The verdict in three sentences
A website quote is only comparable once broken down by line item: UX/UI, development, content, SEO, maintenance and hosting. In 2026, a serious B2B brochure site runs between 8,000 and 16,000 EUR, delivered in 5 to 9 weeks. What separates a 4,000 quote from a 22,000 one is content scope, design bespokeness and the presence — or absence — of maintenance.
Breaking a quote down line by line
Require every quote to show these lines. A single total hides the dead ends.
| Line item | 2026 range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery & UX | 1,500 - 6,000 EUR | Workshops, wireframes, personas |
| UI design | included / +2,000 | Template vs bespoke |
| Development | 2,500 - 9,000 EUR | CMS, animations, integrations |
| Content & copy | 1,000 - 4,000 EUR | Page count, SEO |
| Technical + on-page SEO | 800 - 3,000 EUR | Audit, markup, links |
| Maintenance | 300 - 900 EUR/mo | SLA, responsiveness |
| Managed hosting | 30 - 120 EUR/mo | EU, CDN, backups |
A quote with no "content" line assumes you write everything: mentally add 1,000 to 4,000 EUR of internal time.
Compare 24-month TCO, not the sticker price
The real comparison is total cost of ownership over 24 months, hosting and maintenance included. The Toronto buyer converts to CAD (≈ 1 EUR = 1.45 CAD, 2026 order of magnitude).
| Scenario | Upfront | Maintenance + hosting 24 mo | 24-month TCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Low cost" quote 4,500 EUR | 4,500 EUR | 0 (no maintenance) | 4,500 EUR + rebuild at 12 mo |
| Median quote 12,000 EUR | 12,000 EUR | (500+70) x 24 = 13,680 | 25,680 EUR |
| Premium quote 22,000 EUR | 22,000 EUR | (900+120) x 24 = 24,480 | 46,480 EUR |
The 4,500 EUR quote looks unbeatable until the forced rebuild at 12 months: its real TCO often exceeds the median.
Mini case study
Sophie, head of a Toulouse trading SME (18 staff), receives three quotes: 4,200, 11,500 and 21,800 EUR. Breaking them down, she finds the first includes neither content (she must write 12 pages) nor maintenance, while the third bills 6,000 EUR of needless animations. She picks the median at 11,500 EUR and negotiates maintenance to 450 EUR/month. Her 24-month TCO comes to 23,980 EUR, versus an estimated 4,500 + 9,000 rebuild = 13,500 EUR for the low cost… but with 3 months of no leads. The median generates 15 leads/month from week 9: payback in under 5 months.
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FAQ
Why does a quote vary fivefold?
Content scope (written or not), design bespokeness and maintenance explain most of it. At equal scope, the real gap between serious vendors rarely exceeds 30 %.
Should content appear on the quote?
Yes: writing 8 to 15 pages costs 1,000 to 4,000 EUR. If it's missing, that's hidden internal time — often the item that slips the schedule.
What SEO budget at launch?
Plan 800 to 3,000 EUR for audit, markup and on-page optimization. Ongoing SEO then bills 400 to 1,200 EUR/month.
Is maintenance negotiable?
Yes, by SLA level. Between 300 and 900 EUR/month: decide on guaranteed response time, not price alone.
How do I compare two honest quotes?
Reduce everything to a 24-month TCO covering purchase, hosting and maintenance. It's the only decision figure; the sticker price alone misleads.
Let's scope your project. Send us your three quotes: we break them down line by line and compute your 24-month TCO to decide objectively. 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.
