A Content Management System (CMS) is the software that allows you to easily manage, update, and publish content on your website without needing to know how to code. Think of it as the backend “engine” that powers your site’s front end. The most popular CMS in the world is WordPress, which powers over 40% of all websites.
The cost of a website with a CMS is a bit different from a static, coded-from-scratch site, as it involves a combination of fixed and recurring expenses.
Initial Development and Setup Costs
This is the one-time fee you pay a web designer or agency to build your website. The cost is highly variable and depends on several key factors:
- Customization: A CMS offers two main design options:
- Template-Based Design: The designer uses a pre-built theme and customizes it with your brand colors, fonts, and content. This is a very cost-effective approach.
- Custom Design: The designer creates a unique design from the ground up and then builds it on the CMS. This is more time-consuming and requires a higher level of skill, leading to a much higher cost.
- Functionality: The more features and custom functionality you need, the higher the price. This includes things like:
- E-commerce capabilities with a shopping cart and payment gateway.
- An online booking or reservation system.
- A membership area with user logins and tiered content.
- A forum or community section.
- Integration with third-party software like a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system or an email marketing service.
- Content Migration: If you’re moving from an old website to a new one, the designer may charge an additional fee to migrate your existing content, such as blog posts, images, and pages.
Ongoing and Recurring Costs
These are the essential, predictable costs that keep your website online, secure, and functional.
- Domain Name: The annual fee for your website’s address (e.g.,
www.yourcompany.co.ke). This is a relatively small fee, typically ranging from KES 1,000 to KES 2,000 per year. - Hosting: This is the server space where your website files are stored. A CMS-based website, especially with dynamic content and user functionality, requires more robust hosting than a simple static site.
- Shared Hosting: The most affordable option, but it can be slow if other websites on the same server get a lot of traffic.
- Managed WordPress Hosting: A more expensive but highly recommended option for WordPress sites. The hosting provider handles updates, security, and performance optimization for you.
- Monthly or annual costs can range from KES 2,500 for a basic plan to over KES 20,000 per year for a high-performance, managed solution.
- Themes and Plugins: While many themes and plugins are free, the best ones that offer professional features, security, and support have an annual cost. This can range from KES 5,000 to over KES 30,000 per year, depending on your needs.
- Security and Maintenance: A CMS is a target for hackers. Regular maintenance is non-negotiable and includes:
- Updating the CMS core, themes, and plugins to prevent vulnerabilities.
- Regular security scans and malware removal.
- Routine backups of your website’s data.
- A professional maintenance plan can range from KES 5,000 to KES 20,000+ per month.
Typical Price Ranges for a CMS-Based Website in Kenya
- Basic Brochure Website (KES 50,000 – KES 150,000): A custom-tailored, responsive website with 10-15 pages and a blog. It is a one-time fee for design and development, with recurring fees for hosting and a few premium plugins.
- Standard Business Website (KES 150,000 – KES 350,000): A more advanced website with a fully custom design and functionality like a portfolio, online forms, and a basic payment integration.
- E-commerce or Membership Website (KES 350,000+): A complex website with a high level of functionality, custom-built features, and advanced security. The cost is high due to the time required for strategic planning, custom development, and rigorous testing