How much does a website cost in India in 2026?
Short answer: in 2026, a professional website in India costs anywhere from ₹5,000 to ₹5,00,000 — and the frustrating part is that two sites that look identical to a visitor can sit at opposite ends of that range. This guide explains what actually moves the price, so you pay for value, not for someone's office rent.
The real price bands (and what each buys)
| Budget | What you actually get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ₹0–₹3,000 | DIY builders (Wix/free themes). You do the work; monthly fees stack up; looks like a template because it is one. | Testing an idea |
| ₹5,000–₹15,000 | Custom-coded 1–5 page site from an independent studio. Fast, unique design, your ownership. | Professionals & small businesses |
| ₹20,000–₹60,000 | Larger sites: booking, payments, multiple sections, content work. | Growing businesses |
| ₹1,00,000+ | Web applications, e-commerce at scale, custom backends. | Companies with complex needs |
The 4 hidden costs nobody mentions upfront
- Monthly "maintenance" you can't opt out of. Some sellers host your site on their account and charge ₹1,000–₹3,000/month just to keep it online. Over 3 years that's ₹36,000–₹1,08,000 for a ₹10,000 site. Ask before you sign: "Can I take my site elsewhere?"
- The domain registered in the developer's name. If they own your domain, they own your business's address on the internet. Always insist it's registered under your email.
- Content changes billed per line. Clarify what a small text change costs after launch. Reasonable answer: free or a small nominal fee. Bad answer: "raise a ticket, ₹500 per change."
- "SEO included" that means nothing. Real SEO is measurable work (see our plain-language SEO explanation). If "SEO included" fits in one sentence with no specifics, it's a checkbox, not a service.
Rule of thumb: the fair 2026 price for a custom, fast, professionally designed site for a doctor, lawyer, CA, consultant, or shop is under ₹15,000 one-time — with the source code handed to you. Anything above that should come with clearly bigger scope, not just a bigger brand name.
What "custom-coded" gets you over templates
Template sites carry the weight of features you'll never use — which is why they load slowly, and slow sites lose visitors and Google ranking. A hand-coded site carries only what your business needs: it loads in under a second, looks like nobody else's, and Google's Core Web Vitals (a real ranking factor) love it.
Questions to ask any developer before paying
- Will I own the source code and the domain? (Only acceptable answer: yes.)
- What are ALL recurring costs, itemised?
- How long until I see the first draft? (Weeks is a process problem — it can be 24 hours.)
- What happens if I want to leave you later?
A good developer answers these happily. Hesitation on any of them is your cue to walk away.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a basic website cost in India?
A clean professional website for an individual or small practice typically costs ₹5,000–₹15,000 in 2026 from an independent studio. Agencies charge ₹25,000–₹1,00,000+ for the same scope.
Are there monthly charges for a website?
Only if you choose them. Hosting can be free (Cloudflare Pages, Netlify) or ₹100–₹500/month. A domain costs ₹700–₹1,500/year. Avoid builders that charge ₹1,000+/month forever.
Why do website prices vary so much?
You are paying for three different things: templates vs custom design, the seller's brand size, and ongoing lock-in. Two sites that look similar can differ 10x in price.
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