Are you a tradesperson, shopkeeper or small business owner receiving quotes that vary tenfold? That's normal: the same words "showcase website" can hide very different services. Here are realistic price ranges, the costs people often forget and a transparent 3-year calculation.
All prices in this article exclude VAT. If you can't reclaim VAT (for example as a micro-business under the VAT exemption scheme), add 20% to the prices of providers who charge it.
4 ways to get your website built, and what they cost
A CMS (content management system) is an online tool for building and editing a website without coding. It's the cheapest option, but also the one that will take up most of your time. Here's how it compares with the other options:
| Criterion | DIY CMS (Wix, Squarespace…) | Freelancer | Local agency | Large agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build price | €0 (your time) | €1,500 to €3,500 | €2,500 to €6,000 | €8,000 to €20,000 and up |
| Monthly cost | €14 to €34 | €50 to €150 | €50 to €150 | €150 and up |
| Total cost over 3 years (see calculations below) | ≈ €530 | ≈ €3,600 | ≈ €6,300 | ≈ €16,300 |
| What's included | Ready-made templates, hosting. Copy, photos, SEO and updates: all down to you | Design and launch. Maintenance and changes often billed separately | Design, basic SEO, support. Changes depending on the contract | Strategy, custom design, advanced SEO, dedicated project manager |
| Who owns the website | Your content is yours, but the site can't leave the platform | Usually you, check the contract | Depends on the contract (transfer of rights) | Usually you, once fully paid |
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What drives the price of a showcase website
The number of pages
A showcase website usually has 4 to 8 pages: home, services, portfolio, about, contact. Every extra page means more billable time.
Copywriting
Supplying your own copy lowers the quote. Having a professional write it costs more, but the copy is better written and better suited to Google.
Search engine optimisation (SEO)
A website that's technically sound from day one (structure, speed, mobile version) is much easier to rank. Fixing poor SEO afterwards costs more than getting it right at launch. To learn more, read our SEO guide for small businesses.
Forms, booking and third-party tools
A contact form is simple. An appointment, booking or payment module needs deeper integration, and sometimes a subscription to the tool itself.
Multilingual websites
If you serve international customers, a multilingual version involves technical work plus translation, often charged per word.
Hidden costs to plan for
- Domain name (yoursite.com): around €10 to €15 a year.
- Hosting: €60 to €300 a year depending on server quality and speed.
- Maintenance: security updates, backups, monitoring. Expect €50 to €150 a month with a freelancer. Without it, a website ages quickly and becomes vulnerable.
- Content changes: updating opening hours, adding a photo or a news item. Billed one by one, they add up.
- Redesign: a website lasts 3 to 5 years. After that it looks dated and performance drops. If you don't own your website, you start from scratch.
Budget under control
A quote with no surprises
Hosting, maintenance and updates included
At CoMi, hosting, maintenance and content updates are included in a fixed subscription. You know from the start what you'll pay.
A real example: the price of a showcase website at CoMi
So you can compare, here are our prices. CoMi doesn't charge VAT: our prices excluding VAT are what you actually pay.
1. Build: €550, paid once, for a website with up to 5 page templates, mobile-friendly and built for search engines. Each extra page costs €100.
2. The subscription, which covers hosting, maintenance, support and content updates:
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Content updates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | €45 | €450 | 1 per month |
| Pro | €55 | €550 | Up to 2 per month |
| Entreprise | €65 | €650 | Up to 4 per month |
Paying yearly gives you 2 months free.
3. Options, only if you need them: copywriting (€125 per page), third-party tool integration such as a booking module (€300), multilingual version (€300), cookie banner (€150)…
Ownership: you can buy your website's code at any time at a decreasing rate, and it becomes yours at no cost from your 5th year of subscription.
Case study: a plumbing and heating engineer
They want 7 pages, have 3 pages of copy written and add a cookie banner, on the Pro plan paid yearly:
- Build: €550 + 2 extra pages × €100 = €750
- Copywriting: 3 pages × €125 = €375
- Cookie banner: €150
- Total build: 750 + 375 + 150 = €1,275
- Pro subscription over 3 years: 3 × €550 = €1,650
- Domain name over 3 years: 3 × €15 = €45
- Total over 3 years: 1,275 + 1,650 + 45 = €2,970, or €82.50 a month on average.
For needs specific to construction and skilled trades, read our article on the tradesperson's showcase website in 2026.
Total cost over 3 years, with the maths
To compare like with like, we took a simple 5-page showcase website, with low-to-mid assumptions for each option.
| Option | Calculation | Total over 3 years | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMS (Wix Light, €14/month billed yearly) | €14 × 36 months + 2 years of domain at €15 (first year free) = 504 + 30 | €534 | €15 |
| CoMi, Start plan billed yearly | €550 + 3 × €450 + 3 × €15 = 550 + 1,350 + 45 | €1,945 | €54 |
| Freelancer | €1,500 + 36 × €50 maintenance + 3 × €100 hosting and domain = 1,500 + 1,800 + 300 | €3,600 | €100 |
| Local agency | €3,000 + 36 × €80 + 3 × €150 = 3,000 + 2,880 + 450 | €6,330 | €176 |
| Large agency | €10,000 + 36 × €150 + 3 × €300 = 10,000 + 5,400 + 900 | €16,300 | €453 |
The CMS is the cheapest, as long as you count your own time as free: design, copywriting, updates and SEO are all on you. With freelancers and agencies, content changes are often billed on top of the amounts above.
3-year estimate
Work out your real budget
We price your project over 3 years, options included, so you can compare with complete transparency.
Restaurants, bars, hotels: specific needs
Weekly menus, online booking, events to promote: hospitality businesses have specific needs that change the budget. We cover them in detail in our article on website prices for restaurant owners in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a web agency charge?
For a showcase website, a local agency usually charges €2,500 to €6,000 excl. VAT for the build, and a large agency from €8,000 excl. VAT. The price mainly depends on the number of pages, copywriting and the level of SEO. To make the right choice, read our guide how to choose your web agency in 2026.
How much does website maintenance cost per month?
Expect €50 to €150 excl. VAT a month for a showcase website with a freelancer or agency. Check what's included: security updates, backups, hosting, content changes.
Is a free website worth it?
Free plans often display the platform's ads, an unprofessional address (yoursite.platform.com) and limited features. They're useful for testing an idea, rarely for a business that wants to inspire trust and be found on Google.
What budget should a tradesperson plan for a website?
For a 5- to 7-page website with good local SEO, plan €1,500 to €3,500 excl. VAT to build with a freelancer, or around €2,000 to €3,000 excl. VAT over 3 years with an all-inclusive subscription.
Is it better to pay upfront or monthly?
Paying upfront costs less in the long run if maintenance is already planned. A subscription spreads the cost and bundles hosting, maintenance and updates. Either way, compare the total cost over 3 years.
Who owns my website if I change provider?
It depends on the contract: always check the ownership clause before signing. On a CMS like Wix, your copy and photos are yours, but the website itself can't be moved to another host.
Free first call
Planning a showcase website?
30 minutes, no commitment
A first conversation to define your needs and budget, and leave with a clear estimate.
Conclusion: compare the total cost, not the headline price
The right question isn't "how much does the build cost?" but "how much will I pay over 3 years, for what, and will I own the website?". Ask for detailed quotes and check what maintenance covers and the ownership clause.
Want a clear estimate for your business? Request your free quote: we'll send you a detailed 3-year budget, with no commitment.
The CoMi team
Web agency — CoMi
