"How much should a website cost?" is one of the first questions every tradie asks — and the honest answer is that it depends far less on the number of pages than on whether the site is built to actually get you enquiries. Here's a realistic picture of what trade business websites cost in Australia, and what drives the price.
The typical price ranges
Broadly, there are three tiers most Australian tradies choose between:
- DIY builders (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy): roughly $15–$50/month plus your own time. Cheap, but you're the designer, copywriter, and SEO person — and most end up as a digital business card that never ranks.
- One-off freelance or agency build: often $1,500–$8,000+ up front for a custom site. You get something that looks good, but once it's handed over, nobody is optimising it or managing your Google presence.
- Managed growth systems: a lower setup fee plus a monthly fee (commonly $150–$450/month) where the website is one part of a system that also includes Google Business Profile management, reviews, and follow-up automation.
Why the cheapest option usually costs more
A $30/month DIY site feels like a bargain until you realise it isn't bringing in a single job. For a trade business, a website that just "exists" is worth very little. What earns its keep is a fast, mobile-first site with suburb-targeted pages that rank in local search, connected to your Google Business Profile and a system that captures enquiries. That's the difference between a cost and an investment.
What actually drives the price
- Whether it's just a website or a lead-generation system (Google Business Profile, reviews, missed-call text-back).
- How many suburb-targeted pages you need to rank in your service area.
- Whether someone manages and optimises it monthly, or it's built once and left alone.
- Copywriting and photography — generic stock content ranks and converts far worse than real, specific content.
The bottom line
Don't shop on sticker price alone. Ask what the site is designed to do. A slightly higher monthly spend on a system that consistently produces local enquiries will always beat a cheap site that sits there doing nothing. If you want to see what a purpose-built trade website could look like for your business, we'll build you a free preview before you spend a dollar.
