How much does a website cost in 2026?
A straight answer for small and mid-size businesses — what really drives the price, realistic ranges, and how to avoid overpaying.
The honest answer: it depends — but here is the range
Anyone who quotes a single price without asking questions is guessing. Cost depends on scope, complexity and how much is custom. That said, as a rough guide for the EU SME market in 2026: a simple, template-based site runs roughly €1,500–€4,000; a custom business website with a CMS lands around €4,000–€10,000; and eCommerce or custom tooling typically starts at €10,000 and up. Treat these as ballpark figures, not quotes — your number depends on your specifics.
What actually drives the cost
Five things move the price more than anything else: the number of pages and templates; custom design versus a theme; integrations (payments, CRM, booking, ERP); how many languages you need; and who produces the content. A five-page brochure site and a multilingual store with a client portal are different universes — and should be priced as such.
What should always be included
At any price, a professional build should include: responsive, mobile-first design; the SEO basics (clean structure, titles, meta, sitemap, schema); a CMS you can actually edit; a short training handover; and a defined support path after launch. If those are “extras,” you are not comparing like with like.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of prices that look too good to be true, per-page pricing that balloons as you add content, and — most importantly — any arrangement where you do not own the site, the code and the accounts at the end. Ownership is non-negotiable.