways or email marketing platforms typically has only a minimal impact on the overall costs.
2. Custom integrations, however, can drive up costs. If your business relies on unique management systems or has complex operational processes, customized solutions will be required. These will require specialized development, testing, and the creation or support of APIs for system interaction.
3. Custom APIs that enable communication between different systems require a robust backend that can handle requests efficiently while keeping the website running smoothly. At Asabix, we specialize in developing custom API integrations tailored to your needs.

While these additional features increase the initial cost, they also improve your website’s functionality and user interaction. Investing in these integrations ultimately leads to a better customer experience and contributes to the long-term success of your business.

Technologies and platforms: CMS or custom development?

The technologies used to build your website directly impact its cost, speed, and scalability. Let’s take a closer look at this.

CMS (content management systems)

There are many popular CMS platforms. In some cases, quickly assembling a website from pre-built blocks and plugins is a viable option. However, custom development is often the better choice for websites with long-term goals.

Let’s explore why. What do the most popular CMS systems offer?

• WordPress provides a “quick start” with simple customizations accessible to non-technical users. It’s handy for creating a website quickly. However, it is not a unique solution; it is an essential platform that can limit scalability. A successful WordPress website may struggle with increasing traffic and require a migration or a complete rebuild.
• OpenCart is an e-commerce CMS suitable for small — to medium-sized online stores. It provides essential tools for managing products, orders, and customers but is not ideal for large projects. While it is helpful for a quick start, its limitations can become problematic as the business grows.
• Drupal is suitable for large portals and complex platforms with numerous integrations. However, it is more demanding regarding time, technical know-how, and cost.

No matter how enticing those CMS marketing slogans sound, building and launching a website requires a team. Without one, you could spend years trying to master all the nuances and uncover the hidden pitfalls on your own. And if we're talking about more than a small blog — say, an e-commerce site with specific functionality — trying to go it alone could result in a clunky outcome. In today’s competitive landscape, that could be a make-or-break moment.

Custom development based on a framework is the best choice for a truly unique and reliable digital presence. This approach allows you to develop a website from scratch that is fully customized to meet specific requirements without compromise. Although each stage of custom development is generally more costly than using a CMS, the result is a solution that fits your business perfectly.

More complex website concepts naturally increase development costs but open up tremendous potential: more flexibility, better control, and plenty of room for growth. Custom development offers far more opportunities for technical SEO optimization during the initial build, a crucial factor for modern website promotion. If you want your website to stand out and remain competitive, investing in technologies that support scalability and long-term effectiveness is essential.

The choice is yours: save money upfront or invest in lasting success. Don’t base your choice on cost alone. Choose the technology that best aligns with your goals. If you outgrow the capabilities of a CMS — which can happen faster than you think — you may have no choice but to start from scratch.

Additional services: maintenance and updates

Even the most impressive website features require ongoing maintenance to ensure optimal functionality and protect your brand image. Outdated plugins, unfixed bugs, or slow performance are clear signals to users that you’re not up to date.

Regular updates and support are essential for both CMS and framework-based websites.

For example, if your website runs on a popular CMS such as WordPress, OpenCart, or Drupal, keeping the core software up to date is essential for maintaining functionality and security. Skipping updates can leave your website vulnerable to attacks and exploits.

In addition, plugins and themes also need to be updated regularly. Over time, these components can break or become security risks, emphasizing the importance of continuous maintenance. Once your website is online, consistent maintenance is no longer optional but essential.

Web development technologies and best practices constantly evolve, and your website needs to keep pace. Once launched, a website benefits greatly from ongoing services such as:

• Technical support is a strategic component that ensures smooth operation despite fluctuations in your business environment.
• Website monitoring, where a technical team monitors servers, databases, page load speeds, and other critical elements — effectively acting as a security service for your website, ready to intervene when needed.
• Incident response to resolve technical outages, database errors, or attacks. A proactive support team solves problems before they affect your users.
• Regular security updates: protection against DDoS attacks, data encryption, firewall upgrades, and monitoring for potential vulnerabilities — all of this needs to be under constant supervision.
• Website enhancements and the addition of new features ensure that your platform grows alongside your business. This might include integrating additional modules, improving the user interface, or developing new and innovative ways for clients to engage with your services.

