• By Admin
  • 23 Dec, 2025
  • Technology

How Much Does Web Development Cost in Kenya? (2026 Detailed Guide)

Web development costs in Kenya range widely — from KSh 30,000 basic websites to multi-million shilling enterprise systems. In 2026, pricing depends less on “who is cheapest” and more on what you’re actually building and how long it should last.

This guide breaks down real web development costs in Kenya, including cheap eCommerce options, domain and SSL pricing, and what businesses should realistically budget for.


Web Development Cost Breakdown in Kenya (2026)

1. Basic Business Websites

Cost: KSh 30,000 – 80,000

Best for:

  • Small businesses

  • Startups

  • Personal brands

  • NGOs

Includes:

  • 5–7 pages (Home, About, Services, Contact)

  • Mobile responsive design

  • Contact form

  • Basic SEO setup

Limitations:

  • Minimal customization

  • Limited scalability

  • Not ideal for heavy traffic


2. SME & Corporate Websites

Cost: KSh 80,000 – 200,000

Best for:

  • Growing SMEs

  • Professional firms

  • Corporate brands

Includes:

  • Custom UI/UX

  • SEO-optimized structure

  • Faster performance

  • Blog integration

  • Security hardening

This is the sweet spot for most Kenyan SMEs.


3. eCommerce Websites in Kenya (Very Important)

🔹 Low-Cost eCommerce Websites

Cost: KSh 30,000 – 50,000

Yes — these exist, and many businesses start here.

Typically includes:

  • WordPress + WooCommerce

  • Free or cheap theme

  • Basic product listing

  • Manual M-Pesa integration

  • Limited security

⚠️ Limitations:

  • Slow performance under traffic

  • Poor SEO structure

  • Weak security

  • Difficult to scale

  • Often needs rebuilding within 12–24 months

Good for:

  • Testing a business idea

  • Very small shops

  • Short-term use


🔹 Standard eCommerce Websites

Cost: KSh 150,000 – 350,000

Includes:

  • Custom design

  • Proper checkout flow

  • Automated payments (M-Pesa, cards)

  • Inventory management

  • SEO-ready structure

  • Better hosting setup

Recommended for:

  • SMEs selling online seriously

  • Brands planning growth


🔹 Advanced / Multi-Vendor eCommerce

Cost: KSh 400,000 – 1,000,000+

Includes:

  • Custom backend

  • Vendor dashboards

  • Analytics & reporting

  • Advanced security

  • API integrations

This is where agencies like Veen Africa specialize.


4. Custom Web Applications

Cost: KSh 300,000 – 2,000,000+

Examples:

  • CRMs

  • Booking systems

  • POS platforms

  • SaaS products

  • Dashboards & portals

Pricing depends on:

  • Features

  • Number of users

  • Integrations

  • Security requirements


Domain Name Costs in Kenya (2026)

Domain Type Annual Cost
.co.ke KSh 800 – 1,500
.ke KSh 3,000 – 5,000
.com KSh 1,200 – 2,500
Premium domains KSh 10,000+

💡 Tip: .co.ke domains help with local SEO in Kenya.


SSL Certificate Costs (Very Important for Trust & SEO)

SSL Type Cost
Free SSL (Let’s Encrypt) KSh 0
Standard SSL KSh 3,000 – 8,000 / year
Wildcard SSL KSh 10,000 – 30,000 / year

Google prioritizes HTTPS websites, especially for eCommerce and forms.

At Veen Africa, SSL and security setup are included by default.


Hosting Costs in Kenya

Hosting Type Annual Cost
Shared hosting KSh 3,000 – 8,000
VPS / Cloud hosting KSh 15,000 – 80,000
Enterprise cloud KSh 100,000+

Cheap hosting = slow website + poor SEO.


Freelancers vs Agencies: Real Cost Comparison

Option Initial Cost Long-Term Cost
Freelancer Lower Higher (rebuilds, fixes)
Agency Higher Lower (scalable, secure)

Businesses increasingly choose agencies like

👉 Veen Africa

for reliability and long-term growth.


Hidden Costs Many Kenyans Don’t Expect

  • Website maintenance

  • Plugin renewals

  • Security fixes

  • Performance optimization

  • SEO improvements

  • Feature upgrades

Cheap builds often become expensive over time.


How Veen Africa Approaches Pricing Differently

Veen Africa doesn’t compete on being the cheapest — we compete on value, performance, and scalability.

We offer:

  • SME-friendly starter packages

  • Scalable architectures

  • SEO-ready builds

  • Secure systems

  • Long-term support

All built with one philosophy:

Made in Africa for Africa


Final Advice Before You Choose a Developer

Ask this:

  • Will this website still work in 2 years?

  • Can it scale as my business grows?

  • Is it SEO-ready?

  • Is security taken seriously?

If the answer is “no”, the price doesn’t matter.

📌 Looking for a future-proof website or eCommerce system?

Explore solutions at 👉 Veen Africa

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this post, feel free to leave a comment below!