What determines website cost? 8 factors behind your budget
Website type, pages, design, features, content, SEO, deadlines and support: eight factors that shape a quote and the questions to ask before commissioning.
Two websites with the same page count can require very different budgets. One may have ready-to-use copy and photography; another needs several languages, a catalogue migration and a CRM connection. Compare the deliverables behind a quote, not just its final number.
What a starting price means
QODEVRA’s current price list starts at €290 for a basic landing page, €350 for a brochure website and €1,070 for a basic online store. The autumn discount of 30% runs through 31 October 2026 inclusive. Check the price list for the current offer and the stated euro conversion basis.
A starting price is a guide to an initial scope, not an unlimited allowance for pages, languages or integrations. A usable quote lists the screens to be delivered, what you can edit and which information is exchanged with external services.
1. Website type
A landing page, a company website and an online store serve different purposes. A landing page leads to an enquiry, a company website explains several services, and a store supports product selection, checkout and payment. Each journey adds planning, development and verification work.
Compare actual capabilities rather than package names. A catalogue that sends enquiries to a manager has a different scope from a shop with a basket, payments and stock synchronisation.
2. Page count and complexity
Home, services, about, case studies, journal and contact pages all need structure and content. However, ten pages using one layout are different from ten unique interfaces. One calculator page can require more work than several informational pages.
List unique page types, content volumes and languages in the brief. Translations also require copy preparation, layout checks and approval in each language.
3. Design and interaction
Custom design starts with how visitors understand the offer and find the next action. The work may include prototypes, typography, components, mobile and desktop layouts, illustrations and animation.
Effects should have a purpose. Complex animation takes time to build and check for performance; a form needs clear error and success states. Agree which screens and interaction states are included in the design.
4. Features and integrations
Forms, catalogues, filters, accounts, bookings, payments and CRM connections add to the workload. Behind each visible button are business rules, data handling and exception cases that need verification.
A payment flow must cover success, rejection and retries. An integration needs a definition of the exchanged data, update frequency and behaviour when a service is unavailable. Clearly described scenarios make the estimate more grounded.
5. Content and population
Copy, photos, product descriptions, video and translations do not arrive automatically with a design. Creating, editing or migrating these materials is a separate part of the work.
Agree who prepares the content and how many pages or products the team will populate. Importing a clean spreadsheet differs from manually editing hundreds of inconsistent descriptions. Organised materials help avoid delays.
6. SEO and the technical foundation
Clarify whether the quote includes page and URL structure, metadata, a sitemap, image optimisation, performance and mobile adaptation. If your team needs editing tools, describe the custom administration features and user permissions separately.
Technical preparation and ongoing SEO are different activities. A technically prepared website does not guarantee search rankings; content development and analysis require continued work. Define what is included in the launch.
7. Deadlines, approvals and revisions
An urgent launch can require a change in team capacity or a smaller initial release. Additional approval stages and changes to an agreed structure also affect the schedule and budget.
Agree milestones, revision rounds and one person to consolidate feedback. Correcting a defect in agreed functionality differs from adding a new feature. Ask how changes are estimated before the team implements them.
8. Support after launch
Content updates, maintenance, administration and new features may be charged separately. Clarify what support follows handover, how defects are handled and how future changes are commissioned.
A useful support agreement defines tasks, response times, responsibilities and payment terms. Custom development also needs maintenance, so plan for it before launch.
Separate development from recurring costs
Do not assume that domain registration, hosting, licences and third-party subscriptions are included in development. Ask for a separate list explaining account ownership, recurring charges and service limits that affect how your website operates.
Clarify what happens to content after launch. Maintenance, new features, copywriting and advertising are separate activities. For an initial release, identify who is responsible for each; you do not have to commission everything at once. For a multilingual launch, also identify who approves each translation.
Questions to ask before approving a quote
Request a written list of deliverables and compare offers against the same scope. This makes the initial price and potential later costs easier to understand.
- Which pages, languages, features and integrations are included?
- Who prepares copy, photos and translations, and populates the website?
- Which devices and user journeys are checked before launch?
- How many approval stages and revision rounds are included?
- What is handed over: source code, access and editing instructions?
- Which fees are one-off and which recur? What does support cover?
Get a useful estimate without a long specification
Send a short business description, your current website, examples of the desired result and the main action a visitor should take. Add the required languages and systems the website must connect to. If your budget is undecided, say so.
Ask for the estimate to separate launch essentials from later improvements. This helps reduce the first release by postponing secondary features while preserving the core journey and the work needed to verify it.
