Ask three agencies how much a website costs and you get three different answers, none of them an actual number. "It depends" is technically correct, but it is not useful. Below is an actual framework: what really drives the price, what a website realistically costs for a service business, and why the quote that looks cheapest often ends up costing the most.
Website pricing is not arbitrary, it is a function of scope. A five-page site built on a template and a twenty-page site with a booking system and a full SEO structure are not the same product, even though you call both of them a "website." Once you understand which variables move the price, you can judge for yourself whether a quote is realistic.
What Determines the Price of a Website
- Number and type of pages (a static information page versus a page with a form or calculator)
- Custom design built for your brand versus a customized off-the-shelf template
- Functionality such as bookings, online payments, or user accounts
- The scope of SEO work, from basic technical optimization to a full content strategy
- Whether you already have content and photos ready or they still need to be produced
- Integrations with tools you already use, such as a CRM, calendar, or accounting software
Realistic Price Ranges for Service Businesses
- Simple website, up to 5 pages, no advanced features: 250–450€
- Mid-size business website, 5–10 pages, contact forms, basic SEO: 450–800€
- More advanced website with bookings, integrations, and a full SEO structure: 800–1,200€
- An online store or business web application is priced separately, usually starting from 500€
These ranges are for a website built from scratch, tailored to you, with a proper SEO foundation, not a random quote from a freelance marketplace. Along with a clear price you also get a realistic timeline: most websites for service businesses are delivered in 1 to 4 weeks from the first call, depending on scope.
Why the Cheapest Website Is Often Not the Cheapest
A website that loads slowly, does not rank on Google, and does not lead the visitor toward contact does not just cost what you paid to build it. It also costs every client who goes to a competitor while your page loads, and every inquiry you never got because nobody could find you. A cheap website that has to be rebuilt in two years ends up costing more than one built properly from day one.
At Thunderwave Digital we give you a clear, fixed price before we start any work, based on the scope we define together. Reach out and after a few minutes of conversation you get an actual number for your project, not "it depends."