Guides/Costs
What does a website cost each year?
On this page
A website has two kinds of cost: the one-off build, and the running costs every year after. Many quotes only show the first. Here is the full picture.
One-off: the build
Design, development, content setup and launch. With Pixel Maker this is the package price, fixed before work begins.
Every year: the running costs
| Item | What it is | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Your address, like yourbusiness.com | Optional. Your own domain is free for the first year, then from RM 50 a year (some country endings cost more) |
| Hosting | Where the site lives | Free |
| HTTPS certificate | The padlock in the browser | RM 0, included |
| Business email | you@yourbusiness.com | From free. Paid plans start at about RM 10 per user per month, depending on the provider |
| Maintenance | Updates, backups, small edits | Optional: Care plan from RM 80 / month, or pay as you go |
Why hosting can be free
Most small business websites don’t need a server running all the time. Pixel Maker builds them as fast, lightweight pages, which cost nothing to host at this scale and load quickly for visitors anywhere.
Custom systems with logins and databases are different: they need a server that is always on. Where does a custom system live? explains the options and a monthly budget.
Do you need a maintenance plan?
- Probably not if your content rarely changes. Pay for edits when you need them.
- Probably yes if you update products, prices or projects every month, or want someone checking the site is up.
Red flags in a quote
- A cheap build tied to an expensive yearly “hosting” fee
- The developer owns your domain, or won’t give you access
- No mention of who owns the code after launch
With Pixel Maker you own the domain, the code and the design files. If you ever want to move on, you can take everything with you.
Related guides
- Do you need a website maintenance plan? What happens without one, what a plan actually covers, and how to decide. Short answer: for most small business sites it’s optional. 4 min read
- Landing page, business website or product catalogue: which one do you need? A simple way to choose the right kind of website for your business, with a comparison table. 5 min read