The Million Dollar Question about Magento Website Development Cost

It is a big chance you are checking out this blog as you are in the process of developing a Magento eCommerce website. Do you have a concrete website plan in your mind? Or are looking to devise and implement your ideas in a more contemporary way? You will be pleasantly surprised to know that Magento has more than 240,000 worldwide users. This very reason makes it one of the most popular platforms in the eCommerce industry. Perhaps the most significant factor for its popularity can be attributed to its rich features and broad customization options.

One question that companies running eCommerce online stores is the Magento website development cost. While it is true that in order to persuade the clients it is important to walk the talk by highlighting the positives like friendly project managers and superlative Magento designs. Sometimes the clients stick to one basic question i.e.; What’s the price?

In the forthcoming sections of this write-up, we have tried to answer this question from the perspective of a Magento development company. We promise after reading this content piece you will get a fair idea about cost details which would prepare you to decide whether you want to avail Magento services for your online store.

Before we address the cost it is important to understand the reasons that make Magento a relevant platform for eCommerce online stores.

Why Choose Magento for eCommerce Website Development?

Magento has become one of the most preferred platforms for eCommerce online stores and there is a reason for that. It is not only effective when it comes to promoting one-liner. But, some of the most popular online brands employ the Magento platform for the success of their business. Some of these brands are Pepe Jeans, Zoetis, Kurt Geiger, Liverpool FC, Alex and Ani, Rosetta Stone, Daddies, Nicole Miller, etc.

Magento platform has everything that an eCommerce website wishes for in its display. This includes “n” number of variable products, effortless navigation, swift page loading time, an easy and simple checkout to new a few. A Magento platform comprises of user dashboards, customized CMS, advanced shipping options, cutting-edge product bundling, and inventory management. All these features provide a comprehensive package when your eCommerce online store is developed using Magento platform.

On top of this, due to the extensible API of Magento, it is easy to integrate third-party apps. This way you can personalize your eCommerce store as per the product and services being offered. The amazing fact is, it is very fast when it comes to loading website pages. You can even retrieve data from a large database and even process queries which results in providing exceptionally rewarding user experience.

Since Magento is an open-source platform it can be availed free of cost. On top of that, it is also SEO-friendly which can assist you to run multiple websites with a common backend system which can be controlled through a solitary blended admin panel.

Now, that you have understood the reasons that Magento a must for your eCommerce store it is time to divert our attention to the Magento community.

The Role Played by Magento Community in the Development of the eCommerce Website

Magento Community is a very popular version of Magento. The thing that makes it very exclusive is the fact that it is open source and freely available for download. In order to create a store, you need to get in touch with a Magento development company or a Magento developer of your choice. If you are employing Magento Community Edition (CE) to run your online store, you will dearly miss the access to technical support for this software. The amazing part is if you have any problems they can be addressed by accessing Magento user forum where you can get answers to different technical questions.

If you have already found a Magento developer or a Magento development company, there are countless options available to customize your store by integrating extra features and functionality. How? This can be done easily by downloading the extensions from the Magento Connect Marketplace.

By installing the extensions from the Magento Connect Marketplace. Alternatively, you can also take help from other third-party companies that have specialization in Magento extension development.

Now, that you have understood the role played by Magento Community in the development of the eCommerce website as promised it is time to address the question pertaining to Magento website development cost.

Without wasting any more time, let’s get started.

How Much Does Magento Website Development Cost?

Before the development process begins, you need to purchase a Magento theme for your eCommerce website. This is an additional investment which is excluding the development cost estimated. You can get lots of online vendors who sell cutting-edge and contemporary Magento themes.

Some of the costs incurred by a Magento eCommerce website development company includes the cost involved in paying the salaries of designer, developer, quality analyst, and project manager. There are also certain overhead expenses that include the purchase of important tools, electricity and maintenance costs.

Most of the clients usually ask this million dollar question: “How much will Magento website development cost me?” But, believe us there is no straightforward answer to this question. There are multiple factors that need to be taken into consideration to determine the exact cost. Business size is one of the most significant factors that comes into consideration. Depending on the requirements of your business, you can select from three options:

1. Basic Magento

2. Community Edition

3. Enterprise Edition

Let’s look at these three options in details.

1. Basic Magento Website Development Cost : $4000 to $6000

This option is best for companies who are shifting from a hosted platform or starting from scratch. If you are someone who’s looking to develop a generic Magento website, then basic Magento website development is the best option available. This type of website development is preferred by individuals and small businesses due to the fact that it is very easy to set up and runs quite swiftly. The cost of this type of Magento website development commences at $4000. This can go to a maximum of $6000.

You can start a basic Magento website in two ways. The first being, selecting a prebuilt theme which is an affordable option. But, sometimes it can be time consuming depending on the amount of customization that is required to be done on the theme.

The next way is to transform a PSD design into a Magento store. This way you will have adequate options to make your website look and feel great functionality wise.

