Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By Maurice, freeehouse team · About 3 minutes to read
Which routes are there to have a homepage built?
There are essentially four routes. They differ less in the result than in when and what you pay for.
| Option | Build | Ongoing | Your own work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website builder, DIY | your time | Provider subscription | high |
| Freelancer | one-off fee | Hosting, often maintenance | medium |
| Agency | project budget | Hosting, maintenance contract | low |
| Build free, pay for hosting | €0 | Hosting with care | low |
If you build the site yourself in a website builder, strictly speaking that is not having it built. We list it anyway because it is the benchmark many businesses measure against.
What does the price depend on?
With freelancers and agencies, four things set the price:
- 1
Scope. How many pages, which functions such as booking, shop or several languages.
- 2
Copy. Do you supply the texts yourself, or are they written for you? Good copy is often the most expensive part.
- 3
Design. An adapted template or a custom design.
- 4
After launch. Are hosting, updates and small changes included, or do they cost extra?
At our parent agency Smith & Victory, regular website projects cost between roughly €1,000 and €24,000, depending on scope. That shows how wide the range is with a single provider. We have not found reliable average prices for the whole of Germany based on a sound method. Be careful with guides that quote an average without saying where it comes from.
What must a quote contain?
A good quote answers these questions in writing:
- Which pages and functions will be built?
- Who writes the texts, who supplies the images?
- How many rounds of corrections are included?
- What does hosting cost per year, and may the price rise?
- Are updates and small changes included?
- Who owns the source code, texts and design?
- How long does the contract run, and how do you cancel?
- What happens to my domain and email?
If any of these questions stays open, ask before you sign.
Which contract traps get expensive?
The most expensive surprises come not during the build but after it. Typical patterns:
- Long terms. Between businesses they are allowed, because the strict rules for consumer contracts do not apply there under § 310 BGB (German Civil Code).
- Only a simple right of use. Then the site does not belong to you, and you may not take it with you when you switch.
- Price adjustment clauses. Hosting gets more expensive every year.
- Hourly rates for every little thing. A new photo or changed opening hours cost money every time.
- Domain registered to the service provider. Then your address depends on them.
How long does it take?
Classic projects with briefing, draft and sign-off often take several weeks, depending on how fast texts and images arrive. It can be faster: in our first 35 projects in October 2026, the finished version with admin area was ready within 24 hours of the yes in every case delivered, because we took the content over from the previous site.
freeehouse is the fourth route in the table: we build your homepage by hand, charge nothing for the build and earn on hosting with care, which is cheaper than what you pay today. Source code and content belong to you. What it costs with us
Frequently asked questions
What does a simple homepage cost?
In a website builder you pay from about €12 to €14 a month according to the price pages, and build it yourself. With a freelancer or agency there is a one-off fee on top, which depends heavily on scope.
What does a homepage cost per month?
The ongoing costs for hosting, domain and care. For website builders that is roughly €144 to €240 a year according to the price pages, and with agencies a maintenance contract often comes on top.
Is a cheap homepage dodgy?
Not automatically. What matters is how the provider makes money and whether the contract is fair: term, price increases and ownership of the site.
Do I have to supply the texts myself?
That depends on the provider. If you have an existing site, texts and images can be taken over and reworked.
Sources
- BGB § 309 Klauselverbote ohne Wertungsmöglichkeit, accessed 23 October 2026
- BGB § 310 Anwendungsbereich, accessed 23 October 2026
- Wix: Premiumpakete und Preise, accessed 23 October 2026
- Jimdo: Preise und Pakete, accessed 23 October 2026
Providers' prices and terms change often. What counts is what's in your customer account and your contract. Not legal advice.
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