Ask three agencies to quote for a website and you might get three very different numbers. It’s one of the most confusing parts of the process, and it leaves a lot of people wondering whether they’re being overcharged or whether the cheap quote is too good to be true.
The truth is that the quotes are often for different things. Once you know what drives the price, comparing them gets much easier.
Key points
- The biggest factors are how custom the design is, how many page types there are, who writes the content and what the site needs to do.
- Content (words and images) is the most underestimated part of any website project.
- Ongoing costs, like hosting, maintenance and updates, should be part of the conversation from day one.
- When comparing quotes, compare what’s included, not just the total.
What actually drives the price?
Design: template or custom?
A template site starts from a ready-made design and adjusts the colours, fonts and images to suit you. It’s quicker and cheaper, and for some businesses it’s perfectly fine.
A custom design starts from your brand and your customers. Someone works out what each page needs to do, sketches the layout and designs it from scratch. It takes longer, and it costs more, but it fits you rather than the other way round.
The number of page types
It’s not really the number of pages that matters, it’s the number of different kinds of page. Twenty service pages that share one layout are much less work than five pages that each need their own design. When you’re planning, think in templates: home, service, about, contact, article.
Who writes the words?
This is the one that catches people out. Many quotes assume you’ll provide all the text and images. That sounds fine until the design is finished and the project sits waiting for months while someone finds time to write. Professional copywriting adds to the price, but it also tends to be the thing that makes a site actually work.
What the site needs to do
A site that shows information is simpler than one that does things. Online booking, payments, a members’ area, a shop, connections to your CRM or email tool. Each of these adds design, building and testing time.
Search, speed and accessibility
Good agencies build these in from the start: clean structure, fast pages, readable contrast, proper headings. Some quotes leave them out to look cheaper. They’re much harder to add later. Our piece on why page speed still matters explains why this isn’t a nice extra.
The costs after launch
A website isn’t a one-off purchase. Budget for:
- Hosting and domain: where the site lives, and its address.
- Maintenance: updates to the software and plugins, backups and security checks.
- Changes and additions: new pages, new services, seasonal updates.
- Content: keeping things current so the site doesn’t quietly go stale.
A cheap website that nobody updates becomes an expensive website the day it breaks.
How to compare quotes fairly
Put the quotes side by side and ask the same questions of each:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is the design custom or based on a template? | Explains a lot of the price difference |
| Who writes the content? | Writing can be a big hidden cost, in money or in time |
| How many rounds of changes are included? | Avoids surprise bills halfway through |
| What happens after launch? | Hosting, updates and support costs add up |
| Who owns the site when it’s done? | You should be able to move it if you ever need to |
Then ask to see sites they’ve built that are similar to yours, and talk to the people who’ll actually do the work.
Questions people also ask
Is a cheap website ever a good idea?
Yes, if your needs are simple and you’re realistic about what you get. A neat template site with clear words is better than no site, and much better than an expensive one that never launches.
Why do agencies ask about my budget?
Not to fill it. A budget tells them which approach makes sense, template or custom, and what to leave for a second phase. It saves everyone from proposals that don’t fit.
How long does a website take to build?
A simple site can be done in a few weeks once the content is ready. Larger or more custom sites take a few months. Content is usually what decides the timeline.