Ask three web designers in Nairobi for a quote and you will probably get three very different numbers for what sounds like the same request.
Website design is not a standardised product. The price reflects how many pages you need, how much custom design and functionality is involved, who writes the content and what support continues after launch. This guide explains what drives the cost, how to compare quotes fairly and what to watch out for before you sign. It is not a price list or a survey of market rates. Jebilton Ventures quotes each website in writing after understanding your business.
Types of website, from simple to complex
Basic business website
Home, about, services and contact pages with a working enquiry route. Enough for sole traders, small service businesses and NGOs that need a clear presence.
SME website
More pages, individual service pages, a blog, galleries and team profiles, planned around how customers search and structured to turn visits into enquiries. This suits established SMEs, schools, clinics, hospitality businesses and professional firms.
Online store
A product catalogue, cart, payments, order handling and delivery rules. In Kenya, mobile money payments such as M-Pesa are usually expected. It is far more involved than a brochure site, so ask exactly which payment options, products and order features are included.
Custom systems
Portals, booking systems, membership sites and web applications for organizations that need functionality beyond a standard website.
When you compare quotes, compare them type for type and feature for feature.
For an example of an SME website in practice, read how we built the Pharmaclan Pharmacy website from scratch alongside its brand and Google Business Profile.
What affects the final price
Number of pages. A five-page site costs less than a twenty-page site with individual service pages, landing pages and a blog archive.
Custom design. Using a pre-built template is cheaper than designing something from scratch. Templates are not necessarily bad but they limit how distinctive your site looks compared to competitors.
E-commerce features. Every additional feature, from product filters to discount codes to delivery zone calculators, adds development time and therefore cost.
SEO setup. A site built without SEO in mind is harder and more expensive to fix later. Good agencies include on-page SEO, meta tags, site speed optimization and Google Search Console setup as standard. Ask about this upfront. SEO services in Nairobi
Hosting and domain. These are annual costs separate from the build fee. Ask who registers the domain, in whose name, what the hosting includes and what both cost to renew each year.
Content. Some agencies write copy and source photos for you. Others expect you to provide everything. Clarify this before you start or you may face extra costs or delays at launch.
What A Clear Website Quote Should List
Two quotes for “a business website” can describe very different work. Before you compare the totals, check that each quote states:
1. Pages and features. Which pages are included (for example home, about, each service, contact) and any special features such as a gallery, booking request or online payments.
2. Content. Who writes the text and who supplies the photos. Copywriting, stock images and photo shoots are often extra.
3. Design and revisions. Whether the design is made for your business or based on a ready template, and how many rounds of changes are included.
4. Mobile and search basics. That every page works well on a phone and that page titles, descriptions and Google Search Console setup are included.
5. How enquiries reach you. WhatsApp, call and email buttons that are tested before launch, so every enquiry gets to the right person.
6. Domain and hosting. Who registers the domain, in whose name, what the hosting includes and what both cost to renew each year.
7. Timeline and payments. Milestones in writing, what you need to provide at each stage and how payment is split.
8. After launch. How long corrections are covered, what ongoing support costs and what counts as new work.
9. Handover. That you receive the logins and files for your domain, hosting and website.
If a quote does not answer these, ask before you sign. It is the easiest way to tell whether a lower figure is a better deal or simply less work.
To get a comparable quote from us, send your business name and location, the pages you think you need, who your customers are, what text and photos you already have, and what you want visitors to do (call, WhatsApp, visit). Our website project brief guide walks you through it. We reply with a written quotation.
Red flags to watch for
A quote far below every other quote is often a template with your logo dropped in. It may look like dozens of other businesses, load slowly on phones and do little to help customers find you on Google.
Beyond price, watch for these warning signs:
🔴 No written contract covering deliverables, timeline, payments and file ownership
🔴 No discussion of mobile performance from the first conversation
🔴 No mention of SEO in the proposal
🔴Vague timelines with no milestones or launch date
🔴Unclear about who owns the domain and hosting after the project ends
Some providers make it difficult or expensive for you to move your site elsewhere after they build it. Always confirm you will receive the domain login, hosting login and all website files at handover.
Freelancer or agency: which is better?
Freelancers are often cheaper and can do excellent work. The risk is availability. A solo developer juggling multiple clients may go quiet for weeks and if something breaks after launch, you are waiting on one person.
Agencies cost more but typically offer a team, a defined process, post-launch support and accountability. If your website is central to how you generate business, the reliability of an agency tends to be worth the extra cost.
What about Wix, Squarespace or other website builders?
DIY website builders work for a personal portfolio or a very simple presence. For a business that depends on enquiries, check before you choose one how well it handles local search, the payment options your customers use and your own domain.
They also carry monthly subscription costs that continue for as long as the site is live, and moving the site elsewhere later can be difficult.
Ongoing costs after launch
The website build is a one-off fee. After launch, budget for:
🔳 Hosting: renewed every year; ask what it includes
🔳 Domain renewal: every year (.co.ke or .com), in your name
🔳 SSL certificate: usually included with hosting, but confirm this
🔳 Maintenance and updates: some agencies offer monthly retainers
🔳 SEO: if you want consistent organic traffic from Google, this is a separate ongoing investment
FAQ
How long does it take to build a website in Kenya?
It depends on the number of pages, the features and how quickly content and approvals come back. A clear brief with content ready shortens the timeline. Agree a timeline with milestones in writing before work starts.
What platform should my website be built on?
Choose a platform that lets you update your own content, loads quickly on phones, supports basic SEO and has developers available locally. Ask your provider which platform they use, why, and whether you will be able to move the site later.
Can you redesign an existing website?
We build new websites from scratch rather than patching or taking over sites built by others. If your current site is outdated, slow or not bringing enquiries, we plan a new one around your services and customers. You keep your domain name and any text and photos you want to reuse. Send us your current link and what you want the new site to do, and we will reply with the next step. See our website design in Nairobi page.
Jebilton Ventures designs business websites in Nairobi with clear services, mobile-friendly pages and a working enquiry route. Tell us what you need and we will reply with a written quotation.