Topics: Website design & costs, Costs & pricing
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Quick answer: Don't compare the totals first. Rewrite every quote into the same scope table (pages and layouts, copy, design rounds, SEO set-up, tracking, hosting, ownership, warranty), treat anything not written down as excluded until the supplier confirms it, price those gaps, and only then score the quotes on fit, evidence, process, ownership, support and price.
Picture three replies to the same brief. One is a single line with a total. One is a twelve-page PDF with a timeline. One is a WhatsApp message that says "all-inclusive". Lining up the three totals tells you almost nothing, because each describes a different project.
This is the worksheet we'd use if we were sitting on your side of the table. It works for quotes in rupees, Australian dollars, pounds or US dollars, because the method is about scope, not currency.
Why do website quotes for the same brief vary so much?
Because each supplier is quietly pricing a different project, a different level of risk and a different afterlife.
- Scope assumptions. "A 10-page site" might mean ten pages on one template or ten unique layouts with copy written for you.
- Risk padding. A vague brief makes careful suppliers add contingency and careless ones ignore it, until the change requests start.
- Delivery model. A freelancer, an offshore team and an onshore studio carry very different overheads.
- Platform and licences. A premium theme, paid plugins or Shopify apps can sit inside one quote and outside another.
- What happens after launch. A defined bug-fix period, training and a care plan cost money to provide.
To sense-check any total against typical market bands, see our guides to website price bands in India and website price bands in Australia.
What should every website quote include?
Every quote should state each of these lines explicitly, either as included or as excluded. Use this as the rows of your worksheet.
| Line item | What a clear quote says | Ask if it's missing |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | A workshop or questionnaire before design | "How will you learn our customers and goals?" |
| Sitemap and page count | Named pages plus the number of distinct layouts | "Which pages share a template?" |
| Copywriting | Who writes it, and for how many pages | "Are we supplying all text?" |
| Design rounds | Number of revision rounds per stage | "What does an extra round cost?" |
| Build and platform | WordPress, Shopify or custom, with any paid components | "Who holds the licences?" |
| CMS training | A walkthrough or recorded guide | "Can our team edit pages without you?" |
| SEO basics | Titles, descriptions, headings, sitemap, Search Console | "What exactly is set up at launch?" |
| Tracking | Enquiry events: forms, calls, WhatsApp clicks | "Will we see which pages bring leads?" |
| Speed target | A measurable goal, tested on mobile | "How will you prove it?" |
| Accessibility | A stated level, such as WCAG 2.2 AA | "Which standard do you build to?" |
| Hosting | Where, on whose account, at what yearly cost | "Can we move hosts later?" |
| Launch support and warranty | A bug-fix period in days | "What counts as a bug?" |
| Tax | Whether GST or VAT is included | "Is this figure before or after tax?" |
How do you normalise quotes so you compare like with like?
Turn every quote into the same table, then fill the gaps with real prices rather than guesses.
- Build one scope table. Rows from the checklist above, one column per supplier.
- Fill in only what's written. If a line isn't in the quote or a follow-up email, mark it "excluded". Verbal promises don't count.
- Price the gaps. For each excluded line, ask that supplier what it would cost, or note what you'd pay someone else for it.
- Put tax on the same basis. In India, GST-registered agencies add 18%; in Australia, registered suppliers add 10% GST. Compare all quotes either before or after tax, never a mix.
- Use a one-year horizon. Add first-year hosting, licences and any care plan to the build fee. A low build price paired with expensive renewals isn't low.
- Compare adjusted totals. Only now does the price column mean anything.
A worked example, using ticks instead of prices:
| Line | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copywriting | Excluded | Included, 6 pages | Included, all pages |
| Design rounds | Not stated (treat as excluded) | 2 per stage | 3 per stage |
| Tracking | Not stated | Form events only | Forms, calls, WhatsApp |
| Warranty | Not stated | 30 days | 60 days |
| Domain in your name | Not stated | Yes | Yes |
Quote A may still be the cheapest after you price its gaps. Often it isn't. Either way, you now know.
