WEB • SEO • APPS • AIHow much does a website cost in 2026?
You’ll see everything from “free” to €20,000. We break down what goes into the price of a business website, which running costs come on top – and how to spot a fair quote.
Vitalii NechaiFounder of Vetael
- A professional business website with 5–8 pages from a freelancer or small studio usually costs €1,500 to €4,000.
- Online shops, multiple languages, booking or configurator features add considerably to the work involved.
- On top of that come running costs for hosting, domain, maintenance and, if needed, SEO – realistically €15 to €300 a month.
- The cheapest price is rarely the cheapest option: a website that brings in no enquiries is always too expensive.
The three price ranges at a glance
Search for website prices and you’ll find figures that differ by a factor of twenty. That’s less about rip-offs than about comparing very different things.
| Option | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder (Wix, Jimdo & Co.) | €10–40 a month + many hours of your own time | A first online presence, very small budgets |
| Freelancer or small studio | approx. €1,000–5,000 one-off | Trades, service providers, SMEs |
| Agency | approx. €5,000–20,000 and more | Larger companies, complex projects |
A website builder looks cheapest, but it costs you time above all: copy, images, structure, legal texts, search engine settings – all of that stays with you. Agencies, on the other hand, bring a large team with project management, concept work and review rounds, and that is reflected in the price. In between lies the range where most small and medium-sized businesses are well served.
What really drives the price
It isn’t the technology itself that’s expensive – it’s working time. These factors decide how much of it is needed:
- Number of pages. A homepage with a contact section is quick to build. Every service that gets its own page needs copy, images and search engine optimisation – but in return, it can be found on Google in its own right.
- Copy and photos. If you supply finished texts and good photos, the effort goes down. If the copy has to be written from scratch, that’s often the single biggest item – and the most important one, because in the end it’s the copy that convinces visitors.
- Design: template or bespoke. A customised theme is cheaper; a bespoke design is unmistakable and can be tailored precisely to your customers.
- Features. Appointment booking, price calculators, configurators, customer portals or integrations with other software are small software projects in their own right.
- Languages. Every additional language means translation, separate URLs and clean linking for Google.
- Online shop. Products, variants, shipping, payment methods, legal texts and emails make a shop considerably more complex than a business website.
Running costs that are often forgotten
A website isn’t finished once it goes live. Budget for these items from the start:
- Hosting and domain: approx. €5–30 a month, depending on performance and server location. For German businesses we recommend servers in the EU.
- Maintenance and updates: security updates, backups, small changes – usually €30–150 a month as a package. Skimp on this and you risk hacked sites and downtime.
- SEO and content: if you want to climb the Google rankings, you need fresh content and technical upkeep on a regular basis. It’s optional, but often the lever for winning new customers.
- Email mailboxes on your own domain: a few euros per mailbox per month.
Three worked examples
Painting and decorating firm, 6 pages
Homepage, three service pages, references with before-and-after photos, contact form with photo upload. Copy written together, local search engine optimisation for the region.
approx. €1,800–2,500Gym, bilingual
Class timetable, prices, trial session request, team page, two languages. Plus an integration with the gym’s booking system.
approx. €3,000–4,500Online shop, 150 products
Categories, filters, variants, payment via PayPal and card, shipping rules, legal texts, import of product data.
approx. €4,500–8,000These ranges are based on experience with small studios in Germany. The exact price depends on scope and requirements – which is why every quote should be preceded by a short conversation.
How to spot a fair quote
- A fixed price with a clear scope of work – which pages, which features, how many rounds of revisions.
- You own the domain, content and logins. Ask who the website belongs to at the end.
- Mobile-first and fast: most visitors arrive on a smartphone. Ask to see the loading time.
- Legal requirements are covered: Impressum (legal notice), privacy policy, cookie consent, no externally loaded fonts without good reason.
- Basic search engine optimisation is included – page titles, descriptions, a clean structure.
- A clear statement on running costs and on support after launch.
Conclusion
A good business website isn’t an expense – it’s a salesperson who works around the clock. What matters isn’t the lowest price, but whether the site gets found, builds trust and brings in enquiries. With our price calculator you can see in one minute what range your project falls into – and in a free initial consultation you’ll then receive a binding fixed-price quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a good website for under €1,000?+
Yes. A one-pager or small landing page using your existing copy and photos starts at around €500 with us. For several service pages with custom copy and search engine optimisation, that budget usually isn’t enough.
Do I have to pay for the website again every year?+
No. You pay for the build once. The only ongoing costs are hosting, domain and – if you want them – maintenance or SEO.
How long does it take to build?+
A business website with 5–8 pages is usually online within 3 to 6 weeks. The timeline mostly depends on how quickly the copy and photos are ready.
Has been building websites, shops and automations for businesses in Germany for years and knows the daily work of trades and service companies first-hand.
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