Last updated on January 15th, 2024 at 10:00 am
If you are looking to start a website in Kenya, this article will delve into the cost to create a website in Kenya.
You will learn the things you need to start and grow a website and what to expect in terms of costs.
Additionally, we will drop some tactics and secrets for growing any website fast and start making money.
So, if you are starting with blogging in Kenya, stick around to the end.
What you need to create a website in Kenya
There are only two things you need to create a website in Kenya;
a). Domain
A domain is the address people will type into their browser to access your website.
For example;
Truehost.co.ke is the domain name for Truehost Kenya.
Whenever you want to access our website, you must first type truehost.co.ke into your browser.
Now, from this example, there are two things you need to know;
- Truehost is the domain name
- .CO.KE is a domain extension.
To get a domain, you must first register it. And in most cases, this will cost you money.
And what they are selling you is the domain extension.
In fact, there are different types of extensions in Kenya, but the most popular ones include; .com, .co.ke, .net, and .org.
The cost of a domain in Kenya will vary depending on the extension you’ve used to create a website in Kenya.
For example;
Truehost.co.ke will cost you KES 599 while Truehost.com comes for KES 850.
What is the difference?
Well, .com is more expensive compared to .co.ke domain.
If you wish to learn more about their differences, here is an article.
To give you an idea of the cost of domains in Kenya, here is a table;
| Domain Extension | Cost in Kenya |
| .CO.KE | Ksh 725.00 |
| .COM | Ksh 1200.00 |
| .NET | Ksh 1500.00 |
| .AFRICA | Ksh 750.00 |
| .ORG | Ksh 1500.00 |
| .INFO | Ksh 800.00 |
Just for your information, the cheapest domain in Kenya is the .XYZ, going for Ksh 349.00.
Now, from this table, you can almost figure out the cost to create a website in Kenya.
But there is one missing piece.
b). Hosting
Web Hosting in Kenya is a term that refers to the server space and bandwidth allocated for hosting websites on the internet.
It also provides storage of databases, email, files, or other digital assets which are then made accessible over an IP address assigned specifically to it (and not shared with any other computer).
Web Hosts will typically offer multiple types of service packages such as Shared Hosting or Dedicated Servers, depending on your needs.
Now, the cost of web hosting in Kenya depends on the type.
Website design cost in Kenya
The cost of website design in Kenya can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including:
- The size and complexity of the website: A simple one-page website will obviously cost less than a complex e-commerce website with hundreds of pages and features.
- The level of customization: If you need a completely custom design, you’ll pay more than if you use a template.
- The experience of the web designer: More experienced designers will typically charge more than less experienced designers.
- The location of the web designer: Web designers in Nairobi will typically charge more than web designers in smaller towns.
That said, you can generally expect to pay anywhere from Ksh 10,000 to Ksh 200,000 or more for website design in Kenya.
Here’s a breakdown of the costs for different types of websites:
- Landing page: Ksh 10,000 to Ksh 20,000
- Small business website: Ksh 25,000 to Ksh 50,000
- E-commerce website: Ksh 40,000 to Ksh 70,000
- Custom website: Ksh 100,000 or more
If you’re on a tight budget, there are a few things you can do to save money on website design:
- Use a website builder: Website builders like Wix and Squarespace are a great option for creating simple websites without having to hire a web designer.
- Use a template: There are many free and paid website templates available that you can use to create a website without having to start from scratch.
- Do it yourself: If you’re tech-savvy, you can design and develop your website yourself. However, this can be time-consuming and challenging if you’re not familiar with web development.
No matter what your budget is, choose a web designer who is experienced and has a good track record. Be sure to get quotes from several different web designers before making a decision.
Types of web hosting in Kenya and their prices
Here are the popular types of web hosting in Kenya and their costs;
Type #1: Shared Hosting
This type of hosting gives you a small slice of server space and bandwidth with which to build your website.
The downside is that other customers may be using the same resources at any given time, slowing down performance for everyone on the server.
They also typically have more ads than their shared counterparts, but since they charge less it can work out in the end.
The cost to create a website in Kenya with shared hosting Kenya starts from KES 1500 per year.
Type #2: Dedicated Server
A dedicated server offers multiple cores and gigabytes of RAM to ensure speedy service no matter what level of traffic hits your site at any given moment.
It will cost much more upfront because you are taking up 100% of its resource capacity rather than sharing them with others like in shared hosting, but if this kind’s what you need then it’s worth it in the end.
The cost to create a website in Kenya on dedicated hosting Kenya starts from KES 6,000 per month.
Type #3: VPS hosting
This is a step up from shared hosting, with more resources and fewer ads.
It’s still not as good at performance as dedicated servers in Kenya.
But it can be an acceptable compromise if you don’t need the highest level of service and don’t have the budget to go all-out on your web host.
The cost to create a website in Kenya using VPS hosting starts from KES 699 per month.
Type #4: Cloud Hosting
Cloud computing promises companies like Google nearly unlimited processing power for their data centers by pooling together idle hardware in various locations across the world.
While this may sound great for corporations, cloud hosting is really only recommended for businesses that require high levels of uptime or are handling sensitive customer information.
And as you can guess, it costs more than the other types of web hosting in Kenya because of its improved performance.
c). Web design in Kenya
You only need these two to start a website in Kenya.
But there is an optional aspect of web design in Kenya.
This comes later once you have decided to start a website for your business.
And the cost of web design in Kenya ranges from 10K to upwards of 300K depending on the type of website you are creating.
For example;
An eCommerce website will cost you more than 50K in Kenya than a simple blog. This is because of the functionalities required for an online store like MPESA integration and stuff.
How Much Does It Cost To Create A Website In Kenya?
Based on the cost of the domain, hosting, and web design, the cost to create a website in Kenya ranges from KES 2099 (without web design) and KES 12,099 if you get someone to design the site for you.
This is with the assumption that they will charge you 10K to design your website.
Again, remember the costs will vary depending on the following factors;
- Type of domain extension
- Domain registrar
- Web hosting company
- Additional services such as web development.
Additionally, you can start a website for free here on Truehost.
Yes, we offer a 30-day free hosting trial.
How to drive traffic to your new website in Kenya
Post quality content
Quality content is more important than quantity.
Make sure you use your time and resources wisely when writing blog posts or creating videos; don’t just throw things out there to fill up space on the web.
Be social!
Join relevant Facebook groups, participate in discussions, follow other people’s blogs/YouTube channels so that they’ll be interested in following yours as well.
Build a network of like-minded individuals with similar interests who can provide feedback and help promote your site if it goes viral.
Share articles
Share good articles from sites you read on Twitter and add an interesting comment about them every once in a while to keep those followers engaged.
Reach out to people on Twitter and Facebook who have a following that may be interested in your blog content.
Email Marketing in Kenya
Create an email list of site visitors by providing easy opt-in choices like “sign up for our mailing list!” or “opt-in to receive updates.”
Make sure you upload high-quality images (minimum 1000px width) so they look good when shared on social media sites such as Pinterest.
SEO
Search engine optimization should be a high priority to help your blog content show up in search engines.
Trending topics
Write about topics people are currently discussing, like hot local news stories or popular television shows.
To avoid misleading readers, make sure any links you include go directly back to their original source instead of an affiliate site URL