How to compare website design quotes: 10 questions to ask

A cheap quote may cover fewer pages, supplied copy only, or a single language. A higher quote may include work you do not need. Ask each provider to answer the same list in writing before comparing totals. “SEO included” and “maintenance included” are not detailed enough on their own.

• Which named pages, languages and mobile layouts are included?
• Who writes the copy and supplies or licenses the images?
• How many revision rounds are included, and what counts as one round?
• Does SEO include page titles, canonical links, crawl access, a sitemap and redirects from old URLs?
• Are forms tested through delivery, and which external services remain separate?
• What are hosting, domain renewal, tax and third-party subscription costs?
• Which changes can I make myself, and which are billed later?
• Who owns the domain and receives the site files?
• What happens to the site, files and domain if I cancel?
• What triggers the delivery date, and what must I approve before payment?

Use this worksheet: build and setup fees + 36 × monthly fees + 3 × annual fees + domain renewals + required extras + applicable tax. Do not count the same hosting fee twice when it is already included in the monthly plan. Use a shorter time period if you expect to close or replace the site sooner.

Separate optional work from essential work. Additional languages, new photography, extra pages and migration can change the quote. Ask for a price before those tasks begin. A one-time build and a subscription also have different cancellation and handover terms; equal totals do not make those terms equal.

This table compares responsibilities, not prices. Plans differ by provider and change over time, so check each provider’s current written terms. No option suits everyone: a do-it-yourself builder fits owners who want to edit everything themselves, an industry platform fits businesses that rely on its booking or ordering features, and a small studio fits owners who want the writing, design and launch handled for them.

Using only Arupix’s published English prices over 36 months: monthly, 36 × US$79 = US$2,844; one-time, US$1,290 build + 3 × US$200 hosting = US$1,890. Hosting is already inside both figures, so it is not added again.

Not included in these totals: domain registration and renewal (paid to your registrar), applicable tax, the optional editor, extra pages and fees for external booking or ordering services. The totals assume the site stays live for the whole period; they are not a minimum term or a quote.

Arupix’s English offer is US$79/month with hosting included, or US$1,490 for the first year (US$1,290 build plus US$200 hosting), then US$200/year hosting. Both cover up to five pages and five revision rounds before launch. Your domain renewal and additional work should be confirmed in the written quote. See the pricing page for current terms.

Ownership and cancelling: your domain stays registered in your name. On the monthly plan you can cancel by email at any time, and the site is taken down; on the one-time option you receive the website files at launch. A content editor is optional and agreed before work begins, and changes after launch are agreed in writing, with scope and cost, before any work.

Compare identical pages, languages and responsibilities, then add the ongoing costs over the same period. Check ownership and cancellation separately from price.