How much does a website cost: real prices and expert advice
When an entrepreneur asks themselves the question: “how much does a website cost for business”, they usually expect a simple answer. But the reality is much more complex. A website is not just a page on the internet. It is a marketing tool capable of attracting clients, building a company’s reputation, and generating real sales. Ignoring the details, a cheap option can result in significant expenses later.
Many business owners encounter tempting offers like “website for 300 euros” and think it’s a great bargain. In practice, such projects are usually built on platforms like Wix, Tilda, or Squarespace. Fast, attractive, inexpensive—but not your asset. You don’t own the code and cannot move the website to another hosting. Functional and scalability limitations appear within months, and search engine promotion becomes a problem. It’s like renting a hotel room: convenient and nice, but you are not the owner and lose everything once payment stops.
Why a cheap website often becomes a problem
Low price can be deceiving. Often, for minimal money, you receive just a template, where all texts and blocks are standard, without any business or audience analysis. The first impression might be good: the site looks neat, but when you need to add new features, integrate an online store, set up analytics, or CRM integration, problems start. The limitations of platforms and templates force the owner to spend extra money on modifications or a complete redo.
As a result, initial savings turn into costly rework. Here, the key question of “how much does a website cost for business” is not just about numbers, but about the value you get.
How much does a website cost for business on WordPress
Optimal balance of price and quality is offered by websites built on content management systems like WordPress. Here, the website is fully yours, scalable, updatable, and promotable. It allows creating online stores, product catalogs, contact forms, and analytics setup.
A basic WordPress site with a customized theme for a small business typically costs between 1,000 and 3,000 euros. This price includes system installation, plugin selection, content filling, page structure setup, and logic for client interaction. If an online store or additional services are needed, the cost rises, but the project becomes a full-fledged sales tool.
The main point is not installing WordPress, which can be done in a few clicks, but coordinating all details properly: site structure, functionality, texts, and design, so the site truly works for the business and doesn’t just look good.
Design, customization, and additional expenses
Many believe that buying a ready-made template solves all tasks. Yes, it saves money but limits possibilities. A professional approach requires coordinating every block, text, font, and visual element. Such a site is built considering marketing, sales, and customer convenience.
If a fully custom design and unique functionality are required, project costs rise sharply. For complex projects—marketplaces, large online stores, or specialized services—prices start at 10,000 euros. In this case, a team is needed: designers, frontend and backend developers, SEO and marketing experts. The result justifies the investment: the site becomes a powerful tool for attracting and retaining clients, scalable and ready for promotion.
How to determine if the developer is truly professional
It is important to understand that you pay not only for code. You pay for expertise, marketing and sales understanding. A real developer does not start with a template or code—they first study your business. What services you offer, who your clients are, and how your product differs from competitors. Only after analysis do they structure the website, select the design, set up functionality, and fill it with content.
If a provider offers a cheap template without business analysis, it is a warning sign. Such a website almost always requires a redo later. The conclusion is obvious: saving on expertise often leads to costly mistakes.
Examples of prices and timelines
In practice, creating a basic company website on WordPress takes about a week. After that, a month is usually provided for adjustments and refinements so all blocks, texts, and elements match business needs.
Cheap template-based websites can be ready in a couple of days, but they have limited functionality and a high probability of requiring a redo. Custom projects take longer but provide full control and flexibility, allow scaling the business, and effectively promote the site.
Conclusion: investment or wasted money?
The question “how much does a website cost for business” has no universal answer. It all depends on the company’s goals and needs. A cheap website may seem attractive at first glance but can result in additional expenses over time. A professional WordPress site costs from 1,000 to 3,000 euros for small businesses and pays off many times over. Custom development is justified only for large and unique projects.
The takeaway is simple: you cannot skimp on expertise and professionalism. A reasonable investment in a quality website always pays off—through clients, sales, and business growth.
