How much does a church website cost?
This is a very important question but unfortunately, it’s like asking how much a car costs, to which the answer is “it all depends on the car.”
Websites have a huge price range which is determined by the platform you choose, custom features you want, the number and complexity of the pages and more.
But the factor that will most affect the cost of your website is who builds it.
If you create the site yourself and build it on an inexpensive platform, the website won’t cost much at all. However, if you hire someone to build your website for you, then you’re looking at that “huge range” I just mentioned.
So to help you navigate the investment your church is getting ready to make, I’ve created a price chart (see below) to give you some idea of what each option looks like. The prices you see included are average costs only, meaning some platforms and agencies will cost more and others less.
In the table you will see columns for the type of platform, key features, and four different cost categories including: 1) one-time fees 2) ongoing recurring fees 3) total cost after 5 years and 4) total cost after 10 years. Why look at the costs 5 and 10 years out? Because this will reveal the price differences in the short and long term of these very different choices.
OPTION 1: TEMPLATED CHURCH PLATFORM
Examples: Clover Sites, Ekklesia 360
The templated platform for churches is a popular solution because it doesn’t cost much to get started, has many useful features churches love, and are generally pleasing to the eye.
The cost of these platforms vary A LOT and come with a sometimes confusing combination of costs (ie: use our platform for free if you use our giving platform, use our platform for free when you buy a mobile app, etc) but generally these platforms come with a set-up fee and monthly recurring fee that is higher than a more generic templated platform.
If you look at the chart above, you’ll see that while the monthly fees are higher, for the 5-year life of the website you’ll pay less than when you hire an agency and about the same amount after 10 years. But (and this is a big but) you will have to build the website yourself. So when you go down this path, make sure you ask yourself if the DIY option is right for you.
OPTION 2: TEMPLATED GENERIC PLATFORM
Examples: Squarespace, Wix
The templated generic platform option is similar to the previous one for churches, but this one isn’t designed for churches. On the “con” side you’ll have to build in those spiffy church features yourself, but this is often accomplished by integrating or linking to your ChMS (Church Management System).
However on the “pro” side, the cost is usually quite a bit less and the platforms are usually better developed with more customization options. This is by far the cheapest option but requires even more DIY than option 1.
OPTION 3: SUBSCRIPTION-BASED AGENCY
Examples: Vibrant Agency, Sheepish Designs
The subscription-based agency is a newer option and is very tempting for the church that doesn’t want a large upfront cost but wants someone else to build and manage the site. No two companies are the same but generally how it works is the agency builds your website for “free” and you subscribe to one of their plans. They will build you a custom (or customized template) website and then they will also be responsible for managing your website with new pages, updates, and design changes. So what you get is everything taken care of for you.
However, as you can see this comes with a pretty big price tag. If the agency charges $200 per month, then you’re paying $12,000 after 5 years and $24,000 after 10 years. But when you factor in ongoing management and perhaps the cost savings of not hiring an additional person to build and manage the website, it can actually be quite reasonable for what you're getting. Clearpath doesn't offer this option but we do offer ongoing website management for churches interested in ongoing website support.
OPTION #4: PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AGENCY
Examples: Clearpath, Fishhook
This is probably the most traditional and straight-forward option, but it does come with its own list of things to keep in mind.
When you hire an agency to build your website, you need to be ready for a higher upfront cost. This cost can vary a LOT. You’ll find agencies ready to build you a website for $1,000 and others for $10,000. Some build on Wordpress, others on Squarespace. Some are great designers but not as good at development (coding) and vice versa.
What’s most important to remember is you have to trust the person/agency, you have to like their previous work, and you need to understand that you get what you pay for.
For the agency ready to charge you only $1,000, you have to realize there’s probably a catch. For the $10,000 agency, maybe they are truly amazing, but you just don’t need a crazy custom and complex website. Maybe you just need something clean, modern, and simple.
One of the best ways to find someone you trust and do quality work is to ask around. I'm sure there are pastors and ministry leaders in your circle who would be able to make an agency recommendation.
If you would like to speak to me about Clearpath designing your website I’d love to have that conversation. Even if you don't go with Clearpath as your design agency, I'd love to chat and help guide you in the right direction.
