What a website costs in 2026: an honest breakdown of the options
Freelancer, studio, website builder or a custom build: comparing price, timelines and hidden costs — and explaining where you save and where you overpay.
"What does a website cost" has no answer until it's clear what the website is supposed to do. The spread of prices on the market comes not from greed but from the scope of work: for the same money one person will build a one-pager, another a personal account. Below is an honest picture of the options and the hidden costs.
The market: four options
| Option | Price range | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | Below market | Cheaper than a studio | No guarantees, deadlines or support: they leave — the project is gone |
| Studio | Mid to high | Processes, a contract, support, documentation | More expensive than "one person" |
| Website builder | Yearly subscription | Quick start, you edit content yourself | Template limits, you can't take the site with you |
| Us, the studio lineup | from 7 990 ₽ to 69 990 ₽ | A clear scope of work, domain and hosting for a year, support | The lowest tier uses a ready-made template |
Hidden costs that surface later
- A logo and brand identity: a separate job if you don't have them.
- Copy: writing sales copy isn't "a couple of paragraphs", it's a separate stage.
- Photos: a shoot or stock purchases — almost always on top of the estimate.
- Extra sections and integrations: payments, CRM, 1C, marketplaces.
- Post-launch support: updates, backups, edits.
How not to overpay
- Come with texts and photos ready — that's the biggest "hidden" cost.
- Start with what solves the task now, not with a "site to grow into".
- Compare the scope, not the price: domain, hosting, support, training on how to work with the site.
- Check what happens if you decide to change contractors: access and code must remain yours.
Build a configuration and see the price range
What we've already built: case studies and client websites
If you're unsure between tiers, describe the task in two sentences. We'll suggest the smallest option that gets it done, not the most expensive one.
Facing something similar?
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