What does an author website cost, and what should it include?
An author website usually costs somewhere between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars when you hire a designer. Reedsy, which publishes figures from its own marketplace, reports an average of $1,640 for an author web design project in 2025, with roughly one in ten under $500 and one in ten over $2,500. Packages that build the site alongside a book launch run higher.
The number matters less than what it buys. Two sites at the same price can differ enormously in what they do for a reader.
How much does an author website cost?
Prices tend to fall into three bands.
| What it is | Typical outlay | |
|---|---|---|
| Template builder | You assemble the site yourself from a theme | Low monthly fee plus your time |
| Hired designer | A professional builds a simple, tidy site for you | Around Reedsy's reported average |
| Studio build | A site designed around your books, readers and launch | Several thousand dollars and up |
Our own prices are published: a Basic Site with a home, About and Contact page starts at $3,000, and a bespoke Signature Site at $12,500. A site built as part of a Become an Author package is included in packages that start at $10,000. Reedsy's average describes the market at large; it is not our price.
What is included in the price?
Ask for a plain list. A fair quote names the number of pages, who writes the words, whether the design is custom or a template, how the site will look on a phone, how many rounds of changes you get, and whether you can edit it yourself afterwards. If any of those is missing, the price tells you very little.
What costs extra after launch?
Almost every site has yearly costs that sit outside the design fee: a domain name, hosting, and software for your mailing list if you collect email addresses. Some designers charge for updates, which matters when a new book is coming. Ask what happens when you publish the next title, and who adds it.
What should an author website include?
A good one is simple and does five jobs well.
- A books page. Every title, in reading order, with a sentence on where to start. Readers of a series arrive wanting exactly this.
- Links to every place to buy. Send readers to the retailer they already use. Our guide to whether authors sell direct or only on Amazon explains the choice.
- An about page. A short, human account of who you are and why you write.
- A mailing-list sign-up. The one thing a retailer will not give you is the reader's email address.
- Contact details for readers, events and press.
It should also work on a phone and be readable by everyone. The WCAG 2.2 guidelines from the W3C are the standard to ask a designer about. For more on structure, see author website examples and whether self-published authors need a website at all.
What does good help look like?
A good designer asks about your books before your colours. They want to know how many titles you have, whether there is a series, where readers buy and what you want a visitor to do next. They quote a fixed price in writing, say what is included, explain the yearly costs and leave you able to add your next book without calling them.
Where Bay House fits
Every Become an Author package includes an author website built around your books, with links to the stores where they are sold and a way for readers to join your list. Essentials starts at $10,000, Author Studio at $25,000 and Author Platform can run up to $50,000. Each is quoted after a first conversation. See our pricing.
Common questions
How much should I pay for an author website?
A basic professional site often falls between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars, and Reedsy's reported average is $1,640. A bespoke site, or one built as part of a publishing package, costs more. Ask what is included and what you will pay each year afterwards.
Are there ongoing costs for an author website?
Yes. You will normally pay for a domain name and hosting each year, and email-list software if you collect subscribers. Some designers also charge for updates, so ask what is covered once the site is live.
What pages does an author website need?
At minimum: a home page that features your latest book, a books page with every title in reading order, an about page, links to each place to buy, a way to join your mailing list and a contact page.
