In today’s fast-paced digital world, owning a fully-functional and responsive website is crucial for business success. Given that 87% of people perform online searches to find about products or services and nearly 43% of customers make use of the site’s search bars, a website can prove to be the initial touchpoint with prospective customers. Besides being an effective marketing instrument, it also serves as an excellent sales asset that captivates the attention of visitors, keeping them engaged and converting them into potential leads even when you are off the clock.
As per the recent report, the website development sector has witnessed an enormous growth in the past few years in the Middle East, specifically in regions like the UAE. This surge is driven by continuous growth in digital marketing and e-commerce industries, leading to increased demand for experienced website developers.
It’s safe to state that the focus has shifted beyond merely needing a site to determine the cost of a website that meets your business objectives. If you also wish to develop a business-centric website that blends both aspects – scalability and aesthetics, your first step must be to work out on website development cost estimates. This way, you can avoid potential rip-off and ensure your investment will turn out to be worthwhile.
While you may find various ballpark estimates online, these figures fail to consider various aspects of building a website and the intricacies involved. For this reason, we’ve put together a guide to help determine website development costs in Dubai.
Key Building Blocks of a Website
When it comes to developing a fully-functional website, designers and developers alike take into account a plethora of factors. However, every website must contain some specific building blocks in order to be effective. If any of these crucial elements are found missing, it can adversely influence the website development process and might hamper your business’s success.
The key ingredients to build any website, irrespective of its size and niche, includes domain name, hosting, design layout, security, user interface and user experience. Below is the general overview of each of these and its pricing:
1. Domain Purchase
Of course, in a vast digital world, how do you think your target audience will find your website? Just like the street address of your house, the domain name is the address of your website. It’s your digital identity that helps your target online audience discover you. So, try to acquire the one that’s unique yet easy to remember. It must reflect your brand identity and include relevant keywords.
However, purchasing your website’s domain name isn’t free. On average, the annual charges for your domain name may range from AED 3.64 to AED 220. The pricing is generally influenced by different factors, such as domain extension, its popularity, and registration period.
2. Website Hosting
You want your website’s data, files and content to be visible to your online visitors anytime anywhere, right?
For this, you need web hosting. Simply put, it is a service that stores and enables all the information present on your site to be accessible to your audience 24/7 worldwide. It involves paying a web hosting company to manage and host your website on their servers.
Web host companies offer different pricing packages to their clients depending on the business requirements and features. The cost of hosting varies from AED 36.7 to AED 735 annually.
3. UI/UX Design
One thing that can either make or break your website is its visual aspect and user experience. Do you know roughly 88% of web users don’t revisit a webpage if they had a bad experience previously?
Moreover, first impressions really do count! It’s because web users take only 0.05 seconds to decide whether they like the webpage or not.
These staggering stats indicate that UI/UX design is one of the most crucial components of any website. It makes your webpages visually appealing, easy to navigate, and user-friendly, resulting in user satisfaction, lower bounce rate, and more conversions. Therefore, when it comes to selecting the UI UX design company in Dubai, it is recommended to acquire services from an agency that offers the option of sharing 20 to 30 snapshots of different pages of the website. This will ensure that the final version of the website is compliant with your expectations.
The cost of UI/UX design lies between AED 7,346 to AED 91,825 per year, depending on the level of detailing your desire.
4. SSL Certificate
It’s crucial to keep your website and users’ sensitive information secure at any cost. Without doing so, you can’t gain audience trust, build credibility in the niche, and boost SEO. By employing an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate, you can add a layer of security to your website and prevent any attack from cybercriminals. This certificate encrypts all data exchanged between your site visitor’s browser and the server that hosts your site.
Acquiring an SSL certificate comes with a price tag. While the price varies depending on different factors, such as certificate type, features, and period; on average the cost lies between AED 150 to AED 5,509 annually.
| Key Building Blocks | Website Development Cost |
| Domain | AED 3.64 – AED 220 per year |
| Website Hosting | AED 36.7 – AED 735 per year |
| UI/UX Design | AED 7,346 – AED 91,825 per year |
| SSL Certificate | AED 0 – AED 5,509 per year |
Factors That Influence Web Development Cost
While a business website is indispensable to establish your online presence and connect with a broad audience; there are a plethora of factors that drive the web development cost. Some of these are discussed below:
1. Type of Website
The type of website, including its size and design significantly influences the cost of website development. Put it this way; a basic website with a few pages and standard features will be a lot cheaper than a website with numerous pages and several customized features.
