You ask three agencies for a website quote and get three numbers that look nothing alike. Is someone taking you for a ride? Not necessarily: each one is pricing a different thing. The trick is not to find the cheapest, but to understand what you are buying.
I am Miguel Ángel, founder of GUADIGITAL, a web and branding studio in Guadalajara, Spain. I build websites for small businesses and freelancers, in Spanish and English. Here is what drives the price of a website, which extras tend to hide in quotes and how to compare. And since I like playing with my cards on the table, here are my published prices.
My prices, up front
| Essential | Professional | Tailor-made | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (VAT included) | 997 € | 1,897 € | Depends on your project |
| Pages | Up to 5 | Up to 12 | As many as you need |
| Lead time | 3-4 weeks | 3-4 weeks | Agreed in writing |
| Payment | One-off | One-off | Fixed quote |
| Maintenance | Optional | Optional | To be agreed |
If your project fits a pack, the price is what you see. If it does not (online shop, special features, many pages), I send a fixed quote in writing. Everything is on the pricing page. Prices are in euros and include Spanish VAT; if you are a business based outside Spain, ask me how it applies to you.
What the price of a website depends on
What changes a quote most is not the technology, it is the scope:
- Number of pages: a one-page presentation is not the same as twelve.
- Design: adapting a template or designing from scratch.
- Content: whether you already have copy and photos or they must be created.
- Features: forms, bookings, online shop, private area, several languages.
- Starting SEO: structure, titles, speed, business details.
- Who looks after it afterwards: whether you update it or need maintenance.
The more the list includes, the higher the price, and that is fair. What is not fair is not knowing what your quote includes.
Extras that tend to hide
Before signing, ask in writing about these:
- Domain and hosting: included? How much per year? In whose name?
- Copy and photos: do you supply them, do they write them, is there an extra cost?
- Legal pages and cookies: a legal notice, privacy policy and cookie policy are needed on a site that collects data or uses analytics. Ask who prepares them and who reviews them.
- Mobile version and speed: must be included, not an "extra".
- Forms and email: they must work and messages must reach your inbox.
- Backups and updates: who does them and how often?
- Translations: each language adds content and review work.
- Changes after delivery: how many are included and what does each one cost afterwards?
- Ownership: the site must end up in your name, with your logins.
An honest quote lists all of this. If it does not, surprises are normal later.
Pack, template or tailor-made: how to choose
- A fixed pack (like mine): ideal if you need a clear, fast website now, at a known cost. It works well for freelancers and service businesses.
- A bigger site (Professional): when you have several services, want a blog or need more pages to rank each service.
- Tailor-made: if there is a shop, bookings, integrations or special requirements.
You do not need the biggest one. You need the one that brings enquiries.
How to compare three quotes
Make a table with one row per item and one column per company. Compare:
| Item | Included? | Extra cost? |
|---|---|---|
| Number of pages | ||
| Mobile-friendly design | ||
| Copy and photos | ||
| Domain and hosting | ||
| Basic SEO (titles, structure, speed) | ||
| Legal pages and cookies | ||
| Forms and email | ||
| Training to update it | ||
| Changes after delivery | ||
| Maintenance |
Cheap gets expensive if half the table is missing.
A (hypothetical) example of two quotes
An academy in Guadalajara asks two suppliers for a quote.
- Supplier 1: "Corporate website" at a very low price. It does not say how many pages, does not mention copy or photos and does not clarify the domain.
- Supplier 2: a higher price, with the number of pages, lead time, who writes the copy, what happens with the domain and how many changes are included after delivery.
The first looks cheaper until the questions arrive: what about the copy? the domain? the form? Each answer may be an extra. The second costs more today, but you know what you pay for. (It is an invented case to illustrate, not a real client.)
The cost that is not in the quote: your time
A website needs copy, photos, decisions and approvals from you. If you are short on time, say so from the start. It is better to agree who writes what before beginning than to find out with the clock already running.
A website is not finished on launch day
After launch you need updates, backups and, if you want to grow, SEO and content. That is why my payment is one-off and maintenance is optional: you decide. If what you want is to be found, look at my web design and SEO services too: a beautiful website nobody sees is not an investment, it is a brochure in a drawer.
Questions I always get
Can I start with the Essential pack and expand later? It depends on your project and on what you want to add. We talk it through before starting and I put it in writing.
Does the price include VAT? My published packs do: 997 € and 1,897 € are VAT included.
How long does it take? The packs take 3-4 weeks, provided you get me the copy and photos on time.
What if I need an online shop? It is not in the packs. A shop has more variables (products, payments, shipping, sales terms); tell me your case and we will assess it as a tailor-made project.
Summary
- The price depends on scope, not only technology.
- Get everything in writing: what is and is not included.
- Compare in a table, item by item.
- A cheap, limited website can cost you more than a well-defined one.
- Choose what you need today, with room to grow tomorrow.
Get your free diagnosis
If you already have a website, I will prepare a one-page report on what is holding it back and what I would do. If you are starting from scratch, tell me your idea and I will tell you which pack fits. Reply within 48 working hours, no commitment.
Miguel Ángel
I design websites and brands in Guadalajara, Spain. About me
