How much does a website cost in 2026?

In 2026, a website costs between €3,000 and €50,000 depending on its type and level of finish. A brochure site runs roughly €3,000 to €8,000, an e-commerce site €5,000 to €25,000, and a custom site or web app often exceeds €20,000. The price depends mostly on the scope of the project, not the technology used.

The tricky part, when you request a quote, is that two projects with the same name can carry very different budgets. This article gives the real market ranges, explains what makes them vary, and helps you compare a proposal without getting it wrong.

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How much does a website cost in 2026?

The budget depends on three things: the type of site, the level of customization, and who builds it (a DIY platform, a freelancer, or an agency). Here are the realistic ranges seen on the market.

These ranges cover design and development. They don't always include copywriting, visuals, translation, or maintenance, which can be added depending on the provider.

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What makes the price vary

Two "brochure site" quotes can range from €3,000 to €8,000 for a scope that looks identical. The factors behind the gap:

• The number of pages and unique templates to design.
• The design: the more custom and refined it is, the more time it takes.
• Features: advanced forms, booking, member area, multilingual, connections to your tools.
• Content: copywriting, photos, and translation included or on your side.
• SEO and performance: a site built to rank and load fast takes more work than a simple brochure.
• Support: maintenance, training, and updates after launch.

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Price by type of site

Brochure site

A brochure site presents your business across a few pages (home, offer, about, contact). Expect €3,000 to €8,000 for a custom design aligned with your brand. It is the most common format for a very small business, a freelancer, or an SME. To understand what separates one quote from another, see our guide on comparing providers without wasting budget.

E-commerce site

An online store adds a catalog, a cart, payment, and often inventory management. Expect €5,000 to €25,000 depending on the number of products, integrations (payment, logistics, CRM), and how customized the checkout is.

Custom site and web app

As soon as you need specific features, connected areas, or business logic, you are in custom territory. The budget starts around €20,000 and climbs with complexity. This is the space of scale-ups and high-value projects.

Redesign of an existing site

Redesigning a live site follows a different logic (content to migrate, SEO to preserve). The budget and method are detailed in our dedicated guide: website redesign cost.

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What a website quote includes

A website budget is not a single line. It bundles several work items, and knowing the split helps you judge whether a quote is realistic rather than just cheap or expensive.

When one of these is missing from a quote, it usually reappears later as an extra cost, so a cheaper proposal is not always cheaper in the end.

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One-off costs versus recurring costs

The build is a one-off cost, but a website also has running costs to keep it online, fast and secure. Budget for both from the start.

On a platform like Webflow the subscription is part of these recurring costs, detailed in our Webflow pricing 2026 guide.

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Freelancer, agency, or platform: what budget?

For the same scope, the price varies depending on who builds the site.

• DIY platform (you build the site yourself): a few hundred euros a year in subscription, but your time and a result that is often limited on design and SEO.
• Freelancer: €1,500 to €10,000. Good value for a well-scoped project, less suited to complex projects or long-term support.
• Agency: €3,000 to €50,000. More expensive, but a full team (design, development, SEO), serious scoping, and follow-up after launch.

The cost of the tool matters too. On Webflow, for example, the subscription adds to the design cost: the details are in our Webflow pricing 2026 guide.

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How to read and compare a quote

A clear quote should define the scope, not just a price. Check:

• The number of pages and templates included.
• What is custom and what is standard.
• Whether copywriting, visuals, and translation are included.
• The planned SEO and performance work.
• What happens after launch: maintenance, training, updates.
• Who owns the site and the code at the end of the project.

A low price that details nothing often costs more in the end, in updates and rework.

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How to reduce the cost without sacrificing quality

You can lower a website budget without ending up with a weak site, as long as you cut the right things.

• Start with a tight scope: launch the essential pages, then add more later.
• Provide your own content, or a clear brief, to save on copywriting and photography.
• Reuse a design system so new pages cost less to build.
• Prioritise the pages that drive revenue over nice-to-have sections.
• Choose a maintainable platform so future changes do not need a developer every time.

Trimming the scope is smart; cutting SEO, performance or mobile quality usually costs more later.

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How much to invest based on your goal

The right budget is not the lowest one, it is the one that serves your goal. A credibility brochure site does not need the budget of a site meant to generate leads or sell online. If your site is an acquisition channel, investing in SEO, performance, and a real content strategy pays off quickly. After launch, also plan a maintenance budget to keep the site up to date and secure.

Have a project and want a clear quote? Let's talk about your site.