The Three Paths at a Glance
Optimise: same design, same platform — fix speed, Core Web Vitals, SEO, conversion leaks. ₹35,000–₹1,50,000 · 2–4 weeks.
Redesign: new visual design and UX, same CMS, content migrated. ₹1,50,000–₹6,00,000 · 5–10 weeks.
Rebuild: new platform/architecture — legacy CMS to headless or custom app. ₹6,00,000–₹30,00,000+ · 10–20 weeks.
Budget for the Hidden Line Items
Set aside 15–20% contingency on any of the three tiers. Content migration, third-party integrations, and discovered technical debt are the three line items most likely to push a project past its initial estimate.
How to Decide
Ask three questions in order and stop at the first "no": (1) Is the platform sound — supported, secure, scalable? If no, Rebuild. (2) Is the design/UX meeting business goals? If no, Redesign. (3) Is the gap narrow and measurable (speed, one funnel, stale content)? If yes, Optimise.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a website redesign cost in India in 2026?
- Typically ₹1,50,000 to ₹6,00,000 if the existing CMS is kept and content is migrated across; optimisation runs ₹35,000–₹1,50,000, and a full platform rebuild runs ₹6,00,000–₹30,00,000+.
- How is a rebuild different from a redesign?
- A redesign changes the visual design and UX but keeps the same CMS and hosting. A rebuild replaces the platform itself — moving off an unsupported CMS or to a headless/custom architecture.
- How do I know which one my site needs?
- Run it through a short audit first: if the platform is sound and the issue is narrow (speed, one funnel), optimise. If the platform is sound but the design/UX is failing the business, redesign. If the platform itself is the problem, rebuild.