What affects the cost of a website?
Two quotes for "a website" can differ wildly because they describe different jobs. Here are the things that actually change the price, so you can compare quotes properly and decide what you need now and what can wait.
The number of different pages
A five-page site and a site with a page for every product, course, room or package are different amounts of work. What matters isn't only the count but how many different kinds of page there are. Fifty product pages built from one template cost much less than fifty pages each designed separately.
Before asking for quotes, list the pages you think you need. If you're unsure, list what you sell and who buys it; a developer can turn that into a page plan.
Who will edit it after launch
If you want to change prices, post notices or add products yourself, the site needs a content management system such as WordPress, set up so you can edit without breaking the design. That takes longer to build and needs more looking after than a plain HTML site that you update by sending changes to your developer. My guide to WordPress or plain HTML explains the trade-off.
The words and the photos
Content is the part most often underestimated. If your text and photos are ready, the build moves quickly. If the developer has to write the text, organise a photo shoot or chase you for details for weeks, that time is part of the job. Real photos of your business are worth the effort; stock photos are cheap but rarely convince anyone.
Features beyond pages
Each of these adds work, sometimes a lot:
- Online payments, a cart and checkout
- Booking calendars and availability
- Logins for customers or staff
- Several languages
- Connections to other systems, such as a booking engine, CRM or inventory
- Search and filters across many items
Ask whether each one is needed on day one. Many businesses launch with enquiries by WhatsApp and add online payments once they see the demand.
Design: template or custom
A well-chosen template, adjusted to your brand, can look good and cost little. A fully custom design takes longer because every page layout is decided from scratch. Neither is automatically better. What matters more is that the design is fast on phones, easy to read and makes contacting you obvious.
The things around the website
Domain registration, hosting, business email, a Google Business Profile, analytics and the basic SEO setup are sometimes included and sometimes not. A quote that looks cheaper may simply leave them out. Ask what's included, and make sure the domain and hosting accounts end up in your own name.
Looking after it
A website isn't finished at launch. WordPress needs updates and backups; any site needs content changes, checks that forms still work and attention when something breaks. Ask what happens after launch and what it costs, so the yearly cost doesn't surprise you.
How to compare quotes
Give every developer the same written brief, and ask each to say what's included and what isn't. My guide on writing a website brief shows what to put in it, and the website cost calculator builds one for you from a few questions. Then compare like with like: pages, editing, features, content, extras and upkeep.
I don't publish fixed prices because two websites rarely need the same work, but I always give the price before any work starts. You can see what I build on my website development page.