“How much does it cost.” That’s the big question when it comes to church websites. It’s a legitimate question, and so this article aims to answer that question. Hopefully, you will know how to get the best deal for a church website design.
There are two main types of church websites — custom sites and template-based church websites. The price for the two types differ vastly, so we’ll address the issue under two headings: custom church websites, and semi-custom church websites.
Average Prices for Custom Church Websites
Custom church websites usually involve a lot more time and interaction between a web design firm and the church. The result is a site that is more customized (but not necessarily better) than a semi-custom church website, and more expensive. Most of these custom design companies offer a range of options. In the price list below, I have selected as representative either the “most popular” choice or a “pro” level service.
- Mychurchwebsite.com: $3,500 + monthly fee ($49-$119) + optional add-ons which total $694)
- Buildachurchwebsite.com: $3,000 + monthly fee ($54-109.95) + optional add-ons which total $1,250 and higher monthly fees)
- Siteorganic.com: $6,495 + monthly fee ($99-299)
- Faithpulse.com: $3,500 + monthly fee ($59.95)
For a custom church website, you can expect to pay upwards of $3,000 with additional for hosting. Some churches also opt for add-ons, logo design, and other features that a custom web design firm can provide. $3,000 should be considered a fair starting point. I have known churches spend more than $100,000 on a church website and branding redesign package.
Prices for Semi-Custom Church Website Design
Semi-custom church website designs are most popular. Church website design should follow certain website design best practices. Therefore, while there is a lot of variation among church websites, the standard design should remain the same — a consistent framework, if you will.
Choosing “semi-custom” does not compromise a church’s unique image, nor does it squash creativity and throw the church in a swimming pot of cookie-cutter templates. Most (but not all) semi-custom church websites allow for plenty of customization.
Here are some representative prices for semi-custom church website design. (The following three companies were the top paid advertisers that appeared in response to a Google search at the time this article was written, July 19, 2012.) These prices reflect one year of setup and hosting, with a modest allotment of storage space and features. The price listed reflects what you will pay in one year to start and maintain a website. The monthly fee is built-in to provide a reasonable expectation of cost for startup. Besides, most churches opt to pay the “monthly” fee in an annual lump sum for a reduced price.
- Faithconnector.com: $1,198
- Faith-sites.com: $1,350
- Clover: $1,240
As you can see, the prices remain pretty consistent. There are, of course, shortcomings for each of the above choices. For now, we’re just looking at it from a financial point of view.
The Sharefaith Church Website Option
By contrast, Sharefaith offers a price point which is far lower, with the benefits and (no cost) add-ons much higher.
- Sharefaith: $306.53
As should be clear, the best financial choice for a church website is to choose a semi-custom site. The startup cost and monthly fees are far lower. Sharefaith provides the best price point of all, and, although the length of this post does not allow more elaboration, provides the best features for that price.