You're planning a new website and wondering: What's this going to cost? The answer nobody likes to hear: It depends. But don't worry — in this article, you'll finally get an honest, transparent overview of website costs. From simple landing pages to complex business websites, I'll show you what prices are realistic and what you can expect for your budget.
The Honest Answer: It Depends
When you ask a web designer "How much does a website cost?", it's a bit like asking "How much does a car cost?" — the range is enormous. A used compact car costs €5,000, a new mid-range sedan €35,000, and a luxury SUV easily over €100,000. It's the same with websites.
The price depends on many factors: How many pages do you need? What kind of design do you want? What features should be integrated? Are you working with templates or having something custom-built? And most importantly: What goals are you trying to achieve with the website?
An honest price range is still possible, though. In this article, I'll show you realistic price categories, explain the most important cost drivers, and share what you should look out for so you end up with a website that fits both your budget and your goals.
Website Costs at a Glance: 3 Price Categories
To give you a quick overview, I've broken website projects down into three realistic price categories:
| Category | Price Range | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | €1,500 – €3,000 | One-pager or simple landing page, basic design with template elements, responsive development, basic SEO (meta tags, mobile-friendly), contact form, 1-2 feedback rounds |
| Business | €4,000 – €8,000 | Multi-page website (5-8 pages), custom design matching your brand, strategy and content structure, advanced SEO (keywords, internal linking, schema markup), performance optimization, analytics integration, 2-3 feedback rounds, onboarding |
| Premium | €8,000 – €15,000+ | Complex websites or e-commerce, fully custom development, custom features (booking systems, member areas, APIs), comprehensive SEO and content strategy, long-term maintenance and support, unlimited feedback rounds |
At YB Digital, my packages start at €2,500 net for a solid foundation package that already includes strategic concept, custom design, and technical SEO fundamentals. Why? Because I believe a website should be more than just "looking pretty" — it needs to work and deliver results.
What Affects the Price: 6 Key Factors
Now let's get specific. These six factors determine whether your website ends up closer to €2,000 or €10,000:
1. Design Complexity
A template from a library costs you a one-time €50. A custom design that reflects your brand can cost €2,000 – €5,000. Why? Because a good designer first analyzes your brand, creates moodboards, presents multiple drafts, and works iteratively with you until everything is just right.
Template: Fast, affordable, but generic — your competitors could be using the same design. Custom: Time-consuming, more expensive, but unique and perfectly tailored to your target audience.
2. Number of Pages and Structure
A one-pager with 3 sections can be built in a few hours. A website with 8 subpages (homepage, about, services, portfolio, blog, FAQ, legal notice, privacy policy) takes significantly more time for structure, content, and internal linking.
Rule of thumb: Each additional page means 2-4 extra hours for concept, design, development, and copy.
3. Feature Scope
The more features, the more work involved:
- Contact form with spam protection: +2-4 hours
- Animations and scroll effects: +4-8 hours
- CMS (WordPress, Webflow, Custom): +8-16 hours
- E-commerce (shop with payment processing): +20-40 hours
- Custom features (booking system, API integration): +10-50 hours
Many clients underestimate how much work goes into seemingly "simple" features. A booking system isn't "just a calendar" — behind it lies database design, payment integration, email notifications, and a whole lot of logic.
4. SEO and Content Strategy
Basic SEO (meta tags, mobile-friendly, fast load times) is standard. But if you actually want to be found on Google, you need:
- Keyword research and strategy
- SEO-optimized content structure
- Schema markup for rich snippets
- Internal linking
- Technical SEO (Core Web Vitals, structured data)
Investment: €500 – €2,000 for a comprehensive SEO setup that pays off in the long run.
5. Responsive Design and Performance
Mobile first is no longer a nice-to-have — it's a must. Over 70% of users visit websites from their smartphones. A website that doesn't work perfectly on mobile devices loses customers.
Performance optimization (load times under 2 seconds, Core Web Vitals) requires technical know-how: lazy loading, image optimization, code splitting, caching strategies. This takes time, but it's the difference between "looks good" and "converts visitors into customers."
6. Support and Maintenance
Some agencies only quote the project — what happens afterward is your problem. Others offer long-term support:
- Hosting and domain: €10-30/month
- Maintenance and updates: €50-200/month
- Content updates: €40-80/hour
- Support and emergency fixes: Depends on agreement
If you want a website that works long-term, a maintenance package is worth it. With my projects, I optionally offer ongoing support to keep the website always up to date.
Hidden Costs Many People Forget
Beyond the actual web design, there are ongoing costs that are often overlooked:
Domain: €10-15/year — sounds like nothing, but you need it every year.
Hosting: €10-30/month for solid, fast hosting. Cheap hosting (€3/month) means slow load times and frustrated visitors.
SSL Certificate: Usually free (Let's Encrypt) or included in hosting packages. Without SSL, Google slaps a "Not Secure" label on your site — catastrophic for trust.
Ongoing Maintenance: Updates, backups, security checks — if you do it yourself, it costs time. If you hire someone, expect €50-200/month.
Content Creation: Text and photos are not part of the web design budget. Professional copy costs €80-150/page, photo shoots €300-1,000.
Legal Requirements: Legal notice, privacy policy (GDPR-compliant), cookie banner — some lawyers offer packages starting at €200.
Marketing: A website is useless if nobody finds it. SEO, Google Ads, or social media cost extra — expect €200-1,000/month for professional marketing.
Build It Yourself vs. Hire a Professional
"I'll just do it myself with Wix!" — sure, that works. But is it the right decision?
Website Builders (Wix, Squarespace, Jimdo)
Cost: €0-300/year Time investment: 10-40 hours Pros: Fast, easy, affordable Cons: Limited features, generic design, SEO disadvantages, no full control over code and hosting
When it makes sense: For absolute beginners who need something simple quickly and have no budget.
Template + Customization
Cost: €500-1,500 Time investment: 20-60 hours Pros: Cheaper than fully custom, faster than building from scratch Cons: Design not 100% unique, technical limitations
When it makes sense: When you have a limited budget but still want to look professional.
Custom Development
Cost: €2,500+ Time investment: On the professional's end (you provide content and feedback) Pros: Tailor-made, full control, technically optimized, scalable long-term Cons: Higher upfront investment
When it makes sense: When your website is a business tool meant to win customers and generate revenue.
A professional website is like a well-tailored suit: Sure, you can buy something off the rack. But if you want to make a lasting impression at an important event, you invest in bespoke craftsmanship.
If you want to know more about what to look for when hiring a web designer, check back soon — I'm planning another article on exactly this topic.
Conclusion: What's the Right Investment for You?
There's no "right" answer to the question "How much does a website cost?" — but there is the right investment for your goals.
If you just need a digital business card, a simple setup for €1,500 – €3,000 will do. If you want a website that actively wins customers, is SEO-optimized, and stays scalable long-term, you should budget €4,000 – €8,000.
My recommendation: Don't cut corners in the wrong places. A cheap template might seem more affordable in the short term — but if your website doesn't convert, you'll end up paying more in the long run. A professional website often pays for itself within a few months through the new customers it brings you.
The most important thing: Be transparent with your web designer. Explain your goals, your budget, and your expectations — a good designer will honestly tell you what's realistic and where compromises can be made.
If you want to know how long your website project will take, read my article How Long Does a Website Take?
Want to know what your specific project would cost? Let's have a no-obligation conversation about it — I'll give you an honest assessment without the sales pitch.