The verdict in three sentences
For an architecture firm in New York, a premium portfolio website costs between $7,500 and $17,500 (7,000 to 16,000 EUR) in 2026, excluding photography ($1,300 to $3,300). The budget depends on three concrete items: the number of projects published (30 to 60), image quality and loading performance (project pages under 1.5 MB thanks to AVIF). A $2,000 template is enough to exist online, but it will not win a competition or convince a private developer comparing three firms in ten minutes.
What a client checks before calling you
A competition jury or a private developer does not read your firm statement. They browse your references by typology (multifamily housing, public buildings, commercial, adaptive reuse), look at floor area, construction cost, completion year and image quality. If the page takes four seconds to load on a phone on the subway, they move on to the next firm.
The site must therefore be designed as a filterable portfolio, not a brochure. Each project page carries a data block (program, gross floor area, construction cost, client, scope of services, status), 8 to 15 images, a site plan and a short design statement. Filters by typology, by borough or city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, New Jersey) and by status (competition winner, completed, under construction) make the difference when you submit a qualification package.
| Project page element | Template level | Premium level |
|---|---|---|
| Data (area, construction cost, scope) | Free text | Structured, filterable fields |
| Images per project | 3 to 5 | 8 to 15 with drawings |
| Image format | JPEG 1 to 3 MB | AVIF/WebP, 150 to 300 KB |
| Average project page weight | 6 to 12 MB | Under 1.5 MB |
| Filters (typology, city, status) | None or a single category | 3 combinable filters |
| Second language version | No | Yes, useful for international competitions |
| PDF export of the reference | No | Auto-generated PDF sheet |
Template, design studio or web agency: the real gaps
A firm of 5 to 25 people has three options. A template (Squarespace, WordPress portfolio theme) is cheap but shares its layout with thousands of sites. A design studio often delivers outstanding art direction but subcontracts development, which weakens performance and maintenance. A web agency combines design, development, SEO and hosting in one contract.
| 2026 criterion | Portfolio template | Design studio | Premium web agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial budget | $1,600 to $3,800 | $6,500 to $13,000 | $7,500 to $17,500 |
| Projects published at launch | 10 to 20 | 20 to 40 | 30 to 60 |
| Custom art direction | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile performance (Lighthouse score) | 40 to 70 | 50 to 80 | 90 and above |
| Local SEO (architect New York) | Basic | Rarely handled | Included |
| Delivery time | 2 to 3 weeks | 8 to 14 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Annual maintenance | $220 to $450 | Variable, often external | $1,000 to $2,600 |
On top of these amounts comes the photo shoot: $1,300 to $3,300 for one day with an architectural photographer, depending on the number of buildings and retouching. Many firms already have competition images or 3D renderings, so the photo budget can be limited to the 5 or 6 flagship projects.
How to frame the budget without overruns
The item that drifts most is project data entry. Publishing 45 references with data, edited images and text takes 30 to 50 hours. Two options: the agency handles it (plan an extra $1,600 to $3,300) or a firm employee enters content in the back office after a two-hour training. The second scenario lowers the quote but often delays launch by several weeks.
The second lever is phasing: launch with 30 projects and add the rest over the following months. The site stays fresh, which Google rewards, and the firm keeps a steady publishing pace, for example one reference every two weeks.
Mini case study
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Sophie, a partner at a 12-person architecture firm in New York, wants more private development work. Her selected quote: premium site $12,500, shoot of 6 projects $2,400, data entry of 40 references by the agency $2,200, a total of $17,100, plus $1,600 per year for maintenance and hosting. If the site helps win a single multifamily commission with $4.4M in construction cost and a 10% fee, or $440,000, the investment is under 4% of one project's fees. Even with an estimated 20% contribution, the return remains more than five times the outlay.
FAQ
How much does an architecture firm website cost in 2026?
Plan $1,600 to $3,800 for a template and $7,500 to $17,500 (7,000 to 16,000 EUR) for a custom premium site. Photography comes on top, between $1,300 and $3,300 depending on the number of buildings.
How many projects should we publish?
Between 30 and 60 references cover most firms. Beyond that, select the most representative per typology and archive the rest in a simple list.
Why does AVIF matter for a portfolio?
An AVIF image weighs 50 to 70% less than a JPEG of equivalent quality. A 12-image project page drops from 8 MB to under 1.5 MB, which makes it usable on mobile data.
What timeline should we expect?
Plan 6 to 10 weeks for a premium site, including 2 weeks of art direction. Collecting images and project data on the firm's side is often the limiting factor.
Do we need a second language?
Yes if you enter international competitions or work with foreign investors. It usually adds 15 to 20% to the initial budget.
Let's scope your project. Send us your reference list and your goal (competitions, private development), and we will price the scope, the budget and a 6 to 10 week schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
