How much does it cost to create a website?
The most common question that comes up when you have a web project idea is: what is the price of creating a website?
The price of developing a website can range from €100 to over €120,000. It’s a massive gap, isn’t it? 🤯
There is no single price for website development. It’s like asking for the price of a house and expecting a predefined rate. However, the price of a house can vary based on a multitude of factors: location, size, materials used, architecture, etc.
It’s the same principle for a website; its price depends on several factors that we will explore together. There are 3 main ways to create a website:
- Using a Web Builder (Wix, Squarespace, Weebly…).
- Using a CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal…).
- Hiring a developer (web agency or freelancer).
The method you choose will have a significant impact on the cost of your website.
For example: a showcase site might cost you €30/month with a Web Builder, but it could cost you €5,000 when going through a developer.
Web Builders are generally the cheapest way to create a website. Although WordPress is a free and open-source platform, you have to pay for hosting, themes, plugins, and even developer assistance, which can increase the total cost.
Hiring a web developer is the most expensive option for website creation.
You must choose the right method for you. Hiring a developer (agency/freelance) comes at a higher cost, but it saves you from numerous technical hassles and saves you precious time.
Using a Web Builder is simple and inexpensive, but you don’t get the same level of control as with WordPress. WP offers flexibility, but it can require time and technical skills.
We will explain each option. We will explore the different costs associated with each method and see how to ask the right questions to get the best value for your money. Ready? Let’s go! ✈️
How much does it usually cost to create a website?
On average, with a Web Builder, creating a showcase site costs €12 per month. This estimate is higher if you hire a developer; the price will most often be between €2,000 and €15,000, with an ongoing maintenance cost of about 15% of the initial price per year.
1 – How much does a website cost using a Web Builder?
Between €5 and €40 per month
| Item | Mandatory | Cost | More info |
| Monthly subscription | ✔️ | €5 to €40 per month | This covers hosting, security, free themes, and built-in features. |
| Additional features | ✔️ | €0 to +€20 per month | You can install free or paid apps to extend your site’s functionality. |
| Theme | ❌ | €0 | Generally, sites provide access to a very wide selection of themes for free. |
| Hosting | ❌ | €0 | You don’t have to pay for hosting; it’s included in your plan. |
| Security | ❌ | €0 | You don’t have to pay extra for security; security features are included in your offer. |
| Developer assistance | ❌ | €0 | Web Builders are easy to use, so you don’t need to hire a developer. |
Using a Web Builder is the cheapest way to create a website. It is suitable for:
- Technical novices.
- Those who need a website very quickly.
- Personal and portfolio-type websites.
- Simple showcase websites.
With a Web Builder, you won’t be able to realize all your website ideas. Web Builders are recommended for showcase sites (sites that present a product, a brand, etc.) and e-commerce sites. Outside of these two categories, you cannot use them.
If you want to develop a web tool, you must hire developers (agency or freelance).
With Web Builders, you don’t have to pay a large upfront amount to launch your site; they rely on a subscription system, with prices ranging from €5 to €100. However, most offers fall in the €5 to €40 per month range.
Let’s address the free offers provided by Web Builders. The truth is that if you create a website that anyone else is going to see, you need a paid plan. Indeed, free plans have various limitations, the most common being:
- Ads displayed on your website.
- A free and non-custom domain, such as mysite.wix.com.
- Limited features, such as low bandwidth and storage allocations.
- No e-commerce features, meaning you cannot sell online.
- Basic or non-existent customer support.
Free plans are only suitable for trying out the Web Builder to see if it suits you and for creating test sites while trying out new ideas without any financial pressure.
It’s the free plan that usually gives Web Builders a bad reputation for being low quality, but that’s not the case as long as you choose the right Web Builder. Here is a selection of recognized Web Builders:
2 – How much does it cost to develop a site with WordPress?
Before discussing the cost, it’s useful to briefly introduce WordPress.
WP is a free, open-source Content Management System (CMS). WordPress features allow for creating and managing different types of websites, such as:
- Showcase sites;
- Online stores;
- Application sites;
- Blogs;
- Portfolios;
- Institutional sites;
- Educational sites.
Its versatility is the key to this tool’s success. Today, 42% of websites worldwide run on WordPress.
