€800, €3,500 or €12,000: why such a wide range?
You've requested 3 quotes to build your website. The first offers a "professional WordPress site" for €800. The second for €3,500. The third for €12,000. And all three claim to deliver a "modern, optimised, custom-made site". How is that even possible? And more importantly — which one should you pick?
It's the trickiest question in digital for any small business — and the one that generates the most bad decisions. 67% of SME owners underestimate the real cost of their web project, leading to average budget overruns of 40% (Seedweb 2026). Worse: 60% of those who chose the cheapest option had to pay for fixes and rebuilds within the following 12 months (Digitaalis 2025).
This article doesn't sell you a price. It gives you a transparent framework to understand what you're actually paying for, why prices vary so much and — most importantly — what budget to plan for YOUR situation. With one key message to keep in mind: a €500 site that doesn't convert is more expensive than a €3,000 site that generates €50,000 in revenue.
The real prices of a website in 2026
Before breaking down what you're paying for, here's the complete 2026 market pricing grid, based on practices observed across freelancers, agencies and DIY solutions.
| Site type | DIY (yourself) | Freelancer | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-page site | €200-400/year | €800-1,500 | €1,500-2,500 |
| Showcase site (5-10 pages) | €400-800/year | €1,500-4,500 | €3,000-8,000 |
| Advanced showcase (10-20+ pages) | — | €3,000-6,000 | €5,000-15,000 |
| E-commerce | €500-1,500/year | €3,000-8,000 | €5,000-20,000 |
| Custom platform | — | €5,000-15,000 | €10,000-50,000+ |
On top of these prices, factor in the annual recurring costs that many forget: hosting (€7 to €50/month depending on site size), domain name (€10-15/year), maintenance and updates (€30-80/month if outsourced). Plan for €120 to €400/year minimum to keep a small business showcase site running properly and securely.
Who fits each tier? A one-page site with a freelancer (€800-1,500) suits a consultant, coach or tradesperson who's starting out and wants a simple but professional presence. A 5-10 page showcase site with a freelancer (€1,500-4,500) is the ideal format for most tradespeople, retailers and freelance professionals — it's the sweet spot for quality/price ratio. Above €5,000, you enter the territory of growing SMEs with specific needs: business integrations, multi-page architecture, advanced SEO, long-term support. Serious e-commerce should never go below €5,000: an online shop is a complex commercial tool, not a simple site with products.
What you're actually paying for (line by line)
When a senior freelancer charges you €3,000 for a WordPress showcase site, where does the money go? Here's the typical breakdown, line by line, to demystify the quote.
Design and mockups (~25%)
This is the first visible step. Three levels are possible: a standard template (free or paid template at €50-80, lightly customised), a semi-custom design (premium template reworked with your visual identity, colours, fonts) or a bespoke mockup (unique graphic creation, validated via Figma mockups before development). The more customised the design, the more time gets billed.
Development and WordPress integration (~30%)
This is the technical heart of the project. WordPress installation and configuration, theme selection and customisation, integration of necessary plugins (contact form, GDPR, security, SEO, performance), page creation, content integration, mobile optimisation and cross-browser testing. On a €3,000 site, this typically represents 15-25 hours of work.
Content writing (~15%)
This is the most often forgotten line — and the one that generates the worst surprises. If you don't provide your own copy, someone has to write it. Plan for €80-200 per page for professional writing. Many small businesses think "I'll write the texts myself" and realise too late, delaying the project by months.
Basic SEO optimisation (~10%)
URL structure, title and meta description tags, page speed, mobile optimisation, structured data markup, sitemap, Google Search Console integration. This is what makes your site findable. To go further, read our guide to becoming number 1 on Google.
Admin training (~10%)
Too often neglected. A good provider trains you to edit your pages, add an article, change a photo. Without this training, you'll stay dependent on them for the smallest correction.
Project management (~10%)
Discussions, validations, back-and-forth, follow-up. On a 6-8 week project, this easily represents 5-10 hours.
On top of that: photos and visuals (stock images or professional shoot at €300-800), hosting and domain (recurring costs), post-launch maintenance (monthly or annual fee). Never let yourself be sold a site whose quote doesn't make these line items explicit.
Why prices vary so much (and that's normal)
Five main factors explain the gap between €800 and €12,000 for what appears to be "the same WordPress site".
1. Level of design customisation. A template installed as-is takes 2 hours. A bespoke mockup validated on Figma takes 10-20 hours. The visible result is radically different.
2. Number of pages and complexity of features. A contact form is 1 hour. An online booking system with calendar, payment and notifications is 30-60 hours. A client portal with authentication is even more.
3. Provider expertise and experience. A junior freelancer charges €30-50/hour, a senior freelancer €60-100/hour, an agency €80-150/hour. This gap reflects accumulated experience, technical quality, the ability to anticipate pitfalls and execution speed.
4. Services included. Content writing, professional photos, SEO, training, post-launch maintenance… Every included service weighs on the quote. Some "cheap" providers silently exclude all of this to artificially inflate their competitiveness.
5. Guarantees and support. A freelancer charging you €800 rarely has the time or interest to answer your questions 6 months after delivery. An agency with a maintenance contract supports you over time.
The analogy that resonates with everyone: it's exactly like comparing an IKEA piece you assemble yourself to a bespoke piece made by a master cabinetmaker. Both are furniture. But the investment, the durability and the result are not the same.
