A simple business website in Kenya is commonly quoted between about KES 15,000 and KES 50,000, a larger business site between KES 50,000 and KES 150,000, and an online shop with M-Pesa from around KES 60,000 upwards. On top of that you pay yearly running costs: a .co.ke domain (roughly KES 1,000–2,500), hosting (roughly KES 3,000–15,000) and any business email. The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest website once you count rebuilds, lost domains and missing features.
In this guide
- Typical website prices in Kenya in 2026
- What actually goes into the price?
- The yearly costs most people forget
- Website builders vs a custom-built website
- Why cheap websites often cost more
- Questions to ask before you pay a deposit
- How to keep your website cost down
- What Elvinsoft charges
- Frequently asked questions
“How much is a website?” is the first question almost every Kenyan business owner asks — and the answers they get range from KES 5,000 to KES 500,000. Both numbers can be honest. The price depends on what the website has to do, who builds it, and what is included in the quote.
This guide breaks the cost into its real parts so you can compare quotes properly, budget for the yearly costs most people forget, and avoid paying for the same website twice.
Typical website prices in Kenya in 2026
These are the ranges you will commonly be quoted in the Kenyan market for a professionally built site. They are not fixed prices — use them to judge whether a quote is in the normal range, then compare what each quote includes.
| Type of website | What you usually get | Common one-off price range |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page / one-page site | One page with your services, photos, WhatsApp and call buttons, map | KES 10,000 – 30,000 |
| Small business website | 4–6 pages: Home, Services, About, Contact, maybe Pricing | KES 15,000 – 50,000 |
| Larger business / school / church site | 8–20 pages, news or events, gallery, downloads, staff profiles | KES 50,000 – 150,000 |
| Online shop with M-Pesa | Product catalogue, cart, checkout, M-Pesa STK Push, order alerts | KES 60,000 – 250,000+ |
| Custom web system | Portals, bookings, SACCO or school management, integrations | KES 150,000 and up, quoted per project |
On top of the build price, every website has running costs, covered below. A quote that looks cheap often leaves these out.
What actually goes into the price?
A website quote is a bundle of separate jobs. When two quotes differ a lot, it is usually because one of them leaves some of these out.
- Planning and design — deciding the pages, layout and look so the site matches your brand and your customers.
- Building (development) — turning the design into a fast, mobile-friendly website, and connecting forms, WhatsApp, maps and payments.
- Content — writing the text, choosing and editing photos. If you supply everything, the price can be lower; if the designer writes it, expect to pay more.
- Features — M-Pesa payments, booking, member logins, Bulk SMS alerts, multiple languages. Each one adds work and testing.
- Set-up — domain, hosting, SSL (the padlock), business email, Google Business Profile and Google Search Console.
- Training and handover — showing your team how to make simple updates, and giving you all the logins.
The yearly costs most people forget
A website is not a one-time purchase. These costs repeat every year, and if they are not paid, the site and your email go offline.
| Running cost | Typical yearly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .co.ke domain | About KES 1,000 – 2,500 | Varies by registrar. A .com is usually a little more. How to register a .co.ke domain |
| Hosting | About KES 3,000 – 15,000 | Shared hosting is enough for most small business sites. Shops and systems need more. |
| SSL certificate (HTTPS) | Often free | Most good hosts include a free certificate. Paid ones are rarely needed for small sites. |
| Business email | Free with some hosting, or paid per user | Email on your own domain looks more professional than a free address. |
| Maintenance and support | Optional, monthly or yearly | Updates, backups, security checks and content changes. |
Budget rule of thumb: after the build, set aside an amount every year for domain, hosting and small changes. It is far cheaper than rebuilding a site that was left to expire.
Website builders vs a custom-built website
Do-it-yourself builders can look cheaper at first. Here is how the options usually compare for a Kenyan small business.
| DIY website builder | WordPress site | Custom-built site | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low | Low to medium | Medium to high |
| Monthly cost | Monthly subscription, often in US dollars | Hosting plus any paid plugins | Hosting only |
| Speed on mobile data | Depends on the platform | Good if kept lean, slow if overloaded with plugins | Usually the fastest |
| M-Pesa payments | Limited or via third parties | Through plugins | Built exactly as you need |
| Your time | You do the work | Some upkeep needed | Least effort for you |
| Moving it later | Hard | Possible | Yes, if you own the code and hosting |
Why cheap websites often cost more
The most expensive website is the one you pay for twice. These are the problems we see most often when businesses ask us to fix or replace a cheap site:
- The domain is not in your name. The designer registered it on their own account. When you part ways, getting it back is hard — and your email goes with it.
- No access to hosting. You cannot update anything or move the site without the person who built it.
- Slow on phones. Huge images and heavy themes make the site crawl on mobile data, and visitors leave.
- Nobody can find it. No page titles, descriptions, Google Business Profile or sitemap, so it never shows on Google.
- Left unfinished. Placeholder text, broken contact forms and a phone number that rings nowhere.
Questions to ask before you pay a deposit
- Exactly which pages and features are included?
- Who writes the text and supplies the photos?
- Are domain, hosting and email included, and for how long?
- Will the domain and hosting be registered in my business's name?
- How many rounds of changes are included?
- How long will it take, and what do you need from me?
- What does support cost after launch?
- Can I see websites you have built that are live today?
How to keep your website cost down
- Prepare your content early. Have your service list, prices, photos and contact details ready. Waiting for content is the biggest cause of delays.
- Start small, then grow. Launch a solid 4–5 page site now and add a shop or portal later, instead of paying for features you are not ready to use.
- Use real photos from your phone. Good, well-lit photos of your team, premises and work beat stock images and cost nothing.
- Pay in stages. A deposit to start and the balance before launch protects both sides. Pay by M-Pesa or bank so there is a record.
What Elvinsoft charges
Our website packages are Starter, Business and E-commerce, with prices in Kenya shillings and payment by M-Pesa. Every project is confirmed in writing first, the domain and hosting are registered in your business's name, and you get all the logins at handover. For systems, Bulk SMS or USSD we quote per project — ask for a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a basic website in Kenya?
A basic 1–5 page business website is commonly quoted between about KES 15,000 and KES 50,000 in 2026, depending on the designer, the number of pages, and whether writing, photos and set-up are included. Always ask what is included before comparing prices.
What are the yearly costs of a website in Kenya?
Expect to renew your domain every year (a .co.ke is roughly KES 1,000–2,500) and pay for hosting (roughly KES 3,000–15,000 a year for a small business site). Business email, maintenance and paid tools are extra if you need them.
Is a free website builder enough for my business?
It can be a good start for a very small business, but you usually pay monthly in dollars, have limited control over speed and search engine settings, and cannot easily move the site later. A site on your own domain and hosting is easier to grow and own.
Can I pay for a website in instalments?
Many Kenyan web designers, including Elvinsoft, take a deposit to start and the balance before the site goes live. Agree the payment stages in writing, and pay by M-Pesa or bank so there is a record.
This guide is general information for Kenyan businesses, written by the Elvinsoft team and checked on 31 October 2026. Prices, rules and provider processes change; confirm the details that matter to you before you act.
