What determines the cost of a website?

A website’s cost depends on the project type, the number of unique page templates, design, integrations, content preparation and support terms. To compare studio quotes, send every studio the same list of requirements.

What makes up the cost of a website?

Website costs depend on the work included and the support arrangements. To compare quotes, use one requirements list covering pages, features, languages, integrations and content.

What drives development effort?

The number of similar pages affects content entry, while distinct page templates affect design and implementation. Filtered catalogues, customer accounts and complex data exchanges need separate estimates. Establish which workflows the platform already supports and which require custom work.

Main factors:

• Site type. A landing page, a business card site, a corporate site and an online store differ in scope several times over.
• Design. A ready template adapted to your brand, or a unique design with a prototype.
• Platform. WordPress provides content management and plugin-based extensions. WooCommerce and Shopify cover a typical store. MODX, Laravel or Next.js suit non-standard logic.
• Integrations. For stores in Ukraine: Nova Poshta API, Ukrposhta, LiqPay, WayForPay, Monobank, Prom and Rozetka feeds, Checkbox fiscal receipts. For services: KeyCRM, HubSpot or Pipedrive, and SendPulse or eSputnik for email.
• Languages. Each language version adds translation, review and SEO setup.
• Deadline. A rush launch needs several specialists working in parallel.

For any chosen platform, check paid components, licence terms and responsibility for updates.

How much does website content cost?

Texts, photos and content migration are often underestimated. SEO texts for service pages, translation, photography or image selection, and moving products from an old database are priced separately. If the client writes the texts, the timeline depends on when they arrive. If our SEO copywriting team writes them, the work goes into the estimate and plan.

How should an estimate be broken down?

• Research, structure and prototyping.
• Design and responsive layout.
• Development and integrations.
• Content preparation, migration and review.
• Testing, launch and editor handover.

Define the deliverable and acceptance criteria for each item. Agree separately on how new requirements will be estimated after work begins.

What should you prepare for an accurate estimate?

• The site's goal and the main visitor actions: enquiry, call, purchase.
• A list of pages and the approximate number of products or services.
• 3–5 websites you like and what exactly you like about them.
• Required integrations: CRM, payments, delivery, feeds.
• Which texts and photos you already have and which need preparing.
• The desired launch date.

Why do two quotes for the same site differ so much?

Usually the studios have priced different scopes. One included texts, SEO setup, GA4 analytics and editor training; the other only a template layout. Ask each to break the quote down by the stages above and compare line by line. Check who owns the domain, hosting and source code after launch.

How long does development take?

Our timelines: a landing page takes up to 3 business days, a business card or corporate website up to 10 business days, an online store up to 15 business days after the brief is agreed and materials are received. Large projects with integrations are estimated separately, with the timeline set after the brief.

Include recurring costs

Budget for the domain, hosting, subscriptions, backups, support and content updates. For a site migration, include a URL inventory and post-launch checks. Tips on trimming the budget are in how to save money when building a website.

Marketing MIX's website development page offers individual estimates based on site type, structure, design and scope. The old prices in this article have been removed: use a current estimate with a stated validity period.

Frequently asked questions

Why don’t studios publish exact prices?

Two sites of the same type can differ in scope several times over: templates, integrations, content, languages. An accurate estimate is only possible after a brief.

Which costs more: a template or a unique design?

A unique design needs a prototype and a drawn layout for each template, so it usually costs more. An adapted template suits a quick start.

Is SEO included in development?

Basic SEO setup (meta tags, URL structure, sitemap, speed) should be part of development. Promotion and query-targeted texts are a separate service.

What costs recur every year?

Domain renewal, hosting, plugin subscriptions and licences, backups and support. Ask the studio to list them as a separate line in the estimate.

How much does an online store cost?

It depends on the number of products and categories, filters, payment and delivery options, and Prom or Rozetka feeds. We estimate it after the brief.

Sources

• WordPress: features
• Google Search Central: site moves with URL changes