There are about 200 million active websites in the world today. Want to add to that number with a website of your own? Then you’re probably wondering, “How long does it take to build a website?”

However, there’s no single answer to that question, because there are so many different ways to build a website. Many online platforms now allow you to build a simple, functional website in just minutes. But to build a complete website with all the features that you want, it may take much longer.

To help you budget your time, we’ve created this guide to the different factors that can influence the time it takes to build a website. Read this before you embark on your next website project!

How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?

Every website is unique, so each one takes a different amount of time to build. However, here are the different stages your site will go through, and how to tell how long each stage might take.

The Planning Stage

The planning stage for your website could be as long or short as you can imagine. You can come up with an idea for a website in a matter of minutes, but you could then spend months or even years refining that same idea.

While you don’t necessarily need to spend years planning your site, it’s not a bad idea to devote some time to the planning stage so you know exactly what you want from your site.

The Building Stage

Once you know what you want, it’s time to put that plan into action.

If you hire a web developer, you’ll have a better chance of getting the specific design you want. If you build your site on your own using platforms like WordPress, you’ll run into limitations that require coding to solve. This stage could take anywhere from days to a few months, depending on how elaborate your design is.

The Refining Stage

Once your website is built, you’ll likely want to test and refine it before releasing it to the public.

It can take a few weeks to go through your site, decide what you want to change, and update anything that’s not working. You’ll want to test contact forms, eCommerce links, and other interactive features of your site to make sure they work.

The Content Stage

Depending on what type of website you want to build, you may need to create content to put on it, such as photographs or blog posts. This will be an ongoing part of running your site. At the beginning, though, you could spend a few weeks or months creating content so you can fill your site with it before making it public.

Ready to Build Your Unique Website?

Technically, on some platforms, you can take your website from idea to execution in a single day. But if you’re asking “How long does it take to build a website?” you probably have bigger plans than an extremely basic site.

Most sites won’t take more than a few months to build, if you can hire the developers and other assistance you need. But if you’re teaching yourself coding and other necessary skills, of course, it can take much longer.

So, why do it alone when you can have help? Custom website design can get you the website of your dreams faster. Check out our custom web design examples here!