The 5 traps to avoid when buying a website
1. The "€29/month, no commitment" trap. Read the small print: the commitment is almost always 48 months. That's €1,392 in total. And if you cancel? You don't own your site. Everything has to be rebuilt elsewhere. It's disguised rental.
2. The "free site" trap (Wix, Squarespace). Acceptable for testing an idea for 3 months. Unsuitable for a serious business: ads on your site, no proper domain name, limited SEO, and most importantly: impossible to export your content if you decide to leave. You're locked into the platform.
3. The opaque quote trap. If the quote simply says "website creation: €2,500" with no details, walk away. Demand the breakdown line by line: design, development, content, SEO, training, maintenance, hosting. A serious provider has no problem providing this — it's the basis of a trust relationship.
4. The disappearing provider trap. The €500 freelancer who stops replying after delivery is the most common — and most catastrophic — situation. Check reviews, ask for references, look at their history, their site, their previous work. An orphaned site without maintenance is a ticking time bomb.
5. The "forgetting the after" trap. A WordPress site without security updates becomes vulnerable within months (hacks, injected content, Google blacklisting). A site without fresh content gradually drops in search results. The cost of a site isn't just the build price — it's also its upkeep over 3-5 years.
Does AI change the price equation in 2026?
It's the question everyone's asking. The honest answer: yes and no.
Yes, AI accelerates certain steps. Content writing, visual generation, rapid design prototyping, basic SEO. A skilled provider who uses AI well can be more efficient — and therefore potentially cheaper at equal quality. That's exactly what we do at HK COM: AI is an accelerator, not a shortcut.
No, AI doesn't replace the essential. It doesn't do strategy (who is your site speaking to? what conversion goals?), it doesn't do information architecture, it doesn't do advanced technical SEO, it doesn't do user experience design. And above all: it doesn't understand your business, your clients, your local market.
Beware of "AI website in 5 minutes" offers. They produce generic sites with no strategy, no conversion, that all look alike. It's exactly the same problem as a hastily installed template: a site that exists but generates nothing. And we're back to the calculation from the first section: a cheap site that doesn't convert is the most expensive of all.
To understand how to integrate AI into your daily business, read our complete guide to AI for SMEs.
What budget should YOU plan for?
Here are concrete recommendations by profile. Find yours, and you'll have your range.
You're testing an idea or starting as a sole trader
WordPress.com basic plan or DIY solution like Hostinger Builder. Budget: €200-500/year (creation + recurring). Acceptable for validating an idea over the first 6-12 months. Plan to upgrade once your activity takes off, because you'll quickly hit the limits.
Tradesperson, retailer, freelance professional (typical small business)
WordPress showcase site of 5-10 pages, built by a serious freelancer or agency. Build budget: €1,500 to €4,000. Recurring budget: €150-400/year. This is the sweet spot for 80% of small businesses. You get a professional site, mobile-optimised, with basic SEO, admin training and post-launch support.
Growing SME with strong commercial stakes
Advanced showcase site or light e-commerce. Build budget: €4,000 to €15,000 with an agency. You're paying for digital strategy, advanced SEO, business integrations (CRM, ERP, calendar), long-term support. It's an investment, not an expense — and it usually pays for itself within a year if the strategy is sound.
Serious e-commerce
Never go below €5,000. Plan for €8,000 to €20,000 for a high-performing shop (WooCommerce or Shopify), with stock management, secure payment, optimised conversion funnel, logistics integrations. Plus a substantial marketing budget to drive traffic — without which your shop will stay empty.
Good news: financial help is available
Several schemes exist in 2026. Regional digital vouchers (varying by region) can cover part of the cost. The digital tax credit is available for some businesses. And training to create and manage a website can be funded by OPCO or CPF — that's exactly what L'École des Pros offers, our training organisation. To learn everything about funding, check out our OPCO funding guide for SMEs.
Key takeaways
- A small business website typically costs between €1,500 and €5,000 with a serious freelancer or agency
- 67% of SMEs underestimate the real cost — plan a 40% margin for recurring costs and surprises
- Recurring costs (hosting, domain, maintenance) represent €120-400/year minimum
- A line-by-line quote is mandatory: design, dev, content, SEO, training, maintenance
- Avoid "€29/month" offers and "free" sites: you don't own your website
- A €500 site that doesn't convert costs more than a €3,000 site that delivers
- AI accelerates creation (writing, visuals) but doesn't replace strategy or SEO
- Several funding options exist: regional digital vouchers, tax credits, CPF/OPCO for training
The real question isn't "how much does it cost" — it's "how much will it bring in". A well-built website is an investment, not an expense. The only real waste is paying €500 for a site that generates nothing.
At HK COM, we've been building WordPress websites for SMEs in Northern France since 2019, with an approach centred on conversion — not just on looking pretty. Over 250 professionals trained through L'École des Pros, our Qualiopi-certified training organisation, since January 2024. And over 100 five-star Google reviews, because we practise what we teach.
Want a transparent quote, broken down line by line, with no commitment? Or to train your team to build and manage your site in-house (course "Create and manage your website with a CMS", from €1,900, 100% CPF-fundable)? Book your free discovery call — 30 minutes to assess your project, no sales pressure.
📖 This article is part of our series 10 digital questions every business owner asks. And before investing in a new site, you absolutely should read why 99% of SME websites generate nothing — you'll avoid the costliest mistakes.
