A website for a cafe, dentist or salon in Australia can cost anything from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. One Australian agency's published ranges put hospitality sites at A$4,000 to A$50,000, medical and healthcare sites at A$5,000 to A$15,000 or more, and beauty and wellness sites at A$2,000 to A$15,000. The spread is wide because the price depends on what the site has to do, not on the type of business.
This guide is for owners of all three who want to know what they are paying for before they ask for quotes. It explains what each business needs, which features push the price up, and which costs keep running after launch, such as booking software, ordering and hosting.
Software prices were checked on the vendors' Australian pages on 12 October 2026. We note where a price includes GST and where it doesn't.
What drives the price for any small business website
Every quote prices the same four things. A cafe, a dentist and a salon differ mainly in the third one.
- Pages and content: how many pages, and who writes them and supplies the photos.
- Design: an adapted template or a layout planned around your customers.
- What the site does: a menu and a map are simple. Online ordering, bookings and a link to practice software take more work.
- Who builds it: you, a freelancer or an agency.
Those agency ranges above come from RockingWeb, an Australian web agency, and are its own market estimates. They don't say whether GST is included. For comparison, Lumeen currently builds a new website for A$299 inc. GST on a limited-time offer, with hosting from A$24.99 a month inc. GST. Our Australian website cost guide compares all the options.
Cafe websites: menu, hours and ordering
Most people look up a cafe on their phone to check three things: the menu, the opening hours and where it is. A cafe site that answers those quickly does most of its job.
- A menu as a web page: typed out, with prices, so it reads well on a phone and can be updated in minutes. A photo or PDF of the printed menu is harder to read and easy to leave out of date.
- Hours and location: the same as your Google Business Profile. Google lets food and drink businesses add a menu with items and prices through its menu editor, or link to the menu page on your site.
- Online ordering, if you offer it: usually through your point of sale rather than built into the site.
Online ordering is the main cost driver. As one example, Square's Australian pricing pages say Square for Restaurants, which includes online ordering, starts at A$0 a month, with online card payments at 2.2%. Paid plans add more features. The website then links to or embeds the ordering page, which is a small job if the site is planned for it.
Dental practice websites: bookings and health rules
A dental site needs more pages than a cafe: each treatment, fees and health funds, new patient information, emergency appointments and the team. Two things set it apart on cost.
Online booking linked to practice software
Patients expect to book online. The booking system usually comes from the practice management software, and the website links to or embeds it. RockingWeb lists practice management system integration as A$2,000 to A$5,000 extra on a healthcare site, so ask early whether your software has an online booking page you can simply link to.
Advertising and privacy rules
A dental website counts as advertising a regulated health service. Ahpra's advertising guidelines say it must not be misleading, must state the terms of any discount or offer, and must not use testimonials about clinical aspects, such as a patient's symptoms, treatment or outcome. Comments about customer service that don't mention clinical aspects are not treated as testimonials.
Privacy matters too. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner says the Privacy Act covers every health service provider, whatever its turnover, so a dental site needs a proper privacy policy and careful forms. Our guides on privacy policies and website accessibility cover both. Writing and checking content against these rules takes time, and that time is part of the price.
Salon websites: online booking and a gallery
A salon site sells with pictures and books with one tap. It needs services and prices, a gallery of real work, the team, and a booking button on every page.
Booking software is the running cost to plan for. Fresha's Australian pricing page lists an Independent plan at A$44.95 a month for a one-person business, and a Team plan at A$29.95 a month per bookable team member, both excluding 10% GST. It shows bookings through your own direct booking links, Facebook and Instagram as free, while new clients who find you through the Fresha marketplace attract a one-time 20% fee, with a minimum of A$8. Our guide to choosing an online booking system compares other options.
The gallery is the other cost driver. Good photos of your own work do more than stock images, but someone has to take, choose and add them. A site that pulls in recent work from Instagram saves you doing it twice.
What you keep paying every month
The build is a one-off. These costs carry on for as long as the site does.
- Hosting and maintenance: on every website, whether it's bundled into a page builder subscription or a hosting plan. Our guide to website maintenance cost explains what a plan should cover.
- Booking or ordering software: for example Fresha from A$44.95 a month plus GST for a salon, or Square for Restaurants from free plus card fees for a cafe.
- Changes: new prices, menus, staff and photos. Either a monthly allowance in your plan, your own time, or an hourly rate.
- Your domain: a yearly renewal for your .com.au name.
Lumeen's Essentials hosting plan, as one example, is A$24.99 a month inc. GST and includes hosting, security, backups and 5 website edits a month. Booking and ordering software stays with whichever provider you choose.
How to get an accurate quote
Quotes vary because businesses describe what they need differently. Write it down first: the pages, the booking or ordering system you use, who supplies photos and text, and anything the site must connect to. Our guide to writing a website brief gives a template.
Then ask every provider for three numbers: the build price, the monthly cost after launch, and what it costs to leave. If you're weighing up a page builder, see what a Squarespace website costs in Australia once the extras are counted.
Key takeaways
- (01)
The type of business matters less than what the site has to do. Ordering, bookings and software connections are what move the price.
- (02)
Cafes need a phone-friendly menu, hours that match Google, and ordering through their point of sale if they offer it.
- (03)
Dental sites must follow Ahpra's advertising rules, including no clinical testimonials, and the Privacy Act applies whatever the practice's turnover.
- (04)
Salons need booking on every page and a gallery of real work. Booking software is a monthly cost on top of the website.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cafe website cost in Australia?
It depends on what it does. One Australian agency puts hospitality sites at A$4,000 to A$50,000, but a simple cafe site with a menu, hours and a map is at the low end of any range. Online ordering through your point of sale is usually a separate subscription or card fee.
Can a dental practice website show patient reviews?
Not if they mention clinical aspects such as symptoms, treatment or outcomes. Ahpra's guidelines treat those as testimonials, which can't be used in advertising a regulated health service. Comments about customer service that don't mention clinical aspects are allowed.
What booking system should a salon use on its website?
Any system that gives you a booking link or button you can add to every page. Fresha, for example, charges A$44.95 a month plus GST for one person, with no fee on bookings through your own links. Compare the monthly fee, marketplace fees and who owns your client list.
What ongoing costs should I budget for?
Hosting and maintenance, booking or ordering software, your domain renewal, and changes to menus, prices and photos. Some plans include a monthly edit allowance, which keeps small changes from turning into new invoices.
More answers on price, hosting and timing in our FAQ.