“How much does a website cost?” is the first question almost every client asks, and the honest answer is always “it depends.” That is not a dodge — the price of a custom build is set by a handful of specific decisions, and once you understand them you can budget realistically before you ever request a quote.
The main cost drivers
Two ten-page marketing sites can cost very different amounts once you factor in the following:
- Custom design vs. a template. A design built around your brand takes longer than adapting an existing layout, but it also differentiates you from competitors running the same theme.
- Content volume and structure. More page types, more content models, and more editorial workflows all add development time.
- Integrations. Payment processors, CRMs, booking systems and marketing tools each need to be wired up and tested.
- Content migration. Moving years of existing pages, images and SEO value from an old platform is its own project.
- Ongoing support. A launch is a milestone, not a finish line — budget for updates, monitoring and small fixes afterwards.
Typical ranges
A focused marketing site with a handful of page types typically sits at the lower end of the range. A site with a content-managed blog, custom components and a couple of integrations sits in the middle. A web application with user accounts, dashboards and business logic behind it is a different category of project entirely — closer to web application development than a marketing site.
How to get a quote you can actually compare
The quotes you receive will only be comparable if every agency is pricing the same scope. Write down your must-have pages, the integrations you need on day one versus later, and who will maintain the content after launch. Bring that list to your first call — see our custom website development page for how we scope a project, or tell us about your project and we will come back with a fixed estimate rather than a vague range.
