"How much will a new website cost?" is the question I get asked most — and it's a fair one. There's never a single number, though, because the price depends entirely on what you actually need. Here's what drives the cost, roughly what to expect, and what tends to be included in a quote versus billed separately.
What actually drives the price
The cost of a custom website comes down to a handful of factors: the number of pages, how unique the design and functionality need to be, whether you need your own content management system, integrations with external services (payment gateways, booking systems, CRMs), and the volume of copy and images that need to be prepared. Whether you already have materials ready (copy, photos, a logo) or need them created from scratch also plays a real role.
Template vs. custom-built: the price difference
A ready-made template (e.g. on WordPress) is cheaper upfront, but you often pay for it later in slower load times, weaker SEO, and an ongoing need to manage plugins and updates. A custom-built site in clean code costs more to start, but ends up faster, more secure, and easier to extend exactly the way you need.
Rough price ranges
A simple presentation site with a handful of pages typically starts around 700 EUR today. A site with custom design, more functionality, and its own content management system runs into the low thousands. A custom-built online store, given payment gateways, inventory systems, and cart logic, usually starts around 1,200 EUR and up. The exact number always depends on the specific brief.
One-time cost vs. ongoing expenses
The build price is only one part of the budget. On top of it, expect smaller recurring costs: a domain (typically a modest amount per year), hosting (from tens to a few hundred euros a year depending on the site's scale), and possibly ongoing maintenance if you don't want to handle updates and small changes yourself. An online store often adds payment gateway transaction fees on top. When comparing quotes, it's worth thinking in terms of total first-year cost, not just the build price.
What's typically included vs. billed separately
A standard quote should include responsive mobile design, basic on-page SEO (headings, meta descriptions, load speed), and training on how to make small edits yourself. Items that are commonly billed separately: custom copywriting, professional photography, multilingual versions of the site, advanced SEO work, or integration with specific software (a CRM, accounting system, booking calendar). It's worth having these clearly itemized in a quote rather than buried in one lump sum.
How payment is typically structured
The common model splits payment in two: half upfront as a deposit once the quote is agreed, which officially kicks off the project, and the second half once the site is finished and approved, right before it goes live on the real domain. This split protects both sides — you're not paying the full amount upfront for unfinished work, and the developer has assurance that you're genuinely committed once real work is underway.
What to watch out for with very low quotes
An unusually low price usually means the site is built on an unmodified mass-market template, or that something important is missing from the quote — a responsive mobile version, basic SEO setup, or training on how to manage the site yourself. It's worth asking exactly what's included, not just the final number.
How to compare quotes from different developers
When you're collecting quotes from more than one developer, don't just compare the final number. Ask the same questions of each one: how many design revisions are included, how long the build takes, what happens if the project scope changes partway through, and whether post-launch support is included. A quote that costs a bit more but clearly states everything it covers is usually the better choice over the cheapest option with a vague scope.
Getting an exact quote for your project
The fastest way is a free, no-obligation consultation, where we go through what you need from the site and I put together a concrete quote based on that. You can also check the current pricing packages or just get in touch with a description of your project.
