What does a website cost? Honest price ranges, factors and figures

"What does a website cost?" is the most common question we hear, and the honest first answer is: it depends. That is unsatisfying, so let us make it concrete. This article gives real price ranges (in Swiss francs, as a Swiss agency), explains what actually drives the price, and shows where you can sensibly save. As of July 2026.

Key takeaways

• A simple business website from a professional agency costs roughly CHF 3,000 to 10,000; a one-pager from about CHF 1,000 to 3,000.
• With a website builder you build it yourself from around CHF 10 to 40 per month; an online shop or complex project quickly reaches CHF 10,000 and more.
• The price is driven mainly by scope, custom design, features and content, not by the technology alone.
• Budget around CHF 300 to 600 per year for domain, hosting and maintenance.
• You save with a clear scope, your own content and building in phases, not by picking the cheapest offer.

What does a website cost?

As rough guide figures (CHF amounts are similar in order of magnitude to USD or EUR): with a website builder you build it yourself from around CHF 10 to 40 per month. A freelancer usually creates a tailored site for a one-off CHF 1,500 to 6,000. An agency lands at roughly CHF 3,000 to 10,000 for a simple business website, and quickly at CHF 10,000 and more for an online shop or a complex project.

These ranges match the common figures for a professional build: hourly rates of roughly CHF 120 to 250, and a simple one-pager starting from about CHF 2,000. Why the range is so wide is what the next sections explain.

What drives the price?

Four factors determine the price almost entirely: scope, design, features and content. The technology itself is rarely the cost driver. What matters is how much bespoke work goes into concept, design and build.

In detail:

• Scope: One page or twenty? Every extra subpage costs concept, design and text.
• Design: A ready-made template is cheap; a custom design pays off for your brand but costs more.
• Features: A contact form is standard. A shop, booking system, multiple languages or integrations push the price up noticeably.
• Content: Text, photos and video are the most underestimated item. Supply them yourself and you save; otherwise they add to the budget.

An often-forgotten point is findability. A website nobody finds is cheap but ineffective. Building on a clean structure and SEO from the start saves expensive fixes later. How you also get found by AI search like ChatGPT we have covered separately.

A worked example makes it tangible: a five-page business website with custom design, a contact form, your own text and a solid SEO base realistically lands at roughly CHF 4,000 to 7,000 with an agency. Add a blog, multiple languages and professional photos, and CHF 10,000 is quickly reached.

Builder, freelancer or agency: what fits whom?

The short rule of thumb: a builder for a small budget and your own effort, a freelancer for clear requirements at good value, an agency for demanding projects with full support. All three can be right; it depends on budget, time and ambition.

A builder saves money but costs your time and hits limits on individuality and growth. A freelancer and an agency take the work off your hands, differing mainly in team size, bandwidth and support. What fits you depends less on price than on ambition. Our web design services show what an agency project looks like in practice.

Which types of website cost how much?

The type of website sets the order of magnitude. A one-pager is much cheaper than a multi-page business site, and an online shop is clearly above that again, because features, security and maintenance are more demanding.

An online shop adds running items such as payment providers, product upkeep and more maintenance. So do not budget a shop like a normal website, but like a small system with operating costs.

What does running the site cost?

Budget around CHF 300 to 600 per year for a simple website, more for complex sites or shops. Running costs consist of domain, hosting and maintenance, and are often forgotten during planning.

The building blocks: a domain costs roughly CHF 10 to 20 per year. Hosting is about CHF 60 to 300 per year depending on demands. Maintenance, meaning updates, security and small changes, is optional but sensible and runs from CHF 300 to over 1,000 per year depending on scope. What matters is planning these items from the start, so the website does not fall idle after launch.

What does a website cost per month?

Spread over the month, for most small businesses that means roughly CHF 25 to 100 in running costs, plus the one-off build, which you either pay directly or spread across a subscription. Some providers bundle build, hosting and maintenance into one monthly fee.

A monthly subscription can look attractive because there is no upfront investment. But do the maths over the term: a subscription of CHF 150 per month is already CHF 7,200 over four years, often more than a one-off build with your own hosting would have cost. A subscription pays off mainly when ongoing support, updates and a fixed contact are clearly included. If you would rather bundle build and ongoing support into one predictable monthly rate, our marketing subscription is worth a look.

Where can you sensibly save?

You save most with a clearly defined scope and your own content, not by picking the cheapest offer. Knowing what you need in advance avoids expensive change loops, and supplying text and images saves one of the biggest items.

Three levers that really work: first, a clear scope, a list of the pages and features you need before the quote arrives. Second, your own content, where it is usable, or at least a clear brief. Third, building in phases: the load-bearing base first, later extensions like a blog, shop or multiple languages. An example of the phased approach: start with a clean five-page website, add a blog for visibility next year, and a shop later once the business supports it. What we advise against is saving at the wrong end, on structure, load time or findability. That backfires, because a cheap but invisible website ends up costing more than a well-considered one.

How do you spot a fair offer?

A fair offer is transparent: it lists services, scope and running costs openly, rather than naming a round number with no detail. Both dumping prices and vague flat rates without a description of services should make you cautious.

A serious quote includes at least these points:

• Scope: which pages and features are included.
• Cost split: one-off build and running costs shown separately.
• Ownership: who owns the website, domain and access in the end.
• Maintenance: what it costs and what it covers.
• Exit: how you can switch without rebuilding everything.

Warning signs are hidden follow-up costs, a lock-in you cannot escape, or a price set without any conversation about your goals. We keep it transparent; a look at our pricing logic in SEO shows how we disclose costs.

In the end, what counts is not the lowest price but the best ratio of cost, impact and support. Unsure what your project realistically costs? Get in touch and we will take an honest look, and tell you what is worth it and what you can skip.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a simple website cost?

As a guide, a one-pager from an agency costs roughly CHF 1,000 to 3,000, and a simple multi-page business website roughly CHF 3,000 to 10,000. With a website builder you build it yourself from around CHF 10 to 40 per month.

What does a website cost per month?

For most small businesses, running costs are roughly CHF 25 to 100 per month for domain, hosting and maintenance. On top comes the one-off build, which you pay directly or spread across a subscription.

Why are the price differences so large?

Because scope, design, features and content set the price, not the technology alone. A template with a few pages is cheap; a custom design with a shop and your own content costs a multiple of that.

What does maintaining a website cost?

Budget around CHF 300 to 600 per year for a simple website, covering domain, hosting and maintenance. For online shops or complex sites the running costs are higher.

Is a builder or an agency worth it?

A builder is worth it on a small budget and when you want to invest time yourself. An agency is worth it when you want a custom, effective result with support. Freelancers sit between the two on price and effort.

About the author: Sabine is part of es-wirkt, an advertising agency in eastern Switzerland. She writes about SEO, AI visibility (GEO) and digital marketing for small businesses, and helps companies get found in both classic search and AI answers.