It's the first question almost every company asks, and the honest answer is unsatisfying: it depends. Not because agencies are being evasive, but because "a website" describes anything from a single page to a fifty-page site with a booking system behind it.
What follows is how the number is actually built, so you can read a quote properly instead of comparing two totals that describe different projects.
What you're actually paying for
Design and code are the visible part, but they're rarely the majority of the work. On most projects the largest single cost is deciding what the site should say and in what order — the structure, the messaging and the content itself.
That's why a client who arrives with finished text, real photography and a clear idea of their audience will always pay less than one who doesn't, for an identical-looking result.
- Structure and content strategy — often 30–40% of the effort
- Design of every template, at every breakpoint
- Development, testing and performance work
- Content: copy, photography, video
- Setup: hosting, analytics, search console, legal pages
Three price bands, and who belongs in them
These are our own bands rather than a market survey, but they map closely to what most serious providers in Germany quote.
Below roughly €500 you are buying a template filled in with your logo. That's a legitimate choice for a business testing an idea — just don't expect it to differentiate you, and expect to replace it rather than extend it.
Between €500 and €2,500 you get a focused, custom-built site: a handful of well-designed pages, your own content, proper technical setup. For most small and mid-sized companies this is the sensible band, and it covers the majority of what a visitor will ever see.
Above €2,500 you're paying for depth: more templates, original photography and video, a brand system rather than a colour palette, and the strategy work that makes the site part of something larger. This is where a site starts doing marketing work rather than just existing.
The costs that appear afterwards
A quote that only covers build is incomplete. Ask about hosting and domain, ongoing updates and security, content changes after launch, and — in Germany specifically — who is responsible for the Impressum, privacy policy and cookie consent being legally correct.
The last point catches people out. A developer can implement a consent banner; only a lawyer can tell you whether your privacy policy is adequate for the tools you're running.
How to compare two quotes properly
Put the totals aside and compare scope line by line. How many unique templates? Who writes the content? Is photography included? How many feedback rounds? What happens if you want a change in month three?
A cheaper quote is often cheaper because it excludes the two most expensive things — content and revisions — and those reappear as invoices later.
If you want a straight estimate for your situation, describe the business and what the site has to achieve. We'll tell you which band you're in — including when the honest answer is that you need less than you asked for.
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