How much does a website cost in 2026?

Most of the difference between two website quotes comes from five things. Each one is work somebody has to do, so each one shows up in the price.

Page layouts

A layout is designed and built once and then reused. Ten service pages that share one layout are a smaller job than ten pages that each look different, even though the page count is the same. When you read a quote, the number of layouts tells you more than the number of pages.

Features and connections to other systems

Contact and booking forms, an online store, a location finder, and inventory pages each add work. The most added work usually comes from connecting the site to another system, like inventory, booking, payments, or a customer database, because the site has to send and receive information correctly and keep working when the other system is down.

On the Mahindra Parts Direct project, there was no connector between the dealership's inventory system and selling online. We built one, so the dealership now sells parts online. A connection like that is a real part of the build, and a quote should list it as its own item.

Words and photos

If you supply finished copy and images, that's one job. If the copy needs to be written, or you need a photo or video shoot, that adds to it. Some quotes include this work and some assume you'll provide everything, so check which one you're looking at.

Moving from an old site

A redesign has work that a brand new site doesn't. Existing pages and posts have to be moved or rewritten, and old page addresses need to point to the new ones. Google recommends permanent redirects from each old address to its new one when a site's addresses change, so people and search engines following an old link still land on the right page.

When we redesign a site, we build the new one separately while your current site stays online, then switch over once you approve it.

Work after launch

Hosting, updates, backups, and help with changes are ongoing work. Some quotes include them and some leave them out, and that alone can make two quotes look further apart than they are.

Most businesses need less than they expect. If you don't sell online, a solid site usually covers these pieces.

• A home page that says clearly what you do and where you do it
• A page for each main service, so each one can show up in search on its own
• Somewhere to show past work or projects
• An about page and an easy way to contact you
• A way for you to edit text and photos yourself
• A clear title and description for each page, which search engines can use when they list it
• Hosting that's fast and stays up

If your work doesn't run through the website, that's usually enough. Good photos and clear writing tend to do more for a site like this than extra features, because they're what visitors notice.

If you want to know how a site shows up in Google's AI Overviews and tools like ChatGPT, our post on getting found in AI search covers it.

A custom feature is worth paying for when it saves someone hours of manual work or lets customers do something they can't do today. Online ordering, a store or dealer finder, live inventory, and a connection to the system you already run on are common examples.

To check whether one makes sense, estimate the hours it saves each month, or the orders it makes possible, and compare that with what it costs to build and maintain. If the numbers don't work out yet, a simpler version, like a form that emails you, can cover it for now and be replaced later.

Three things usually aren't worth paying for early on: a separate design for every page, animation that slows the site down, and features added only because another site has them. Each one adds cost without making it easier for a customer to reach you.

Choosing a platform comes into this as well. WordPress, Shopify, or a custom build walks through that decision. And if the feature is really software that runs part of your business, it may belong in a custom application that the website connects to.

Every site has a few costs that come back each month or year, no matter who builds it. They're easy to miss when you compare quotes, because they aren't part of the build price.

• The domain name. You can't buy a domain outright. It's registered for a set period and has to be renewed to stay yours.
• Hosting, the service that keeps the site online. Ask whether it includes the security certificate that puts the site on HTTPS.
• Platform fees. Shopify, for example, charges a monthly plan plus fees on card payments. WordPress itself is free, but the hosting it runs on isn't.
• Paid plugins, themes, fonts, or other tools the site depends on, some of which renew every year
• Updates and backups, so the software stays current and the site can be restored if something breaks
• Changes and support, either through a support plan or by paying for edits as you need them

The word maintenance means different things in different quotes. In one it can mean hosting and nothing else. In another it can include software updates, backups, and a set amount of edits each month. Ask for a list of what the monthly fee covers, and what a change costs when it isn't covered.

We host and support the websites we build, and we go over the options when we plan your project. After launch, we can help with updates through a support plan or as separate work when you ask for it.

It depends on the provider and the platform, so get the answer in writing before you sign. It's harder to sort out later. There are three pieces to check.

The domain

The registrant, the person or business listed on the registration, is the one who holds the rights to the domain. Some developers register it in your business's name. Others register and manage it for you as part of their service, so they're listed as the registrant. Either can work, as long as you know which one you have and it's in writing that the domain moves to you if you leave.

The hosting account

Some businesses hold their own hosting account and give the developer access. Others have the developer host the site as part of a monthly service. Either can work. What matters is knowing which one you have, and what happens to the site if you stop paying or decide to move.

The site files and content

Ask whether you can get a full copy of the site if you leave, including the text, images, and any code written for you. Some platforms limit this. Wix, for example, doesn't let you move a site to another host, so leaving means building the site again somewhere else. That doesn't rule a platform out, but it's something to know before you choose it.

Also ask for your own login to anything connected to the site, like the domain registrar and the site's analytics, so you still have access if the working relationship changes.

Put both quotes on the same terms first. Quotes are hard to compare when each one is written differently, so go through both and note how each one handles these points.

• Which pages and layouts are included, and how many rounds of changes
• Who writes the copy and who provides the photos
• Which features and connections are included, and which are listed as extras
• For a redesign, whether moving the old content and redirecting old page addresses is included
• What's included after launch, and what it costs each month or year
• Who owns the domain, the hosting account, and the site files when the work is done

If a quote doesn't answer one of these, ask. A missing line usually means the work isn't included, and it's easier to find that out before you sign.

Then add up the build and the ongoing costs over the time you expect to keep the site. A lower build price with a higher monthly fee can end up costing more than the quote that looked expensive at first.

Once both quotes answer the same points, the difference in price usually makes sense. A site with four layouts and copy you supply is a very different job from a site with twelve layouts, a product feed, and a writer. Both can be fair prices for what they include.

If one quote is much lower or higher than the other, find the lines that differ and decide whether you need that work now.

If you're still deciding who to hire, our comparison of freelancers, agencies, and website builders goes through where each one fits.

For our own projects, we start with a call about what you need, then outline the pages and features and confirm the scope with you. The quote is written for that scope, and nothing starts until you've agreed to it.

1. 01What's included, and what would count as extra?
2. 02Who owns the site, the domain, and the accounts when the work is finished?
3. 03Can I edit the text and photos myself, and how?
4. 04If this is a redesign, how will you move my content and redirect the old pages?
5. 05What does the monthly fee cover, and what does a small change cost six months from now?
6. 06Where will the site be hosted, and who do I call if it goes down?
7. 07Can I get a full copy of the site if I leave?
8. 08Can I see a site you built that's still running today?

Our website design page shows the kinds of sites we build, and the FAQ explains why prices aren't listed here. If you're comparing quotes now, send us a few details and we'll put a quote together for you.