Pipeline
Recommended pipeline
Launching a website is a short chain: builder, domain and hosting, a way to capture enquiries, payments if you sell, and measurement so you know it works. The main India decisions are choosing INR-billed hosting where possible and, if you take money, using a UPI-first gateway rather than a global card processor.
Cost ledger
What this stack costs
Run this stack from about Rs.69/month in software - using free tiers where available and the cheapest paid tool in each remaining stage. 4 of 5 stages have a free option. Original estimate from FindThatSoftware's verified pricing.
Starting estimate, not a quote: cheapest paid tier per stage, free tiers counted as Rs.0, usage-based fees excluded. Confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Stage 1
Pick a website builder
Choose the tool you will design and manage the site in.
The builder decides how much you can customise, how much you maintain, and your ongoing cost, so match it to your skills and whether the site is a brochure, a blog, or a store.
Wix is the easiest all-in-one for a non-technical owner who wants hosting, templates, and a builder in one place. WordPress is the most flexible and content and SEO friendly if you are willing to manage hosting and plugins. Framer is the design-first pick for a modern, animated marketing site. All bill in USD; if you want an INR-billed, design-forward alternative, Squarespace is worth a look, and Carrd is the cheapest option for a single-page site.
Setup for Pick a website builder
- Decide the site type first: brochure, blog, or store, since that rules builders in or out
- Rebuild your home page on the free tier before paying to confirm the builder fits you
Automation for Pick a website builder
Caveats for Pick a website builder
- All-in-one builders lock you in, so migrating later is a rebuild
- WordPress is flexible but you own updates, security, and plugin conflicts
Stage 2
Sort your domain and hosting
Secure your domain name and the hosting your site runs on.
A custom domain builds trust and hosting decides speed and uptime, and Indian visitors and Google both reward a fast, reliably hosted site.
If you chose Wix or Framer, hosting is bundled and you mainly need a domain. If you went with WordPress, you need separate hosting: Hostinger is popular in India, INR-billed, and affordable for shared and cloud plans; GoDaddy bundles domains and hosting together but bills in USD, so add forex and GST. Buy the domain wherever it is cheapest to renew, since intro prices jump at renewal.
Setup for Sort your domain and hosting
- Register a .in or .com domain that matches your brand and enable auto-renew
- If self-hosting, pick a plan sized to expected traffic and turn on SSL and backups
Automation for Sort your domain and hosting
Caveats for Sort your domain and hosting
- Introductory hosting and domain prices spike at renewal, so check the renewal rate, not just year one
- Skip hosting entirely if your builder already includes it, to avoid paying twice
Stage 3
Capture leads and enquiries
Give visitors a way to contact you and get captured as leads.
A site with no capture point wastes its traffic, and in India a WhatsApp or chat option often converts better than a plain contact form.
Tawk.to is genuinely free live chat to answer visitors in the moment. Google Forms is a free, quick enquiry form for a first site. AiSensy adds an INR-billed WhatsApp click-to-chat and follow-up path, which matches how Indian buyers prefer to talk. Start with Tawk.to plus a form, and add WhatsApp once enquiries pick up.
Setup for Capture leads and enquiries
- Add one clear call-to-action and a short enquiry form on your home and contact pages
- Add a WhatsApp or chat button so visitors can reach you the way they prefer
Automation for Capture leads and enquiries
Caveats for Capture leads and enquiries
- Unstaffed live chat is worse than none, so use auto-replies if you cannot respond quickly
- WhatsApp Business API adds per-conversation fees on top, so weigh that against volume
Stage 4
Take payments online (if you sell)
Collect money from customers if the site sells products, services, or bookings.
If you charge on the site, Indian buyers expect UPI, and an India-first gateway settles in INR with proper GST invoicing, unlike a global card-led processor.
Razorpay is the default for a real business, with UPI, cards, netbanking, payment links, and subscriptions. Cashfree is a strong, freemium alternative with payouts. Instamojo is the lightest option for freelancers and creators who just need payment links. All are India-built and INR-billed, so your revenue carries no forex layer. Skip this stage entirely if your site does not sell anything.
Setup for Take payments online (if you sell)
- Complete gateway KYC early with PAN, GST, and bank details, since activation takes time
- Add a payment link or checkout to your key page and test one live UPI payment
Automation for Take payments online (if you sell)
Caveats for Take payments online (if you sell)
- Per-transaction fees apply, so check the live rate on the tool page for your business type
- Live payments need KYC approval, so start before your planned launch date
Stage 5
Get found and measure results
Set up analytics and an SEO baseline so you know what the site is doing.
A live site with no measurement is guesswork, and a quick SEO check catches the basics that keep you off Google before they cost you traffic.
Google Analytics (GA4) is free and the standard for seeing who visits and what they do. Web Gremlin scans the site and flags SEO, performance, and content weaknesses so you can fix the obvious gaps; it bills in USD with a free tier. Install GA4 on day one and run a Web Gremlin scan after launch and after major changes.
Setup for Get found and measure results
- Add the GA4 tag to every page and confirm it records a test visit
- Run an SEO scan, fix titles, meta descriptions, and page speed, then submit your sitemap to Google Search Console
Automation for Get found and measure results
Caveats for Get found and measure results
- Analytics only helps if you check it, so pick two or three metrics that map to your goal
- SEO tools point at issues but do not fix them, and ranking takes weeks to months of real content