Ongoing support is not just an optional add-on but essential to maintaining a reliable and effective website. This investment helps avoid reputational damage, customer loss, compromised data, and financial losses from technical issues.

As your business expands, scalability becomes a critical factor. Technical support is key in optimizing servers, databases, and overall infrastructure to accommodate growing user traffic and introducing new features.

Each company approaches the cost of technical support differently. Two primary pricing models are typically used for website development: Fixed Price and Hourly Fee.

With a fixed price, the budget is set at the initial agreement and remains unchanged throughout the project. This model is ideal for tasks with clearly defined requirements, but if the scope changes, it may require renegotiation.

The hourly rate model, on the other hand, provides more flexibility and allows for adjustments as needs evolve. However, staying within budget requires careful time and efficiency monitoring.

In Ukraine, the average cost for developers varies depending on their expertise. Hourly rates for development work typically range from $25 to $100, making this model a popular choice for projects with dynamic requirements where some tasks are difficult to estimate in advance.

You can find our detailed terms and conditions on this page.

Why does developing a website with Laravel cost less?

In the fast-paced world of IT, time is money. Whether you’re a startup or a corporation, the goal is the same: implement solutions quickly and avoid unnecessary expenses. Among the many frameworks available for web application development, Laravel stands out as a top choice. It combines rapid growth, easy scalability, and long-term support, all thanks to its out-of-the-box solutions that simplify and streamline the technical side.

Here are five reasons why Laravel website development is one of the most effective business options — and why the Asabix team relies on it.

Save development time: less code, more features

Laravel provides a comprehensive ecosystem of tools and solutions. Take Laravel Nova, for instance — it allows you to customize the administration panel with minimal coding, saving time and resources. With ready-to-use, pre-built tools, you can skip reinventing the wheel and reduce overall development time by nearly half.

Built-in security: protection right out of the box

Laravel has advanced built-in security features that protect against SQL injection, CSRF attacks, and XSS vulnerabilities. There is no need to look for third-party plugins or services — the framework takes care of security immediately. With key protections enabled by default, the risk of security vulnerabilities is minimized when integrating additional services. This proactive security setup can lead to budget savings of up to 15%, as there is no need for costly emergency patches or special security tools.

Pre-built modules: faster scaling of functions

Laravel Scout eliminates the need to build a search engine from scratch by integrating with popular platforms like Algolia. This can save you 20–30% in time and budget. Laravel also simplifies API integration, making connecting with external services and applications easier. Streamlining these processes can save another 20% in costs — especially if your business relies on multiple external systems.

Scalability without the need to rewrite code

Laravel is designed to grow with your business. If you plan to add new features over time or handle a large influx of users, this can be done without drastic changes to the core code and a forced budget increase of 50–70%.

With built-in caching tools, Laravel can efficiently manage the increasing traffic to your website. Even under heavy load, your product will remain fast and reliable, saving you time and money.

Lower support costs: clean code and logical structure

Laravel’s MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture ensures that your website's code is well-organized and easy to maintain, making it adaptable for future updates. Whether you need to redesign your website or integrate new services, this structured approach prevents these changes from becoming a maze of bugs and errors.

With Laravel, you only pay for the features you need. Whether your website is simple or highly complex, it remains scalable, flexible, and secure, delivering top-notch performance from day one.

Choosing Asabix means a swift launch, cost-efficient support, and a robust foundation for sustained success.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of the cost of website development in Ukraine. Regarding modern IT outsourcing, Eastern Europe has emerged as one of the most cost-effective regions, offering value, commitment, and reliability aligned with Western markets.

The cost of building a website depends on its technical complexity and how effectively the project addresses your business challenges. A website that fails to meet market demands, adapt to change, or function as part of a more enormous strategy risks becoming a liability rather than a strategic advantage.

That’s why it’s essential to focus on the platform or design and the features that add value to your customers. Integration with external services, a reliable database, and fast loading speeds are all crucial factors directly impacting your website’s success.

When estimating costs, don’t base your decision on price or speed. Instead, look for a web resource that aligns with your goals and prepares your business for future challenges. Striking the right balance between functionality and vision makes website development an art and a strategic tool.

Reach out to us, and let’s craft a website that becomes a true masterpiece!