What does Stacked Marketing do?

We manage Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ad campaigns and build full-stack marketing systems including websites, landing pages, and automation for businesses in South Africa.

How much does Meta Ads management cost?

A premium custom website starts from R2,499 once-off. Meta Ads management starts from R4,999 per month. Our Stacked Core package (ads + website + automation) is R9,999 per month. No contracts, cancel any time.

Do you require long-term contracts?

No. We operate month to month with no lock-in contracts. You stay because the results speak for themselves, not because you are locked in.

Do I need to pay for ad spend separately?

Yes. Our management fee covers strategy, optimisation, creative production, and reporting. Your ad spend goes directly to Meta. You control the budget and can see every rand spent in real time.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. No contracts, no lock-in. We keep you because results keep you, not paperwork.

What does "you own everything" actually mean?

Your website code, your ad accounts, your automations, your data. All of it belongs to you. If you leave, you take everything with you. No hostage situations.

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Website DesignWebsite CostSouth AfricaBudgeting

How Much Does a Business Website Cost in South Africa in 2026?

Stacked Marketing●14 March 2026

"How much does a website cost?" is the most Googled web design question in South Africa — and the answers are usually useless. "It depends" is technically true but practically worthless when you're trying to budget.

Here's a straight answer based on what we see in the South African market in 2026, what each price range actually gets you, and where the money goes.

The Price Tiers

Tier 1: R0–R500 (DIY Website Builders)

What you get:

Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress.com site built from a template
Drag-and-drop editor, no coding required
Hosting included in monthly fee (R100–R400/month)
Free subdomain (yourbusiness.wixsite.com) or custom domain for R150–R300/year

What you don't get:

Custom design (you look like everyone else using the same template)
Speed optimisation (these platforms are notoriously slow, especially in SA)
Proper SEO setup
Conversion-focused layout
Professional quality

Good for: Side hustles, hobby projects, or businesses testing an idea before investing Not good for: Any business that depends on website leads for revenue

Tier 2: R1,500–R5,000 (Professional Starter Sites)

What you get:

3–5 page custom-designed website
Mobile responsive design
Basic on-page SEO
Contact form and WhatsApp integration
Fast loading speed (if built properly)
Delivered live and ready to use

What differentiates this range: The builder's skill and the technology they use. A R2,500 WordPress site on a R50/month host will perform very differently from a R2,500 site built on a modern framework with proper hosting.

Our Basic Starter Website at R2,499 includes 4 custom pages, working contact form, WhatsApp click-to-chat, basic on-page SEO, Google Analytics, and delivery in 5 business days. Full ownership — you get the code, the domain, everything.

Good for: Small businesses that need a professional online presence and a foundation for future growth This is where most SA small businesses should start

Tier 3: R5,000–R15,000 (Mid-Range Custom Sites)

What you get:

5–10 page custom website
Custom design (not a modified template)
Advanced SEO setup (schema markup, sitemap, meta optimisation)
Blog or CMS for content management
Lead capture forms with automation
Custom landing pages
Integration with booking systems, CRMs, or payment gateways

What differentiates this range: Complexity of features and degree of customisation. A 5-page brochure site with a blog is at the lower end. A 10-page site with booking integration, CRM connection, and multiple landing pages is at the upper end.

Good for: Growing businesses that need their website to actively generate and convert leads

Tier 4: R15,000–R50,000 (Premium Custom Builds)

What you get:

Fully bespoke design and development
10–30+ pages
E-commerce functionality (WooCommerce, Shopify, or custom)
Complex integrations (ERP systems, inventory management, APIs)
Custom animations and interactions
Multi-language support
Dedicated project manager
Extended development timeline (4–8 weeks)

Good for: Established businesses with complex requirements, e-commerce stores, or businesses where the website IS the product

Tier 5: R50,000–R200,000+ (Agency Enterprise)

What you get:

Full discovery and strategy phase
Custom UX/UI design process
Complex web applications
Custom backend development
Training and documentation
Ongoing support retainer

The reality check: Most South African small and medium businesses do not need a R50,000+ website. If an agency is quoting you this for a brochure site with a contact form, you're being overcharged.

Where the Money Actually Goes

Understanding the cost breakdown helps you evaluate quotes:

Design (30–40% of cost)

Wireframes and layout planning
Visual design (colours, typography, imagery)
Mobile and desktop versions
Revisions and feedback rounds

Development (30–40% of cost)

Converting designs to code
Making it responsive
Setting up CMS (if applicable)
Integrations (forms, analytics, payment, etc.)
Speed optimisation
Cross-browser testing

Content (10–20% of cost)

Copywriting (often not included — ask your provider)
Image sourcing or photography
Video production (if applicable)

Setup and Launch (5–10% of cost)

Domain configuration
Hosting setup
SSL certificate
Analytics installation
Testing and QA

Key question to ask: "What's included in the quote and what's extra?"

Many providers quote a low development cost but charge extra for copywriting, stock images, hosting setup, SSL, and ongoing maintenance. The R3,000 quote becomes R8,000 when you add the extras.

Ongoing Costs (What Nobody Tells You)

Your website has recurring costs regardless of who built it:

Cost	Typical SA Range	Notes
Domain registration	R100–R300/year	.co.za is cheapest
Hosting	R50–R500/month	Quality matters — cheap hosting = slow site
SSL certificate	R0–R500/year	Many hosts include free SSL (Let's Encrypt)
Maintenance/updates	R0–R2,000/month	WordPress sites need regular updates; static sites don't
Email hosting	R50–R200/month	If you want @yourbusiness.co.za email

Annual minimum: Roughly R2,000–R5,000/year for domain + hosting + SSL WordPress maintenance: Add R500–R2,000/month if you want someone to manage updates and security

The Hidden Cost: Opportunity Cost

The most expensive website isn't the one that costs R50,000 to build. It's the one that costs R5,000 to build but loses you R20,000/month in potential leads because it's slow, confusing, and doesn't convert.

If you're spending R8,000/month on Meta ads and sending that traffic to a website that converts at 1% instead of 5%, you're wasting R6,400/month in potential lead value. Over a year, that's R76,800 — far more than the cost of a proper website.

The website isn't an expense. It's a revenue tool. Budget accordingly.

What We Recommend

If you're just starting out:

Invest R2,500–R5,000 in a professional starter site. Get it built properly from the start — fast, mobile-first, conversion-focused. Don't waste time on a free builder that you'll outgrow in 3 months.

If you're running ads:

Your website is the most important part of your ad system. A fast, clear landing page will reduce your cost per lead more than any targeting change or creative test. If your site is slow or unclear, fix it before increasing ad spend.

If you've been quoted R30,000+ for a brochure site:

Get a second opinion. Unless you have complex e-commerce requirements or custom application needs, a 5–7 page business website should not cost R30,000 in South Africa in 2026.

We build 4-page custom business websites for R2,499 once-off, delivered in 5 days. You own everything. Get started.