“What does a website cost?” is the question I hear most often. The honest answer is: It depends. That sounds unsatisfactory, so I explain in this post, what it depends on. After that, you can compare offers better and know what questions to ask.
Why there is no fixed price
A website is not a product off the shelf, more like a renovation. A bakery that wants to show where it is and when it is open needs something different than a craft business with ten services, references, and a contact form. Both have “a website,” but the effort is completely different.
The five biggest price factors
1. Scope
How many pages are needed? A single, well-made page with all the important information is enough for many small businesses. With each additional subpage for services, team, references, or jobs, the effort increases.
2. Texts and images
This is often underestimated. Do you provide the texts and photos yourself, or should they be created? Good content is often the largest part of the work. And it determines more about the success of a website than any design.
3. Functions
A contact form is set up quickly. Online appointment booking, a shop, a customer area, or integration with other programs mean significantly more effort because they need to be set up, tested, and maintained.
4. Multilingualism
An important point in our region. Those who want to reach customers in East Belgium, Wallonia, and Luxembourg often need the website in German and French. Each additional language means more texts, more maintenance, and more checks.
5. Custom Design or Template
A well-adapted template is completely sufficient for many businesses and saves money. A completely unique design is worthwhile if your appearance should stand out significantly from the competition.
Don't forget the ongoing costs
In addition to the one-time price, regular costs are incurred:
- Domain: Your address on the internet, usually a manageable amount per year.
- Hosting or platform: The place where your website is located, usually paid monthly or annually. Alternatively, hosting can be operated via Odoo.
- Email addresses with your domain, often separately.
- Support: Updates, changes, and help with problems.
Ask with every offer which of these costs are included and which you will bear yourself.
Five questions you should ask every provider
- Who owns the domain? It should be registered in your name, not that of the provider.
- Can I change texts myself? You should be able to adjust opening hours or prices without assistance.
- What happens after the launch? Are small corrections included? How is later support billed?
- Is there a minimum contract duration? Be careful with long contracts that are hard to get out of.
- What is included in the price? Texts, images, privacy policy, setup of email and hosting?
Cheap or expensive: What is worth it?
A toolkit for a few euros a month can be a good start if you have the time and desire to take care of it yourself. An expensive agency is worth it if you need many features and ongoing support.
For most small businesses, the sensible solution is in between: a professionally built website that you can maintain yourself, without years of dependency.
How I set prices
I create each offer individually, after a short conversation about your goals. Small text changes after the launch are included. Later support is billed based on actual effort, without a fixed subscription. You can find guidelines on my "Services & Prices" page.
Conclusion
The price of a website mainly depends on scope, content, features, and languages. Those who know in advance what they need receive comparable offers and do not pay for things they never use. My tip: Write down briefly what you want your website to achieve before the first conversation. This saves time and money.
Read more:
- What makes a good website today – completely without jargon
- Website made from AI code: Why a generated draft is not a foundation
Would you like to know what your website would cost? Briefly describe your project to me via "Request a project". You will receive a personalized, non-binding offer.