There isn't a single number that fits every site, so you won't find a price here. What a website costs comes down to a few specific things. Once you know what they are, you can read a quote, see why it's priced the way it is, and compare it fairly with the next one.
What moves the price
Most of the difference between two website quotes comes from four things.
- How many different page layouts you need. A layout is designed and built once and then reused, so ten service pages that share one layout are a smaller job than ten pages that each look different.
- Whether the site connects to another system. Inventory, booking, payments, or a customer database each add work, because the site has to send and receive information correctly and keep working when the other system is down.
- Who writes the words and provides the photos. If you supply finished copy and images, that's one job. Writing the copy or planning a photo or video shoot adds to it.
- What happens after launch. Hosting, updates, backups, and help with changes are ongoing work. Some quotes include them and some don't.
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.
What most business websites need
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
- The basic search setup, like page titles, descriptions, and a sitemap
- 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.
When custom features are worth 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.
Choosing a platform comes into this too. 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.
How to compare two quotes
Quotes are hard to compare when each one is written differently. Before you put two side by side, check that both answer the same 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
- What's included after launch, and what it costs each month
- Who owns the domain, the hosting account, and the site files when the work is done
Once both quotes answer the same points, the difference in price usually makes sense. If one is much lower, look for what it leaves out.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
- What's included, and what would count as extra?
- Who owns the site, the domain, and the accounts when the work is finished?
- Can I edit the text and photos myself, and how?
- What happens after launch, and what does a small change cost six months from now?
- Where will the site be hosted, and who do I call if it goes down?
- Can 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.