How Much Does Custom CMS Web Development Cost? 

BY: Ashish Joshi
SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

Web development is a critical part of any business’s digital transformation strategy. There are many reasons why having a website is vital to your company’s success, like building a marketing strategy, establishing credibility, and setting your business apart from competitors.  

Custom CMS development services can unleash your brand’s full potential by attracting customers’ attention with unique features and details specific to your clients’ needs. A custom CMS design can ensure your website’s privacy, security, and functionality more than an open-source solution. 

Key Takeaways 

  • Custom CMS web development costs depend on several factors. 
  • The upfront costs depend on the website’s size, features, and team. 
  • Ongoing costs for maintenance ensure your website’s security, functionality, and other support services. 
  • Web hosting costs vary from free to over $100 per month, ranging from quick and reliable to slow and unstable. 
  • Outsourcing to an experienced custom CMS development team ensures the results match your vision. 

What are Custom Content Management Systems? 

What is a content management system (CMS)? A CMS is an application to create a website. Think of a CMS design system as a tool to manage your website via an interface instead of code.  

A custom CMS for website building is different than an off-the-shelf. First, a custom CMS is as unique as your company. Custom CMS means that you can include features that distinguish your website from all others. Later, if you decide that you want more control over your site’s functions, an open-source solution would make this challenging. 

A custom CMS solution gives businesses more control over the features and functionality. If you want to add or change something, you can tell the development team what you’d like done, and they will make those changes immediately. There’s no need for you or your employees to search through plugins, widgets, and tutorials or learn WordPress for programmers to get the job done.   

Custom CMS Web Development Cost Factors 

Usually, the more complex your design and functionality (such as integrating novel features), the higher the price. A popular platform like WordPress typically costs you less than a custom-made system. Also, a ten-page website is cheaper to develop than one with 100 pages. Other factors, such as the testing, deployment, and maintenance complexity, contribute to the final price set by the WordPress web development company. 

Upfront Costs for Custom CMS Web Development 

Upfront costs for custom CMS web development usually depend on the following factors: 

  • Development Time – The time needed for development depends on the project’s complexity, i.e., a small business website would take less time to develop than an enterprise solution with dozens of modules. 
  • Size and Features – A standard CMS web design package might include 15 pages, a simple contact form, and automated sitemap generation. If you need more complex features like content moderation tools, image galleries, or e-commerce payment gateway integrations, include that in your initial quote request. 
  • Development Team – Setting up an in-house team to create and maintain a custom CMS is typically more expensive than outsourcing. Finding the right WordPress development company with experience in the latest development practices can also be tricky. 

The cost of CMS web development can vary wildly, starting at a few hundred dollars and increasing to tens of thousands. One reason for this wide range is that the features included in a CMS can be as basic (like blogs and newsletters) or complex (like e-commerce sites and social media) as needed. The more you want your site to do, the higher the price tag. 

Ongoing Maintenance Costs for a Custom CMS 

Some custom CMS developers provide a quote for ongoing maintenance separate from the initial build. It might be tempting to assume it’s not worth paying but keep these costs in mind. Ongoing website maintenance can include many different aspects, such as: 

  • Plugin and extension updates 
  • Website content updates 
  • Website activity monitoring 
  • Backup/restoration of files/data 
  • Security monitoring to protect against viruses and hacking attempts 
  • Performance monitoring to ensure your site is loading quickly and efficiently across all devices and browsers 

At first, taking a do-it-yourself approach to custom CMS development seems the most straightforward and affordable choice. Down the line, the complexities of web maintenance begin to reveal themselves and create headaches for business owners.  

A custom CMS solution becomes urgent when companies begin to scale. Starting with a CMS programmer from the beginning can save businesses the burden of switching later. A professional web development team can help you optimize the digital experience for your customers by recommending options that best suit your company’s digital transformation journey. 

Monthly Web Hosting Cost Factors 

When estimating the cost of web hosting, you need to consider several factors. The main factor is the size of your website and the features required. For example, a small personal site with a few pages may not require many resources such as disk space or bandwidth and hence does not have many needs for expensive custom solutions.  

Web hosting costs vary depending on the number of services needed by your website. On the other hand, a large enterprise e-commerce site that needs to be up 24/7 and has high traffic will have much more demanding technology and server resources requirements. These resource demands determine what type of hosting you need.  

You’ll usually find three web hosting options:  

  • Shared Hosting – The cheapest hosting options are free
  • VPS Hosting – This web hosting service can cost anywhere between $30 and $120 annually. 
  • Dedicated Server Hosting – You can get this hosting service for over $100 per month. 

Shared web hosting shares CPU with other websites, making it the cheapest but often the slowest and most unstable option. In contrast, dedicated server hosting serves your website, making it reliable and more expensive. A VPS hosting solution has a cloud-based server, offering the benefits of dedicated server hosting at a more affordable price. 

How to Save Money on a Custom CMS 

When developing your custom CMS, one of the primary concerns is the cost. Some companies have their own IT department and rely on in-house web developers to get the job done. But what if you don’t have such resources? The best solution might be to hire an external team to build Drupal website or your custom CMS. 

There are many benefits of remote teams. To start with, they’re often more affordable than hiring developers and agencies. You also get access to more talent. Your local area might not be home to a top WordPress website development company, but your outsourcing partner has a vast pool of talent at their disposal. 

RD Global’s Team Can Turn Your Idea Into a Reality 

When you choose RD Global, our team of WordPress and Drupal developers can build a custom website that empowers your company’s growth. The WordPress developers at RD Global have experience with various CMS, including WordPress website development services and custom designs.  

  • WordPress development services 
  • Custom CMS development services 
  • Joomla website development 
  • Drupal website development

Our staff is trained in web development, design, maintenance, testing, and support. We offer comprehensive services to empower your website’s long-term growth and success. Connect with a skilled custom WordPress development company to build a CMS website for your business at a rate you can afford. 

Contact RD Global today to learn more from our CMS development team. 

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Written by Ashish Joshi

""After years of guiding teams of software engineers to deliver large enterprise solutions and complex data integration projects with unmatched accountability, Ashish Joshi manages our expert Research & Development team and is ultimately responsible for the financial management, quality, and timely delivery of projects for our customers.​""

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022
RD Global Empowers Insurance Companies to optimize total digital experience, unify data, and harmonize processes by developing high impact technology solutions infused with a 5-star customer experience.