Cost & budgeting
What affects the cost of a website for a small business?
Short answer
The cost of a small business website depends mostly on five things: how many distinct pages it needs, how many languages it is published in, whether it includes functions such as online booking, quote requests or a shop, whether the text and photos have to be produced, and what happens after launch, such as hosting, updates and content changes. A focused site for a restaurant or local service sits at the simple end; a multilingual catalogue with a quote system sits at the other. The useful way to compare offers is by what each one includes, written down.
Last reviewed
The five things that decide the cost
Number of distinct pages. A restaurant with home, menu and reservations is a different job from a window company with twenty product pages. Each page type needs design, text and checking.
Languages. A second language is not just translation. Every page, menu, form and legal text exists twice and has to be checked by someone who reads the language.
Functions. A contact form is simple. A reservation flow, a quote calculator, a members area or a shop each adds real work.
Text and photos. If you supply finished text and good photos, there is less to do. If the copy has to be written from scratch, which is common, it is part of the work.
After launch. Hosting, the domain, updates, backups and monthly content changes are ongoing. A simple custom-built site needs very little; a WordPress site or a shop with frequent changes needs regular care.
Why proposals vary so much
Two proposals for “a website” can describe very different things. One is a template with your logo dropped in and no text written. The other includes copy written with you, a second language, the legal pages your country requires, search setup and a handover. Both are called a website.
A very cheap site can be enough to start with. It rarely ranks, rarely brings in enquiries, and is often rebuilt within two years.
How to compare offers
Ask every supplier for a written proposal that lists:
- the pages and languages included,
- who writes the text and who supplies the photos,
- the functions included, such as booking, quotes or a shop,
- the legal pages and cookie consent,
- what happens after launch and who owns the domain and the site.
Compare the lists, not just the totals. Every Rubra Digital project starts with a proposal like that, free and without obligation.
People also ask this as
- How much should a small business spend on a website?
- Why do website quotes vary so much?
- What are the running costs of a website?