A five-page website can receive three very different quotes. One includes a template and your supplied text. Another includes original design, copywriting, and enquiry tracking. A third includes a booking system and two languages. The page count looks similar, but the work is different.
For planning, a small business can set aside roughly €1,000–€3,000 for a straightforward professionally built site, €3,000–€8,000 for a more tailored service website, and €5,000–€15,000 or more for a store or a site with substantial integrations. These are illustrative budget allowances, not measured market averages or Connascent package prices. Supplier location, scope, taxes, and the quality of your existing materials can change the final quote considerably.
The useful question is what your budget needs to cover, both at launch and during the first year.
Start with the job your website needs to do
A local electrician might need service pages, proof of previous work, a phone button, and an enquiry form. A consultant might need case studies and appointment booking. A retailer needs product information, payments, delivery rules, and order emails.
Write down the action a visitor should take. Then list the pages and functions needed to support it. This gives a developer something concrete to price and helps you avoid paying for features you cannot yet use.
Three ways to build it
Build it yourself. A website builder can keep upfront spending low if you have time to create the content and configure the site. Budget separately for the platform, domain, any paid applications, and your own time. Check current Wix plan details or Webflow pricing: billing terms and included features matter as much as the advertised monthly amount.
Commission a straightforward site. A template-based build may be enough when your branding and text are ready and the functionality is simple. Ask whether mobile layouts, form testing, basic search setup, and handover are included.
Commission a tailored site. A custom project can include customer research, original design, writing, multiple languages, and integrations. A higher budget should correspond to specific deliverables. Ask the supplier to explain them in plain language.
What changes the build cost?
Design is only one part of a website project. These items often account for the difference between quotes:
- Content: writing service pages, selecting photography, and preparing product information.
- Page variety: ten pages using one layout require different work from ten individually designed pages.
- Functionality: bookings, payments, customer accounts, and connections to business software.
- Languages: translation, review, localized navigation, and multilingual search setup.
- Migration: moving existing content and preserving useful URLs with redirects.
- Testing and handover: checking forms, mobile usability, and teaching your team to make updates.
Define what “SEO included” means. Page titles, indexing checks, and a sitemap are useful launch tasks. Ongoing content development and promotion are separate work unless the contract explicitly includes them.
Budget for life after launch
Your first-year budget should include the build plus twelve months of recurring expenses. Depending on the platform and support agreement, those expenses can include hosting, domain renewal, paid plugins, business email, backups, updates, and content changes.
Hosting may already be included in a website-builder subscription. Avoid counting it twice. Equally, do not assume a maintenance agreement includes unlimited redesigns or new pages.
Ask for renewal prices rather than introductory offers. Confirm whether amounts include VAT, and whether software licenses belong to you or to the supplier.
A first-year budget example
Imagine a service business commissioning a site without online payments. The following figures are a worked planning example, not a quotation:
- Website design and development: €3,000.
- Initial copywriting: €600.
- Domain renewal allowance: €20.
- Hosting allowance: €240 for the year.
- Maintenance allowance: €600 for the year.
The total is €4,460 before any applicable VAT. In this example, recurring costs would start at €860 in the following year if the agreements stay the same, before new content, software additions, or marketing.
This calculation makes a €3,000 build easier to assess than a headline price alone. Replace every allowance with the supplier's actual figures before making a decision.
How to compare website quotes
Give each supplier the same brief, then ask:
- Which pages, layouts, and functions are included?
- Who supplies the text, images, and translations?
- What will the first twelve months cost, including renewals?
- How many revision rounds are included, and what counts as extra work?
- Who controls the domain, hosting account, and website files?
- What gets tested before launch, and what support follows?
Ownership deserves a clear answer. You should understand how to access your accounts and what happens if you change providers.
Choose a scope you can maintain
Start with a clear offer, useful service pages, credible evidence, and an easy way to contact you. Add a booking system or customer portal when it solves a real operational problem.
A good website budget covers the work your business needs and the upkeep you can sustain. If you need help defining that scope, explore our custom website development service or contact Connascent with your goals, required features, and existing website details.