How much does a website cost for a small business?
How much does a website cost? In France in 2026 the honest answer is a range: from almost nothing if you build it yourself, to a few thousand euros with a freelancer, to much more with an agency. This article gives the real price ranges from French sources, the yearly costs that quotes often leave out, and a short checklist so you can compare two quotes properly.
The short answer: three price levels
Most small businesses choose between three ways to get a website. The ranges below are for a showcase site (a site that presents your company and gets people to contact you), without online sales.
| Option | Typical price | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself on a platform (for example Wix) | 0 to about 360 € per year, all included | Freelancers, small shops, simple portfolios |
| Freelancer | 1,000 to 5,000 € for 5 to 10 pages | A small business that wants a tailored site on a moderate budget |
| Web agency | 2,000 to 15,000 € and more | Larger brands, complex projects |
These figures come from a price guide by Wix (June 2026), so keep in mind that Wix sells the do-it-yourself option. A 2026 price grid by the agency Beyond the Brackets is close but a little lower for the smallest sites: 800 to 2,500 € from a freelancer and 2,500 to 8,000 € from an agency for a site of 1 to 5 pages. Prices are higher in Paris than in the regions, and you should always check whether a quote is with or without VAT.
What makes the price go up or down
Four things explain most of the gap between two quotes.
- Pages and features. A 5-page site costs much less than a 20-page one. A contact form, a second language, a blog, bookings or payments each add work.
- Design. A ready-made theme (50 to 150 € for a premium WordPress theme) is the cheapest route. A design drawn from scratch usually costs three to five times more but is unique.
- Content. Texts, photos and video are the item people forget. One agency estimates that good content can be 20 to 30 % of the budget. If the quote does not say who writes the texts and takes the photos, you will pay for it later.
- Maintenance. Updates, backups, security and small edits. They are not a one-time cost.
The costs after launch
A website is not paid once. The same Wix guide lists the yearly lines that often miss from the first quote:
| Item | Do it yourself (Wix) | Freelancer or agency (WordPress) |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name (.fr) | 10 to 15 € per year | 10 to 15 € per year |
| Hosting | Included | 5 to 30 € per month |
| Security certificate (SSL) | Included | Free or paid |
| Maintenance and updates | Included | 50 to 200 € per month |
Maintenance plans for small business sites can be cheaper than that: one provider listed on the French government site Francenum advertises plans from 28 to 90 € a month. The point is not the exact number. The point is to ask: who updates my site, how often, and what does it cost every month?
How to choose: yourself, a freelancer or an agency
There is no universal answer, only the one that fits your situation.
- Under 500 € a year and a simple site: build it yourself on a platform. You pay with your time, not with money.
- A tailored site, a clear brief and a moderate budget: a freelancer, who also gives you one person to talk to.
- A complex project with several skills involved: an agency, when you need a contract, a team and tight deadlines.
Do not look for the cheapest option. A site at 1,500 € that brings no requests ends up costing more than a site at 4,000 € that brings clients. Before asking for quotes, write down what the site must do: “I want a site” is not a brief, “I want people in my town to call me for a quote” is.
What a good quote must show
Whatever the price, a quote you can compare answers these questions in writing:
- How many pages, and which ones?
- Which languages, and who translates?
- Who writes the texts and who takes the photos?
- How many rounds of changes are included?
- Are the domain name and hosting included, and in whose name are they registered?
- Can you edit the site yourself afterwards?
- What does maintenance cost, and what does it cover?
- How long will it take, and what do you need to provide?
If a quote cannot answer these, the cheap price is probably hiding extra invoices.
What we charge at Castel Studio
We are a studio in Nice run by its founder. Our prices are listed openly in the catalogue: a single-page landing page from 490 €, a business website from 790 €, an online shop from 1,790 € and monthly website care from 49 € a month. These are starting prices, and the written quote fixes the final price before any work begins. We do not charge VAT (micro-business status, art. 293 B of the French tax code).
Each quote states the pages, the languages, the texts, the revision rounds and what is not included, so you can put it next to any other quote. If you are not sure what you need, describe your business in a few lines and we will answer with a plan and a price in writing within 48 hours.
Questions
How much does a simple business website cost?
A simple showcase site of 5 to 10 pages usually costs between 1,000 and 5,000 € from a freelancer in France, and a lot more from an agency. If you build it yourself on a platform like Wix, the first year costs between 0 and about 360 €. The right figure depends on how many pages and languages you need and who writes the texts.
What does a website cost per year after it is built?
Plan for a domain name (about 10 to 15 € a year for a .fr), hosting if it is not included (5 to 30 € a month on WordPress) and maintenance (28 to 200 € a month depending on the plan). Many quotes leave these lines out, so ask for them in writing.
Is it cheaper to build a website myself?
Yes, in money. A drag-and-drop platform can cost under 500 € a year all included. The real price is your time: texts, photos, structure, search settings and legal pages. If you have the time and the site is simple, it is a good start.
Why do two quotes for the same website differ so much?
Because they are rarely for the same website. The number of pages, languages, custom design, written texts, photos and the maintenance included change the total. Compare the list of what is included, not only the final number.