Guide
How much does a business website cost? What really drives the price
Why website quotes range so widely, the eight things that actually drive cost, hidden costs to budget for, how to compare quotes fairly, and an interactive project scoper.
VAULT 33|27 · Updated 12 November 2026 · Reviewed 12 November 2026 · 2 min read
Why quotes differ so much
Two quotes for "a website" can differ by ten times, and both can be fair. One may be a template with your logo added. The other may include research, original design, written content, integrations, migration and tracking. The word "website" hides very different amounts of work. To compare quotes, compare what is included, not the headline number.
The eight things that drive cost
| Driver | Why it costs more |
|---|---|
| Number of unique page types | Each different layout needs design and build; repeated pages reuse templates |
| Custom design | A design system made for your brand takes more work than adapting a theme |
| Content writing | Research and writing is often the biggest hidden cost, and the most valuable |
| Languages | Each language needs adapted content, review and correct technical setup |
| Integrations | CRM, booking, payments and industry software must connect and be tested |
| Migration | Protecting existing rankings needs a URL map, redirects and checks |
| Functionality | Logins, portals, calculators and shops are software, not pages |
| Quality standards | Speed, accessibility and tracking done properly take time to build and test |
Scope your own project
Pick what you need and see the project size, the package that usually fits, and your biggest cost drivers.
Project scoper
What kind of website project is yours?
Choose what you need. You will see the project size, the package that usually fits and what drives the cost. No prices are invented here: every project is quoted on its own.
Project size
Standard
Usually fits
Launch or Growth
A complete business website with the essentials connected.
Biggest cost drivers in your choices
- We write the content. Researching and writing content is often the biggest hidden cost of a website.
- CRM connection. Sending every enquiry to a CRM with its source needs integration and tracking work.
Hidden and ongoing costs to budget for
| Cost | Notes |
|---|---|
| Domain and hosting | Usually small, but premium hosting matters for speed |
| Software licences | Booking, CRM, chat and email tools, usually monthly |
| Content and photography | Real photos of your team and work beat stock images |
| Maintenance and updates | Security, software updates, fixes and small changes |
| Ongoing improvement | SEO, new pages, testing and conversion improvements |
How to compare quotes fairly
Ask every provider the same questions:
- Exactly which pages and page types are included?
- Who writes the content, and how many revision rounds are there?
- Is the design custom or based on a template?
- What integrations are included, and are they tested end to end?
- Will existing pages be redirected to protect rankings?
- What speed and accessibility standards will it meet, and how will you prove it?
- Is tracking of forms, calls and enquiries included?
- Who owns the domain, code, content and accounts?
- What does hosting and maintenance cost after launch?
- What is not included?
The cheapest quote often leaves out content, migration or tracking, which then arrive as extra costs or as lost enquiries.
What we recommend
Spend most on the parts that produce enquiries: the service pages, the content on them, the speed of the site and the way enquiries are captured and followed up. Spend less on features nobody uses. And always own everything.
We quote every project at a fixed price after a free audit. See our pricing approach and website design and development.
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