A complete 2026 cost guide — prices, factors, hidden expenses, and which solution fits your business.
The cost of building a website is one of the most common questions every web developer receives. There is no single answer — it depends on what you need, who you hire, and which platform you choose. In this guide you will find everything you need to make the best decision.
| Option | Monthly Cost | Setup Time | Technical Skills | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website Builder Wix, Webnode, Squarespace |
€4–€40/month | Hours – Days | None | Most small businesses |
| Open Source CMS WordPress, Joomla, Drupal |
€10–€80/month | Days – Weeks | Moderate | Those who want control and flexibility |
| AI Site Builder Lovable, Framer, Durable |
€0–€30/month | Minutes – Hours | None | Fast prototypes, MVPs, simple sites |
| Professional Developer | €500–€5,000 one-time | 2–8 Weeks | None (you delegate) | Custom solutions, complex needs |
There is no single price that applies to every website. Cost is shaped by a number of factors, and understanding them helps you avoid unpleasant surprises and choose the right solution for your needs and budget.
This is the most important factor. If you build your site yourself, monthly costs run from about €4 (Webnode Limited) to €18 (Webnode Profi) with a budget builder, or around €16–€36/month with Wix or Squarespace. If you hire a professional developer, the cost is a one-time payment ranging from a few hundred to several thousand euros, depending on the complexity of the project.
Your platform choice largely determines the total cost. Website builders (Wix, Webnode, Squarespace) bundle hosting, SSL, security, and updates into a single subscription — you pay one fixed amount per month with no surprises. Open source CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc.) are free to download but require separate purchases for hosting, domain, themes, and plugins.
If you want to sell products or services online, costs increase across all platforms. You need a payment gateway, order management, a shipping system, and often extra modules or plugins. Even with a website builder, a basic e-commerce store starts at around €25–€30/month, while with a CMS the cost rises depending on your requirements.
A simple 5-page brochure website (home, services, about, contact) costs far less than a multi-page portal with forms, a booking system, live chat, or membership zones. Every extra feature increases both development time and maintenance cost.
Ready-made templates are usually free or cost €50–€100 one-time and are sufficient for most businesses. If you want a completely unique design tailored to your brand identity, a custom design from scratch carries additional cost that can rise significantly — some corporate websites have cost as much as €250,000, depending on scale, features, and the level of design sophistication required.
Your domain is your website address (e.g. mycompany.com). It typically costs €10–€20 per year. Many website builders include it free for the first year on paid plans.
Hosting is the "space" that stores your files on the internet:
Platforms like Wix, Webnode, and Squarespace provide ready-to-use drag-and-drop environments. No technical skills required and costs are predictable. Prices below are per month on annual billing; Webnode and Wix figures verified September 2026, Squarespace and Hostinger approximate.
| Provider | Entry paid plan | Mid plan | Top plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webnode | Limited €3.90 · Mini €6.90 | Standard €9.90 | Profi €17.90 |
| Wix | Light ~$17 (≈€16) | Core ~$29 (≈€27) | Business ~$39 (≈€36) |
| Squarespace | Personal ~€16 | Business ~€23 | Commerce ~€28–€52 |
| Hostinger | ~€3 | ~€7 | ~€9 |
Artificial Intelligence has entered web design. AI site builders can generate a complete website in minutes from a text prompt — no design skills, no coding, no templates to browse. In 2026 they are one of the fastest-growing categories in web creation.
| Platform | Best For | Cost | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lovable | React apps, SaaS, MVPs, full-stack projects | Free · Pro ~€23/mo ($25) · credit-based | Generates full React + Supabase apps from chat prompts |
| Framer | Portfolios, landing pages, design-driven sites | Free – €20/month | AI layout generation, designer-quality output |
| Durable | Local businesses, instant presence | Free – €15/month | Full website in 30 seconds from business description |
| 10Web | WordPress sites with AI assistance | €10–€30/month | AI WordPress builder + managed hosting in one |
| Hostinger AI | Small businesses, personal sites | €3–€10/month | AI builder with very affordable hosting included |
Open source CMS platforms are free software you install on your own hosting. They give full control, large plugin/extension ecosystems, and unlimited scalability — but require technical knowledge and self-management.
| CMS | Ideal For | Difficulty | Key Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Blogs, business sites, e-commerce (WooCommerce) | ⭐⭐ Easy | 43% of the web, huge ecosystem, extensive documentation |
| Joomla | Portals, community sites, corporate websites | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate | Powerful user management, built-in multilingual, flexibility |
| Drupal | Enterprise, government sites, complex projects | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hard | Maximum security, scalability, custom data structures |
| PrestaShop | E-commerce, online stores | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate | Specialized for e-commerce, many payment integrations, free |
| Ghost | Blogs, newsletters, publications, membership sites | ⭐⭐ Easy | Excellent performance, built-in newsletter, clean UI |
| TYPO3 | Large enterprises, multilingual sites | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hard | Strong in Europe, excellent content management |
| Grav | Portfolios, documentation, fast sites | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate | Flat-file (no database), extremely fast, Git-friendly |
If you don't have time for DIY or have specific requirements, hiring a specialist is the ideal choice.
It's important to clarify upfront who handles maintenance after delivery.
Plumber, hair salon, accountant — 5 basic pages
~€10–€13/month10–50 products, shopping cart, payments
~€25–€30/month + feesBio, work samples, contact form
~€7–€10/monthMany people miscalculate the total cost because they overlook these expenses:
| Website Builder | Open Source CMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Startup cost | ✅ Low | ⚠️ Medium |
| Hosting / SSL / Updates | ✅ Included | ❌ Separate |
| Setup speed | ✅ Hours to days | ⚠️ Days to weeks |
| Technical skills | ✅ Not required | ⚠️ Basic skills needed |
| Customization | ⚠️ Moderate | ✅ Maximum |
| Maintenance | ✅ Automatic | ❌ Your responsibility |
| Annual maintenance cost | ✅ Minimal | ⚠️ €200–€1,200+/year |
Most small businesses spend €10–€40/month in ongoing costs once their site is live. One-time build by a developer: €500–€5,000.
Yes, there are free options (WordPress.com, Wix free, Webnode free). However they include a subdomain (e.g. mysite.wix.com) and platform branding. For a professional presence, a custom domain (€10–€20/year) is essential.
A paid plan on a budget website builder. Costs start from €3.90/month (Webnode Limited, connect your own domain) or €6.90/month (Webnode Mini, domain included the first year) — with hosting, SSL, updates, and templates included and no hidden fees.
A basic e-shop with a website builder: €25–€30/month + transaction fees (1.5–3%). With WooCommerce or PrestaShop: €30–€80/month plus plugin/module costs. E-shop by a professional: €1,500–€5,000+ one-time.
When you have specific requirements (custom features, unique design, integration with external systems) or don't have time for DIY. An experienced developer can save you valuable time and deliver results you couldn't achieve on your own.
We build professional websites for small businesses. Ask us for a free cost estimate.
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