The typical website cost in Kenya in 2026 is KES 20,000 to 100,000 for a small business site, KES 60,000 to 300,000 for an online shop with M-Pesa, and KES 100,000 or more for a custom web app. Domain, hosting and maintenance add yearly costs on top.
Those ranges are wide because "a website" can mean a one-page profile or a full ordering system. This guide breaks down what each price level buys, what you pay after launch, and how to spot a quote that will cost you more later.
What affects the cost of a website in Kenya?
Five things decide most of the website cost in Kenya:
Number of pages and features. A four-page profile is quick. Bookings, accounts, a shop or a client portal take far longer.
Payments. M-Pesa checkout, card payments and receipts add build time and testing. Our M-Pesa integration guide explains the options.
Who builds it. Freelancers charge less than agencies, but you carry more of the risk.
Content. Writing, photography and product uploads are real work, and many quotes exclude them.
Search visibility. Basic SEO is cheap to build in. Keyword research, structured data and content plans cost more.
How much does each type of website cost?
Here is the typical website cost in Kenya by type, based on 2026 prices from Kenyan agencies and freelance guides. Prices vary, so use them as a guide rather than a quote.
Landing page: KES 10,000 to 20,000 for a single page that points visitors to a call or a WhatsApp chat (McTaba).
Small business website: KES 20,000 to 50,000 from freelancers, and up to around KES 100,000 from agencies (Achi Systems).
Online shop with M-Pesa: KES 60,000 to 150,000 from freelancers, and KES 150,000 to 400,000 for an agency-built store (Kolonell).
Custom web app or portal: from KES 100,000, and well beyond KES 300,000 for complex systems.
What does Bluvig charge for a website?
We publish our prices, so you can check the numbers yourself. A standard Bluvig website costs KES 20,000 and includes:
Home, About, Services and Contact pages
An admin dashboard to edit content and see enquiries
An embedded Google Map and a WhatsApp chat button
Basic SEO and GEO, so Google and AI assistants can read your site
Mobile-friendly design and SSL
Hosting and a domain for the first year
From the second year, renewal is KES 5,000 a year. Features are priced individually: an online shop for up to 100 products adds KES 20,000, M-Pesa checkout adds KES 7,000, and advanced SEO and GEO adds KES 12,000. You can pick features on our instant quotation page and see the exact price, timeline and a live preview before you pay anything.
What will you pay every year after launch?
The build is only part of the website cost in Kenya. Plan for these recurring costs as well:
Domain name. A .co.ke domain is cheap in year one, but renewals are higher. KeNIC raised its wholesale prices for third-level domains by 43% in February 2025, and registrars now charge roughly KES 999 to 2,500 a year to renew (Achi Systems).
Hosting. Shared hosting in Kenya costs about KES 2,000 to 12,500 a year. Online shops often need business hosting at KES 10,000 to 50,000 a year.
SSL certificate. Usually free with modern hosting, through Let's Encrypt.
Maintenance. Updates, backups and fixes cost about KES 5,000 to 15,000 a month on retainer (McTaba). Our own plan is KES 2,500 a month.
Therefore, compare the website cost in Kenya over three years, not on the build price alone. A "cheap" site with expensive renewals often costs more by year three.
Is Wix or Shopify cheaper than hiring a developer?
Not over time. Website builders charge monthly in US dollars, and you pay forever. For example, Wix's Core plan costs $29.77 a month billed yearly (Wix), which is about $1,070 over three years. Shopify's Basic plan starts at $19 a month billed yearly, and it adds a 2% fee when you use a third-party payment provider (Shopify).
Builders make sense for testing an idea quickly. However, M-Pesa support is limited, card and forex charges add up, and leaving the platform usually means rebuilding.
Should you build for mobile or desktop first?
Build for both. However, test on phones first. Kenyans now connect through 52.3 million smartphones, according to Communications Authority figures for the quarter to June 2026 (Techweez). In September 2026, 54% of web traffic in Kenya came from mobile devices and 45% from desktops (StatCounter).
In practice, that means fast pages on mobile data, big tap targets and a WhatsApp button within thumb reach.
How do you spot a website quote that will cost you more later?
Before you pay a deposit, ask these questions:
Whose name is the domain registered in? It should be yours. If the developer owns it, they effectively own your web address.
Can I edit content myself? Otherwise, every price change becomes a paid request.
What do renewals cost from year two? Get the number in writing.
Is SEO set up? At minimum: page titles, descriptions, a sitemap and Google Search Console.
When will it go live? A clear timeline and payment milestones protect both sides. For a longer checklist, see how to choose a software development company in Kenya.
At Bluvig, your code, content and domain are yours once the project is paid for. We also deliver on time, or you get 10% off. If you want a fixed price for your own site, start with our websites service or get an instant estimate on the quotation page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a simple website cost in Kenya?
A simple 4 to 7 page business website costs about KES 20,000 to 100,000 in 2026, depending on who builds it. Bluvig's standard website is KES 20,000, including hosting and a domain for the first year.
How much does an e-commerce website cost in Kenya?
An online shop with M-Pesa checkout typically costs KES 60,000 to 300,000 to build. Running costs include hosting, payment fees and maintenance.
How much does a .co.ke domain cost?
Registration can be cheap in the first year, but renewals typically cost about KES 999 to 2,500 a year after KeNIC's 2025 wholesale price increase. Always check the renewal price, not just the first-year offer.
Is WordPress cheaper than a custom-built website?
WordPress can be cheaper to start, especially with a ready-made theme. However, plugins, security updates and speed fixes add ongoing costs. A custom site costs more up front but is usually faster and easier to maintain.
How long does it take to build a website in Kenya?
A standard business website takes about two to three weeks. Online shops and sites with bookings or payments take three to six weeks, depending on features and how quickly content is ready.
What are the yearly costs of a website in Kenya?
Expect to pay for domain renewal, hosting and optional maintenance. For a small business site, that is roughly KES 5,000 to 15,000 a year without a maintenance plan.
Tagged: websites, pricing, e-commerce, hosting
