When you get the most suitable quote for your website development services in Dubai, it is expected to be broken down into separate items, which include discovery, design, development, integration, content, testing, launch, and post-launch support. It should also cover recurring expenses, such as hosting, domain name, licensing, and maintenance. For a rough indication, the starting price of a typical CMS website in Dubai is about AED 6,250.
There may be a considerable difference between two website development quotes for the “same” website. This usually does not mean one firm is overcharging. It means they have different packages of services in the quote. Knowing what makes a complete website development quote allows you to easily compare them.
How much does website development cost in Dubai?
There are two factors that mostly drive up the website development cost. They are the number of pages and required custom functionality. The starting price for RedBerries’ website development services in Dubai is as follows:
| Type of website | Starting price | Typical use |
| Standard CMS website, up to 5 pages | From USD 1,700 (about AED 6,250) | Start-ups, consultants, single-service businesses |
| Standard CMS website, up to 15 pages | Up to USD 6,000 (about AED 22,000) | SMEs and corporate websites with several services |
| E-commerce website | From USD 6,500 (about AED 23,900) | Online stores with payments, shipping and stock |
| Custom web application | Scoped individually | Portals, dashboards, booking engines, marketplaces |
See web design pricing page for broader ranges of market prices by types of websites. See also our guide on cost of an e-commerce website in the UAE.
What should a website development quote include?
This checklist should help you review any website development quote. If an item is not present in a quote, ask what is the case.
| Line item | What it covers | Question to ask |
| Discovery and scope | Workshops, sitemap, feature list, written scope | Would I get a written scope of work before project start? |
| UX and UI design | Number of templates for pages, mobile layout, revisions | Number of templates and revisions provided? |
| Front-end development | Converting designs to responsive, fast-loading pages | Which framework/theme will be used? |
| Back-end and CMS | Content management system, database, admin panel | Can my team edit pages without a developer? |
| Integrations | Payment gateway, CRM, ERP, booking, WhatsApp, maps | Which integrations are being done? Are there any additional costs from third party services? |
| Content | Copywriting, Arabic translation, images sourcing, page migration | Who is writing/uploading the content? |
| SEO setup | Metadata, clean URLs, schema, XML sitemap, redirects from old pages | Will you map redirects from my current site? |
| Testing | Browser, device, speed, security and form testing | Do I get a staging site to review and approve? |
| Launch and training | Go-live, handover, CMS training | Is training included, and for how many people? |
| Warranty | Bug fixes for a set period after launch | How long is the warranty and what does it cover? |
| Ongoing costs | Hosting, domain, SSL, plugin or theme licences, maintenance | What will I pay each year after launch? |
| Payment terms and VAT | Deposit, milestones, final payment, 5% VAT | Do prices include VAT, and when is each payment due? |
| Ownership | Code, design files, content and account access | Will I own everything once I make the final payment? |
What are the main pricing models for website development?
Generally speaking, any of four types of website development is applied by firms in Dubai. None of them is better than others in all cases. Everything depends on the scope definition.
| Pricing model | How it works | Best for | What to watch |
| Fixed price | A fixed price for an agreed upon scope of work | Projects with a clear, stable scope | Changes outside the scope are quoted separately |
| Time and materials | You pay for hours or days actually worked | Evolving products and custom applications | Ask for weekly time reports and a budget cap |
| Milestone-based | Payments linked to approved stages, such as design, build and launch | Most business websites | Make sure each milestone has clear sign-off criteria |
| Monthly retainer/dedicated team | Flat-rate fee for a certain amount of output or team effort each month | Continuous enhancements and massive platforms | Define what to do with extra hours |
Projects often include several types of cooperation. For instance, a set price for the creation of the website and retainer for maintenance and updates.
What makes a website cost more or less?
- Unique templates. Creation of ten pages based on three templates is cheaper than creation of ten different templates.
- Custom features. Booking system, calculators, member areas and dashboards require additional development and testing.
- Integration. Integration with the payment gateway, CRM or ERP requires more efforts from both sides.
- Arabic/English languages. A multi-language site requires additional efforts in design, development, and content creation.
- Volume of content. Transfering a couple of hundred webpages or products involves certain preparations and controls of quality.
- Deadline. An extremely tight deadline could require more people working on the project in parallel.
What ongoing costs should you budget for after launch?
Web-site is not a one-time purchase. Ask your web developer to provide them in annual numbers:
- Hosting, suitable for your requirements. Our article “Why Premium Hosting” helps you to understand why and what for.
- Renewal of domain names .ae or .com
- Premium Themes / Plugins / 3rd party services licence.
- Maintenance: Updates, backup, security monitoring and small modifications. Please check website maintenance service details for what is included in typical plans.
How do you compare two website development quotes fairly?
- Match up each quote with the list above. See what is included and excluded by each quote.
- Verify the assumptions. Who will supply content? How many revisions? What integrations?
- Factor in the recurrent expenses. An economical development process with costly licenses can be even more costly in three years.
- Verify the ownership and support. Verify that you will have the ownership and support, along with a warranty period.
- Find out about the developers. Know the names of the people who will actually work on your project and how often they will contact you.
How can you get more from a smaller budget?
- Develop the site in stages: Develop those sections of the website first that generate queries, and then others.
- Choose an established CMS: WordPress or something alike is usually the most efficient option for content-centric websites.
- Content needs to be ready well in advance: One of the most frequent causes for delays is the wait for text and graphic content.
- Reuse templates where possible: Having fewer templates will mean having less work designing and building a website.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to develop a website in the UAE?
The average price for business website development is around AED 6,000 and can go up to AED 45,000 depending upon several factors. Websites for e-commerce businesses start higher, at approximately AED 20,000 to AED 24,000. Web apps are quoted individually after the discovery stage.
How much does a one-page website cost in Dubai?
A single landing page and one-page website cost between AED 3,000 and AED 7,000 in Dubai. This is determined by the volume of content, the complexity of the design, the number of pages, forms, and other factors. Copywriting services can be included in the cost as well.
Why do website development quotes in Dubai vary so much?
Quotes are different, because they include different things. One quote can cover design, revisions, content, SEO setup, testing and warranty, but another – only development. Quote line-by-line before you compare them.
Is VAT added to website development quotes in Dubai?
The regular VAT rate in the UAE is 5%. The registered VAT businesses include it into their quotes; therefore, always make sure if the prices provided in the quote are before or after VAT.
What ongoing costs come after a website launches?
You should be aware about the annual cost of hosting, domain renewal and all premiums on themes, plugins and software licenses, as well as the maintenance package. It is recommended to request that they would be included in your quote to understand the real price of website ownership.
Get an itemised quote
As a Dubai-based website development company with over 12 years of experience, RedBerries provides an honest and itemized quotation following the quick discovery call, without any hidden charges. Request a quote and compare it with any other line by line.