AI Website Cost: From ¥1,000,000 | Every Deliverable Disclosed [2026]

Hello, this is Kurita, Representative Director of Webharu Inc.. I run a web production business in Shiogama, Miyagi, Japan, and I sell AI-built website production as a product.

Here is the conclusion first. Webharu’s AI website production costs from ¥1,000,000 (excl. tax, as of October 2026), the same price as our full-scratch production. Using AI makes it neither cheaper nor faster: it takes at least 2–3 months. What changes is the running costs: my own company site went from just under ¥100,000 a year to ¥1,500 a year.

We often hear that “building with AI is supposed to be cheap.” But AI is not a reason for a discount; it is a reason for quality. Below, I lay out everything, down to what the cost includes and what is extra.

Key takeaways

AI website production cost — what it means

AI website production cost is the amount it takes to produce a website built with AI. At Webharu it is from ¥1,000,000 (excl. tax, as of October 2026), the same as full-scratch production. Using AI makes it neither cheaper nor faster: it takes at least 2–3 months.

Contents

AI website cost: market rates and Webharu’s price

The cost of building a website with AI differs by an order of magnitude depending on whether you build it yourself or hire a production company.

If you build it yourself with an AI tool

Website builders with AI generation features can be started for free up to a few thousand yen a month. Comparison articles in industry media show most plans clustering around ¥2,000–5,000 a month. But it only stays cheap up to the “building” part. SEO settings, forms, analytics, and post-launch improvements are all on you, and for a business site this is where work tends to stall.

If you have a production company build it with AI

What “building with AI” means varies completely from company to company. Some simply pour AI-written text into a template; others design the structure of the site itself on the assumption that it will be run with AI. So don’t compare on market-rate numbers alone; look at what is included in that price.

Webharu’s AI website production starts at ¥1,000,000

Webharu’s AI Website Production is from ¥1,000,000 (excl. tax, lower-bound pricing) for a standard setup. Our Full-Scratch Website Build, where an original design is created from zero, is also from ¥1,000,000. The price and the timeline are the same — at least 2–3 months for both. What differs is how deeply the design is crafted. Details are on the AI Website Production page.

Deliverables included in the AI website cost

What the from-¥1,000,000 price includes is shown in the table below. The final amount is fixed in a quote after the hearing, and once fixed, it does not change after work begins.

Item	Details
Hearing	60 minutes × 1 session
Site build	A complete site built with AI (standard setup)
Tech stack	The best-fit stack chosen from Astro / Next.js / Webflow
Page speed	Tuning via static generation + CDN edge delivery
Foundation for AI operation	Structured data, llms.txt, an AI-readable structure
Basic SEO	metadata, sitemap.xml, robots.txt
Analytics setup	Search Console, GA4
Form	1 contact form
Launch	Launch including DNS settings
Post-launch warranty	1 week of bug fixes (up to 2 minor fixes)

We choose the technology for each project

We pick from three options, Astro, Next.js, and Webflow, based on how the site will be used. Astro if updates are infrequent and page speed is the top priority, Next.js if complex on-screen interactions look likely, and Webflow if your staff want to edit without code. Our own site runs on Astro, chosen for its fit with Cloudflare, loading speed, and how it performs in SEO.

For most projects we use “static generation + CDN edge delivery,” where pre-built pages are served from the server closest to the visitor. Because no program runs constantly on a server, pages display fast and server maintenance as a task simply doesn’t exist.

Our own site scores 98 on mobile Lighthouse for the top page

Webharu’s site uses this same setup: 27 requests, about 1MB transferred, and mobile Lighthouse scores of 98 for the top page and 97 for article pages. The first measurement, though, was 73. The cause was a 1.7MB web font used for headings; once I trimmed it down to only the characters actually used, the score rose to 98 without changing the design at all. It took 1 hour.

What “structured data” and “llms.txt” are

Structured data is markup that presents a page’s content in a form AI and search engines can easily understand. llms.txt is a file that tells AI the key points of a site. Both raise how easily AI can read the site without changing how it looks. Search Console records how the site appears in search results, and GA4 records the behavior of people who visit; both are free Google tools. In typical production, these are often paid options, but Webharu includes them from the start.

With this foundation in place, you can do the following after launch. Each one is a method Webharu actually uses in running its own site.

