How much a website costs depends on what the site has to do, not on the number of pages taken in isolation. A simple company website built on an existing theme and a platform with custom design, several languages and integrations with the business's systems are different projects, with different prices. To get an accurate estimate, what matters is describing clearly the goals, content and integrations you need.
You will not find figures in this guide, because any figure without context would be misleading. Instead, you will find the factors that push the price up or down, how to compare two quotes that seem to describe the same thing, and what to prepare before asking for a quote.
In short
The price of a website is driven by: purpose and complexity, the number and type of pages, custom design or a theme, who produces the content, integrations, an online store, the number of languages, SEO work and what happens after launch (hosting, maintenance, updates). Compare quotes on the same set of deliverables, not just on the total.
Why there is no fixed price for a company website
“Company website” covers very different situations. For one business it may mean five pages of services and a contact form. For another, dozens of service pages, a blog, a filterable portfolio, online bookings and an English version. Both go by the same name, but the work behind them differs considerably.
The level of care for details you do not see straight away also matters: speed on mobile, accessibility, structure for search engines, form security, redirects from the old site. Two sites can look similar on day one and behave very differently six months later.
The factors that determine how much a website costs
Purpose and number of pages
Start with the question: what does the site need to do for the business? Generate quote requests, showcase a portfolio, sell, take bookings? The purpose determines which pages and features are needed. The number of pages matters, but what matters more is how many distinct page types have to be designed. Ten service pages built on the same template take less work than ten pages with completely different structures.
Custom design or an existing theme
A ready-made theme (a bought or free design template) cuts working time, but limits you to its structure and look. A custom design starts from your brand and your customers, is designed page by page and built from scratch. It costs more, but it can solve exactly the problems your site has. There are also in-between options: a well-adapted theme or a system of reusable components.
Content: text, photos, video
Content is often the most underestimated factor. If the copy, photos and service descriptions are ready, the project moves faster. If they have to be written from scratch, adapted for search (SEO copywriting), translated or professionally photographed, those hours go into the price. Ask explicitly who handles the content and what happens if it is not ready on time.
Integrations and special features
Every connection to another system adds work: a CRM (the software you use to keep track of customers), the email marketing platform, the booking calendar, the invoicing system, a chat or an AI assistant, maps, price calculators, user account areas. Some integrations are simple; others need custom development and careful testing.
Online store and multiple languages
An online store is no longer a company website: it has a product catalogue, basket, payments, delivery, stock, automated emails and additional legal obligations. Versions in several languages mean translations, a separate structure for each language, technical settings for search engines and, above all, maintaining the content in every language.
SEO, speed and accessibility
The technical basics (unique titles and descriptions, a sitemap, structured data, optimised images, a correct heading structure) should be included in any serious site. Keyword research, content strategy and ongoing optimisation are separate services, which you may or may not request. Likewise, testing mobile speed and accessibility takes time, and quotes that include it do more work.
Hosting, domain and maintenance
After launch there are recurring costs: the domain name, hosting (the server the site runs on), any licences for plugins or external services, backups, security updates and small changes. Some quotes include a maintenance period, others do not. For external services, plans and prices change, so check each provider's official pricing page.
How to compare website quotes properly
Two quotes with very different totals often describe different projects. Before comparing prices, put the quotes side by side and check whether they include the same things. A simple table, with a row for each deliverable, makes the differences visible.
- Which pages and which page types are included, specifically.
- Custom design or a theme, how many design proposals and how many rounds of changes.
- Who writes and who uploads the copy, photos and translations.
- Which integrations are included and what “integration” means in that quote.
- What the SEO part includes: only the technical basics, or research and content as well.
- Mobile testing, speed, accessibility, redirects from the old site.
- Who owns the domain, hosting, code and accounts after launch.
- What happens after launch: warranty period, maintenance, cost of later changes.
- The project timeline and what happens if something changes along the way.
Practical tip
Send the same project description to every company you ask for a quote. If each one receives different information, the quotes can no longer be compared. When a row is missing from a quote, ask: it may be included, it may be charged separately, or it may not be done at all.
Warning signs in a website quote
A low price is not automatically a problem, and a high price does not guarantee quality. Some signs, however, show that a quote leaves risks unspoken.
- A quote with no list of deliverables, just a total and “complete website”.
- Promises of guaranteed Google rankings or a certain number of customers.
- The domain or hosting registered in the provider's name, with no access for you.
- No mention of who owns the code and content after payment.
- No discussion at all of content, mobile, speed or security.
- A mandatory monthly subscription without it being clear what you get in return or how you can end it.
- Pressure to decide quickly, with no questions about your business.
What to prepare to get an accurate estimate
The more concrete the description, the closer the estimate will be to reality. You do not need a technical specification; a one- or two-page document is enough for a first conversation.
- The purpose of the site: what action you want the visitor to take (enquiry, call, booking, purchase).
- The audience: who your customers are, what they look for and which device they come from, if you know.
- The list of pages you want, even a rough one, and any special features.
- The state of the content: which copy and images you already have and what needs to be created.
- The systems the site needs to talk to: CRM, email, invoicing, calendar.
- The languages it needs to be available in.
- A few sites you like and what exactly you like about them.
- Your current site, if there is one, and what does not work about it.
- Your preferred deadline and an indicative budget, if you have one. It helps the provider propose the right option, not the maximum one.
Is a cheap website worth it? When it makes sense and when it doesn't
A simple site on a good theme can be the right choice for a business just starting out, for an event or for testing an idea. What matters is that it is done properly: fast, secure, with the domain in your name and with room to grow later.
A minimal site becomes expensive when it has to be completely rebuilt after a short time, when it loses enquiries because of forms that do not work, or when it cannot be extended without starting from scratch. The useful question is not “which is the lowest quote?” but “which option solves my problem now and won't hold me back later?”.
Please note
The real cost of a website also includes what happens after launch. Ask in writing what maintenance covers, how changes are charged and how you can move to another provider if you wish, with your code, content and account access.
How we estimate a website at WEB-AZ
At WEB-AZ we start with a conversation about goals and content, then propose a clear set of deliverables, with what is included and what is not. If the project can be split into stages, we say so from the start. If you would like an estimate for your site, send us a few lines about what it needs to do and what you already have ready.
Next steps