How much does a website cost in 2026? A complete pricing guide
The price of a website varies enormously: from €0 (free Wix) to more than €50,000 (premium agency). How do you make sense of it? This guide compares every option and shows you how to get the best return on investment.
Free platforms (Wix, Squarespace): €0 to €300/year
Site builders like Wix or Squarespace are accessible but limited. The design is generic (templates used by thousands of other sites), SEO is basic, speed is mediocre, and you depend on a platform that can raise its prices at any time. The result: your site looks like everyone else's and doesn't show up on Google. You have a website, but it brings you nothing.
WordPress with a freelancer: €500 to €3,000
WordPress powers 40% of the world's websites. A freelancer can build a decent site, but quality varies enormously. Common problems: slow site (plugin overload), complex maintenance, security vulnerabilities, and SEO that's often poorly configured. The low price often hides hidden costs: hosting (€10-30/month), maintenance (€50/month), premium plugins (€200/year). Over 3 years, between hosting, maintenance and security updates, a WordPress site accumulates significant hidden costs.
A modern freelance developer: €1,600 to €4,000
This is the option I offer at Scandere. A custom-coded site built in Next.js (the technology used by Vercel, Netflix, TikTok). Optimal performance (Google score 90+), SEO built in natively, unique design. The price is fixed and transparent: no surprises at delivery. Hosting on Vercel is free for the majority of showcase sites, and maintenance is virtually non-existent because there are no plugins to update.
A web agency: €5,000 to €50,000
Agencies charge a lot because you're paying for the structure: offices, sales reps, project managers, designers, accountants. The work passes through several intermediaries, which stretches out timelines (2 to 6 months). For an SME or a self-employed professional, the value for money is rarely optimal. You pay €10,000 for a site that could be built in 2 weeks for €2,000 with a skilled freelancer.
What return on investment should you expect?
The real question isn't "how much does a website cost" but "how much does it bring you." Take an example: a personal trainer invests €2,000 in a showcase site. Their site attracts 500 visitors per month via Google. 3% of them get in touch = 15 leads per month. They convert 5 customers at €200 = €1,000 of extra revenue per month. The site pays for itself in 2 months. Over a year: €12,000 in revenue for a €2,000 investment = 500% ROI. No Facebook ad gives you that kind of return over time.
The hidden costs to anticipate
Whatever your choice, plan for: a domain name (€10-15/year), hosting (€0 on Vercel, €5-20/month elsewhere), and possibly maintenance (€0 with Next.js, €50+/month with WordPress). At Scandere, the first year of hosting is free and maintenance isn't needed. The advertised price is the real price.
In short
For an SME or a self-employed professional who wants to generate customers online, the freelance option with modern technology (Next.js) offers the best value for money. A €2,000 site that brings you €1,000 per month in additional revenue is the most profitable investment you can make for your business.