How much does a website cost in 2026?

“How much does a website cost?” is the first question in almost every inquiry, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you need it to do. This guide explains what drives the price, which costs come on top of design, and how to compare quotes without surprises.

What drives the price

1. The number of pages and sections

A landing page (a single page focused on getting people to contact you) is not the same as a site with a home page, services, about, FAQ and contact. Every page adds design, development and review time.

2. Custom design or template

A template is cheaper, but it looks like many others and often ships code you don’t need. A custom design starts from your brand and your customers — and it shows in the trust it builds and in how fast it loads.

3. Features

A contact form or a WhatsApp button is simple. An online store, integrated bookings, a property search or a client area take considerably more work and sometimes require paid services.

4. Languages

A full second-language version isn’t just “translate and done”: copy, search titles and every message on the site need to be adapted.

5. Who writes the copy and provides the photos

If you already have copy and photos, the work moves faster. If they need to be written or produced, that’s added to the quote — and it’s usually worth it.

Costs that aren’t design

Ask for the quote to state what’s included and what isn’t. Common costs that come separately:

• Domain: your site’s name (e.g. yourbusiness.com). It’s renewed every year and should be registered in your name.
• Hosting: where the site “lives”. Many modern sites run on free plans; others need a paid one.
• Licenses: fonts, stock photos or paid tools.
• External services: payment gateways, booking engines or email on your domain.
• Maintenance: updates, small changes and support once the site is live.

Reference prices

To give you a concrete idea, these are my reference prices in US dollars:

• Landing page: from USD 199.
• Business website (up to five pages): from USD 449.
• Advanced website (up to eight pages, plus custom components and animations): from USD 799.
• Optional monthly care plan: from USD 49.

These are starting prices: the final figure depends on scope and is set in writing before we start. For an estimate closer to your case, try the website cost calculator.

How to compare quotes

Before choosing, check that each proposal answers these questions:

1. What exactly is included? Number of pages, revision rounds, forms, basic SEO.
2. What’s left out? Domain, hosting, copy, photos, integrations.
3. Who owns the site at the end? Ideally, the code, access and domain are all in your name.
4. What happens after launch? Initial support, maintenance and the cost of future changes.
5. How does it look on a phone, and how fast does it load? Ask for examples and try them yourself.

A cheaper quote that leaves out the domain, revisions and support can end up costing more. And a very expensive one guarantees nothing if it doesn’t explain what you’ll get.

In short

The price of a website depends on scope, design, features and what needs to be produced. Always ask for a written quote that states what’s included and what isn’t, and make sure the domain and the site are in your name.

Want to know what yours would cost? Tell me about your project and I’ll prepare a no-commitment proposal.