Comparing quotes for a business website is difficult because pricing models differ widely: some advertise a very low starting price and make up the cost with add-ons, others charge a large upfront amount and almost nothing afterwards. Here are the four common ways to have a showcase website built, with honest price ranges, including what ends up costing the most over time.
Traditional web agency: a quote that varies widely
An agency designs a bespoke site, with a designer and a developer working specifically for you. The starting price depends on the number of pages, the production time and the agency's reputation: expect somewhere between 1,500 and 6,000 euros for a simple build, and more for a complex site or one with custom development.
On top of this starting price, the vast majority of contracts include annual maintenance covering technical updates and a few content changes: expect roughly 200 to 800 euros a year. Hosting and the domain name are sometimes included in the first year, rarely beyond that.
DIY website builder: the cheapest to buy
Website builders work on a monthly subscription, generally between 10 and 30 euros a month for plans that let you use your own domain name. The HTTPS certificate is included in these plans.
The domain name itself is almost always billed separately, typically around 10 to 15 euros a year. If you are unsure which name to choose, this article sets out the criteria to check before buying. The advertised cost is the lowest at purchase, but the time you will need to invest to build the site yourself never appears on the quote.
Freelancer: a middle ground, provided the brief is clear
A freelancer generally charges per project, with no imposed subscription: expect between 500 and 3,000 euros or more depending on how complex the requested site is.
The real difference shows up after delivery. Maintenance, particularly security updates if the site runs on a content management system, is not usually automatic: it is negotiated as an option, done by you, or not done at all, which lets the site fall behind technically over the months.
Automated solution: a subscription that includes (almost) everything
An automated solution such as SiteServi works on a subscription that bundles hosting, the HTTPS certificate and updates pulled from your Google Business Profile: opening hours, address and phone number update automatically, within a week, for an active customer.
The Essentiel plan costs 19 euros a month, the Premium plan 39 euros a month and additionally includes a domain name registered in the customer's name, up to five pages to present your services and service areas, a professional email address for receiving messages, and priority support. The HTTPS certificate is included in both plans, it is not reserved for Premium. A free 14 day trial with no card required lets you test the service before paying, and two months are free with annual payment. To choose between the two plans, this comparison sets out the day to day differences.
The hidden costs nobody mentions
Whichever model you choose, some costs almost never appear on the first quote. Here is what to ask about systematically before signing.
- Hosting: billed separately with an agency or a freelancer, generally 50 to 150 euros a year for a simple showcase website.
- Domain name: an annual renewal, around 10 to 15 euros, which is not always mentioned to the customer at the time of the first quote.
- HTTPS certificate: technically free with most current hosts, but some agencies still bill it as an option.
- Maintenance and security updates: often optional with a freelancer, sometimes compulsory but costly with an agency.
- Content changes: changing an opening time, a photo or a piece of text can be billed by the hour if it is not included in a package.
- Professional email address: rarely included by default, often an extra line on the invoice.
Why most sites are rebuilt after a few years
A showcase website is not rebuilt because its content is out of date, but because the underlying technology ages: a graphic theme that no longer displays correctly on new phones, content management system extensions that are no longer maintained, or an agency that has closed down and can no longer step in. A full redesign generally costs roughly the same as the initial build, since it means reconstructing the site from scratch.
Three year comparison
| Model | Starting cost | Recurring cost | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional agency | 1,500 to 6,000 euros | 200 to 800 euros/year (maintenance) + hosting and domain billed separately | Bespoke site, support depending on contract |
| DIY website builder | no build fee | 120 to 360 euros/year (subscription) + domain (10 to 15 euros/year) | HTTPS included, customisation limited to templates |
| Freelancer | 500 to 3,000 euros or more | variable, often nil without a maintenance contract | Bespoke site, maintenance to be negotiated separately |
| Automated solution (SiteServi) | no build fee, 14 day free trial | 19 to 39 euros/month (i.e. 228 to 468 euros/year) | Hosting, HTTPS and updates from the Google listing included |
What we do not do
To keep this comparison honest, here are the limits of our own offer. SiteServi builds showcase websites, not online shops: if you want to sell and take payments directly on your site, that is not our product. The Premium plan is limited to five pages, which suits presenting a business but not an extensive catalogue. The Premium professional email address receives messages, it does not let you send from that address. And an automated solution, by its nature, customises the design less finely than an agency working exclusively for you.