PRICING & COSTS

What Does a Website Cost — Calculated Honestly?

The most common question in the first call — and the most honest answer is: it depends on what the site needs to do. Here you get the facts to make a decision, not a sales pitch.

FIXED PRICE
Website, hand-coded
from 750 €
net · price is fixed before project start
+ €149/mo.
Maintenance optional · cancel monthly

The Three Classic Options — Compared Honestly

🧱

Website Builder

Wix, Jimdo & Co.: You build it yourself and pay a subscription — permanently. The result often looks like a template, and GDPR details (US services, fonts, cookies) remain your problem.

True cost: your time + a never-ending subscription
👤

Freelancer

A huge range depending on experience and region — from a few hundred euros to four figures. Quality and availability vary widely.

Risk: Who maintains the site in two years?
🏢

Traditional Agency

For custom business websites, mid-four-figure to five-figure sums are typical, often billed by the hour — final price open.

Oversized for many small businesses
Rule of thumb: Never compare just the upfront price. Always calculate creation + ongoing maintenance + your own time over 3 years — that's when offers become honestly comparable.

What Really Drives the Price

scopeOne-pager or 10 subpages? Every page needs content, structure, and maintenance.
contentDo you have texts and photos ready — or do they need to be created? This is often underestimated.
featuresA contact form is standard. Appointment booking, calculators, and chatbots cost extra — but they drive inquiries.
VisibilityA site nobody finds is just decoration. SEO basics belong in every serious offer; AI Visibility (GEO) is becoming a key differentiator.
LegalLegal Notice, Privacy Policy, cookie consent — cutting corners here means saving in the wrong place.
OwnershipMake sure that the domain, code, and content ultimately belong to YOU — not the platform.

The hidden costs

Domain and hosting (ongoing), SSL certificate, software updates, security patches, backups, content updates. And with some website builders — and certain agencies — the realization comes later: "I don't actually fully own this site." Before signing any contract, check who owns the domain and content.

How Runline prices things

from 750 €net · fixed price

Hand-coded (no website builder), SEO- and AI-ready, GDPR-compliant on German servers. Maintenance optionally from €149/month, cancelable monthly. Get your specific price with the configurator in 30 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Isn't a Facebook or Instagram page enough for starters?

As a supplement, yes — as a replacement, no. Social media runs on someone else's rules and algorithms. Your own website is the only digital space you truly own, and the foundation for being found on Google and in AI-generated answers.

Why are the price differences between providers so large?

Because completely different things are being sold: templates vs. custom work, a one-time launch vs. ongoing support, pure aesthetics vs. a site with a sales function. Always compare the scope of services, not just the number.

What does it cost to revamp an existing site rather than build a new one?

It depends on the condition. For technically outdated sites, a rebuild is often cheaper and better than patching things up. Our free website audit shows you where your site stands in 30 seconds.

Are there subsidies available for websites?

Depending on the federal state, there are periodically digitalization grants for small businesses. The programs change regularly — check with your local Chamber of Commerce or trade association for the current status.

Want to know what YOUR site would cost?

The configurator gives you a no-obligation fixed-price estimate in 30 seconds.

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