What does a website cost in 2026?

Ask five agencies what a website costs and you'll get five completely different answers: from €500 to over €50,000. That difference is not arbitrary — it's in what you actually get. In this article I explain what a professional website really costs, what determines the price and how to avoid paying too much (or worse: too little, and having to start over).

The three categories, and what they cost

1. Build it yourself or use a template (€0–€1,000). With tools like Wix or a standard WordPress theme you'll get somewhere. But your website looks like thousands of others, loads slowly and sends visitors nowhere. Fine as a business card, insufficient as a sales channel.

2. Freelancer or small agency (€1,500–€7,500). This is the sweet spot for most SMEs. Custom design, solid technology and someone who thinks along about your goals. Pay attention to what's included: copy, photography, SEO and aftercare are by no means always standard.

3. Large agency (€10,000+). Worthwhile for complex platforms, integrations or corporate trajectories. For a business website or webshop you mainly pay for layers of account managers and overhead here.

What determines the price of your website

• Custom work or template — a unique design takes more time, but sets you apart from competitors.
• Number of pages and functionality — forms, booking systems, multilingualism, customer portals.
• Content — who provides copy and imagery? Professional copywriting is an investment that pays for itself.
• SEO and speed — a lot of technical work under the hood, but decisive for your findability.
• Aftercare — updates, security and further development after launch.

The question you should really ask

"What does a website cost?" is the wrong question. The right question is: what does it deliver?

A €3,000 website that generates five enquiries every month is cheaper than an €800 site that does nothing. Calculate what one extra customer is worth to you, and the investment suddenly becomes very logical.

My advice

Don't choose the cheapest or the most expensive option. Choose someone who asks about your goals before talking design, who gives you a fixed price and whose own website looks fast and professional — that's the calling card of the trade. Curious what I'd advise for your situation? Read more about custom website design or schedule a no-obligation conversation.