The verdict in three sentences
For an architecture firm in Copenhagen, a custom portfolio website costs EUR 9,000 to 22,000 excl. VAT in 2026 (roughly DKK 67,000 to 164,000) and ships in 6 to 9 weeks. The difference with a Squarespace theme at about EUR 300 a year is not design but mobile speed, indexing of project pages and the ability to present a credible reference file to a competition jury. Beyond 3 seconds of load time, 53% of mobile visitors leave, and an unoptimized architect portfolio often exceeds 8 seconds.
What a EUR 9,000 to 22,000 budget includes
An architecture firm's website is first a selection tool. Private developers, clients and public bodies check it before a shortlist, often on a phone. The items below are 2026 orders of magnitude for firms of 8 to 25 people.
| Item | Portfolio package | Competitions and clients package | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art direction and mockups | EUR 2,500 | EUR 5,000 | Editorial grid built for large visuals |
| Filterable project pages | 20 projects: EUR 1,800 | 60 projects: EUR 4,500 | Filters by type, size, status, year |
| AVIF and WebP image optimization | EUR 900 | EUR 2,000 | Average weight divided by 3 |
| CMS for the team | EUR 1,500 | EUR 3,500 | New project added in 15 minutes |
| Studio, team, press, awards pages | EUR 1,300 | EUR 3,000 | Bios, awards, publications |
| Local SEO and structured data | EUR 600 | EUR 2,000 | Project pages indexed by city and type |
| Bilingual (Danish/English) | Not included | EUR 2,000 | Useful for European competitions |
| Indicative total | EUR 9,000 | EUR 22,000 | Photography excluded |
The most profitable item is often the structured project page: one page per project with client, floor area, construction budget, schedule and scope. That is exactly what a competition application asks for, and Google indexes it on queries like housing architect Copenhagen.
Custom build or Squarespace theme: the real comparison
A EUR 300 a year theme remains an honest option for an architect starting out. For a firm targeting competitions and developers, the limits show quickly.
| Criterion | Squarespace theme | Optimized custom site |
|---|---|---|
| First-year cost | EUR 300 to 600 (plan and domain) | EUR 9,000 to 22,000 |
| Following years | EUR 300 to 600 per year | Maintenance EUR 80 to 250 per month |
| Average project page weight | 6 to 12 MB | 1.5 to 3 MB |
| Load time on 4G | 5 to 9 s | 1.5 to 2.5 s |
| Advanced project filters | Limited | Type, size, status, year |
| Indexed project pages | Partial | Full structured data |
| PDF reference export for competitions | No | Optional (EUR 800) |
One number sums it up: if 300 qualified mobile visitors view the site each month and 53% leave before it renders, that is 160 potential prospects lost monthly. A single private project of EUR 400,000 in construction, with 10% fees, represents EUR 40,000, twice the budget of the most complete site.
Timeline: 6 to 9 weeks, provided the visuals are ready
The typical plan is 1 week of scoping, 2 weeks of mockups, 2 to 3 weeks of development and 1 to 2 weeks of content loading. The bottleneck is almost always collecting high-resolution photos and project data: assign a partner as owner and plan 2 hours a week.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Thomas, partner in a 14-person Copenhagen firm focused on multi-family housing and public buildings, leaves a Squarespace theme whose project pages weigh 9 MB. He invests EUR 16,500: 40 filterable project pages, AVIF images, an English version and PDF reference export. Measured after 4 months: mobile load time down from 7.2 s to 1.9 s, average visit duration up 2.1 times, and two inquiries from private developers via the form. If just one turns into a EUR 35,000 fee assignment, the site pays for itself more than twice.
FAQ
What budget for an architecture firm website in 2026?
EUR 9,000 to 22,000 excl. VAT for a firm of 8 to 25 people, photography excluded. The median package, with 30 to 40 filterable project pages, is around EUR 14,000.
How long does it take to go live?
6 to 9 weeks if project visuals and texts are available. Content collection often accounts for 40% of the timeline.
Why does AVIF matter for an architect?
It cuts image weight by about 3 at equal visual quality. A 9 MB project page drops below 3 MB, bringing mobile load time under 2.5 seconds.
Is a Squarespace theme enough?
For an independent architect starting out, yes, at EUR 300 to 600 a year. Beyond 20 projects and once you target competitions and developers, speed and filters become decisive.
What does maintenance cost?
EUR 80 to 250 per month depending on service level: hosting, backups, security updates and 1 to 3 hours of monthly changes.
Let's scope your project. Tell us how many projects you want to showcase and your targets (competitions, developers, private clients): we price the scope, budget and timeline. 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.
