What is the cost of website development in 2026? Transparent pricing.

A professional SME website will cost roughly €2,500 to €25,000 in 2026, depending on whether you build a template site, use a configured system like HubSpot or WordPress, or have custom development done. The variables that make the difference: number of pages, copywriting, imagery, integrations with your CRM/calendar/payment system, and how much unique design you want. Agencies that deliver under €2,000 almost always provide a template that you will still spend weeks working on yourself.

What actually goes into the price of a website?

A website price is not a "bare" construction cost. It is always a sum of several blocks that cost money individually:

Strategy & sitemap — who is your target audience, which pages do you need, which search queries do you want to answer. Often 4-12 hours.
Design — colour, typography, photography, the visual system. Between 8 hours (template customisation) and 40+ hours (custom work).
Development — actually assembling the pages in a CMS or as custom work. Typically 60-70% of the budget.
Content — texts and imagery. An underestimated cost point: without copywriting, no one gets a good website.
Integrations — forms to HubSpot/CRM, appointment tool, Google Analytics, payments.
Hosting & maintenance — recurring, €25-€300 per month depending on the platform.

An agency that provides a fixed total price without specifying these components is either underestimating somewhere or overcharging somewhere. Always ask for a detailed specification.

Price ranges per website type (2026)

The following ranges are realistic for the Dutch market in 2026, based on average hourly rates of €85-€135 at agencies of 2-15 people:

One-pager / portfolio site — €1,500 – €3,500. One long page, contact form, no CMS or a very light one. Ready in 2-3 weeks.
Standard SME site (5-10 pages) — €4,000 – €9,000. WordPress, Webflow or HubSpot template, custom branding, forms linked to your CRM. 4-6 weeks lead time.
Premium SME site with custom design — €9,000 – €18,000. Custom design system, animations, often a blog/journal, integrations with calendar or HubSpot, basic SEO/AEO configured. 6-10 weeks.
Custom work (custom CMS / app-like site) — €18,000 – €45,000+. Custom backend (Firebase, Supabase, Next.js), interactive components, custom integrations. 10-16 weeks or more.

Anything under €1,500 is practically a Squarespace or Wix builder where you do 80% of the work yourself — fine if you have the time, but don't count it as "agency work".

What's the real difference between €5k and €15k?

Many entrepreneurs wonder what accounts for that factor of 3 when the site looks 'approximately the same' to the outside world. The difference is rarely in pixels and almost always in:

Custom design vs. template — adapting a template takes 8 hours; building a custom design system takes 40+. In the long run, custom design scales better.
Copywriting — €5k sites often have texts provided by the client. €15k sites get a copywriter or a strategy workshop.
SEO/AEO foundation — schema.org, FAQ blocks, sitemap, canonical URLs, OG tags. If you don't do it upfront, you'll build it in later for 2× the cost.
Integrations — a form that sends an email is free. A form that creates a lead in HubSpot, sends a Slack message, and returns a calendar link costs a day's work.
Performance & Core Web Vitals — a site that loads in 1.2s and scores green on all Core Web Vitals requires explicit work and testing.

Common mistakes

Choosing the cheapest quote without specification. You can only compare three quotes of €4k, €6k, and €11k if they cover the same scope. Ask for a breakdown per block.
Underestimating copy and imagery. A beautifully built empty site is an empty site. Reserve 20-30% of your budget for content or plan your own writing block.
Not wanting a CMS "to save costs". Works for one year. After that, you'll have to ask the agency for every change. Not sensible.
Keeping hosting out of the quote. €15/month or €150/month is a factor of 10 over 5 years. Ask for it.
Not contracting maintenance. A site that no one maintains will be outdated within 2 years, vulnerable to security issues, and more expensive to repair than to keep up-to-date.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a website project take on average?

A standard SME website (5-10 pages) takes 4 to 6 weeks from kick-off to launch. Custom work extends to 10-16 weeks. The lead time primarily depends on how quickly you provide feedback and how soon content (texts, photos) is ready — not on how many pages are built.

Can I pay in instalments?

Almost every agency allows it. Common practice is 30% at start, 40% upon design delivery, 30% upon launch. For projects above €15k, we more often see monthly instalments of 3 or 4 payments.

What does annual maintenance cost?

Expect 10-15% of the construction sum per year for regular maintenance (security updates, minor changes, monitoring). A €10k site will therefore cost €1,000-€1,500 per year to keep running smoothly. Hosting is extra.

Is WordPress cheaper than a custom CMS?

In the short term, yes, in the long term, not always. WordPress is free, but you pay for plugins, premium themes, hosting, and maintenance. For more than 20-30 pages or complex integrations, a custom lightweight CMS can sometimes even be cheaper to manage.

Do I need to charge VAT on these amounts?

The price ranges in this article are exclusive of VAT — common for B2B quotes. Add 21% if you are a private individual, or deduct it as a business owner.

Do I get the source code?

Always with a good agency. Ask for it explicitly in the quote — ownership of code and design should lie with you after delivery. Some agencies deliberately keep this vague to lock you in later.

Ready to get started?

Read our approach for having a simple website built, or schedule a brief introduction — we'll provide a no-obligation assessment of scope, costs, and lead time.