Kolkata Market Context (2025)
Kolkata's digital needs have grown rapidly: educational institutes, traditional retail brands, food businesses, and small logistics/courier players are moving online. Here are the key trends I see frequently:
Education Sector
Schools and colleges want portals for admissions, attendance and fees (school ERPs).
eCommerce
Local food brands, handicraft stores, and startups need product storefronts with simple admin panels.
SMEs & Service Providers
Local clinics, salons, and stores need brochure sites with booking/payment options.
Logistics & Courier
Courier startups want parcel tracking, billing, and dashboards.
Project Cost Breakdown
A. Starter / Business Website (Small)
| Item | Details | Typical Cost (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Pages | Home, About, Services, Contact, Blog (1–5 pages) | 8,000 – 12,000 |
| Design | Basic responsive template or light customization | 2,000 – 6,000 |
| SEO (basic) | Meta tags, sitemap, speed basics | 1,000 – 3,000 |
| Contact form | Email integration (SMTP) | 500 – 2,000 |
| Hosting & Domain | Shared hosting or basic VPS (first year) | 1,500 – 5,000 |
| Total (typical) | ₹8,000 – ₹20,000 |
B. eCommerce Website (Small/Medium)
| Item | Details | Typical Cost (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Design & UI | Custom product pages, category templates | 8,000 – 20,000 |
| Store Setup | Product catalog, categories, filters | 5,000 – 15,000 |
| Cart & Checkout | Payment gateway integration (PG), coupon engine | 5,000 – 15,000 |
| Admin Panel | Order management, product CRUD, basic reports | 10,000 – 25,000 |
| Hosting & Security | SSL, backups, staging | 3,000 – 10,000 |
| Optional | 3rd-party integrations (ERP, courier APIs) | 5,000 – 30,000 |
| Total (typical) | ₹30,000 – ₹80,000 |
C. Custom ERP / SaaS (Mid to Large)
| Item | Details | Typical Cost (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements & UI/UX | Wireframes, user flows, custom design | 20,000 – 60,000 |
| Frontend | React/Next.js complex UIs, role-based views | 40,000 – 1,00,000 |
| Backend | Node.js, APIs, authentication, business logic | 40,000 – 1,50,000+ |
| Database & Integrations | MongoDB/MySQL, payment, SMS, email, 3rd party | 15,000 – 50,000+ |
| Hosting & DevOps | Cloud setup (VPS / AWS), scaling, monitoring | 10,000 – 50,000+ |
| QA & Testing | Manual + automation (optional) | 10,000 – 50,000 |
| Total (typical) | ₹1,00,000 – ₹3,00,000+ |
Freelancer vs Agency vs In-House
| Hiring Type | Typical Cost | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer (Kolkata) | Low–Medium | Affordable, direct communication, flexible | Single resource limits, potential delays | Small/medium projects, MVPs |
| Agency (local/remote) | High | Team (design/dev/test), faster delivery | More expensive, sometimes generic | Large projects, turnkey solutions |
| In-house hire | Salary | Full-time ownership, long-term | Salary + overhead, slower hiring | Product companies, continuous dev needs |
Recommendation
For most Kolkata SMEs and startups, hire a skilled freelance full-stack developer for MVPs and early-stage product development. Move to agency or in-house once you scale.
Case Studies
GotiXpress: Courier & Delivery Platform
Problem: Local courier needed booking, tracking, and admin dashboards.
Solution: Built MERN-based parcel booking, live tracking screen, billing & admin panels.
Tech: React, Node.js, MongoDB, VPS deployment.
Result: MVP deployed in 8 weeks; allowed client to handle 3,000 monthly parcels with centralized admin.
Approx. Cost Range: ₹1,00,000 – ₹2,00,000
Aam Study Circle: School ERP
Problem: Manual admissions, attendance, and fee tracking for local schools.
Solution: MERN-based ERP with role-based dashboards (Admin, Teacher, Student), attendance & fee modules.
Tech: MERN, Tailwind, JWT authentication.
Result: Reduced admin hours by ~50% (fewer manual processes); improved reporting and fee reconciliation.
Approx. Cost Range: ₹1,20,000 – ₹2,50,000
Gramer Shuddho: eCommerce
Problem: Local organic brand needed an online store with product management & simple checkout.
Solution: Custom eCommerce with admin product panel, secure checkout, and order management.
Tech: React + Node.js, MongoDB, payment gateway integration.
Approx. Cost Range: ₹35,000 – ₹75,000
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a website under ₹10,000 in Kolkata?
Yes — for very simple brochure sites using templates or WordPress, you can be under ₹10,000. Expect limited customization and basic SEO only.
How long does an eCommerce website take to build?
Typically 3–6 weeks for a basic store; 2–3 months for advanced features (multi-warehouse shipping, subscriptions).
Do freelancers provide contracts & NDA?
Reputable freelancers do provide simple contracts and can sign NDAs. Include IP ownership clauses and payment milestones.
What are monthly costs after launch?
Hosting (₹500–₹5,000/month), domain (₹800–₹1,500/year), maintenance (₹2,000–₹10,000/month), payment gateway fees as per provider.
Is WordPress cheaper than custom development?
Initially yes, but for long-term performance, security, and complex features, custom MERN/Next.js is often better value.
Ready to Get Started?
I'm Tarik Aziz — Full-Stack MERN Developer based in Kolkata. I build websites, eCommerce stores, ERPs and SaaS platforms with a focus on performance, security and clean UX.