In order to create a website for a small business in South Africa, it would cost you R3900 as a once-off fee. But there is more that needs to be explained, such as what this price includes, how much you will still need to pay for hosting every year, how email accounts are set up, whether your website will be mobile-friendly, and what happens when you need changes or updates in the future.
Most small businesses in South Africa are suited by a 5-page website. You may ask, what is a small business in the South African context? Well, a small business in South Africa is any business that has these five things:
- A limited number of employees (usually less than 50),
- A low to moderate annual turnover (typically under R10 million),
- Operates from one or two locations,
- Serves a specific niche or community, and
- Is managed by the business owner directly, without too many departments or divisions.
On this page, we will explore more about a website cost for a small business in South Africa, going deeper into things like: how much does web hosting cost per year, what are the average design fees for each additional page or feature. We will als talk about how much does domain registration cost and how often do you pay for it,
We will explain everything in a simple and practical way, so that by the end of this page, you will know exactly how much a website will cost you, and what kind of website is right for your small business in South Africa.
Costs and Prices for a South African Website for Small Business Explained
In this section, we will leave no stone unturned when it comes to the costing of website design services for a small business in South Africa. The costs explained on this page are based on what South African web design companies charge on average, and also on what most small business owners have paid in real life.
What Is the Real Cost of a Website for a Small Business?
First of all, let’s explore all the services that are associated with a website design project for your south african small business. For you to have a fully functional website that supports the operation of your small business in south africa, you must budget to pay for these crucial items:
1. Website Design and Layout Fees
This is where everything starts. You need a professionally designed 5-page website — Home, About, Services, Gallery or Portfolio, and Contact page.
- Cost range: R3,000 to R7,000 once-off
- Mansa Digital offers it from R3,900 once-off inclusive cost, while companies like Web Partner and Sitemile charge between R5,000 and R10,000, depending on features.
This price often includes the design, layout, contact form, WhatsApp button, and mobile compatibility.
2. Domain Registration (.co.za) Fees
You must register a domain name for your business (e.g. www.mybusiness.co.za).
- Cost: Around R90 to R120 per year
- Register with: Afrihost, 1-Grid, GoDaddy South Africa, or Xneelo
- Example: Xneelo charges R89/year, while 1-Grid charges R119/year
Most website design companies will not charge you for this, as it is already included in the web design quote.
3. Web Hosting Fees
This keeps your website live 24/7.
- Cost range:
- Shared hosting: R49 to R99 per month
- Annual billing: R588 to R1,200 per year
- Popular hosts in SA:
- Afrihost: from R59/month
- Xneelo: from R99/month
- Domains.co.za: from R69/month
Some web design companies include one year of hosting in their package. Others will bill it separately.
4. Business Emails (e.g. info@yourbusiness.co.za) Fees
You need professional emails to build trust.
- Cost:
- Some include 5 emails for free (e.g. Mansa Digital includes this in their R3,900 package)
- Others charge between R20 and R50 per email per month
- Zoho Mail and Google Workspace start from R30 to R100 per user/month
- Xneelo includes 5GB mailbox with their hosting plan
Website design companies will mostly include business emails in their initial quotation. Remember, website design companies are not the hosting companies. They usually partner with hosting providers or resell hosting packages, which means the actual email accounts are hosted on platforms like Xneelo, Afrihost, or Domains.co.za, not directly on their own servers
5. SEO Setup Fees
This helps your website appear on Google. It includes meta tags, indexing, and sitemap submission.
- Cost:
- Basic SEO setup: R500 to R1,500 once-off
- Ongoing SEO: R500 to R2,000/month, depending on goals
- Included by Mansa Digital, optional with Web Partner, and most freelancers charge extra
From experience, ranking a website strictly depends on the competition within the industry you are in. For example, in South Africa, legal services and construction companies are very competitive industries online. So, if you want to rank your small business website for keywords like “divorce lawyer in Johannesburg” or “building contractors in Cape Town”, you will need to really invest in proper SEO, write helpful content for your visitors, and possibly run Google Ads to support your organic visibility.
7. Website Maintenance & Updates Fees
Every website, big and small, will need a content update every now and then. For example, you will need to update your small business website when your contact details change, and when you introduce a new product or service. You might also need updates when your business relocates, you want to upload new photos, or you are running a promotion that needs to be visible on the homepage.
- Once-off updates: R250 to R600 per change
- Monthly plans:
- Basic: R150 to R350/month
- More advanced support: R500+/month
- Mansa Digital offers free lifetime content updates, which saves you thousands in the long run.
