The Website Development Tool is a free planner on our site. You describe your business, and it builds a plan for a Shopify website with live prices, a 50% deposit schedule, bundle savings and protection options, so you see what to buy, what is due today and what you save before you pay anything.
What is the Website Development Tool, and who is it for?
It is a planning page on aiwebsitedesignswfl.com for any Southwest Florida business that is deciding what to buy for its website. It is free, needs no sign-up, and uses the live prices from our store, so the numbers you see are the numbers at checkout. You can build a plan, compare options, share it, and download a PDF estimate without paying anything. You only pay when you choose to start your plan.
It suits three kinds of owners: someone with no website yet, someone whose site needs a rebuild, and someone who already has a site and needs to be found on Google Maps and in AI search. Everything it plans is built on Shopify, which we explain next.
Why does every plan start with a Shopify website?
Because Shopify is a strong place to run a small business website, whether you sell products or only take bookings and calls. We build on it for four reasons that matter to an owner who is not technical:
- Fast and hosted for you. Shopify hosts the site, so there is no server for you to manage, no plugin pile to keep updated, and pages load quickly on a phone.
- Secure by design. Hosting, an SSL certificate and a payment-ready checkout come with the platform, which is one reason we can build a safe site without a long list of add-ons.
- It grows with you. A five-page site can become a full online store later without starting over, because the same Shopify account holds your pages, products and customers.
- You own it. Your site lives in a Shopify account you own, so you are never locked in to us.
Shopify can also connect to places people already shop and search, such as Instagram and Facebook Shops, TikTok Shop, Google, Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Shopify POS. To be honest about scope: setting up a full product catalog, configuring the cart and checkout, and connecting those marketplaces are separate services priced by scope, not part of a base website price. The tool lists them as add-ons so you can see the cost before you decide. Your Shopify plan and domain are billed separately by those providers, as with any site. You can read more on our Online Store and Shopify Design page, and in our guides on using Shopify for a service business and Shopify vs Wix vs WordPress.
How does the Website Development Tool work, step by step?
- Tell us about your business. Type a sentence or two about what you do and what you want, then choose Build my plan with AI or Ask the advisor. Or answer three quick questions instead.
- Compare plans side by side. See good, better and best plans with what is due today, what comes later and what you save with bundles.
- Learn why each service matters. Every suggestion explains what you gain and what can go wrong without it, so you can choose what matters most.
- Start your plan. Send everything to your cart in one step. Websites use a 50% deposit, and the balance is invoiced after you approve the finished site.
What are the three quick questions?
The first asks where you are starting from: no website yet, a site that needs a rebuild, a wish to sell online, or a fine site that needs to be found. The second asks what matters most, and you can pick several: show up on Google Maps, be quoted by AI search, take bookings or leads, email and text marketing, look professional, keep the site safe and fast, and connect Shopify to your other tools. The third asks how much you would like to pay today, from under $500 to $2,000 or more, or not sure yet. A note under it says builds only need a 50% deposit to start, so today is usually half the build price.
What does the plan summary show?
The Your plan panel stays beside the page as you work. It shows each item with a quantity control, then the one-time total, the deposit to start (50% of builds), what is due today, what is due after you approve your site, and a green You are saving line. A checkbox lets you pay builds in full today instead of using the 50% deposit. Taxes are calculated at checkout. Monthly plans, such as care plans, are shown separately because they are charged at their monthly price once your site is live.
How does the tool find the right package?
Below the questions, Find the right package shows bundles that fit what is already in your plan, best fit first. Each card lists what is included, what it would cost if you bought the items separately, how much you save, and the amount to start. A Compare all 9 packages button opens the full list, and Details explains each one.
What does the Protect your site section do?
A website is not a one-time purchase. Software updates, spam, slow pages and search changes keep moving. This section shows six protection areas, with a progress bar of how many your plan covers: updates and backups, uptime and security watch, spam and form protection, speed, accessibility, and search monitoring. Each card says in plain words what can go wrong, and a Cover this button adds the service that fixes it.
You can also choose a protection level instead of covering areas one by one. At the time of writing, Protection Starter is $49 a month and covers 2 of 6 areas, Protection Plus is $149 a month plus $119 one time and covers 4 of 6, and Full Protection is $349 a month plus $318 one time and covers all 6. Each level is built from services at their normal prices, so you are not paying extra for the grouping.
What are Next best steps and Why it matters?
As your plan changes, the Next best steps panel suggests what to add or swap, in order of importance. A site with a build gets a care plan suggestion and, for stores, a product upload and catalog setup suggestion. A plan that already contains most of a bundle gets a Swap to the bundle and save suggestion. Every suggestion has a Why it matters link that explains the reason in plain English, so you are choosing with the facts instead of being pushed.
Does the Website Development Tool help you save money?
