Ask five developers in Nairobi what a website costs and you may get five very different answers. That’s not because anyone is being unreasonable. “A website” can mean a one-page profile or a platform that takes payments, syncs stock and sends WhatsApp notifications. Instead of quoting a misleading average, this guide explains what drives the price, so you can compare quotes properly.
The five things that decide the price
1. What the website needs to do
Functionality is the biggest cost driver. A site that presents your services and collects enquiries is very different from one that handles bookings, online payments, customer accounts or integration with your accounting system. Write down what a visitor should be able to do on the site. That list shapes the quote more than anything else.
2. Design: template or custom
A lightly customised template is quicker to deliver. A custom design takes longer because it is planned around your brand, content and customers. Custom work also tends to be lighter and faster, because it doesn’t carry features you’ll never use.
3. Number of pages and amount of content
More pages means more design, layout and testing. Content matters just as much: if you need help writing copy, sourcing photos or translating pages, include that in the brief.
4. Integrations
Connecting to M-Pesa, a card payment gateway, a CRM, an SMS service or a booking engine adds work. Each integration must be built, tested and maintained when the other system changes.
5. Timeline
Urgent deadlines often mean reshuffling other work or adding people, which can affect cost. Flexible timelines give you more options.
One-off costs vs recurring costs
Many business owners budget for the build and forget what comes after. A realistic budget includes both.
| One-off | Recurring |
|---|---|
| Planning and design | Domain renewal (e.g. .co.ke), paid yearly |
| Development and integrations | Hosting |
| Content creation and setup | Maintenance: updates, backups, security monitoring |
| Training and launch | Premium plugins or services, if any |
Why the cheapest quote can cost more
A low price sometimes means the site is built on a heavy template, isn’t optimised for mobile, has no analytics, or isn’t kept updated, which is a common way websites get hacked. Rebuilding a site that doesn’t work costs more than building it properly once. When comparing quotes, ask:
- Will the site be fast on a mobile connection?
- Will I be able to edit the content myself?
- Is basic SEO (titles, descriptions, sitemap) included?
- Is analytics and conversion tracking set up?
- Who will handle updates and backups after launch?
How to get an accurate quote
The more a developer knows, the more accurate the quote. Share your goals, a rough list of pages, the features you need, examples of websites you like, and your timeline. If you’re not sure about some of it, say so. A good developer will help you work it out.
At Creative Bay our quote form asks the questions that matter for your type of project, so the quote we send reflects what you actually need.