The verdict in three sentences
No-code suits a temporary site or a market test, not a durable commercial asset. Freelance offers the best value between 5,000 and 9,000 EUR, but with no availability guarantee or continuity. An agency, between 10,000 and 25,000 EUR, is justified when you need contractually guaranteed SLA, scalability and portability.
The three models by the numbers
Compare on total cost, not entry ticket. No-code is free to start but expensive in subscriptions and technical debt.
| Model | 2026 upfront cost | Recurring cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-code (Webflow/Wix) | 0 - 3,000 EUR | 240 - 700 EUR/yr | 1-4 wks |
| Freelance | 5,000 - 9,000 EUR | depends on availability | 4-8 wks |
| Agency | 10,000 - 25,000 EUR | maintenance 3,600-6,000/yr | 8-16 wks |
A freelance day rate in Berlin in 2026 sits between 400 and 600 EUR; a B2B site is therefore 12 to 18 days of work.
The decision table
Beyond price, five criteria separate the models. Score each against your priorities.
| Criterion | No-code | Freelance | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLA / availability | None | Low | Contractual |
| Scalability | Limited | Medium | High |
| Technical SEO | Basic | Good | Advanced |
| Code ownership | Platform | You | You |
| Structured maintenance | No | Random | Yes |
| Continuity if absent | N/A | Risk | Team |
When to choose what
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
No-code: landing page, MVP, one-off event. Freelance: SME with a clear need, tight budget and an in-house technical contact. Agency: a company whose site is a critical sales channel, needing guarantees and a 12-24 month roadmap.
Mini case study
Thomas, director of a B2B consulting firm in Berlin, weighs a freelance at 6,500 EUR against an agency at 16,000 EUR. His site drives 40 % of his sales meetings: a one-week outage costs him about 8,000 EUR in pipeline. The freelance guarantees no response time. He picks the agency with a 4-hour restore SLA and maintenance at 4,200 EUR/year. Over 3 years the agency costs 28,600 EUR versus 6,500 plus unplanned changes on the freelance side, but eliminates the outage risk that alone secures several thousand euros of pipeline.
FAQ
Is no-code really free? No. The tool is free or cheap, but the subscription (240-700 EUR/yr), SEO limits and technical debt cost money. Migrating off a no-code platform often costs as much as a brand-new site.
Is a freelance less reliable than an agency? Not in quality, but in continuity. A lone freelance has no backup or SLA: if they fall ill or overload, your site waits. An agency pools its team and contractualizes availability.
Who owns my code per model? With a serious freelance or agency, you do. With no-code, the code stays on the platform: you rent, you do not own, creating strong lock-in.
How do I compare costs over 3 years? Add upfront + recurring + changes. A freelance at 6,500 EUR can exceed an agency once unplanned changes accumulate at the 400-600 EUR day rate.
Can I start no-code then migrate? Yes, a valid strategy to test a market. Budget 8,000-15,000 EUR for migration to a custom site, since content transfers but rarely the code.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your budget and how critical your site is: we advise honestly between freelance and agency, with a quote between 6,000 and 20,000 EUR. 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.
