Website Price Guide for Startups: What to Expect

I've talked to hundreds of startups about website costs. Most have no idea what to expect. They've heard everything from "you can build it yourself for free" to "professional sites cost €50,000." The truth is somewhere in between, and it depends on what you actually need.

After building websites for dozens of startups, here's what I've learned about realistic pricing—and how to avoid the common mistakes that cost startups money.

The Reality: What Startups Actually Pay

Let me break down what startups actually pay, based on real projects:

DIY Website Builders (Wix, Squarespace):

• Cost: €10-30/month
• Reality: Looks cheap, performs poorly, limits growth
• Hidden costs: Premium features, better hosting, custom domains
• True cost: €200-500/year, plus limitations

Freelancer Development:

• Cost: €1,500-5,000 one-time
• Reality: Inconsistent quality, limited support, unpredictable
• Hidden costs: Fixes, updates, maintenance, rebuilds
• True cost: €3,000-10,000+ over first year

Agency Development:

• Cost: €5,000-15,000 one-time
• Reality: Professional quality, but expensive upfront
• Hidden costs: Ongoing maintenance, updates, hosting
• True cost: €7,000-20,000+ over first year

Fixed-Price Packages (Like TEDECA):

• Cost: €49,99-249/month
• Reality: Professional quality, predictable costs, ongoing support
• Included: Development, hosting, maintenance, updates
• True cost: €600-3,000/year, all-inclusive

Most startups start with DIY builders, realize they need something better, then pay more to rebuild. The "cheap" option ends up costing more.

The True Cost: Beyond Development

Most startups only think about development cost. But the true cost includes:

Development:

• Design and development
• Content creation
• Integration work
• Quality assurance

Hosting & Infrastructure:

• Web hosting
• Domain registration
• SSL certificates
• CDN services

Ongoing Costs:

• Maintenance (security updates, bug fixes)
• Updates (new features, improvements)
• Support (help when things break)
• Content management (if you're updating content regularly)

Hidden Costs:

• Rebuilds (when the cheap option doesn't work)
• Fixes (when things break)
• Training (learning how to use the system)
• Lost opportunities (when the site doesn't perform)

I've seen startups spend €2,000 on a "cheap" site, then spend €8,000 rebuilding it 6 months later. The cheap option wasn't cheaper.

Budget Ranges: What You Get

Let me break down what you get at different price points:

Basic Website (€2,000-4,000)

What you get:

• Simple design
• 3-5 pages
• Basic functionality
• Mobile responsive
• Basic SEO

What you don't get:

• Custom features
• Advanced integrations
• E-commerce
• Performance optimization
• Ongoing support

Best for: Very early-stage startups, simple needs, testing ideas

Professional Website (€4,000-8,000)

What you get:

• Professional design
• 5-10 pages
• Custom features
• Performance optimization
• Basic integrations
• SEO foundation

What you don't get:

• Complex e-commerce
• Advanced custom development
• Extensive integrations
• Ongoing support (usually)

Best for: Most startups, growing businesses, professional presence

Enterprise Website (€8,000-15,000+)

What you get:

• Premium design
• Unlimited pages
• Complex features
• Advanced integrations
• E-commerce capability
• Performance optimization
• SEO optimization
• Ongoing support

Best for: Established startups, complex needs, high growth

The Fixed-Price Advantage

Fixed-price packages (like TEDECA's €49,99/month) change the cost structure:

Traditional model:

• €5,000 upfront
• €100/month hosting
• €200/month maintenance
• Year 1: €7,400

Fixed-price model:

• €49,99/month (all-inclusive)
• Year 1: €600

The difference:

• Lower upfront cost (no big payment)
• Predictable monthly cost (no surprises)
• Everything included (hosting, maintenance, support)
• Better cash flow (spread over time)

For startups, fixed-price packages are often better. Lower upfront cost, predictable expenses, everything included.

Common Pricing Mistakes Startups Make

Mistake #1: Choosing the cheapest option Cheap sites cost more long-term. You'll rebuild, fix, and maintain. The cheap option isn't cheaper.

Mistake #2: Only thinking about upfront cost Factor in hosting, maintenance, updates, support. The true cost is higher than development alone.

Mistake #3: Not planning for growth A site that works now might not work in 6 months. Plan for growth, or you'll rebuild.

Mistake #4: Ignoring ongoing costs Sites need maintenance, updates, support. Factor this in, or you'll have unexpected costs.

Mistake #5: Not understanding what's included Make sure you know what's included and what's not. Hidden costs add up.

How to Budget: A Realistic Framework

Here's how I help startups budget:

1. Define your needs:

• What pages do you need?
• What features are essential?
• What can wait?
• What's your timeline?

2. Choose your model:

• DIY (if budget is very limited, but accept limitations)
• Freelancer (if you need custom, but accept risk)
• Agency (if you need professional, but higher cost)
• Fixed-price package (if you want professional with predictable costs)

3. Factor in all costs:

• Development
• Hosting
• Maintenance
• Updates
• Support

4. Plan for growth:

• Will you need more features?
• Will you need to scale?
• Will you need integrations?

5. Compare options:

• Upfront cost
• Ongoing cost
• Total cost over 1-3 years
• What's included
• Quality level

The TEDECA Pricing: Transparent and Predictable

At TEDECA, we offer fixed-price packages:

Starter Plan: €49,99/month

• Complete development
• Professional design
• Basic features
• Hosting included
• Maintenance included
• 30-day guarantee

Business Plan: €79,99/month

• Advanced features
• E-commerce capability
• Enhanced SEO
• Priority support
• Hosting included
• Maintenance included

Enterprise: Custom

• Fully custom
• Complex requirements
• Specialized needs
• Dedicated support

What's included:

• Development (design, build, deploy)
• Hosting (EU-based, fast, secure)
• Maintenance (updates, security, fixes)
• Support (help when you need it)
• Performance optimization
• SEO foundation

What's not included:

• Custom integrations (quoted separately)
• Extensive content creation (we can help, quoted separately)
• Advanced e-commerce (Business plan or custom)

No hidden costs. No surprises. Everything is transparent.

ROI: Why Quality Matters

A cheap website costs more than you think:

Cheap website:

• Cost: €2,000
• Performance: Poor (slow, doesn't convert)
• Maintenance: High (breaks, needs fixes)
• Rebuild: Needed in 6-12 months
• Total cost: €5,000-10,000+ over 2 years

Professional website:

• Cost: €5,000 or €49,99/month
• Performance: Good (fast, converts)
• Maintenance: Low (works, stable)
• Rebuild: Not needed (scales with you)
• Total cost: €5,000-6,000 over 2 years

The professional website costs less long-term and performs better. Quality is cheaper.

The Bottom Line

Website pricing for startups varies widely. But here's what I've learned:

Realistic expectations:

• DIY: €200-500/year (but with limitations)
• Freelancer: €3,000-10,000+ over first year (inconsistent)
• Agency: €7,000-20,000+ over first year (professional, expensive)
• Fixed-price: €600-3,000/year (professional, predictable)

What matters:

• Total cost (not just upfront)
• What's included (not just development)
• Quality level (cheap costs more long-term)
• Growth support (can it scale with you?)

At TEDECA, we offer fixed-price packages starting at €49,99/month. Professional quality, predictable costs, everything included. No surprises, no hidden fees.

If you're a startup looking for realistic website pricing, get your fixed-price quote in 24 hours and let's build something that fits your budget and grows with you.