A simple one-page website can cost around €500 to €3,000. For a small business website with five to ten subpages, expect roughly €1,500 to €8,000. Custom design, new content, special features or an online shop will raise the price. You also need to budget for a domain, hosting and possibly maintenance. When comparing quotes, look at what each one includes and what the website will cost over several years.
The project prices quoted are rough net figures; VAT may be added depending on the provider and the quote.
What does a website realistically cost?
A business website with custom design, a content management system (CMS) and additional features often costs between €5,000 and €20,000. A simple online shop with a few products can be built for a low four-figure sum. Custom design, extensive content or integrations raise the price. A basic web application can start in the low five figures. Multiple user roles, integrations or custom workflows can significantly increase the cost. These are rough guides, not fixed prices. The actual quote depends on what you need.
Page count is only part of the picture. A medical practice website with five information pages takes less planning and development than a multilingual company website with a careers section and a CRM integration. New copy, photography, custom page layouts, and requirements for accessibility and security also add to the work. Allow time and budget for discussions, testing and revisions.
A template or website builder may be enough for a small site. If you want to update content regularly, a CMS is often a better fit. An online shop also needs product management, a shopping cart, and payment and shipping processes. A portal with user accounts and integrations should be planned as a software project.
What should the project price include?
Website creation usually covers planning, site structure, design and development. Depending on the agreement, it may also include setting up a CMS and forms, producing copy and images, and migrating existing content. Before launch, key pages should be tested on phones and desktop computers, along with forms and other important functions. For an online shop, the checkout process needs to work with the intended payment and shipping options.
Copy and images often take more work than expected. Brochure text rarely transfers to a website without changes, and new photos and graphics take time to produce. Usage rights need to be clear too. Make sure the quote states who will provide the content, how many rounds of revisions are included and who will add the content to the site.
What ongoing costs should you expect?
A domain often costs €10 to €30 per year if it is not already included in the hosting plan. Basic to mid-range hosting commonly costs €5 to €25 per month. Check how many domains, email accounts and SSL certificates are included. ALL-INKL.COM web hosting plans include several domains. Let's Encrypt certificates are included in the Privat+, Premium and Business plans; the SSL add-on costs extra with the Privat plan. Depending on the plan you choose, the included services may cover SSD web space, daily backups and German-language support around the clock. The plan comparison shows what each plan includes.
With a CMS website, the system, themes and extensions need regular updates. A maintenance agreement might cover updates, backup checks, tests of key functions and help when something goes wrong. Depending on the scope, this can cost around €50 to €300 per month. Backups should be made regularly and occasionally tested to make sure they can be restored. Licences, fresh content and technical changes may add further costs.
If you want to improve your website’s visibility in search engines over the long term, you may also incur ongoing costs for search engine optimisation (SEO). These can include content optimisation, technical SEO work and regular analysis of the results. Set aside a separate budget if you hire an external provider for these services.
Business websites also need to account for legal requirements and usage rights. In Germany, these can include a legal notice, a privacy policy and, where required, cookie consent. Adding an external service may mean reviewing those documents again. Shops have additional requirements for displaying prices and handling orders. Have legal texts and accessibility reviewed by qualified specialists where needed; this overview is not legal advice.
Example budgets for business websites and shops
A small business website might have a home page, four service pages, an about page and a contact page, plus a legal notice and privacy policy. Using a template and ready-made content, the build could cost around €1,500 to €4,000. With custom design, professionally written copy and technical optimisation, €4,000 to €10,000 is a more likely range. Depending on the level of support, running costs can range from around €20 to several hundred euros a month.
A small shop with only a few products may start in the low to middle four figures. More products, variants and integrations can quickly push the budget into five figures. Product photos, descriptions and categories also have to be created and maintained.
How to plan your budget and compare quotes
Start with what the website needs to do: generate enquiries, sell products or provide information. Define your audience, the pages you need and any required functions. Check which copy, images, logos and brand guidelines you already have. Mention any need for multiple languages, existing email accounts, integrations and a realistic launch date.
Then compare quotes against the same requirements. Planning, design, development, content, testing, training and ongoing support should be clearly described. Ask how additional requests will be charged and who will handle updates, backups and support after launch. Access to the domain, hosting and CMS, as well as usage rights for the design and images, should also be covered.
You can reduce costs by gathering materials, preparing rough copy on your area of expertise and giving prompt feedback. Set aside time for this within your team. Security, complex functions and legal questions call for specialist help. You can launch with a smaller site and add to it later if the technical setup allows for expansion.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about website costs
The answers below are intended as a starting point. A firm quote requires a closer look at the project.
How much does a simple website cost?
As a rough guide, a simple one-page website often costs €500 to €3,000. A small business website with several pages typically costs around €1,500 to €8,000. The final price depends on the scope and how much content you already have.
How much does a website cost per month?
Basic to mid-range hosting commonly costs €5 to €25 per month; a domain is usually billed annually. Maintenance and support can push the monthly cost of a small website much higher. Check what the price includes.
Is a homepage different from a website?
People often use the terms interchangeably, although a homepage is technically the website's main page. A web page is a single page, while a website is the collection of pages under one domain. For a quote, the number of pages and functions matters more than the term used.
How much does a WordPress website cost?
A straightforward site built from a template may cost a low four-figure sum. A custom WordPress website often costs €3,000 to €15,000. Hosting, updates and maintenance are additional ongoing costs.
When does a CMS make sense?
A CMS is useful if you regularly want to update pages, posts or job listings yourself. For a few pages that rarely change, a static website may be easier to run.
How much does a small online shop cost?
On top of design and page development, a shop needs product management, payment and shipping processes, and testing. A simple shop with a few products can start in the low four figures; product variants and integrations raise the budget.
Why do agency quotes vary so much?
Quotes cover different services and levels of support. An agency may bring planning, design, development and project management together. What matters is which tasks are included and which will be billed separately.
How can I keep costs down?
Launch with the pages and functions you actually need, and provide usable content early. A template may be enough for a simple site. Still budget for maintenance and future changes.
Which ongoing costs are easy to miss?
Besides domain and hosting, you may need to pay for updates, backups, licences, legal reviews, new content, search engine optimisation (SEO) and support. Include the time your team spends maintaining the site as well.
How long does it take to build a website?
Four to twelve weeks is a possible timeframe for a small business website. Much depends on whether the content is ready and decisions are made on time.
Can a website be built for free?
Free website builders and open-source software can keep initial licence costs down. A business website will rarely be free to run: domain, hosting, working time and maintenance all need to be accounted for. Business sites also need the required legal information and regular security work.
Plan for the long-term cost of your website
Agree on the scope in writing before commissioning a website, and check exactly what the price includes. A small business website will usually require a budget in the thousands of euros; shops and custom applications often need more. To make a sound decision, account for running costs, maintenance and later changes as well as the initial build.
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