STEP 1 · NO WEBSITE YET
The cheapest developer is rarely the cheapest website. Here is what to ask before you pay a deposit to anyone — including us.
Quick answer: A turnkey business website in Jamaica runs J$35,000–85,000; a custom build J$85,000–250,000; a store or booking system usually sits on a monthly plan (Ezy: J$9,500/mo, software included). Before paying: see three live sites and test them on your phone, confirm you will own the domain and hosting login, get the scope and revision rounds in writing, and ask how a price change on the site gets made and how fast. Walk away from "unlimited revisions", no live examples, or a developer who keeps the domain in their name.
Three kinds of "web developer" in Jamaica
- Template resellers — Wix or WordPress themes, fast and cheap, little behind the page. Fine for a brochure.
- Freelance developers — real skill, variable availability; ask who answers when they are busy.
- Studios with their own software — the website plus the booking, store or payment system behind it, on a plan with support. Costs more monthly, replaces three vendors.
The questions
- Show me three live sites — and let me test them on my phone on data.
- Who owns the domain, hosting and site when we are done? (You must.)
- Can it take a booking or payment, or just show a number?
- How do I change a price myself, and how fast?
- What is included monthly — hosting, SSL, backups, updates, support?
- What is the revision policy, in writing?
Prices you should expect
- Turnkey template site: J$35,000 (Ezy), live in as little as 7 days
- Custom site: J$85,000+
- Monthly plan with booking or store software: J$9,500/mo (Ezy)
- Hosting and care only: J$4,500/mo
Red flags
- No live examples, or examples that fail on a phone
- Domain registered in the developer's name
- Price with no written scope
- "Unlimited revisions" (nobody delivers that)
- No answer to "what happens when it breaks at 9PM?"
Compare us on the same questions
- Live client sites — our work
- Every price published — pricing
- Fifteen minutes, no pressure — book a growth call
Not sure which step you're on? Book a growth call — fifteen minutes with Lee, no pressure, no obligation. You leave with the step, the first fix and the price.
Frequently asked
Should I use a developer in Kingston or does it matter?
It does not — WhatsApp is the office. What matters is live examples and who answers.
Web design vs web development?
Design is how it looks; development is what it does. A site that takes bookings or payments needs both.
Can I move my site later?
Only if you own the domain and get the files. Put it in writing before you start.