| Cost to start |
From A$1,500Clear pricing, agreed up front. |
Five figures, often moreOverheads and big teams baked into the quote. |
Usually the cheapestRates vary a lot, and so does what's included. |
| Time to launch |
3 weeksFor Launch. Full rebuilds take 8–12 weeks. |
MonthsDiscovery phases, sign-off rounds and handovers. |
It dependsYour project fits around their other clients. |
| Who you talk to |
A lead designerFrom the very first call. |
An account managerWho passes notes to the people doing the work. |
The person doing the workGreat, until they're busy or away. |
| Design |
Built around your brandNot a template. Art direction, UX and copy made side by side. |
CustomStrong work, priced for big budgets. |
Often a tweaked themeQuick to set up, harder to stand out. |
| Development |
Theme built from scratchFast on 4G, strong Core Web Vitals, sections you can edit. |
Solid, sometimes outsourcedBuild work can go to a separate team. |
Design or dev, rarely bothGaps get filled by apps or another hire. |
| Skills under one roof |
Store, ads, email, CROPlus AI search, all from the same team. |
All of itSpread across departments, each with its own fee. |
One or two specialtiesYou manage the rest yourself. |
| AI search |
Built in from day oneProduct data and answers that ChatGPT and Gemini can use. |
A separate add-onIf it's offered at all. |
Rarely coveredNot usually part of the brief. |
| After launch |
A$50 per hourPay for what you need, or grab the keys and run it yourself. |
Monthly retainerPaid whether you use the hours or not. |
When they're freeOften onto the next project. |
| Built for |
Launch to $1MWhere a better store makes the biggest difference. |
Big brandsSmaller stores rarely get the A-team. |
Small, clear jobsA fix here, a page there. |
