How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026? Real Numbers, Not Marketing Fluff

You Google "how much does a website cost" and get answers like: "it depends on many factors." Thanks. Groundbreaking insight.

The problem is, as a business owner, you need actual numbers to plan a budget. Not philosophy — figures. So in this article, I'm giving you real price ranges for 2026, based on hundreds of quotes and projects across the European market.

Quick Answer: The Cost Table

If you're short on time — here's the summary:

Website TypePrice RangeTimelineLanding page (single page)$500 – $2,0003–7 daysBusiness website (5–8 pages)$2,000 – $6,0002–4 weeksWebsite with blog & CMS$3,000 – $8,0003–5 weeksOnline store (up to 100 products)$3,000 – $10,0003–6 weeksAdvanced e-commerce$8,000 – $25,000+2–4 monthsWeb application / SaaS$15,000 – $60,000+3–8 months

These are prices for professional work — not a $50 ThemeForest template that ends up costing you customers.

Now let's break it down.

What Actually Drives the Price?

Before we get into the details, you need to understand 5 factors that have the biggest impact on the final number. Not "many factors" — specifically five.

1. Technology

Platform choice is the single biggest cost decision. Let's compare the three most popular approaches:

WordPress — cheapest to start, most expensive to maintain. A freelancer will build a WordPress site for $1,000–$3,000. But after a year, you'll start paying for plugin updates, security patches, and fixes for things that "broke on their own." Annual maintenance cost: $500–$2,000.

Webflow — higher entry price, lower ongoing cost. A Webflow site costs $2,000–$6,000, but then your marketing team edits content without calling a developer. Annual maintenance: Webflow hosting ($100–$400) plus occasional changes.

Shopify — the standard for e-commerce. A Shopify store runs $2,000–$10,000 for setup plus $30–$400/month for the platform (depending on plan). But you get payments, logistics, and integrations out of the box.

2. Design — Template or Custom?

This is where the price gap gets massive:

Pre-built template (customized to your brand): $300–$1,000. Fast, affordable, but your site looks like 500 others.

Custom UI/UX design: $1,000–$5,000. Unique look, designed for your target audience, optimized for conversions.

For a landing page — a template works fine. For a business website that needs to build trust and generate leads — custom design pays for itself many times over.

3. Content — Who Writes the Copy?

Most businesses don't realize that content is a separate cost:

You write it yourself — $0, but takes 2–4 weeks and often delays the entire project.

Professional copywriter — $100–$300 per page. Sales-driven copy, SEO-optimized.

Stock photos — $0–$200 (great free sources exist like Unsplash and Pexels).

Professional photo shoot — $500–$2,000. If you sell services, authentic team and office photos build significantly more trust than stock imagery.

4. Additional Features

Every "small" extra feature adds to the cost:

• Contact form with CRM integration — $200–$500
• Multilingual support (e.g., EN + DE) — $800–$2,000 (content + configuration)
• Blog with content management system — $300–$1,000
• Payment system integration — $500–$1,500
• Product calculator / configurator — $1,000–$4,000
• Chatbot / live chat — $200–$700
• Client portal with login — $2,000–$6,000

The rule: the more interactive elements, the higher the price.

5. Who Builds It?

The same project can cost $1,000 or $15,000 — depending on who does the work:

Junior freelancer — $500–$3,000. Low price, but risk: no process, potential communication issues, site might need rebuilding in a year.

Experienced freelancer / boutique agency — $2,000–$10,000. Proven process, good communication, site built around your business goals. Best quality-to-price ratio.

Large agency (software house) — $6,000–$30,000+. You're paying for the brand, a project manager, and a dedicated team. Makes sense for large, complex projects. For a simple business site — you're overpaying.

Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About

The price in your quote isn't the full cost. Prepare for:

Hosting and domain — $50–$400/year. Webflow and Shopify include hosting. WordPress requires separate hosting ($100–$400/year for a decent one).

SSL certificate — $0–$100/year. Most platforms include it for free. Essential for security and SEO.

Maintenance and updates — $300–$2,000/year. WordPress needs constant updates. Webflow and Shopify — significantly less.

Post-launch fixes — $200–$1,000. There's always something to adjust after go-live. A good developer includes 1–2 revision rounds in the price.

Basic SEO setup — $300–$1,000. Foundational search engine optimization. Without it, Google won't find you.

3 Most Common Mistakes When Ordering a Website

Mistake #1: Choosing the Cheapest Quote

A $300 website exists. But you'll typically get: a WordPress template with random plugins, zero optimization, broken mobile layout, and no support after delivery. In 6 months, you'll pay someone else to rebuild it.

The real cost of a "cheap" site = initial price + rebuild cost + lost leads from a bad website.

Mistake #2: Ordering Everything at Once

You don't need a store with 5,000 products, a blog, client portal, and mobile app from day one. Start with an MVP — the minimal version that works and makes money. Expand later when you know what customers actually need.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Mobile

In 2026, over 75% of traffic on business websites comes from phones. If your site doesn't work flawlessly on mobile — you're losing 3 out of 4 potential customers. It's not a "nice bonus" — it's the absolute baseline.

How Much Should You Spend? Practical Recommendations

Solo entrepreneur / freelancer:Budget: $1,000–$2,500. Solution: landing page or simple Webflow site. Priority: looks professional, has clear CTAs, works on mobile.

Small service business (5–20 people):Budget: $2,500–$6,000. Solution: business website with CMS, blog, contact form. Priority: building trust, generating leads, easy content editing.

Starting an online store:Budget: $3,000–$8,000. Solution: Shopify with professional setup. Priority: fast launch, online payments, courier integrations.

Mid-size company / enterprise:Budget: $8,000–$25,000+. Solution: custom design, advanced integrations, multilingual. Priority: scalability, security, integration with existing systems.

Bottom Line: What Are You Really Paying For?

You're not paying for a "website." You're paying for a tool that generates customers, builds trust in your brand, and works for you 24/7.

A cheap site that doesn't convert isn't a saving — it's the cost of missed opportunities.

A solid site that generates 5 inquiries a week and pays for itself in 2 months — that's an investment.

Choose wisely.

Planning a new website or a redesign? Get in touch — we'll prepare a free estimate within 24 hours. No obligations, no pressure. Tell us what you need, and we'll tell you what it realistically costs.

👉 Contact us or email contact@oksoftware.co

This article was published by the OKSoftware team — a boutique web development agency based in Wrocław, Poland, specializing in Webflow and Shopify. We help businesses build websites that actually make money.

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