This is the first question every small business owner asks before reaching out to an agency — and it's also the hardest one to get a straight answer to. Between €15/month offers from an automated site builder and €30,000 quotes from a large agency, it's hard to know what's actually normal.
Here are the real numbers, no sugarcoating.
Actual price ranges
For a custom-built professional website (not an automatically generated template), here's what's typical in 2026:
- Landing page (1 page): €500 to €1,500
- Showcase site (2 to 8 pages): €1,200 to €3,500
- E-commerce site: €4,000 to €15,000
- Brand identity + website: €6,000 to €20,000
- Custom application or business tool: €2,500 to €15,000+
If a provider offers you a "professional" website for €200, chances are it's a slightly customized generic template, not a genuinely custom build. That's not necessarily a problem if it's what you're looking for — but you should know it going in.
What makes the price vary
Number of pages and complexity
Every additional page requires time for design, copywriting, and integration. A 3-page site has nothing in common with a 15-page site with a blog, a client area, and multiple forms.
Custom-built vs. template
A template (even a customized one) costs less because the structure already exists. A site built from scratch costs more, but you're not limited by the customization ceiling of a generic theme, and your site won't look like anyone else's.
What's included (or not)
This is often where the real price difference hides. Some agencies charge extra for copywriting, SEO, hosting, or revisions — which can push the final invoice well beyond the original quote. Always ask for a precise list of what's included before comparing two quotes.
The habit to build: never compare two quotes on total price alone. Compare what's actually included — copywriting, SEO, training, revisions, hosting — otherwise you're comparing apples to oranges.
The hidden cost: the monthly subscription
Many providers (especially online site builders) advertise a low starting price but lock you into a lifetime monthly subscription just to keep using your own site. Over 3 years, a €30/month subscription adds up to €1,080 — without even factoring in that you never actually own your site: stop paying, and it disappears.
A custom-built site, on the other hand, is yours from the moment it's delivered. You can switch hosting providers or maintenance providers without rebuilding anything.
How to budget with confidence
Three questions to ask yourself before requesting a quote:
- How many pages do I actually need to present my business? (Often fewer than you'd initially think.)
- Do I need to sell online, or just build trust and get found?
- Do I want to manage the content myself, or hand updates off to someone else?
These answers determine 80% of the budget. Everything else is implementation detail.