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Ask for three quotes for the same website and you’ll receive three figures that seem to describe three different jobs: 900 euros, 4,000 euros, 15,000 euros. None of the three is necessarily wrong. The problem is that “website” doesn’t describe a product: it describes a very broad, heterogeneous category, like “vehicle” — which includes both the scooter and the lorry.
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In this article I’ll give you the real price ranges I see on the European market in 2026, what determines them and — above all — how to work out which range makes sense for your case. I’ve written a twin article on the cost of a professional visual identity, because the two questions almost always arrive together.
The price ranges in 2026
Up to 900 € — DIY and templates
Website builders (Wix, Squarespace), a pre-packaged WordPress theme, or the “cousin who knows computers”. The choice for zero budget, but the real costs are hidden: your time, the technical limits, the impossibility of advanced optimisation and customisation. With a final result that communicates exactly how much you invested.
900 – 2,500 € — the professional brochure site
The most common price range. A professional adapts an existing theme: 5-8 pages, polished but not bespoke design, sometimes basic on-site SEO. Here the difference between a decent job and a terrible one doesn’t show in the price: it shows in who does it. In this range the quote must be read carefully, because it’s where omitted costs most often hide (see below).
2,500 – 8,000 € — the custom-built site
Design built around your objectives, content designed to rank, SEO structure built upstream rather than bolted on afterwards, performance optimisation. This is the typical range for SMEs and professional firms — businesses that should treat the website as a commercial channel, not a mere formality. Most of my projects live here.
8,000 – 25,000+ € — e-commerce and complex projects
Product catalogues, payments, ERP integrations, restricted areas, structured multilingual setups. The price grows with functional complexity, not with the number of pages.
What really determines the price
Strategy before pixels. A cheap site starts from graphics; a professional site starts from questions: who needs to find you, searching for what, and what should they do once they arrive. This invisible phase is the main difference between the ranges.
Content. Who writes the copy? If the quote doesn’t say, the answer is: you. And that’s the number one reason projects stall for months.
Technology. Not every site needs WordPress: for many brochure sites a static website is faster, more secure and cheaper to maintain. The right technology is chosen based on the project, not on what the supplier knows how to use.
The aftermath. Hosting, maintenance, updates and backups. A serious consultant spells them out; a sly one stays silent and presents them once the site is delivered.
How to read a quote (and the questions to ask)
Before signing, check that the quote answers these questions: who writes the content? Are the photos included or stock? Are the domain and hosting registered in your name and your exclusive property? What happens if I want to change supplier in two years? Is basic SEO (titles, structure, speed, indexing) included or “a separate job”? How many revision rounds are included, and in how many stages?
A serious supplier answers gladly. A supplier who gets annoyed is already giving you an unmistakable signal of how they’ll work.
The right question isn’t “how much does it cost”
It’s: how much does it need to return. The price of a 3,000-euro site that brings you two clients a month can pay for itself within a quarter; a 500-euro site that nobody finds is far more expensive. That’s why, when a project doesn’t have the conditions to generate a return, I say so upfront: making someone spend money on a site destined not to work benefits neither of us.
Want an honest assessment of what your case needs (and doesn’t need)? Let’s talk.
Frequently asked questions about website costs
How much does maintaining a website cost per year? For a brochure site: domain (~15-20 €), hosting (360–900 €), maintenance if WordPress (from 300 € upwards). A static site drastically reduces technical maintenance costs.
Why are quotes so different from each other? Because they describe different jobs: strategy hours, content, custom design and SEO may or may not be included. Compare the scope, not just the figure.
Can a cheap website work? Yes, if expectations are aligned: as a dignified presence, yes; as a client acquisition channel, hardly.
Better to pay everything upfront or a monthly fee? The monthly fee (“subscription website”) lowers the entry barrier but the contract often means the site isn’t yours: the moment you stop paying it disappears or reverts to the company that built it. Always verify ownership of the domain, content and site.
How long does it take to build a professional website? 4 to 12 weeks for a custom brochure site. The variable that stretches timelines most is the content the client has to provide.
