A guide that explains, in plain language, the factors that drive a website's price, the difference between a template and a custom design, the ongoing costs and how to reach a realistic budget.
Updated: June 2026
The cost of a website is not a single list price; it is the sum of several factors that depend on what the site is meant to do. That is exactly why the question 'how much does a website cost?' cannot be answered with one figure: a simple single-page brochure site and a multilingual e-commerce site that takes payments do not require the same work, and therefore do not cost the same. What matters is understanding what determines the price, because once you know the factors you can estimate a realistic budget tailored to your own needs. Below you will find, with concrete examples and without figures, what makes up the cost of a website, which factors are at play one by one, how a template differs from a custom design, what ongoing costs to expect and how to arrive at a realistic budget.
What determines the cost of a website?
A website's price comes not from a ready-made label but from its scope. The decisive question is: what will this site do? Is it a simple brochure of a few pages that merely introduces your business, or a platform that sells products, takes appointments, has member logins and talks to other systems? The larger a site grows and the more it does, the greater the design, development and testing effort behind it — and that is what truly determines the price. To give a concrete example: a single-page introduction site and a multilingual e-commerce site with payment and shipping integration are different-sized jobs, and so they require different budgets. The cards below summarise the items that most influence a website's price; we then look at each one in turn.
Number of pages and screensHow many distinct pages and screens are needed directly determines the size of the site; a brochure of a few pages does not require the same effort as a site with many pages.
Feature scopeWhat the site does matters: a simple contact form, or functions such as payment, appointment booking and membership? Each function means additional design and development.
Custom designA plain look close to a template and a unique, brand-specific interface designed from scratch require different levels of effort.
External integrationsIf you need to connect to payment, shipping, appointment booking, a CRM or other systems, each integration brings additional development and testing effort.
Content and SEOWho prepares the text, images and product information, and how much care goes into search-engine optimisation, also feeds into the scope and therefore the price.
The factors one by one: what does it depend on?
Looking at the price-determining factors one by one is the easiest way to understand where your own site falls. The number of pages and screens is the first indicator of the size of the job; a brochure site of a few pages and a site with dozens of category and product pages are jobs of different scales. Feature scope is another decisive factor: a purely informative site and a site where visitors pay, book appointments or register hold entirely different work behind them. Custom design also affects the price; a plain look built on a template and an experience designed from scratch for your brand do not require the same effort. External integrations — payment infrastructure, shipping, an appointment system, customer management — are each a separate connection and testing job. Finally, content and SEO: who prepares the text, images and product information, and how much work goes into making the site visible in search results, also widens the scope. As these factors come together, the true size of the job — and therefore the budget — becomes clear.
Template or custom design?
This is one of the decisions that most affect the price, and there is no one right answer. The template approach means adapting an existing design to your brand; it is faster and usually more economical, because the basic structure is ready. In return, the appearance and behaviour stay within the limits of the template. A custom design, by contrast, builds the site from scratch around your needs and your brand; it offers the most fitting experience and full flexibility, but because it requires more design and development effort, its budget is also higher. A concrete example: for an ordinary introduction site a good template is often more than enough; a project that calls for a distinctive brand experience or an unusual flow benefits from a custom design. The right choice comes from the balance between your brand's need to stand out and your budget.
Ongoing costs: setup is not a one-off
The cost of a website is not limited to the initial setup; once the site is live, several ongoing items continue. First among them is the domain: your site's address is a record that is renewed at certain intervals. Second is hosting, the server service that keeps your site online; as long as the site stays reachable, this service continues. Third is maintenance and updates: security updates, small fixes, content changes and new features added over time all require ongoing effort. Planning for these from the start is important, because the real cost is not just to 'build the site' but to 'keep the site alive and up to date'. The good news is that these items scale with your needs; a simple introduction site and a shop with constantly updated products require different levels of maintenance.
How do you arrive at a realistic budget?
A realistic budget comes not from a ready-made price list but from clarifying what you want. The soundest way is to follow this order: first write down the site's purpose — what should it achieve? Then list which pages and screens are needed. Next, determine the functions you require: payment, appointment booking, membership, multiple languages? Add the external systems you need to connect to, and decide who will be responsible for content and images. Once you have drawn up this list, you will see how the price-determining factors play out in your case; now you can ask not 'how much is a website' but 'how much is the website I need'. Together with us, you can review this list and produce a quote that fits your needs exactly, free of unnecessary items.
Frequently asked questions
How much exactly does a website cost?
Giving a single figure would not be sound, because the price depends on the scope of the site. The number of pages, which functions are needed, whether the design is a template or custom, external integrations and the content requirement all determine the cost together. A single-page introduction site and a multilingual e-commerce site that takes payments are jobs of different sizes. A realistic figure emerges as what you want becomes clear; we can define your needs together and produce a tailored quote.
How much exactly does a website cost?
Giving a single figure would not be sound, because the price depends on the scope of the site. The number of pages, which functions are needed, whether the design is a template or custom, external integrations and the content requirement all determine the cost together. A single-page introduction site and a multilingual e-commerce site that takes payments are jobs of different sizes. A realistic figure emerges as what you want becomes clear; we can define your needs together and produce a tailored quote.
Should I choose a template or a custom design?
That depends on your brand's needs. For an ordinary introduction site, a good template is often fast, economical and more than enough. If you want to highlight your brand distinctly, build an unusual flow or offer an experience that sets you apart from competitors, a custom design is more worthwhile. We make the decision together, balancing your need to stand out against your budget.
Should I choose a template or a custom design?
That depends on your brand's needs. For an ordinary introduction site, a good template is often fast, economical and more than enough. If you want to highlight your brand distinctly, build an unusual flow or offer an experience that sets you apart from competitors, a custom design is more worthwhile. We make the decision together, balancing your need to stand out against your budget.
Are there further costs after the site goes live?
Yes, setup is not a one-off job. Renewing the domain, the hosting service that keeps the site online, and maintenance covering security updates, small fixes and content changes are ongoing items. Planning for these from the start is important; the good news is that they scale with your needs — a simple introduction site and a constantly updated shop require different levels of maintenance.
Are there further costs after the site goes live?
Yes, setup is not a one-off job. Renewing the domain, the hosting service that keeps the site online, and maintenance covering security updates, small fixes and content changes are ongoing items. Planning for these from the start is important; the good news is that they scale with your needs — a simple introduction site and a constantly updated shop require different levels of maintenance.
How do I plan my budget realistically?
First list the site's purpose, then the pages needed, then the functions you require and the external systems you need to connect to; decide who will be responsible for content and images. Once you have this list, you will see how the price-determining factors play out in your case. With this clarity you can ask 'how much is the website I need' rather than 'how much is a website', and produce a tailored quote free of unnecessary items.
How do I plan my budget realistically?
First list the site's purpose, then the pages needed, then the functions you require and the external systems you need to connect to; decide who will be responsible for content and images. Once you have this list, you will see how the price-determining factors play out in your case. With this clarity you can ask 'how much is the website I need' rather than 'how much is a website', and produce a tailored quote free of unnecessary items.
Let's clarify your site's budget together
Let's talk through the pages, functions and integrations you need; by working out the real scope of your site, we will prepare a tailored quote that is neither more nor less than necessary. The right scope is also the start of the right budget.