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Very different quotes for the same website: how to read them
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Almost always, the difference isn't about how honest the person signing the quote is, but about what's actually written inside that number. Two quotes for the same website can cover different page counts, different content to produce, a different number of revision rounds and integrations, and after-launch support that one includes and the other doesn't. Comparing them means reading the line items, not the total.
Why the same request produces different numbers
Someone asking for a website quote almost always describes the result they want, rarely the work needed to get there: "a site like my competitor's," "something professional," "about ten pages." Two providers who receive the same description can build two different projects on top of it, and the price follows the project each one understood they had to build, not the one the client had in mind.
American consultant Chris Lema, who has followed the WordPress site market for years, lays out an analysis of why similar-looking websites cost different amounts with five recurring reasons: how many people work on the project, how well the provider actually understood what was needed, which tasks are included (in his example, some competitors didn't include migrating content from the old site), whether the design is original or adapted from an existing template, and whether the site aims only for good looks or for a measurable sales goal. The variable isn't the country, it's how much the starting brief leaves open.
The line items that weigh most on the total
Beyond the general scope, four items explain most of the gap between two numbers.
Content production. If the quote has a professional photographer shooting the images and a copywriter writing the copy, the cost rises compared with a quote that assumes the client will supply text and photos. I've written up the verified figures in how much does a website cost: it's the single item that, on its own, explains much of the gap between a quote worth a few thousand euros and one worth far more.
Integrations with other tools. A contact form that writes to a spreadsheet costs differently than one wired into the company's CRM or management software. Every extra connection needs configuring and testing, not just switching on.
Revision rounds included. One quote can include two rounds of changes before launch, another five, another none beyond the first draft. It's an item that's rarely asked about explicitly, and it weighs as much as extra pages do.
What happens after launch. A site that's delivered and left alone costs differently than one that includes updates, backups and a channel for changes in the following months. Comparing only the upfront cost risks finding the difference once the site is already live.
No law sets a required format for a website quote
For a lawyer or an architect, the 2017 competition law requires a written or digital preliminary quote at the moment the engagement is given, because those are professions organised under a professional register. People who build websites don't practise a profession organised under a register: they fall under the 2013 law on unregulated professions, which defines the activity as intellectual work provided to third parties without requiring registration with a professional body. No rule sets a required quote format for people who build websites, which is also part of why two providers can present the same number in completely different ways, one as a line-by-line breakdown, the other as a single figure.
Asking for a quote in writing is still the right thing to do, even though no law guarantees it: it's the basis for comparing two different quotes, and it's the record to fall back on if something, once work has started, turns out different from what was agreed.
How to compare two quotes, line by line
Before looking at the total, check whether both quotes answer the same questions.
| Item | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Pages | How many are included, and what happens if more are needed later |
| Content | Who writes the copy and who supplies the photos |
| Integrations | Which tools connect to the site, and who configures them |
| Revisions | How many rounds of changes are included before publishing |
| After launch | What stays covered: updates, backups, minor changes |
| Ownership | Who ends up owning the domain, content and source code |
If one of these items is missing from one quote but present in the other, that item is the real price difference, even if the rest of the document looks the same.
A low price isn't a trick, a high one isn't a gamble
A quote that's lower than the others isn't by itself a sign of poor quality, and a higher one isn't a sign of overcharging: it almost always comes down to a different scope, or to a different cost structure, since a freelancer doesn't carry the same fixed overheads as an agency with a bigger team. The problem only arises when an item is left out of the quote without the client noticing, then comes back later as an extra cost. That's why the useful question isn't "why does this cost less," but "what's missing from this quote compared with the other one."
If you've already received several quotes and are struggling to compare them, it's also worth knowing what to ask when a relationship with a provider ends, not just when it begins: I've written about that in switching website provider: what to ask before you say goodbye.
If you're already holding several quotes for your website and want a second look at what's missing in your specific case, that's something we can talk through inside the digital check-up. Otherwise write to me: tell me what you've been offered, and I'll tell you where to look before you choose.