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What does the cost of a website depend on?

The items that set the price of a local business website, the yearly costs and the questions to ask for a quote.

Published 27 October 2026 · Updated 27 October 2026

In short

  1. What mainly sets the price is the number of pages and who prepares the content; a "stylish" design alone does not decide it.
  2. Besides the setup cost, some items are paid every year: domain, hosting and maintenance.
  3. When you get a quote, ask in writing that the domain, the site and the accounts are in your name.

What should a local business website do?

A customer from your neighbourhood usually reaches your site on a phone, after seeing you on Google or Maps. They expect three things from it: to understand what you do, to feel they can trust you and to reach you right away (call, WhatsApp, directions). A site of a few pages that does these three things well brings more work than a slow site with dozens of pages.

Items that set the cost

  • Number of pages and structure: one page, or a separate page for each service and each area? Separate service pages tell both customers and Google clearly what you do, but every page is work.
  • Content: will you provide the text and photos, or will the agency prepare them? Real photos and text specific to your business are often the largest item.
  • Ready-made theme or custom design: a theme is cheaper but can make you look the same as other businesses; custom design costs more.
  • Features: add-ons such as booking, online payment, multiple languages or a product catalogue raise the cost. If you do not need them, do not pay for them.
  • Speed and mobile fit: Google mostly looks at the mobile version when indexing and ranking sites. A site that does not open quickly on a phone loses customers, however good it looks.
  • SEO basics: page titles, descriptions, internal links and a name, address and phone that match your Business Profile. Done at setup, these cost less than fixing them later.

What you pay every year

  • Domain (e.g. yourbusiness.com): renewed every year.
  • Hosting: the server the site runs on.
  • Maintenance: updates, backups, security, small text and price changes. Sites without maintenance end up with pages that do not open and security problems.

Ask when you get a quote

  1. In whose name will the domain and hosting be registered? (They should be in yours.)
  2. When the site is finished, will the admin passwords and files be handed over to you?
  3. How fast does it open on a phone? Open a site they made before on your own phone and try it.
  4. Who will prepare the text and photos?
  5. Are the yearly costs (domain, hosting, maintenance) included in the quote?
  6. Will the site show the same name, address and phone as your Business Profile?

Common mistakes

  • Registering the domain in the name of the agency or an acquaintance, and losing the site when you part ways.
  • Accepting a site that looks good only on desktop and opens slowly on a phone.
  • Hiding the phone and WhatsApp buttons at the very bottom of the page.
  • Showing a different address or phone on the site and on the Business Profile.

Sources

The information above was taken from these pages on the date shown and may change.

Outside Türkiye we design and build websites, priced by written quote: see website design or contact us.