If you don’t use a developer to help you, a website using the WordPress CMS will cost you between €30 and €750 to go live. Maintenance fees vary from €0 to €50 each month.
| Item | Mandatory | Cost | More info |
| Monthly subscription | ❌ | €0 | WordPress is free. |
| Additional features | ✔️ | €0 to +€100 per month | There are free and premium plugins. Some charge a one-time fee, while others require a monthly subscription. |
| Theme | ✔️ | €0 to +€50 | Many free and paid themes are available. Some charge a one-time fee, while others require a monthly subscription. |
| Hosting | ✔️ | €3 to €30 per month | Hosting is an essential cost. It is rare to find a host that accepts monthly payments, so expect to pay a minimum of €40 per year in advance. |
| Security | ✔️ | €0 to €200 per year | Security may be built into your hosting plan, but it’s worth investing in extra security measures. There are free security plugins to choose from if your budget is tight. |
| Developer assistance | ❌ | €50 to €600 per day | This is an optional cost. If you’re creating a custom site, you’ll likely need a developer’s help. This is the main factor that increases the cost of creating a site on WordPress. |
Using WordPress gives you much more control over your website and your budget. It is the right choice for:
- Those who are somewhat comfortable with technology.
- Anyone wanting a high level of customization.
- Blogs, business sites, showcase sites, portfolios, media.
- Those who want to maintain control over their source code.
The cost of a WordPress site is quite difficult to pin down. It depends on many different factors, as there are many aspects to consider when setting up a WordPress site.
On the one hand, WordPress is free. There are also free themes and plugins, so in theory, it should be easy to keep costs down. However, you might need a premium theme and then hosting. If you hire a WordPress developer, the total cost of your website could quickly reach €3,000 – €4,000.
Different costs can affect the total price of creating a WordPress website, but the main one is hosting. You can get away with using free themes and plugins, but hosting is a necessary cost to get your WP site live.
So, how much does it cost to host a WordPress site? It depends on your provider. Generally, for a showcase website, basic hosting at €3 per month is more than enough.
3 – How much does a website cost when going through a developer (agency, freelance)?
| Item | Mandatory | Cost | More info |
| Monthly subscription | ❌ | €0 | You have no subscription to pay. |
| Additional features | ❌ | €0 | The development of your site’s features is included in the developer’s service. |
| Theme | ❌ | €0 | If your designer builds from scratch, this cost is included in their quote. Alternatively, you can buy a theme and ask a developer to customize it for you, in which case you must first pay for the theme. |
| Hosting | ✔️ | €3 to €30 per month | Hosting is an essential cost. It’s rare to find a host that accepts monthly payments, so expect to pay a minimum of €40 per year in advance. |
| Security | ✔️ | €0 to €200 per year | |
| Developer assistance | ✔️ | The cost of a developer in France varies from €100 to €600 per day. For a showcase site, expect an initial cost between €3,000 and €15,000 | You pay a developer to design and create your website. If the site is very complex, you will also need to hire them regularly for updates and maintenance. |
Hiring a developer doesn’t excuse you from all work. You will need to collaborate with your provider and guide them to achieve a result close to your expectations.
The advantage of using a developer is that you won’t have to deal with technical issues. Hiring a website designer is preferable for:
- Anyone needing a complex website with specific features.
- Those with little time or technical knowledge.
- Large custom websites.
This is perhaps the hardest cost to estimate, as different website designers will charge different rates based on the project and their own experience. You can choose an agency or a freelancer, which will also affect the cost.
Overall, you should consider a cost between €3,000 and €15,000 for the development of a showcase site.
3 – 1 – What affects the cost of a web developer?
Here are some elements that impact a web developer’s quote:
- the number of pages on the site;
- site features;
- design;
- backend infrastructure;
- languages;
- the structure and location of the development team.
3 – 1 – 1 – The number of pages
It’s obvious that a site containing only one page will likely require less work than a site containing thirty.
More pages mean more work on design and content integration, and consequently, a higher price.
3 – 1 – 2 – Site features
The number and complexity of site features directly impact development time and project cost.
3 – 1 – 3 – Design
The more complex the design is to integrate (integration: transforming the design into web pages), the more time it will take your developer.
Finally, if you want your site to display correctly on older versions of certain browsers, the cost will reflect that.
3 – 1 – 4 – Backend infrastructure
In web and mobile development, the backend refers to the platform for exchanging data between the interface and the database.
The backend is also responsible for the calculations and processing of a website. The more complex features you have, the more work your backend will require.
Another important element is the administration panel. The administration panel, also called the back-office, is a very useful tool for managing content, users, and site statistics.
Ready-made templates exist; however, if you opt for something custom, expect a higher price.
3 – 1 – 5 – Languages
The number of languages impacts the cost of a web development project. Also, delegating the translation to your provider will increase the final bill.
3 – 1 – 6 – Structure and location of the development team
The location of your developer/agency is a factor that greatly influences the final price of the site. The cost of creating a website in France will be different from the development cost in India or other regions.
Ultimately, the price of a website varies according to several criteria. Whatever your preference, Aventique will provide you with the exact pricing for your project with detailed specifications. Don’t hesitate to request a quote! 😉
