Website cost: what drives it, and what to prepare for a quote
The cost of a website is set by its scope, not by any single line item. The number of pages and the content architecture, whether the design is a theme or custom, who produces the copy and images, how many languages it needs, special functions such as booking or integrations, the level of speed and technical SEO, and care after launch are what really drive the price. Below we take each factor in turn, and list what to prepare before you ask for a quote.
Why website cost is not a single number
It is a bit like asking “how much does a house cost?” How many rooms, which neighbourhood, which materials?
A three-page introductory site and a bilingual site of a hundred pages with a booking system sit at opposite ends of the same job. Both are called “a website”. The effort, time and responsibility are very different.
That is why we do not publish a price list. We clarify the scope together in a first conversation, then send a written proposal.
It is also why quotes from different teams can vary so widely. More often than not, the gap comes from different work described in the same words. The factors below help you see what you are actually comparing.
Scope and content
Number of pages and content architecture
Page count alone does not decide the cost, but every page has to be planned, designed and built.
The real work is deciding which page answers which question and how the pages link together. Twenty product pages that repeat one template and five service pages each built differently create very different workloads.
Copy and image production
This is the item most often overlooked. Is the copy ready, or does it need writing? Do photographs exist, or is a shoot needed?
Supplying content yourself brings the cost down. But it takes time to prepare, and projects often run long for exactly that reason. The proposal should state clearly who is responsible for content.
Number of languages
A second language is not a quick “translation” of existing pages. Copy is written or carefully adapted for each language. Pages are linked to their counterparts correctly. Search engines are told which page is in which language.
So each new language adds real work to the scope. Starting with one language and adding the second later is a perfectly valid option.
Design and functionality
Ready-made theme or custom design?
A theme lowers the starting cost. But the site will resemble others, and the weight of unused features can slow it down.
With a custom design, colour, type and spacing rules come from a design system built for your brand. It takes more effort; in return, pages added later stay coherent. We compare the two approaches in detail in WordPress or a custom-built website?
Special functions and integrations
A simple contact form and a booking system that takes payment are not the same thing. The items that usually affect cost most are:
- Booking, reservation or payment flows
- Member log-in and personal account areas
- Connections to other software such as a CRM, accounting or stock system (API integrations)
- Calculators, quizzes and filterable catalogues
For each function, one question helps: is it truly needed in the first version, or can it come later?
An example. A consultancy asks, in the first conversation, for member log-in, online payment and a booking calendar. As we talk, it turns out most of their clients want a phone call first. A simple request form is enough for version one; the other functions are added when there is a real need for them.
Technical quality: unseen, but felt
Speed, technical SEO and accessibility
Two sites can look alike on screen. One opens instantly on a phone; the other keeps the visitor waiting.
Clean URLs, a sitemap, structured data, a proper heading hierarchy, compressed images and accessibility to WCAG standards are the quality beneath the surface. This work takes time, and proposals often dismiss it in a single line. Ask what measurements a team runs before launch, and whether they will share the results with you.
Hosting and domain
Domain and hosting costs are usually separate from design and development, and renew periodically. Using your existing server is often possible.
What matters is that these accounts are registered in your name. We install sites on your existing domain and server, and handle the migration if one is needed.
After launch: maintenance and ownership
Maintenance
A site still needs work after it goes live: updates, small content changes, fixing broken links, monitoring search visibility. Your own team can do this, or you can hand it over as monthly maintenance.
Discussing maintenance at the start is the best way to avoid a surprise cost later. We describe regular care and search monitoring on our SEO and maintenance page.
Handover of source code and files
Will you receive the source code and design files at delivery? Handover means the freedom to work with another team in future.
With us, the source code and all files are handed over on request, and the proposal says so plainly. If confidential information will be shared, we sign an NDA before work begins.
At a glance: what raises and lowers cost
| Factor | Raises cost | Lowers cost |
|---|---|---|
| Content | Copy and photography produced from scratch | Ready, up-to-date copy and images |
| Languages | Each additional language | Starting with one, adding more later |
| Design | Every page designed individually | Repeating page templates |
| Functions | Payment, membership, integrations | A basic form only in version one |
| Migration | Many old URLs to carry across | A brand-new site |
| Maintenance | Frequently changing content, many pages | Updating content yourselves |
What to prepare before asking for a quote
Rough answers to these questions help you get an accurate quote — and compare quotes with one another:
- What is the site’s main purpose? What do you want visitors to do?
- Which pages should it have? A rough list is enough.
- Are the copy and photographs ready?
- How many languages do you need?
- Do you need any special function beyond a form?
- Is there an existing site? If so, which URLs must be preserved?
- Who will update content after launch?
- A few sites you like and dislike, and why.
You do not need a firm answer to every point. We settle the open ones together in the first conversation. For a broader checklist, see what to check before commissioning a business website.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t you publish a price list?
Because two sites with the same name can be very different jobs. A list would either make you pay for items you do not need or leave out what you do. The written proposal we send after discussing scope shows clearly what is included and what is not.
How should I read a large gap between quotes?
Put the items side by side first. Are content production, number of languages, special functions, measurement, maintenance and source-code handover the same in each? The gap often comes from different work under the same heading, so ask for a written explanation of anything left vague.
Is it sensible to start small and grow later?
Keeping the scope small is sensible; building weak foundations is not. A site that starts with few pages but has sound content architecture, speed and technical SEO grows easily. Every page added to a weak foundation brings a full rebuild closer.
Is maintenance compulsory?
No. But no site can go entirely without care: updates, content changes and technical checks have to happen somehow. Your own team can take this on, or you can leave it to us as monthly maintenance.
If you would like to pin down the scope of your project together, have a look at our web design and development service or write to us. After the first conversation, we send our written proposal.