How much does a business website cost, and what affects the price?

How much does a website from ActiveAI cost?

One company needs a brief presentation of their services and a phone number. Another wants to independently add projects, run a blog, and develop their offerings on separate subpages. Both companies commission a website, but the scope of work differs. Therefore, comparing costs alone rarely provides a complete picture.

Below you'll find the starting prices for my offer. These are a benchmark for ActiveAI packages, not average market prices. I confirm the price for your project after determining the scope. Detailed package content is described on the website development page.

What are you paying for beyond the design?

Visual design is part of the work, but it is not the whole project. You also need to plan how visitors find a service, what they learn before making contact and what happens after a form submission. The work includes adapting the layout for mobile, adding content and testing how the site works.

The variety of subpages impacts pricing. Multiple service descriptions using a single layout differ in scope from a directory with search and filtering. Adding a new language requires not only translation but also coordination of navigation and content updates.

Avoid adding features just in case. If the main goal is for visitors to call, clear contact details may be enough to start with. First define the most important action visitors should take, then choose the features. This helps control costs while keeping the elements needed to support sales.

How text and photos affect the price

“Materials provided by the client” could mean finished descriptions assigned to pages, or a folder of notes that still need turning into website content. When comparing quotes, ask whether the price includes editing, copywriting, image selection and preparation for publication.

Your own project photos can tell potential customers more than decorative stock images. If you use third-party materials, check their source, licence and purchase costs. Do not assume an image found online is free to use.

Also, identify a content approver. Collecting comments in one place makes it easier to make consistent corrections. Before starting work, it's worth knowing how many rounds of changes the quote includes and how subsequent ideas will be accounted for.

WordPress and content editing in every variant

Every website I offer, even a simple brochure website, is implemented on WordPress. A content editing panel is standard. Variants vary in content and functionality.

The WordPress dashboard lets you update the agreed parts of your site yourself. A blog is included where agreed. Ask to see a specific editing task, such as adding a project, changing a service description or replacing a photo. “Admin dashboard” alone does not tell you how easy those tasks will be.

An online store requires a separate scope. Products, payments, shipping, and order processing create an additional process. If you plan to sell, consider implementing a store instead of treating it as a simple additional subpage.

A service website or a WooCommerce store?

If each service or product is quoted individually, a customer can start by sending an enquiry. A page with a service description, example projects and an enquiry form may be enough. A product catalogue does not necessarily need a shopping cart.

A store makes sense when customers can independently select a product or variant, learn about price and availability, specify delivery options, and place an order. The pricing should also include catalogue management, payment and shipping configuration, and testing of the entire purchase path. Therefore, the price of a company website is not the price of a complete store.

Before making a decision, write down whether you want to collect enquiries or accept online orders. If you're choosing to sell through a store, read about the costs of a WooCommerce store and its maintenance. You can compare the scope of implementation in my WooCommerce development service. You don't have to order all the integrations at once—we'll first determine the features you need to launch your sales.

What costs remain after launch?

Separate development and maintenance costs in your budget. Domains renew at set intervals, hosting provides the environment where your site runs, and some add-ons require licence renewals. Check renewal prices as well as introductory offers.

Agree who owns the accounts and who receives payment reminders. The handover should include the information needed to manage these services. Losing access to a domain account can make even a simple provider change difficult.

WordPress requires maintenance: updates and backups. It's important to establish who is responsible for these tasks after implementation. You can order one-off support or ongoing website maintenance. The scope and terms of the subscription are determined separately; they are not automatically included in the price.

How do you compare two quotes?

Consider a business that needs a homepage, three service pages, information about the owner and contact details. One quote may cover building the site from finished materials. Another may also include copywriting and user instructions. A higher price does not necessarily mean paying more for the same work.

Ask each provider to quote against the same requirements. Check the acceptance criteria: mobile functionality, forms, links and the handover of access. A finished website should mean more than an approved visual design.

• Scope: subpages, languages, functions and editing method.
• Materials: who supplies and prepares the text and photos.
• Revisions: how many rounds are included and how scope changes are priced.
• Running costs: domain, hosting, licences and ongoing maintenance.

What should you prepare for your own quote?

Describe what your company does, who you're targeting, and what you want visitors to do on your website. List the necessary subpages, features, and materials you already have. If you have a current website, include its address and what you'd like to keep.

Add a deadline and budget, if applicable. You don't have to choose a technology or know all the answers. You can use the website brief —I'll help you organise the scope and prepare a proposal specific to your project.