Two quotes for "a website" can differ by ten times, and both can be fair. The price depends on what's actually being built. These are the things that make the biggest difference.
1. Number and type of pages
A five-page business site (Home, About, Services, Gallery, Contact) is much less work than a site with dozens of pages, course listings or a blog. Ask what pages are included.
2. Selling online or not
An online store needs products, cart, checkout, payments (UPI, cards, cash on delivery), order emails and an admin panel. That's significantly more than a site that only shows information.
3. Custom design or a template
A template is quicker and cheaper. A custom design takes longer but fits your brand exactly and stands out. Both can look professional.
4. Code or no-code
No-code tools (WordPress, Shopify, Webflow) get you live faster and are easy to update yourself. Custom code costs more up front but suits unique features and high performance.
5. Content
Who writes the text and provides photos? If the developer has to write copy, take photos or design a logo, that adds to the cost.
6. Extra features
Booking systems, logins, multiple languages, donation forms with receipts, or links to other software each add work. List the features you really need on day one.
7. Running costs
Remember the yearly costs: domain name, hosting, email and any paid plugins. Ask for these separately so there are no surprises.
How to compare quotes fairly
- Ask each person to list the pages and features included.
- Check who owns the website, domain and accounts afterwards. It should be you.
- Ask what happens after launch: fixes, small changes and support.
- Look at their live work, not just screenshots.