2. Features
Do you wish to incorporate additional features to your website? Perhaps you wish to do animations and slideshows or integrate Google maps. Adding features can give your site special appeal and add more functionality, but it will also mean more effort, and thus higher cost.
3. Technology Stack
Web developers capitalize on various technologies and frameworks to build websites. These may include plugins, programming languages, databases, front-end and back-end frameworks. If a website requires the use of specialized technologies, dynamic frameworks, and third-party services, this will lead to an increase in development cost. In contrast, the utilization of widely-used technologies and simple frameworks will keep the cost lower.
Cost of Web Design and Development Based on the Website Type
To get a good grasp of website design cost in Dubai, it’s crucial to understand the different types of website design options first. This will help you understand what type of website your business needs and how much it will cost, saving you from any unwanted surprises.
1. Basic Website
Developing a basic website can cost anywhere from AED 3,673 to AED 14,692. As the name suggests, these websites are basic, so they are in smaller size with only 50 pages. Thus, they can be developed quickly within 2 to 4 weeks.
2. Small Business Website
Developing a small business website typically costs AED 2,350 or more. Such websites comprise approximately 100 pages and it may take around 1-2 months to bring the website to life.
3. E-Commerce Website
Another website design type is e-commerce that allows you to sell your products on the internet. Typically, a firm that specializes ine-commerce website development charges around AED 18,365 and can go even higher. Due to its slight complexity, it usually takes around 2 to 3 months to develop the website, accommodating 200 pages.
4. Responsive Website
A responsive website is the one that offers exceptional user experience across various screen sizes. The layout and content of these websites adapt on the fly – displaying exactly what you need to ensure an optimal viewing experience. The cost of building a responsive website design range from AED 7,000 to AED 18,000.
5. Customized Website
Some businesses opt for custom website design in order to fulfill their unique needs and requirements. The cost of building customized websites from scratch can start from AED 10,000 and can go up to AED 30,000. These websites typically contain 200 pages and it may take 2-3 months to build them.
| Website Type | Website Design and Development Cost |
| Basic Website | AED 3,673 – AED 14,692 |
| Small Business Website | AED 2,350+ |
| E-Commerce Website | AED 18,365+ |
| Responsive Website | AED 7,000 – AED 18,000 |
| Customized Website | AED 10,000 – AED 30,000 |
Final Word
The costs associated with website design and development in Dubai is mainly contingent on a myriad of factors, such as the type of website, expertise required, domain and hosting, and technology needed to bring your website to life. By considering these factors, you can precisely assess and create a realistic budget for your new website project.
With that said, it’s relevant to note that determining website development costs go beyond financial considerations. It also encompasses figuring out other resources, including design proficiency, technical competencies, and time availability. If you are short-handed on time, you can engage web design services in Dubai for the job. However, be sure to map out your business objectives and website requirements to get the best value for your money over the long haul.
FAQs
Q1. How much does it cost to build a website?
The cost of designing and developing a website hinge on several factors. Some of these may encompass level of complexity, development time, and features required. In addition, domain registration and ongoing maintenance and updates can also incur additional expenses.
Q2. What is the typical cost to build a website?
There is no specific answer to this question. In general, the website cost in Dubai can begin from AED 10,000 and can go beyond AED 140,000 or even more depending on the type of project.
Q3. How much does it cost to run a website for 1 year?
The price of creating, maintaining, and running a website for a year can fluctuate considerably depending on various factors, including your business’ needs. While there is no doubt that one can set up and run a website for very cheaper rates, such websites may lack many necessary features.
Q4. How much should I pay someone to build a website?
It depends on the type of website you want to build for your business. If you wish to develop a static business website, in that case, the price can range from AED 1000 to AED 4,000. However, if you want to opt for a customized website, the price can go up to AED 30,000. It’s better to confer a web design company in Dubai to get accurate quotations based on your needs.
