This is usually the first question, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you actually need, not on some fixed industry rate. Here's how to think about it instead of just asking around for a number.
The three things that actually drive price
How many pages, and how custom. A single-page site for a café — menu, hours, a reservation form — takes far less work than a multi-page site for a service business with separate pages per offering, a booking system, or an online store.
Content readiness. If you already have good photos and know exactly what you want the copy to say, a project moves fast. If someone has to write your copy from scratch, source or shoot photography, and go through several rounds of "what should this section even say," that's real time, and it shows up in the price.
Anything beyond a standard template. A custom-designed layout, an interactive feature like a 3D model viewer, animations built specifically for your brand, or integrations with a booking/ordering system all add development time a templated site doesn't need.
What that means in practice
A well-built single-page site using a proven template structure — reskinned with your real photos, copy, and branding — is the fastest and most affordable path, and it's genuinely enough for most cafés, salons, and contractors. A multi-page site with custom sections, or something like an interactive 3D showcase for an architecture or design studio, is a bigger project and should be priced as one.
Be skeptical of any quote given before someone has asked what you actually need. "A website" isn't one product — a single landing page and a 12-page site with a booking system are not the same job, and shouldn't cost the same.
What to ask before you commit
- What's included in ongoing updates — is a menu change or new photo a five-minute favor, or a separate invoice every time?
- Who owns the domain and hosting — can you take the site elsewhere if you ever need to?
- How many rounds of revisions are included before launch?
- Is there a real handoff — do you get a working, editable site, or does it disappear if the person who built it does?
Curious what your project would actually cost?
Tell me what you need and I'll give you a straight answer — no vague "starting at" pricing.
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