The price of a website doesn't start with how much it costs, but with how much you lose if you choose badly. Most websites aren't bad because they're ugly, but because they don't bring in clients. And this is the point where the “cheap solution” actually becomes the most expensive decision. In this article I show how much a website realistically costs, what you actually get for your money, and what most people completely overlook.
Short answer: how much does a website cost?
In Hungary, a proper 5-page website starts at about 300,000 HUF if every important element is included.
This usually includes:
- copywriting
- design
- development
- domain and hosting setup
- basic SEO
- maintenance
If any of these is missing, it will usually come back to bite you later.
What really determines the price of a website?
In most quotes you see how many pages the website has. In reality this is the least important factor. What really matters is whether there's a well-thought-out structure behind it, who writes the copy and how, how well it's tailored to your customers, and whether the site is technically sound.
My own experience is that most websites don't go wrong in development, but right at the start, when things aren't properly thought through.
The biggest mistake: a template plus random copy
Most websites today are made by picking a nice template, filling it with some copy, and that's it. At first glance it works, but in reality it wouldn't matter which company's website you were looking at.
You can't force one template onto every business.
A website works if it:
- understands how your business works
- understands how your customers think
- and can translate this into a simple, clear structure
Cheap website = expensive decision
This is the part most quotes leave out.
A cheap website may be finished quickly and look good, but if it doesn't bring in clients, it's worth nothing. The problem isn't the price, it's that there's no thinking behind it.
Why don't most websites bring in clients?
Most websites don't fail because of the design, but because they:
- talk about themselves, not about the problem
- have no clear next step
- don't think from the customer's point of view
Most websites are an introduction page, when really they should be a sales tool.
I've also written about this separately:
Why isn't your website bringing in clients?
The technical background many people underestimate
Design and copy on their own aren't enough. If tracking isn't set up properly, the site is slow, or the images aren't optimised, you won't see what works and what doesn't.
Related articles:
Meta Pixel Installation Guide: Bricks and Elementor
Optimizing Images for Websites – The Best Method I Use
Basic or premium website: what's the difference?
I offer two directions.
Basic look:
- clean design
- fast delivery
- focus on function
Premium look:
- more bespoke design
- more fine-tuning
- stronger brand building
Important: a website doesn't get better by being prettier, but by working better.
How long does it take to create a website?
Realistically, building a website takes about 1 month. That's because the structure has to be thought through, the copy has to be written, and it has to be developed so that it actually works.
Projects that take a few days usually lack exactly this thinking part.
Frequently asked questions about website prices
Why is there such a big difference between prices?
Because you don't get the same thing. There's a huge difference between a template site and a well-thought-out website.
Is it worth choosing a cheaper website?
In the short term yes, in the long term usually not.
Why does a custom website cost more?
Because it isn't just put together; there's a well-thought-out system behind it.
Summary: the question isn't the price, it's the result
The price of a website isn't a single number. It depends on how well it's thought through, how well it's tailored to your customers, and how much it helps your business.
Most websites aren't bad. They're just completely pointless.
If you don't want a “pretty but useless” website
If you'd like to see what this would look like for you, request a quote.
We'll discuss:
- what you actually need
- how your customers think
- and what kind of website could really deliver results