• Consult AI about the whole site
• Have AI read your Search Console and GA4 numbers to decide what to fix
• Add and revise pages quickly
• Get found by AI search such as ChatGPT

Scope of the 1-week post-launch bug fixes

It covers display glitches, broken links, and form submission errors, the kinds of issues most often found right after launch, with up to 2 minor fixes. Changes such as rebuilding the page structure from scratch are out of scope.

What isn’t included, and additional costs

Four things are not included in the standard setup: a CMS (blog-update function), multilingual support, detailed crafting of an original design, and ongoing post-launch operation. Guideline prices for adding them are as follows.

The CMS fee covers designing for easy post-launch updates; multilingual covers building text and page structure for each language; migration covers sorting and carrying over the old site’s data one item at a time. If you want to hand off ongoing operation, we offer a separate Site Care Plan (from ¥15,000/month).

The production process, and where humans check

The process has 4 stages: 60-minute hearing → AI build → review and revisions (up to 2 rounds) → launch. AI does the hands-on work; people make the judgments. That division of roles is itself the guarantee of quality.

What we ask in the 60-minute hearing

• The site’s purpose (more inquiries, recruiting, etc.)
• The target readers
• Sites you’d like to reference, and the design direction
• The pages you want and their priority
• How much copy and how many photos you already have
• Your preferred launch timing

For our own site, I spent 4 days on planning. In client projects, the 60-minute hearing takes on that role. If something isn’t decided yet, “not decided yet” is fine. In that case we put forward a draft and proceed while refining it.

Every page is checked by human eyes before launch

AI will happily write achievements that don’t exist or outdated prices. So fact-checking of prices, achievements, and proper nouns is all done by people. On real devices, a MacBook and an iPhone, we check that links and forms work and that wording is consistent. On top of that, what I look at most closely is the rhythm of the design: how whitespace is handled, the spacing between elements, and the flow as you scroll. An AI-made design almost never lands in one shot, so that part is fixed by hand.

We also get asked, “Won’t everything built with AI end up looking the same?” For our own site, we made about 50 patterns, and a person selected, trimmed, and refined from there. It is a different process from pouring text into a template.

Does building with AI make website production cheaper?

No. Webharu uses AI in every plan, and AI Website Production and the Full-Scratch Website Build are the same from ¥1,000,000. So what moves the cost? The variables that actually change the amount in a quote are these.

• Number of pages and the scale of the information architecture
• Multilingual support (number of languages)
• Volume of existing content to migrate (number of articles and case studies)
• Number of involved departments and approval flows (the more people to confirm with, the more effort goes into coordination rather than implementation)
• Security requirements (NDA, security checklist responses)
• Whether photography or asset creation is needed

These variables should be essentially the same at any production company. When comparing quotes, before looking at which is bigger or smaller, check whether the quote can explain “why this amount” in terms of these variables. A quote that can’t explain itself either has an insurance premium for overruns built in, or will come with additional charges later.

At least 2–3 months: AI doesn’t shorten the timeline

Some articles say “it’s fast because we use AI.” In practice, a person reviews the code AI writes, every page is built properly, and we bring all of our knowledge and experience to bear. Because that review and build take time, a Webharu website takes at least 2–3 months.

Even for a small site, we spend time on planning and structure. For a redesign, we start by tracking down why the current site isn’t producing results. AI shortens the time it takes to build; it does not shorten the time it takes to decide and to verify.

What AI brought down is the price of large sites

The ¥1,000,000 floor does not drop with AI. What dropped is the price of large sites: a site that used to cost around ¥8–15 million can now be built for roughly ¥3–5 million.

“Are there really sites that expensive?” you might wonder. In deals with large companies, those figures are normal. A large company that handles a lot of data simply won’t outsource to a firm that takes the job for around ¥1 million.

Meetings alone can take three months before building starts

On top of that, the work starts with meetings. Among the companies I’m working with now, one has been in nothing but meetings for three months.

For pre-order meetings, that is honestly long, and sometimes I worry the order will never come. Still, I think long meetings are part of how business-to-business deals work. It is also the stage where our research and the answers we bring earn the client’s trust.

A true story about running costs | Just under ¥100,000 a year became ¥1,500 a year

Where the cost difference was biggest was not production cost but upkeep. The old site was on Webflow, and I paid just under ¥100,000 a year for the subscription, including Korean localization. Now that I’ve switched to a site built with AI, the only cost is the domain at ¥1,500 a year.

