What does a website actually cost in South Africa?
Independent survey data puts the average five-page SA site at roughly R6 600, with Cape Town averaging closer to R11 500 and Johannesburg around R7 600. The floor of the market sits near R400 and the top runs past R56 000. A Client Factory one-pager is R4 900 once-off, excluding VAT, with multi-page builds from R8 900 — and every figure is published here rather than hidden behind a quote form.
How fast can I actually be live?
Five working days from the first WhatsApp conversation to a live site, and paid traffic switched on within 48 hours of launch. If we miss either deadline the build is free. The reason it is possible is that there is no committee — one senior person writes, designs, builds and launches.
Do I have to sign a long contract?
No. Everything is month to month and you can cancel any month. Six-month minimums are standard in this market; we would rather keep you with results than with paperwork.
Who owns the site, the domain and the ad accounts?
You do, from the first day. Domain registered in your name, ad accounts under your business, pixel on your asset, leads in your phone. Nothing is held hostage. Ask any agency this question before you sign anything.
Is VAT included in the prices?
No. All prices exclude 15% VAT, in line with normal SA business practice. Ad budget is also separate and you pay it directly to Meta, TikTok or Google, so you keep control of the card and can see every rand.
What do you need from me to start?
One WhatsApp conversation, plus your logo and any photos or pricing you already have. If you do not have those, the design, the copy and basic content are handled for you. You do not need to prepare anything.
How do enquiries reach me?
Straight into your WhatsApp, with the page and the offer the person came from attached, so you know what they were looking at before you reply. Web forms average a reply time measured in hours; WhatsApp gets answered in minutes, which is most of the reason it converts better.
What results should I expect?
That depends on your offer, your margin and your budget, and anybody who quotes you a guaranteed ROAS before seeing your numbers is selling you something. What is guaranteed is the deliverable — site live in five days, ads live in 48 hours — plus weekly reporting of cost per enquiry and spend, good or bad. Unit economics get worked out before the first rand is spent.
Do you work outside Cape Town?
Yes. The studio is in Cape Town and clients run across Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gqeberha and the smaller centres. The work is remote, briefed and reported on WhatsApp, so location makes no practical difference.
Are you POPIA compliant?
Yes. Enquiry forms carry a lawful consent basis, an operator agreement is signed before any personal information is processed, and lead data is retained on a defined schedule rather than kept forever. If you are collecting customer details through a site, this is your legal exposure, not only ours.