This is probably the question I get asked most often, and also the one most professionals dodge with vague answers. After more than 11 years building WordPress websites for agencies and direct clients, I decided to publish an honest answer, with real price ranges.
If you’re considering investing in a professional WordPress website in 2026, this article gives you what you need to make an informed decision.
Why nobody gives clear prices
There are three main reasons for the opacity. First: every project is different, and giving a price without context can either scare clients off or mislead them. Second: many professionals fear losing a deal if the client sees the price before a conversation. Third, and more honestly: some charge based on what they think the client can pay, not on the actual work involved.
I prefer the opposite approach. The clearer the price upfront, the faster we can both figure out whether we’re a good fit, and the less time we waste.
The 4 project types and what each one costs
1. Custom corporate website (€1,500 – €3,500)
A company presentation website with 5 to 10 pages, contact form, basic SEO setup, and responsive design. Built with a custom theme or child theme, not a page builder. Includes ACF for dynamic content and proper Google Analytics 4 and Search Console setup.
What drives the price up or down: number of pages, animation complexity, CRM integrations, multilingual requirements, and whether design is provided or needs to be created from scratch.
2. WooCommerce (€4,000 – €12,000)
An online store with catalogue, checkout, inventory management, and payment gateway integration (Stripe, PayPal, or local methods). Includes performance optimisation, tax and shipping configuration, and basic training for product management.
Projects above €8,000 typically involve ERP integrations, certified invoicing, complex product variations, or B2B functionality (per-customer pricing, volume discounts).
3. Custom corporate portal (€8,000 – €25,000+)
This is where we enter intensive development territory. Portals with private areas, integrations with external databases (SQL Server, Oracle), SSO authentication, custom REST APIs, and complex workflow processes.
The price depends almost entirely on the number and complexity of integrations. A portal that talks to SharePoint, an ERP, and a legacy system can easily exceed €20,000, and for good reason.
4. Migration or rebuild (€2,500 – €8,000)
Migrating an existing site from Elementor or Divi to a custom theme, for example. Or moving from a different platform (Wix, Squarespace) to WordPress. Includes SEO preservation, redirects, and typically significant performance improvements.
The price varies mostly with the volume of content to migrate and the complexity of the original site.
What makes the price go up or down
- Design: provided (-), needs to be created (+), involves multiple revision rounds (++)
- Integrations: CRM, ERP, email marketing tools, booking systems
- Multilingual: typically adds 20-30% to the base value
- Performance requirements: green Core Web Vitals take optimisation time
- Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is additional work but increasingly mandatory
- Deadline: extreme urgency can add 15-25%
Why a €800 website will cost you €5,000 in 2 years
I see this over and over. A client hires someone cheap, gets a website rushed together in Elementor or a ThemeForest template. For 6 months, it seems to work. Then the problems start.
The site gets slow. Plugins conflict with each other. A WordPress update breaks the layout. Contact forms stop sending emails. Google starts penalising SEO because of disastrous Core Web Vitals.
When the client contacts me, there are two options: either I charge €1,500-2,500 in fixes (which are always palliative), or we rebuild from scratch for €3,500-5,000. Adding this to the initial invoice, the total cost exceeds what they’d have paid for a proper job done right the first time.
What should be included in a professional quote
- Clear delivery timeline (never “when it’s ready”)
- Phased payment plan (typically 40/60 or 30/30/40)
- Number of revisions included
- What happens if the client wants changes outside the scope
- Full ownership transfer (you own the site, not the developer)
- Training or documentation to manage content
- Post-launch warranty period (30-60 days)
What about maintenance?
A point rarely on the initial quote but it should be. Professional monthly maintenance (core updates, plugins, security, backups, monitoring) ranges between €40 and €150 per month depending on site criticality. For a WooCommerce, I’d say below €80/month you’re cutting corners in places you shouldn’t.
Conclusion: the right price respects the value the site gives you
If your website is the main lead source for your business, investing €800 in it is absurd. If it’s just a basic online presence for a local activity, paying €15,000 is also absurd.
The right question isn’t “how much does a website cost”. It’s “what’s the right website worth for my business, and what’s the expected return in the first year?”. From that answer, the budget works itself out.
If you need a quote for your project, let’s talk directly. I respond within 24h with a clear, no-surprises proposal.
