Web design
How much does a professional website cost? What drives the price and how to compare quotes
Two quotes for “a website” can differ widely and both be reasonable. We explain which items drive the price and which questions to ask so you can compare with confidence.
By Editorial team4 min read
Asking for a website quote often raises more questions than it answers. One agency proposes a figure, another three times as much and a freelancer half. Usually they aren't talking about the same project, even though all three use the word “website”.
In this article we won't give you a universal rate, because there isn't one. We'll explain which items make up the price, which questions are worth asking and how to tell whether a quote fits what you need.
First, define what the website has to achieve
The factor with the biggest influence on price isn't technical, it's strategic: what the website is for. A website that presents the company to people who already know it is not the same as a website that has to win new customers from Google or from advertising campaigns.
Before asking for quotes, try to answer three questions:
- What do you want the visitor to do? Request a quote, call, book an appointment or buy.
- Where will visits come from? Google searches, campaigns, social media or customers who already know you.
- Who will maintain the website afterwards? Your team, the agency or nobody in particular (the most dangerous answer).
With those answers, any serious supplier can propose a coherent scope, and you'll be able to compare like with like.
The items that make up the price
Strategy and architecture
This includes analysing the business, defining the audience, the sitemap and the structure of each page. It's the part cheap quotes cut most and the one you notice most later: a website without a clear structure tends to generate few enquiries even if it looks good.
Content
Copy is the most undervalued part. You need to know who writes it, who reviews it and whether it's written with search rankings in mind. If the agency doesn't include copywriting, you'll have to spend internal time on it or hire it separately. Always ask:
- Does the agency write the copy or do we provide it?
- Is an SEO review of the content included?
- Who sources the photos? Are they your own, stock images or do they need to be produced?
Design
Adapting a template is not the same as designing a bespoke visual system. A custom design takes more hours, but also gives you a distinctive identity and reusable components that make it easier to grow later. What matters is that the design serves the message: clear hierarchy, good readability and visible calls to action, especially on mobile.
Development and technology
This covers the platform (WordPress, a custom build, an ecommerce solution…), integrations with other tools, performance and security. The more specific features you need — private areas, bookings, catalogues, CRM connection — the bigger this item will be.
Analytics, technical SEO and legal
A professional website should launch with measurement configured (for example Google Analytics 4 and form tracking), basic technical SEO in place (titles, descriptions, sitemap, redirects if it's a redesign) and the legal requirements covered: legal notice, privacy policy and a cookie banner that lets people reject cookies as easily as accepting them.
If these tasks don't appear in the quote, they probably aren't included.
Maintenance
A website needs updates, backups and small improvements. Some agencies include this for a period, others offer it as a monthly service and others don't cover it at all. It's a recurring cost worth planning for from the start.
How to compare two quotes
When you have several proposals, put them side by side and compare the scope, not just the final figure:
- Number and type of pages included.
- Whether strategy, copywriting and photography are included.
- Whether the design is bespoke or template-based.
- Specific integrations and features.
- Analytics and technical SEO setup.
- Training for your team and documentation.
- Timelines, number of review rounds and what happens if there are changes.
- Maintenance, support and ownership of the website.
If one quote is much lower, it's usually missing some of these items. If it's much higher, ask what it includes that the others don't: sometimes it's justified and sometimes it isn't.
Warning signs
Be wary of proposals that:
- Promise specific results in sales or Google rankings without knowing your market.
- Don't make clear who owns the domain, hosting or code.
- Don't mention mobile, when for many businesses that's where most visits come from.
- Leave out the legal side, such as cookies or form privacy.
So how much should you invest?
The sensible approach is to start from the goal. If the website will be your main acquisition channel, it makes sense to invest in strategy, content and measurement, because every improvement in conversion is multiplied by every visit. If it's a business card for customers who already know you, a more limited scope may be enough.
What we don't recommend is deciding on price alone: a cheap website that generates no enquiries ends up being the most expensive option.
If you'd like a detailed proposal for your case, you can request a quote or see how we approach professional web design.
Last updated: . Questions about this topic? Write to us.