What does a website cost? It is one of the questions we hear most often, and one of the hardest to answer briefly. Market prices range from a few hundred kroner a month for do-it-yourself tools to several hundred thousand kroner for large custom solutions. Both can be the right price. It depends on what you need, who does the work and what is actually included.
In this guide we cover why prices vary so much, which routes you can take, what drives the price, which running costs people forget, and most importantly, when you do not need a new website at all.
Why do prices vary so much?
Asking what a website costs is a bit like asking what a vehicle costs. An electric scooter and a van both get you from A to B, but they solve completely different needs. The same goes for websites.
Three things explain most of the price differences:
- Scope: a simple page with contact details requires far less work than a site with many subpages, articles and product listings
- Complexity: booking, payments, logins, multiple languages and integrations with other systems increase both development time and testing
- Who does the work: your own time, a freelancer or a team of specialists are naturally priced differently
What is included also varies a lot. Two quotes for a website can look identical on paper, but one includes copywriting, images, search engine optimisation and training, while the other only covers the basic setup. Always compare what is included, not just the total.
The three main routes to a new website
Do it yourself
From a few hundred kroner a monthBuilder tools with ready-made templates. You pay little in money, but a lot in your own time.
Freelancer
Often cheaper than an agencyOne professional building for you. Flexible, but vulnerable over time.
Agency
From tens of thousands and upA team covering several disciplines, process and maintenance. Higher price, more predictability.
Do-it-yourself tools
For sole proprietors, newly started businesses and anyone who wants to test an idea without a big investment, builder tools with ready-made templates are a perfectly sensible place to start. They are right for some, and no one should talk you out of that.
- Low and predictable monthly cost
- You get started quickly
- Full control of your own content
- You pay with your own time, and that is rarely free
- Templates can make your site look like everyone else's
- The limitations show up when your needs grow, for example with integrations and more advanced search engine work
Freelancer
A skilled freelancer can give you a lot for your money, and you talk directly to the person doing the work.
- Often lower price than an agency
- Short path from idea to decision
- Personal follow-up
- One person means vulnerability to illness, holidays and a full calendar
- Quality varies a lot, so always ask for references and examples
- Clarify what happens with maintenance after launch, it is often forgotten
Agency
An agency gives you a team covering several disciplines: design, development, content and visibility. You pay more, but you also get process, project management and someone to call when something happens.
- Several specialists look at your solution
- A structured process from needs to launch
- Maintenance and further development can be agreed as a fixed arrangement
- Higher starting price than the other routes
- Quality and working methods vary between agencies too, so ask good questions before you sign
At Adaptify, a business website starts at NOK 25 000, and smaller improvements are handled as small jobs instead of selling you a whole new project.
What drives the price?
Design
A ready-made template is cheapest. Customised design costs more, but makes the site actually look like your business. Fully bespoke design is the most expensive and gives the most freedom.
Content
Copy and images are almost always underestimated. Will you write everything yourself, or should someone interview you and write for you? Good content takes time, and time costs money. At the same time, content is what decides whether the site convinces visitors.
Features
A contact form is simple. Booking, customer logins, online stores and multiple languages are separate work packages that each affect the price.
Integrations
Should the website talk to your accounting system, booking system or a CRM? Integrations are often what separates a small project from a large one.
Maintenance
A website is perishable. Updates, security and small adjustments need to happen regularly, either by you or by your supplier.
Running costs people forget
These come on top of the build itself
- Domain: a small annual cost for your address, for example yourcompany.no
- Hosting: the server space your site lives on, usually a modest monthly cost that varies with the solution
- Maintenance: updates, security and bug fixes, either as a fixed agreement or billed hourly
- Licences: some tools, plugins and image services have their own subscriptions
Always ask for a quote that clearly separates one-time costs from running costs. That way you avoid surprises in year two.
Do you actually need a new website?
Here we want to be honest about something the industry rarely says out loud: many people who think they need a new website do not. Often two or three specific things are stopping the site from doing its job, and they can be fixed as targeted improvements at a fraction of the price of a new site.
Improvements are often enough when:
- The site is slow, but the content and structure are good
- The design is fine, but the copy does not explain what you actually offer
- The site works poorly on mobile, but is otherwise solid
- You lack visibility in Google, not a new site
A new website makes sense when:
- The technology is so old that updates are no longer possible or responsible
- Your business has changed significantly since the site was built
- The structure is so messy that patching costs more than rebuilding
- You need features your current solution cannot support
Not sure? Start with a free analysis of your website. You get a concrete picture of what actually needs doing, before you spend a single krone.
Ask the agency this before you sign
What is included in the price?
Ask for a concrete list: design, copy, images, search engine optimisation, training and number of subpages. Ambiguity here is a common source of conflict.
Who owns the domain and the content?
Make sure your domain, content and data are yours, and that it says so in the agreement. The rest of the terms vary between providers, so read them before you sign.
What do hosting and maintenance cost per year?
Get the running costs on the table before you sign, not after launch.
Can I update the content myself?
You should be able to change text and images without paying for every small adjustment.
What happens if I want to switch suppliers?
A clear answer here says a lot about the supplier. You should be able to take your website with you without drama.
An honest summary
A website can cost anything from a few hundred kroner a month to several hundred thousand kroner, and every level can be right for someone. The most important thing is not choosing the most expensive or the cheapest option, but knowing what you need, what is included and what it costs to run over time.
And remember: no serious supplier should tell you that you need a new website before they have looked at the one you have.
Not sure what your website should cost?
We give you an honest assessment of whether you need a new website, or whether targeted improvements are enough. Business websites from NOK 25 000, and small jobs when that is all you need.