I’ll note the difference in conditions too. I ran the Korean localization for 1 year; traffic increased, but inquiries were 0, so I pulled out. In other words, the savings also include what I stopped spending on localization.

Webflow revised its pricing in May 2026, and according to its official help center, Basic without CMS is $15/month billed annually, and Premium with CMS is $25/month billed annually. Just keeping a site costs $180–$300 a year, indefinitely. That said, Webflow has clear value: you can update the site yourself in a visual editor, and it is strong at CMS and localization. I cover its pricing in detail in our Webflow pricing guide. How far upkeep can be cut is also covered in our article on website maintenance costs.

Note that if you hand update work to Webharu, a Site Care Plan (from ¥15,000/month) applies. “The cost of keeping a site” and “the cost of having someone run it” are different things, so keep them separate when comparing quotes too.

When AI website production isn’t the right fit, and our other plans

You want to update a blog yourself frequently, you need multiple languages from the start, or you want the design crafted down to the last detail. If any of these three apply, the Full-Scratch Website Build is a better fit (details in our article on full-scratch websites). If you need features such as memberships, bookings, or payments, that is Web Application Development.

Plan	Price (excl. tax, starting from)	Typical timeline
AI Website Production (standard setup)	From ¥1,000,000	At least 2–3 months
Full-Scratch Website Build	From ¥1,000,000	At least 2–3 months
Web Application Development	From ¥2,500,000	About 2–4 months

The full pricing overview is on our Pricing page. Conversely, if you want to “grow the site together with AI after launch,” AI Website Production is the fit.

Summary | Compare AI website costs by what’s inside

Webharu’s AI website production costs from ¥1,000,000, the same as full-scratch. The differences are the SEO, analytics, and AI-operation foundation built in from the start, and post-launch upkeep. Compare by what’s inside, not by unit price.

For how it actually went building with AI, see my honest take on building a website with AI; for the full build process, the complete steps of building a site with Claude Code; for how to instruct AI, our vibe coding article; and for the 7-day record, the real story of renewing our own site. If you’re unsure which plan suits you, tell us about your situation through a free consultation. If it isn’t a fit, we’ll tell you so honestly.

Selected work

PonTech Lab Inc.

Built with AI (Claude Code) on Next.js and Cloudflare, with the build process published

Hosted by Nippon TV

High-fidelity Figma-to-Webflow conversion, with load speed and responsiveness optimized

JTB Americas

A full renewal of the North America site, with the operations team able to update it themselves

FAQ

How much does AI website production cost?

At Webharu it is from ¥1,000,000 (excl. tax, as of October 2026). Please allow at least 2–3 months. The final amount is fixed in a quote after the hearing and does not change after work begins.

Does building with AI make website production cheaper?

No. At Webharu, AI Website Production and the Full-Scratch Website Build are the same price, from ¥1,000,000. The timeline doesn’t get shorter either: both take at least 2–3 months, because we take the time to review the code AI writes and to build every page properly.

Does using AI make website production faster?

No. At Webharu, please allow at least 2–3 months. Even a small site needs time for planning and structure, a redesign needs time to track down the cause of the current problems, and we take the time to review the code AI writes and to build every page.

How much does a large company’s website cost?

A site at a scale that used to cost around ¥8–15 million can now be built for roughly ¥3–5 million with AI. A large company that handles a lot of data rarely outsources to a firm that takes the job for around ¥1 million.

What does the cost include?

A 60-minute hearing, a complete site built with AI, basic SEO settings, Search Console and GA4 setup, structured data and llms.txt, 1 contact form, launch including DNS settings, and 1 week of post-launch bug fixes (up to 2 minor fixes).

Are there any additional costs?

A CMS (blog-update function) is +¥50,000, multilingual support is +¥150,000 per language, migration from an existing site is from +¥80,000, photography is from +¥70,000, and API integration with external systems is from +¥200,000 (excl. tax).

How much does upkeep cost after launch?

Because the setup is static, it is effectively just the domain fee. Webharu’s own site costs ¥1,500 a year. If you hand off update work, a Site Care Plan (from ¥15,000/month) applies separately.

Is the quality of a website built with AI reliable?

Before launch, people visually check every page, and people also fact-check prices, achievements, and proper nouns. Webharu’s own site scores 98 for the top page and 97 for articles on mobile Lighthouse.