A law firm website does not need to be expensive, but it does need to be right. Below is a plain breakdown of what websites cost in Australia, what a legal practice usually needs, and the ongoing costs people forget to budget for.
What you are actually paying for
A website quote bundles several different jobs: planning the pages, writing or editing the words, designing the layout, building it so it works on phones, connecting the domain, setting up the basics search engines need, and testing everything before launch. Quotes vary mostly because of how much of that work is done for you versus left to you, and how custom the design is.
Typical price bands in Australia (2026)
- DIY builders (roughly $200–$600 a year plus your time). Fine if you enjoy it. Most owners underestimate the evenings it takes and end up with a site they are not proud of.
- Fixed-price one-page site ($499). Home, services and contact in one scrolling page, mobile-friendly, basic SEO setup, domain connected. At YINO this is delivered in 3 business days.
- Fixed-price multi-page site ($999). Up to eight pages with a custom structure, copy tidy-up, Google Maps, migration of existing content, delivered in about 7 business days.
- Custom build (from $2,500). Bookings, e-commerce, integrations with your software, bespoke design. Timeline depends on scope.
- Agency projects ($5,000–$15,000 and up). Discovery workshops, brand work and larger content programs. Rarely necessary for a single-location trade or practice.
What a law firm usually needs
Because individuals and small business owners facing a specific legal event compare before they decide, a law firm usually benefits from separate pages rather than one long scroll. The pages that earn their keep are a page per practice area written for a worried person, not a colleague, a fees page distinguishing fixed-fee matters from hourly work and a 'what happens first' page describing the first appointment. If you want those as separate, searchable pages, the multi-page band is the right fit; if you want to be live this week, start with one page and expand.
Ongoing costs nobody mentions in the quote
- Domain name: roughly $20–$40 a year for a .com.au.
- Hosting: anywhere from $10 to $50 a month depending on how the site is built; ask what is included.
- Updates and care: small text and photo changes, software updates, backups and checks. A care plan such as YINO's $49 a month covers this; the alternative is paying by the hour when something breaks.
- Photos: a few hours of your own time or a half-day with a photographer. Budget for this; it changes results more than any design choice.
Where small law firms waste money
The expensive mistakes are rarely about paying too much for the build. They are paying for things that do not bring in work: a contact form with ten mandatory fields when the person is stressed, or practice area pages that copy legislation instead of answering the question the client typed. A feature that sounds impressive in a sales meeting — animations, a members area, a chatbot — should be tested against one question: will this get one more customer to call?
How to compare quotes
- Ask for the page list and what is included per page. Two quotes with the same total can cover very different scopes.
- Ask who writes the words. Copy is where most projects stall.
- Ask whether you own the domain and the site files, and what it costs to leave.
- Ask for the delivery time in business days once content is supplied.
- Ask what happens after launch: updates, hosting, support.
Common questions
Can a law firm publish fees?
Yes, within your professional rules. Fixed-fee conveyancing and will packages are common and clients expect to see them.
How long does a small business website take to build?
A focused one-page site can be live in about 3 business days once the content is ready; a site with service pages usually takes around 7 business days. The part that slows most projects is gathering photos and deciding on prices, not the build itself.
Will a new website guarantee Google rankings?
No one can guarantee rankings, and anyone who does should be avoided. A well-structured site with honest local content and a complete Google Business Profile gives you the best foundation; results depend on competition and time.
Whether you refresh what you have or start again, the aim is the same: a site that answers a stranger's questions in thirty seconds on a phone. Compare packages and delivery times, or contact YINO with your current URL for a practical review.