Building a website is one of the most common business investments, and one of the most misunderstood. Prices range from $200 to $200,000 for what looks like the same thing on the surface. The difference is rarely the design. It is the strategy, the speed, and whether the person building it has done it for a business like yours before.

Tier Price Range Timeline Best For
DIY (Wix, Squarespace, Webflow) $200 – $500 / year 1 – 4 weeks Solo founders, early-stage validation, tight budgets
Freelancer (basic) $1,000 – $5,000 2 – 6 weeks Small businesses needing a clean, functional site fast
Freelancer (experienced) $5,000 – $15,000 4 – 10 weeks Businesses ready to invest in design and strategy
Small Agency $15,000 – $50,000 8 – 16 weeks Growing companies with complex needs or multiple services
Large Agency $50,000+ 3 – 6 months Enterprise, e-commerce at scale, custom platforms

The quote you get is almost never the full cost. After launch, you will pay for a domain name ($15 – $25 per year), hosting ($10 – $50 per month depending on traffic), an SSL certificate (often bundled, but not always), stock photos ($30 – $200 per year for a subscription), a professional email address ($6 – $12 per user per month through Google Workspace or Microsoft 365), and ongoing maintenance. Maintenance alone can run $100 – $500 per month if you want someone to handle updates, security patches, and backups. Budget for the full picture, not just the build.

The copy problem nobody warns you about. Most website quotes cover design and development. They do not cover writing. Good website copy takes 20 to 40 hours of skilled work. A homepage alone can take 8 to 12 hours when done properly. If your quote does not include copywriting, add $1,500 to $5,000 to the real number, or plan to write it yourself. Placeholder text shipped to a live site is one of the most common reasons a beautiful website fails to convert.

Design gets the attention, but these four things determine whether a visitor becomes a customer. First, a clear headline that says what you do and who it is for, in plain language, above the fold. Second, a single call to action per page. Giving visitors five options usually means they pick none. Third, mobile speed. More than 60 percent of web traffic is on a phone. A page that loads in under two seconds on mobile converts significantly better than one that takes five. Fourth, trust signals: real photos of your team, a physical address, client logos, reviews, or a visible phone number. Any one of these reduces doubt. All four together make a meaningful difference.

60%+ of web traffic comes from mobile devices
2 sec load time threshold before bounce rates spike
20–40 hrs of skilled work to write a complete website

When getting quotes, ask every vendor the same five questions. One: what is included in the price, and what costs extra? Two: who writes the copy? Three: what happens after launch if something breaks? Four: do I own everything when the project is done, including the domain, hosting, and code? Five: can I see three examples of sites you built for businesses similar to mine? The vendors who answer these questions clearly and without hesitation are the ones worth trusting. The ones who get vague on ownership or post-launch support are worth a second look before you sign. At Balay ni Bruno & Co., we answer all five before the conversation even gets to price.

The Short Version

  • Copy and photos are usually not in the quote. Ask explicitly.
  • A $2,000 website that converts beats a $20,000 website that does not.
  • The most important elements are the headline, the CTA, and the mobile speed.
  • Ask: can I change text myself without calling you? If no, factor in that ongoing cost.
  • Maintenance is a real cost even if no one mentions it in the initial quote.