If you’ve been thinking about getting a website for your business, side hustle, NGO, school, or personal brand in Uganda, one question always comes up first: “How much will this website cost?” The truth is, prices vary widely, and many people either get overcharged or end up with a site that doesn’t meet their needs.
Why Website Prices Vary in Uganda
Website costs depend on several key factors:
- Type of website (portfolio, e‑commerce, news site, company website, web app)
- Number of pages (home, about-us, contact-us, etc)
- Design complexity (basic, custom, premium)
- Features needed (payments, booking, chat, login, blogs, dashboards, etc.)
- Developer or agency experience
- Hosting & domain costs
- Maintenance requirements
Understanding these helps you avoid being misled by unrealistic pricing. The other factor is the developer’s fee. True, some might overcharge, and also true that there is always someone willing to do it cheaper, either way, the developer price pays a great role in the overall cost.
Typical Website Prices in Uganda (2025 Guide)
1. Starter / Basic Website
Ideal for: portfolios, personal brands, small businesses, freelancers.
Features include:
- 3–5 pages (Home, About, Services, Contact)
- Mobile responsive
- Basic contact form
- Simple, clean design
Price range: UGX 350,000 – UGX 800,000
This is the most common category for beginners or small businesses that just need an online presence.
2. Business / Company Website
Ideal for: SMEs, agencies, NGOs, schools, clinics, churches.
Includes everything above plus:
- Up to 10–20 pages
- Better branding and custom design
- Blog/News section
- Service pages
- Map integration
- Multiple forms (quotes, applications, bookings)
Price range: UGX 900,000 – UGX 2,500,000
The difference in price depends on how polished you want the design and how many internal pages you need.
3. E‑Commerce Website (Online Shop)
Ideal for: shops, boutiques, electronics stores, supermarkets, and vendors.
Includes:
- Product catalog (50–5,000 products)
- Mobile money/credit card payments
- Inventory system
- Order tracking
- Discounts/coupons
- Customer accounts
Price range: UGX 2,000,000 – UGX 7,000,000
E‑commerce sites are more expensive because they require more setup, security, and ongoing management.
4. Web Applications / Portals
Examples: e-learning platforms, management systems, login dashboards, and custom tools.
These require advanced coding and unique functionality.
Price range: UGX 5,000,000 – UGX 50,000,000+
Price depends entirely on complexity and features.
Website Maintenance Costs (2025)
Many people forget this part, but after your site goes live, you still have recurring expenses.
1. Domain Name
- .com → UGX 45,000 – 60,000/year
- .ug → UGX 80,000 – 120,000/year
2. Hosting
- Shared hosting → UGX 120,000 – 300,000/year, although hosting providers allow for monthly payments at a minimum of UGX 19,000 (Namecheap shared hosting)
- VPS hosting → UGX 500,000 – 2,000,000/year (for large websites)
3. Monthly/Annual Maintenance
- Content updates
- Security updates
- Backups
Typical range: UGX 50,000 – 200,000 per month (or 500k – 1.2m yearly)
What You’re Really Paying For
When you hire a developer or agency, you’re paying for:
- Their expertise and experience
- Time spent planning, researching, and designing your site
- Custom graphics, branding, and responsive design
- Integrations (WhatsApp chat, payments, bookings, etc.)
- Fixes, security setups, backups
- Training on how to manage your site
Cheaper developers often skip many of these steps, which is why some sites break after a few months.
How to Avoid Being Overcharged in Uganda
Here are practical tips:
- Ask for a clear breakdown of what the price includes.
- Check past work or a portfolio.
- Confirm if hosting and the domain are included.
- Ask if training is provided.
- Get everything written in a simple agreement.
If a price sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
How Long Does It Take to Build a Website in Uganda?
- Basic website: 3–7 days
- Business website: 1–3 weeks
- E‑commerce: 2–6 weeks
- Web app: 1–6 months
Time varies depending on revisions and content readiness. Client feedback is also a factor; when your developer asks for an opinion and you take weeks, then they will take weeks to resume updates on the project.
So, What’s the Best Option for You in 2025?
If you’re just getting started, go for a basic or business website; they’re affordable and effective.
If you’re selling products, invest in a proper e-commerce system. For complex workflows, you’ll need a full web application.
The most important thing is choosing a developer who understands your vision and can deliver a clean, fast, and secure website. And the best way to find out how capable the developer is, is by looking at their previous projects or a portfolio.
Invest wisely, ask the right questions, and choose the right partner. Your website is your 24/7 salesperson. Make it count.