Ask three agencies in Doha for a website quote and you can easily receive three numbers that are ten times apart. Nobody is necessarily overcharging; the word “website” covers everything from a five-page company profile to an online store with payments, delivery zones and an Arabic and English catalogue. And in Qatar, one factor raises almost every budget compared with a single-language market: the site has to work properly in two languages and two writing directions.
This guide breaks the cost into its parts, shows real QAR starting prices from our own price list, and explains what makes a quote go up so you can compare offers fairly.
The four parts of a website budget
1. The build
Design and development, done once. A landing page or small profile site built on a proven WordPress framework is the lowest-cost option and enough for many service businesses. A larger site with more page types, forms, a blog and integrations costs more. Online stores and web applications such as booking systems or customer portals are priced as projects, because each one carries its own business logic.
2. Bilingual content
In Qatar, most business websites need both Arabic and English. That is not a translation button. It means a right-to-left layout that is designed, not just mirrored; Arabic fonts that read well on phones; menus, forms, error messages and emails in both languages; and separate page addresses for each language so Google can index both. Copy written natively in Arabic converts better than machine translation, and the cost of that writing is often the most underestimated line in a Qatar website budget. Our content writing service covers both languages.
3. Running costs
Every website needs a domain, hosting and an SSL certificate, and most companies also pay for business email. These are small, predictable yearly costs; see the table below.
4. Maintenance
Updates to WordPress and its plugins, backups, security monitoring and small content changes. This is the line most quotes leave out, and the one that decides whether the site still works and is still safe two years later.
Build prices in QAR
| Package | Typical use | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Landing pages | A campaign, a product launch or a single service | QAR 1,088.36 |
| Personal plan | A profile site for a professional or very small business | QAR 1,634.36 |
| Startup plan | A new company that needs a credible multi-page site | QAR 2,544.36 |
| Medium-size business | More sections, services and content types | QAR 4,364.36 |
| Large business | Larger structure, more pages and integrations | QAR 5,820.36 |
| E-commerce, single store | Online store with cart, payments and order management | QAR 7,276.36 |
Package contents and current prices are on our website design page and e-commerce page. Custom designs and web applications are quoted after a short scoping call.
Yearly running costs in QAR
| Item | Typical yearly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domain (.com) | QAR 49.14 first year, QAR 63.70 renewal | A .qa name was listed at QAR 120.12 a year; new .qa orders are on hold while the registry's new verification process is finalised |
| Shared Linux hosting | From about QAR 218 a year | QAR 18.16 a month, billed yearly |
| Managed WordPress hosting | From about QAR 262 a year | QAR 21.80 a month |
| SSL certificate | Free with most hosting | Paid certificates for organisation or wildcard validation |
| Business email | Depends on users and platform | See our business email guide |
What makes a quote go up
- Custom design instead of an adapted framework layout.
- Two languages done properly, with separate Arabic and English copy, layouts and SEO for each.
- Integrations: payment gateways, delivery companies, CRM, accounting software, WhatsApp.
- Content production: photography of your premises and products, video, copywriting.
- Number of unique page types, not just the number of pages.
- Tight deadlines, such as launching before National Day, Ramadan or an exhibition.
Where a cheap website becomes expensive
The cheapest quote often hides the same few problems: the domain registered in the agency's name instead of yours; no admin access for you; pirated premium themes or plugins that cannot be updated safely; Arabic added as an afterthought with broken layouts; no backups. Any of these can cost more to fix than the original build. Before you sign, ask who owns the domain, the hosting account and the admin login, and get it in writing that they are yours.
How to get quotes you can actually compare
- Write one page describing your business, your customers, the pages you need and the actions visitors should take.
- State the languages: Arabic and English, and which one leads.
- List integrations: payments, delivery, booking, WhatsApp, CRM.
- Say who will write the content and supply photos.
- Ask each supplier to separate build, content, running costs and maintenance in their quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a simple business website cost in Qatar?
On 23 October 2026 our WordPress packages started at QAR 1,088.36 one-time for landing pages and QAR 2,544.36 for a startup company site. Running costs for domain and hosting are extra and usually a few hundred riyals a year.
Does an Arabic and English website cost double?
Not double, but more. The design and development are shared, while content, layout testing in both directions and SEO work are done for each language. Native Arabic copywriting is the part most often underestimated.
How much does an online store cost in Qatar?
Our single-store WordPress e-commerce package was listed at QAR 7,276.36 one-time on 23 October 2026. Payment gateway fees, delivery integration and product photography are separate costs to plan for.
What are the yearly costs of keeping a website online?
Domain, hosting and SSL, plus email if you need it. At our listed prices, a .com domain renews at QAR 63.70 a year and shared hosting starts at QAR 18.16 a month billed yearly.
Who should own the domain and hosting?
Your company, always. Make sure the domain is registered in the company's name and that you hold the admin login for the hosting and the website.
Get a clear website quote from BIGBANG ITS
We build bilingual Arabic and English websites and online stores for Qatar businesses, with the domain, hosting and admin access in your company's name. Compare packages on our website design page, or send a short brief to info@its.qa or on WhatsApp at +1 (667) 222-1616 and we will reply with a quote that separates build, content, running costs and maintenance.
Questions about your own setup?
Tell us what you run today and what you need. We reply by email, usually within one business day.