A one-page site, a four-language company website and a shop involve different work. Cost depends on the agreed pages, functions, content and ongoing responsibilities. A fixed package can be valid when those boundaries are explicit; an estimate needs its assumptions stated. Use this guide to compare the scope behind the total.
This guide explains what drives the cost, which one-off and recurring items belong in a budget, and how to read a quote so that you can compare offers fairly. It names no fixed prices for websites, because the scope decides the total. At the end we explain how Marina IT charges, so that you can judge the effort yourself.
How much does a website cost? Why there is no single price
Asking what a website costs is a bit like asking what a building extension costs. A small room and a second floor are both extensions, but they are different jobs. In the same way, a page with your opening hours, a company site with a dozen pages and a shop with payments and shipping each need a different amount of planning, building, writing and testing. Price lists you find online usually cover only the simplest case, and often leave out the texts, the photos, the languages and the running costs.
Templates and authoring tools can reduce some work, but the business facts, structure, content rights, translations and testing still need responsible decisions and review. Ask what the provider will supply, what you must approve and which parts are excluded. The word complete is not a substitute for an agreed list of deliverables.
What affects the price of a website: the main cost drivers
These are the factors that move the total most. Each row can be small or large, so the only reliable way to a realistic figure is to describe your own situation.
Treat the table as a list of questions to answer before you ask for quotes. The clearer your answers, the more comparable the offers will be and the less likely you are to meet a surprise later.
| Cost driver | What to clarify | Effect on the effort |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | How many pages, and which functions such as contact form, booking, shop or customer area | More pages and functions mean more building, content and testing |
| Languages | Which languages, and who writes and checks each version | Every language needs its own texts, menus, forms and metadata |
| Texts and images | Who writes, who photographs, which logo exists | Missing material has to be created or collected first |
| Design | A template adapted to your brand, or a custom layout | Custom layouts take more design and testing time |
| Technical set-up | Domain, hosting, email addresses, links to other tools | Each connection has to be set up and tested |
| Upkeep | Updates, backups, changes after launch | Ongoing work that is charged separately from the build |
A website in four languages: what changes in the cost
On the Costa Blanca many businesses speak to customers in English, German, Dutch and Spanish. A four-language website is not one website with a translation button. It is effectively four sets of content that must stay in step. Every page needs a text in each language, and so do the menu, the buttons, the contact form, the error messages, the page titles and descriptions that search engines show, and the descriptions of images.
That is why languages are one of the biggest cost drivers, and why a quote that simply says multilingual is hard to judge. Ask who writes and who proofreads each version. A machine translation that nobody checks reads awkwardly and can contain mistakes in exactly the places customers look at, such as opening hours or conditions. Also ask how new content is added later, because a change on one page then has to be made in four places.
Budget for every language that the project requires, including later updates, forms, error messages and metadata. For Marina IT content, English, German, Dutch and Spanish must be complete and reviewed in the same change. If one required version is incomplete, hold that content in review rather than using another language as a fallback.
Texts, photos and logo: the part that is easy to forget
Many quotes cover only the build and assume that the content will arrive ready. In practice, texts and images are often what delays a project and what decides whether the site persuades anyone. Good pages answer the questions a customer really has: what do you do, where, for whom, how do I reach you and what happens next. Writing that takes time, whether you do it yourself or someone does it for you.
Photos matter just as much. Pictures of your own work, your team or your premises build more trust than generic images, and you need the right to use whatever you publish. Agree early who supplies what. This checklist helps:
- Texts for each page in every language you want, or an agreement on who writes and who proofreads them.
- Your logo as a file, together with colours and fonts if you already use them.
- Photos you own or have the right to use, ideally of your real work, team or premises.
- Facts that must be correct: address, opening hours, telephone, email and the business details you wish to show.
- Two or three things a visitor should do, such as call, send a message or book.
Domain, hosting and email: what keeps costing after launch
A website is not a one-off purchase. A domain name such as yourbusiness.es is registered for a period and has to be renewed. Hosting, meaning the server space on which the site runs, is normally paid regularly as well. Email addresses under your own domain may be part of a hosting package or charged separately. We name no amounts here because providers, packages and domain endings differ and change. Ask each provider for the current price, the renewal price and the contract period before you sign.
Keep the domain, hosting and recovery contacts under the intended owner’s control. Before choosing a platform, check content export, licence, subscription and transfer limits; account ownership does not make every website portable. Agree who maintains updates, backups and access after launch and what continuing work is included.
How to read a quote: questions to ask before you say yes
Comparing quotes is easier when you compare the same things. A low total can mean that less work is included, and a high total can contain things you do not need. Hourly rates, fixed prices and monthly packages can all be fair, as long as the scope is written down. Read each offer with these questions:
Be cautious about promises that sound too certain, such as a promised first place on Google. Nobody outside the search engine controls the ranking, and Google’s own guidance for site owners makes the same point. A site can be built so that search engines understand it, and that is honest work, but the result depends on competition, content and time.
- What exactly is included: how many pages, which functions, how many languages and how many rounds of changes?
- What do I have to supply, and what happens if the texts or photos arrive late?
- Which costs come on top: domain, hosting, email, paid plugins or licences, photography?
- Is the price fixed, an estimate or charged by time, and what happens if the scope changes?
- Who owns the accounts, the content and the files, and can I take everything with me if I change provider?
- What happens after launch: handover, a short introduction, updates, and who answers when something breaks?
How Marina IT can help
We can help define the scope, plan pages and languages, build the website and check it on actual devices. Agree who supplies and reviews every language, image and business fact. Legal and privacy wording needs the responsible owner or adviser to verify it against the real business and data flows in every language. A translated template is not that approval.
Marina IT is based in Adsubia. Website and SEO work costs €69 per hour (€17.25 per 15 minutes), billed in 15-minute steps plus 21% IVA. This specialist rate applies to website and SEO work regardless of whether it is discussed remotely or in person. Materials, external subscriptions and any regional travel are clarified separately beforehand. The total depends on the agreed scope; indexing, rankings and enquiries cannot be guaranteed.
Questions about this guide
How much does a simple website cost?
There is no honest standard figure, because even a small site depends on the number of pages, the languages and whether texts and photos are ready. Ask for a quote that lists the scope and the running costs. With us, work is charged by time at €69 per hour plus 21 % IVA, so the total follows the effort once we know your scope.
Why is a website in four languages more expensive?
Every language needs its own texts, menus, forms and page descriptions, and someone should proofread each version. The structure is built once, but the content is multiplied, and later changes have to be made in each language.
Which running costs come after the website is online?
Typically the domain renewal, hosting, email if it is charged separately, and upkeep such as updates and backups. Amounts differ by provider, so ask for the current and the renewal prices before signing.
Can I save money by writing the texts and choosing the photos myself?
Often yes, because content is a large part of the work. Short, clear texts and photos you may use save time. If you are unsure, ask for help with the structure and the proofreading, which is usually less effort than writing everything from scratch.
Is a website builder cheaper than having a website made?
It can be, if you have time and your needs are simple. You then pay mainly with your own time and the builder’s subscription, and you depend on that platform. For several languages, special functions or a site that should grow, having it set up properly often saves trouble. The choice depends on your time and requirements, not on a general rule.