Which exclusions turn a cheap quote into an expensive one?
The expensive exclusions are the ones you can't launch without. Watch for these:
- Copywriting. Writing a whole site yourself takes far longer than most owners expect, and delays launch.
- Stock imagery and licences. Images pulled from search results can trigger copyright claims later.
- Premium plugins and apps. Often renewed yearly; ask for the list and who pays.
- Migrating old content. Blog posts, products and PDFs from your current site have to be moved by someone.
- Redirects. Without 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones, a redesign can lose search traffic you spent years earning.
- Email set-up. Moving business email or setting up SPF and DKIM records is easy to forget until mail bounces.
- Form routing. Sending enquiries to WhatsApp, a CRM or several inboxes is extra work.
What payment terms and ownership clauses should you look for?
Payments should follow milestones you can see, and ownership should pass to you in writing.
Payment terms worth asking for:
- A deposit that covers early work, not the whole job
- Payments linked to milestones: approved design, staging site ready, launch
- The final payment released after you have every login, not before
Ownership clauses worth checking:
- The domain registered in your business's name, at a registrar you can log into
- Hosting on your account, or a written right to move it
- Assignment of the design and code to you on full payment, not a licence to use it
- Paid themes and plugins licensed to you, or transferred at handover
Our guide to IP and ownership clauses explains the difference between assignment and licence, which matters more than it sounds. The same thinking applies to bigger builds; see our method for comparing software development quotes.
What questions should you send back before choosing?
Send every supplier the same short email; how they answer is part of the evaluation.
- Which pages share a layout, and how many distinct layouts are there?
- Who writes the copy, and who sources the photos?
- How many design revision rounds are included at each stage?
- Which paid themes, plugins or apps will you use, and in whose name?
- What SEO set-up is included at launch, item by item?
- Which enquiry events will be tracked, and where will we see them?
- What speed and accessibility standards will you test against?
- Is the price before or after tax?
- When do the design and code become ours?
- What's the bug-fix period, and what does support cost after it?
How do you score quotes beyond price?
Weight what predicts a good outcome, then let price decide between close scores. Score each supplier from 1 to 5 per row, multiply by the weight and add up.
| Criterion | Weight | What a 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Scope fit | 25% | Covers every line you need without padding |
| Evidence of results | 20% | Live sites you can test on your phone, ideally in your sector |
| Process clarity | 15% | Discovery, design approval before build, a realistic timeline |
| Ownership | 15% | Domain, hosting, code and licences in your name |
| Support | 10% | Defined warranty, clear care plan terms, a named contact |
| Price | 15% | Competitive once gaps are priced |
Adjust the weights to suit you, but set them before the quotes arrive so the cheapest number doesn't bend your judgement. For the questions to ask in a first meeting, see our guide to choosing a web design company.
Frequently asked questions
Should I always choose the cheapest website quote?
No. Choose the best-scoring quote once gaps are priced. The cheapest quote is right when it covers the same scope as the others, which is rarer than it looks.
How big should a website deposit be?
Enough to cover the supplier's early work, such as discovery and first designs, and no more. Avoid paying everything upfront, and keep a meaningful final payment until you hold every login.
What warranty period should a website build include?
A defined period, in days, during which defects in the agreed scope are fixed at no charge. For a small-business site, 30 to 90 days is a reasonable span. What matters most is that "defect" is defined so it can't be argued away.
Is it normal for website quotes to exclude copywriting?
Yes, many quotes exclude it, especially at the lower end. That's fine if you're ready to write, but it needs to be visible so you can price it. If an agency includes copy, check how many pages and revision rounds that covers.
Can I ask an agency to match a cheaper quote?
You can, but ask them to match scope rather than price. A good agency will show which lines it would remove to reach the lower number, which tells you what the cheaper quote is missing.
Want a quote that fits the worksheet?
Our quotes itemise every line in this checklist and name what's excluded, so you can drop them straight into your worksheet. Send us the brief and request a fixed, itemised quote; the reply normally comes within one business day of a free call. Prefer a conversation first? Book a call.