Yes, in specific, checkable ways. It does not invent discounts. It compares the price of a bundle with the same items bought one by one at their normal prices, and it shows the difference. These are examples shown by the tool on October 6, 2026. Prices are live and can change, so always check the tool for today's numbers.
| Where the saving comes from | What the tool shows |
|---|---|
| Market Authority Turn-Key Package | $1,250 instead of $1,749 bought separately, a $499 saving |
| Business Growth Mega Package | $1,795 instead of $2,219 bought separately, a $424 saving |
| Klaviyo Complete Bundle (email and text setup, reviews, sending domain) | $374 instead of $635 bought separately, a $261 saving |
| Launch Package (Basic Website, Standard SEO, Logo) | $690 instead of $840 for the three items, a $150 saving |
| AI Website Design client price on setup services | Lower prices when we build your site, for example the Smart Chat Box at $194 instead of $292 |
What are 8 ways to spend less on a Shopify website plan?
- Pick the right size build first. A Basic Website (up to 5 pages) is $450, a Business Website (up to 10 pages) is $900 and an Online Store is $1,350. Start with the size you need now. Shopify lets you add pages and products later.
- Choose a package when it matches your plan. The tool shows the separate price next to the bundle price, so you can see whether the bundle really is cheaper for you.
- Take the swap suggestions. When your plan already holds most of a bundle, the tool tells you exactly how much swapping saves.
- Buy setup services together with your build. The AI Website Design client price applies when we build your site, and the tool shows how much less your setup services cost at that price.
- Use the Complete Website Setup Package. Domain and DNS go-live, Google Analytics and Search Console, and a Google Business Profile come as one package, and the tool shows the difference in price when there is one.
- Match protection to the size of your site. A five-page brochure site rarely needs the highest level. Start with the level that covers the risks that matter, and move up when your site grows.
- Skip what you do not need yet. The Why it matters notes help you tell a real need from a nice-to-have. You can always add a service later.
- Use the free things. The tool, the PDF estimate and our free AI Visibility Report (offered to the first five businesses) cost nothing, and they show where your site stands before you spend.
One thing is not a saving: the 50% deposit. It lowers what you pay today and spreads the cost, because half is invoiced after you approve the finished site, but the total is the same. Also note that packages and memberships are not refundable, so review what is in your plan before you check out.
What does the tool not do?
- It does not replace a conversation. It gives you a plan and a price, and we confirm scope and timing before work starts.
- It does not include full store setup, product loading, cart configuration or marketplace connections in a base build. Those are add-ons priced by scope.
- It does not include your Shopify plan or domain, which are billed separately.
- It does not promise rankings, AI mentions or leads. It plans the work that gives your site a fair chance of being found.
Can you share your plan or ask an AI about it?
Yes. The Share or ask an AI button on the page lets you send your plan to a partner, a friend or an AI assistant, or copy the link. It is the same panel we describe in our guide to the Share and Ask AI tools.
How do you try it?
Open the Website Development Tool, type a sentence about your business, and look at the plan it builds. Change anything you like. If you want to compare every package first, see Compare Our Website Packages and our website design prices.
Questions people ask
What is the Website Development Tool?
It is a free planner on the AI Website Design SWFL site. You describe your business, and it builds a plan of Shopify website, search, AI visibility and protection services with live prices, a deposit schedule and bundle savings. You can share the plan, ask an AI about it and download a PDF estimate, and you only pay if you choose to start your plan and check out.
Do I pay anything to use the tool?
No. Building a plan, comparing options, sharing it and downloading a PDF estimate are all free, and you do not need to sign up. You only pay when you decide to start your plan and go to checkout. Taxes are calculated at checkout, and your Shopify plan and domain are billed separately by those providers.
How does the 50% deposit work?
Website builds and packages with a deposit option take 50% today, and we invoice the remaining 50% after you approve the finished site. The tool shows the deposit, what is due today and what is due later, and lets you pay in full instead if you prefer. Monthly plans are charged at their monthly price. The deposit changes when you pay, not the total price.
Why does every plan use Shopify?
Shopify is hosted and secure, loads quickly, and grows from a five-page site into a full online store without starting over. Your site lives in a Shopify account you own. It can also connect to channels such as Instagram and Facebook Shops, TikTok Shop, Google, Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Shopify POS, although full store setup and marketplace connections are priced add-ons.
How does the tool work out what I save?
It compares the bundle price with the same items bought one by one at their normal prices and shows the difference. It also shows how much less setup services cost at the AI Website Design client price when we build your site. Prices are live from our store and can change, so the savings shown are for the day you view the plan.
Does the tool include store setup and marketplace connections?
No. A base website build does not include loading products, configuring the cart and checkout fully, or connecting marketplaces. Those are separate services priced by scope, and the tool lists them as add-ons, such as Product Upload and Catalog Setup, so you can see the cost before you decide. Your Shopify plan and domain are billed separately.
Can I change my plan after I check out?
The plan is yours to adjust before you check out. After you start, we confirm scope and timing with you before work begins, and you can add services later as your needs grow. Packages and memberships are not refundable, so review the items in your plan carefully before you pay.