Both the alternatives take a great deal of time to set up, customize, configure, and test. Because this is a basic site, you will get limited features, including

• Basic Shipping & Tax Configuration Set Up;
• Installation of the Latest Community Magento Edition;
• Integrate Payment Process, including Authorize.net and optional payment methods from
• Amazon, Google, PayPal etc.;
• Integrate/install a selected theme into the up-to-date stable version of Magento;
• Internal Quality Assurance (QA) which will give much-needed cross-browser compatibility and functioning of
• all features;
• Inventory System or POS integration;
• Less than 6000 SKU’s;
• Product and Category Setup and Configuration;
• Set up transactional emails with logo;
• SSL Set Up;
• Testing;
• Uncomplicated design implementation;
• Zero integration with Back Office Systems;

2. Custom Magento Website Price : $12,000 to $16000

If you are already an established retailer in the online market you can look to either upgrade or migrate from another eCommerce platform. This can be achieved with the help of a Magento custom website. With the help of this website development, it is possible to get a comprehensive solution to online selling. It is even possible to take advantage of a business continuity plan in place. The cost of this type of Magento website development ranges from $ 12,000 to $16,000.

These are some of the additional benefits that you can get when you opt for custom Magento website.

• Address Validation at Checkout;
• Advanced 301 Redirects;
• Advanced Reviews;
• Advanced Shipping Configuration;
• Auto-Complete Search;
• Avail at least 6000 SKU’s;
• Code Documentation;
• Connection with Sales Force, Rewards Program, Back Office Accounting Systems, and other;
• Affiliate Marketing Systems;
• Custom Graphics/Banners;
• Custom Home Page Design, Product Landing Page, Check Out Page etc.
• Data Migration;
• Differential pricing for Partners, Retail Customers, and Wholesale;
• Extensions;
• Facebook Login;
• Get SEO Advanced Package;
• Get SEO Starter Package;
• Gift Registry;
• Inventory System or POS Integration;
• Multilingual Store Front;
• Single Page Checkout;
• Social Media Sharing Option;
• Testing/QA;
• Warranty and Support;
• WordPress Blog Integration.

3. Magento Enterprise Website Price : $30,000 to $40,000 and Higher

The features that were present in the custom Magento website cost will be there in Magento Enterprise Edition. But, it will also have some additional features. It is specially targeted towards large businesses that enables them to take advantage of the comprehensive list of Magento features. If you are planning to take the services of developing a Magento Enterprise Website the cost can be between $30,000 to $40,000 and even higher. The positive news is, when you opt for this Magento website development option, all the headache of the eCommerce sales lies with Magento. This includes order and ends with shipping. So, rest assured it will take adequate care of your client’s needs.

Some of the valuable features provided by Magento Enterprise website includes:

• A large amount of SKUs;
• Complete Page Caching;
• Custom Coupons;
• Customer Segmentation;
• Free Professional Customer Support;
• Hosted by Magento;
• Integrated Modules;
• Integration with Shipping Providers;
• Mobile friendly;
• Multiple Stores;
• Search Engine Optimization;
• Social Media Integration;
• Targeted Promotions & Merchandising;
• Training and much more.

The Hourly Rates Defined for Magento Website Development

The hourly rates for Magento development depends on the experience level of the developer. But the average price of an experienced Magento developer falls between $25 to $100 on an hourly basis.

Some other Critical Elements That Can Have an Adverse Effect on Pricing

It is always useful to look at some of the significant elements that can have a major impact on the budget when it comes to developing a Magento eCommerce website. Let’s look at them given below.

• Designing and Development Cost;
• Extensions;
• Magento Theme;
• Magento Version;
• Server Cost;
• Support.

Interesting Facts That Will Give a New Dimension to Your Perspective When it Comes to Magento Website Development Pricing

1. It takes time to design, build, and configure a Magento website along with ample knowledge of advanced PHP technology. If anyone tells you they will complete the Magento website development task in a week’s time, it is definitely not going to happen.

2. While inquiring about the price factor always take into consideration the average industry prices for Magento website development. Remember the fact that proper web design companies have overhead expenses and salaried talented bunch of developers who are going to work on your project.

3. If you feel that the price quoted by a Magento development company seems to be “too good to be true” then it probably is.

4. Remember, it is never easy to develop a Magento website. A college student or a lone PHP developer is not enough to get the task done. It requires multiple people with a variety of technical skill sets, including graphic artist, front and back end development, analytics expert, and SEO professional.

5. An expert is required to develop a Magento website. Any college student or even a single PHP developer will not be enough. You will need the technical expertize of analytics expert, front and back end development, SEO professional , and graphic artist.

6. You can get a Magento website developed at a cost-effective price if you hire offshore developers. But, the probability of its completion as per the promise is a huge area of concern.

7. Decide on a budget and a project scope or RFP before requesting quotes from Magento development companies. By submitting it to multiple companies you can make the right call after comparing the quoted prices.

8. Magento website development is a serious task. Hence, decide on a company that can stand behind you and becomes your long-term partner.

The Road Ahead

As a company, only developing a Magento website is not enough. In fact, that is just the beginning. You need to effectively maintain the website for security patches, updates, design, and much more. The pricing strategies of Magento development companies will vary around to your specific needs. Zero in on a professional Magento development company that can help you build a quality Magento website at a price that does not hurt your pockets.