The True Cost of a Website
The True Cost of a Website – Why a Custom Laravel Build is the Smartest Choice
Many businesses jump into Wix, Shopify, or WordPress because they seem like quick, easy solutions. But what they don’t realize is that over time, these platforms cost far more than investing in a custom-built Laravel website—both in money and in control.
Since Where At Studios wants to build four additional sites, it’s even more important to choose a scalable, cost-effective solution that doesn’t lock them into high monthly fees and plugin costs.
The $500 Website Model – How We Keep Costs Low & Quality High
When I build a site, my goal is to maximize efficiency while keeping costs affordable.
Here’s what I typically aim for:
- $250 for development – A one-time fee to build a fully functional, custom-designed Laravel website.
- $250 for hosting – A full year of hosting that supports multiple sites.
- Total cost per site: $500
👉 That’s a fraction of the cost of Wix or Shopify, where you’ll pay $1,200+ per year indefinitely.
Cost Breakdown – Laravel vs. Wix & Shopify
| Platform | Development Cost | Annual Hosting Cost | Annual Plugin Costs | Total Cost Per Site (Year 1) | Yearly Cost After Year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | $0 (DIY) | $324+ | $180+ | $500+ per year | $500+ per year |
| Shopify | $0 (DIY) | $468+ | $300+ | $800+ per year | $800+ per year |
| Laravel (Custom-Built) | $250 | $250 | $0 | $500 one-time cost | $250 per year (hosting only) |
👉 After Year 1, Where At Studios saves over $1,000 per year per site compared to Shopify!
Why Laravel is the Smart Business Choice for Where At Studios
1. No Monthly Fees – You Own the Website
With Shopify & Wix, you’re renting a website forever. If you stop paying, your site is gone.
✅ With Laravel, you own everything—no forced subscriptions or price increases.
2. Custom Features Without Extra Costs
Wix and Shopify require paid plugins for things like ticketing, memberships, and events. These add up fast.
✅ With Laravel, we build exactly what you need—no need for expensive plugins.
3. Private Hosting – More Control & Lower Costs
Instead of paying for each site separately, you can host multiple websites on a single hosting plan for as low as $250 per year.
✅ This means Where At Studios gets all 4 sites for the same price as 1 Shopify site!
Final Thoughts – The Best Investment for Where At Studios
Instead of spending $500+ per year per site on Wix or Shopify, a custom-built Laravel website:
✔ Costs only $500 one-time (then just $250 per year for hosting).
✔ Eliminates expensive plugin costs.
✔ Provides full control & scalability.
✔ Works across multiple websites, instead of paying for each site separately.
💡 Total Cost Per Site: $500 vs. $1,200+ with Wix/Shopify—the numbers make the decision easy.
📩 Let’s move forward and build a strong, scalable platform. 🚀
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