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What should a website cost?
Answer four questions for a price range in euros or pounds. We'll show what templates, freelancers, studios and agencies typically charge, and why the numbers vary so much. There's no sign-up, and nothing is stored.
Your estimate
These are market ranges for the UK and Europe, not a quote from us.
Template (DIY)
Squarespace, Wix or a theme - you're the designer and the builder.
Up to €500
+ €15–€45 a month
+ 70–145 hours of your own time
Your own time is not included in this price. A first build also takes longer than a professional's, because learning the tool is most of the job.
Freelancer
A solo designer-developer, often adapting a theme.
€3,000–€6,000
+ €10–€40 a month for hosting
Ask how scope changes are handled, and who covers support if they are unavailable.
Small studio
Custom design and build, project-managed and accountable.
€5,000–€9,500
+ €10–€50 a month for hosting
This is where we sit. Whitespace builds start at €4,800, scoped and fixed before we begin. We contract in euros; if you'd rather be quoted in your own currency, ask us when we scope it.
Large agency
The same work with an account team and an office behind it.
€7,500–€15,000
+ €20–€80 a month for hosting
Much of the gap is overheads and account management rather than more design.
All figures exclude tax. Spanish IVA (VAT) applies in Spain and to private customers elsewhere in the EU; EU businesses with a VAT number account for it themselves under reverse charge. Outside the EU, including the UK, no VAT is added.
The ranges
Why the range is so wide.
"A website" can mean anything from a template you set up yourself to a site built from scratch. The price depends on who does the work, how long it takes them, and who is responsible when something goes wrong.
- Templates cost less because you do the work
- Squarespace or Wix at €15 to €45 a month is good value if your needs fit the template. The price leaves out your own time, and a first build usually takes longer than a professional would need, because learning the tool is most of the job. For many small sites, that's still a sensible trade.
- Freelancers charge for time
- A good freelancer often adapts a theme or designs something light and custom, and the price follows their hours. Ask how changes to the scope are handled, and who covers support if they are unavailable.
- Studios charge for a finished result
- Design from scratch, build, testing, project management, and someone responsible when something goes wrong. That's why custom work usually starts in the thousands rather than the hundreds.
- Agencies charge for their structure
- A large agency does much of the same work as a small studio, at around half as much again per hour. The difference is mostly what sits behind the work: account managers, offices, sales teams and layers of approval. A big project may need that structure. A small-business site usually does not.
- Budget for the writing
- Professional copy costs a few hundred euros a page, and it's easy to leave out of a budget. Projects often run late waiting for words and images rather than code. It helps to decide who is writing the content before choosing who builds the site.
- Compare costs over three years
- Platforms charge a monthly subscription for as long as the site is live. Custom sites need hosting and someone looking after them. Comparing the cost over three years, rather than the upfront price, often gives a different answer: a cheap build with an expensive subscription can end up costing more than a dearer build you own.
This calculator gives market ranges, not a quote. A real price depends on your business, your content and what the site needs to do. Use the ranges to judge whether the quotes you receive are reasonable.
FAQ
Questions about the numbers.
Rather have a number than a range?
Tell us what you're planning and we'll send you a fixed quote for the agreed scope, before any work begins.
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