Key takeaways
- A small business website in Kenya usually costs KES 25,000 to KES 80,000 to build. Online shops and custom systems cost more.
- Budget for yearly costs too: a domain, hosting and upkeep. For most small businesses that is roughly KES 3,000 to KES 15,000 a year before maintenance.
- The cheapest quote often leaves out things you pay for later, such as content, SEO setup, security and updates.
How much does a website cost in Kenya? The honest answer is that it depends on what the website has to do. A one-page site with your phone number and a map is a very different job from an online shop that takes M-Pesa payments and tracks stock.
This guide sets out typical website prices in Kenya for 2026, the yearly costs people forget, what pushes a quote up, and how to tell whether a price is fair.
Website cost in Kenya at a glance
| Type of website | Typical price in Kenya (2026) | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page (one page) | KES 10,000 to 25,000 | A single offer, event or campaign |
| Small business website (5 to 10 pages) | KES 25,000 to 80,000 | Service firms, clinics, schools, consultants |
| eCommerce website | KES 40,000 to 200,000 | Selling products online with M-Pesa and card |
| Custom web application | KES 150,000 and up | Portals, booking systems, dashboards |
These ranges come from prices Kenyan web designers and hosting companies publish. Freelancers and template builds sit at the lower end. Agencies that include planning, copywriting, SEO setup and training sit higher. The spread is wide, so compare what each quote includes, not just the total.
The yearly costs on top of the build
A website is not a one-off purchase. These costs come back every year:
- Domain name: a .co.ke domain costs roughly KES 700 to 1,500 a year, and a .com about KES 1,200 to 2,000, depending on the registrar.
- Hosting: basic shared hosting starts from around KES 1,500 a year. Higher-grade hosting for busy sites or online shops costs KES 5,000 to 15,000 a year or more.
- Business email: an address like info@yourbusiness.co.ke often comes with hosting. Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 charge per user each month.
- SSL certificate: the padlock in the browser bar. Most hosts include a free one.
- Maintenance: plugin and security updates, backups and small edits. You can do this yourself or pay someone monthly.
Always register the domain and hosting in your own name, with your own login. If a designer holds them, moving away later can be slow and costly.
What pushes the price up
Number of pages and the content on them
Five pages take less time than twenty. Each page also needs words and images. If you supply them, the quote is lower. If the designer writes the copy and sources photos, expect to pay for that time.
Template or custom design
A good template, adjusted to your brand, keeps costs down and works well for most small businesses. A fully custom design takes longer and makes sense when your brand or the way customers use your site needs something different.
Features
Online payments, booking calendars, client logins, multiple languages and links to other systems all add work. An online shop also needs product setup, delivery options and order emails.
SEO and tracking setup
A site that loads quickly, has proper page titles, a sitemap and Google Analytics set up from day one costs a little more to build. It saves you paying to fix those things later.
Speed and security
Compressed images, caching, backups and security hardening take time. They also decide whether visitors on mobile data stay or leave.
Template or custom: which do you need?
If you run a service business and need people to call, WhatsApp or fill in a form, a well-built template site is usually enough. Choose custom work if you need features no template offers, or if your website is the product, for example a booking platform or a members portal.
Red flags in a cheap website quote
- The designer registers the domain or hosting in their own name.
- No mention of how the site looks and works on a phone.
- No backups or updates after launch.
- You cannot edit text or photos yourself.
- No contact form, WhatsApp button or analytics.
- A price with no list of pages or features, so you cannot compare it with other quotes.
If you already have a website and are not sure whether to fix it or start again, read what a website audit checks. An audit often shows that a few fixes beat a full rebuild.
What a website costs at Steelart
Our website design starts from KES 50,000, an eCommerce website from KES 80,000 and a custom web application from KES 150,000. Website maintenance starts from KES 10,000 a month. We give you a fixed quote after a free consultation, so you know the full price before any work starts. See our website design services for what is included.
How to budget for your first website
- Write down what the site must do: bring calls, take bookings, sell products or explain a service.
- List the pages you need, such as Home, About, Services, Contact and FAQs.
- Gather your logo, photos and wording, or set aside money to have them made.
- Ask two or three providers for quotes that list the same pages and features.
- Add the yearly costs for domain, hosting and maintenance to the build price.
FAQ
How much does a simple website cost in Kenya?
A simple one-page website usually costs KES 10,000 to 25,000. A small business site with five to ten pages usually costs KES 25,000 to 80,000, depending on who builds it and what is included.
Do I pay for a website every year?
You pay for the build once. The domain and hosting renew every year, and most businesses also pay for maintenance, either monthly or as needed.
How long does it take to build a website?
A small business website usually takes two to four weeks once the content is ready. Online shops and custom systems take longer.
Can I build a website myself?
Yes. Website builders and WordPress make it possible, and it can work for a very small budget. The trade-off is your time, and the risk of missing speed, SEO and security basics.
Want a clear price for your website? Get a website quote and we will send it within one working day, or WhatsApp us on +254 780 851 086.