Final Summary – What You Can Expect to Pay
| Item | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Website Design (5 Pages) | R3,900 – R7,000 once-off |
| Domain Registration (.co.za) | R90 – R120/year |
| Web Hosting | R588 – R1,200/year |
| Business Emails (5 accounts) | Included or R300 – R600/year |
| SEO Setup (Basic) | R0 – R1,500 once-off |
| Contact Form & WhatsApp Button | Usually included |
| Maintenance & Updates | R0 – R3,000/year (or free if included) |
Why Most Small Businesses Only Need 5 Pages
Most of the South African small businesses who offer professional services such as plumbing, legal services, accounting, beauty therapy, electrical work, and also hard labour type of work like construction, paving, and welding, will be suited by a 5-page website design costing around R3900 as explained above. This is because these businesses usually need a platform that simply tells clients who they are, what they do, where they are based, and how to get in touch.
The standard 5-page website includes:
- Home
- About
- Services
- Gallery or Portfolio
- Contact Page
This structure is clean, easy to navigate, and helps your business look credible online without overwhelming your visitors.
However, if you run an online shop, blog, or a business that offers digital products, online bookings, or educational content, then you would need a larger website with 10 or more pages, depending on how much information or content you need to display. For example, an online store may need separate pages for every product category, payment details, shipping info, returns, and more.
The number of pages your website needs depends on how many services or products you offer, how much content you want to share, and how interactive you want your website to be. But for most small businesses that serve local communities in South Africa, a 5-page website does the job perfectly.
Breaking Down the Extra Website Costs You Should Know About
Now that we have cleared all the main items regarding website costing for a small business, it is time to look at the secondary costs that often come up during or after a website design project. These are the hidden or extra costs that are not always included in the initial quotation, but can quickly add up if you are not aware of them.
These costs are usually associated with extra design requests, advanced features, monthly support, premium plugins, and content creation. Let us break each one down clearly:
1. Logo Design (if you do not already have one)
Most small businesses need a professional logo to match the look of their website. Some designers will create a basic logo for free, but proper branding work usually comes at a cost.
- Cost range: R350 to R2,000 once-off
- Example: Mansa Digital charges R450 for a basic vector logo design. A branding agency might charge up to R2,500 for a full brand pack.
2. Photo or Image Sourcing
If you do not have high-quality images, the designer may need to use stock photos. While some stock libraries are free, others require paid licenses.
- Cost range: R50 to R150 per premium image
- Example: Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, or iStock fees apply
- Free option: Websites like Pexels and Unsplash, but custom images are always better for your business identity
3. Copywriting or Text Content
If you do not have written content for your pages, you will need help writing it professionally. Some designers include this in their price, but most charge separately.
- Cost range: R300 to R1,000 per page
- Example: Mansa Digital includes basic content writing, but full copywriting for SEO or sales-focused pages may be charged extra
4. Online Store Functionality (E-commerce Add-on)
Adding a full online shop with cart, checkout, and payment systems takes extra development time.
- Cost range: R3,000 to R8,000 depending on number of products
- Platforms: WooCommerce, Shopify, or Wix Store
- Note: This is not included in most once-off R3,900 website packages
5. Monthly Maintenance or Support
Some businesses prefer a retainer where the designer updates the site monthly, uploads content, or manages backups.
- Cost range: R200 to R600 per month
- Example: Some freelancers offer 2 small edits/month for R250. Mansa Digital includes free lifetime content updates in their package — a rare bonus.
SSL makes your site secure (HTTPS instead of HTTP). Some hosting providers include it, others charge yearly.
- Cost range: R0 to R350/year
- Example: Xneelo includes SSL for free. GoDaddy may charge R250+ annually
7. Plugin or Feature Add-ons
If you want things like online bookings, sliders, payment calculators, or live chat, some of these require premium plugins.
- Cost range: R300 to R1,500 depending on the tool
- Examples: WPForms Pro, Elementor Pro, Bookly, or ChatBot integrations
These costs are not to scare you, they are just to prepare you properly
I hope all of the above information has given you a good idea on how much a website design for a small business costs in South Africa. Now, you will never be ripped off again by someone who throws in fancy words and vague packages. Have you ever wondered why some companies charge unnecessary and ridiculous costs for website design? And if you look closely, the websites they deliver are just too basic, with nothing special or functional, just a few pictures, weak text, and no real value for your business. At least now, you know what to look for, what to pay for, and what to avoid.
