How much a showcase website costs in 2026, and why quotes range from one to ten times the price

In France a simple showcase website costs on average €500–2,000 with a freelancer, and €2,000–10,000 with an agency. For a small business that wants a site designed for it (five to ten pages, crafted copy, basic SEO), the realistic budget is closer to €1,500–5,000 with an experienced freelancer.

These figures come from the price grids published by French freelance platforms and providers (including Codeur.com), accessed on 1 November 2026. They are ranges, not a scale.

Showcase website prices, by type of provider

• Do it yourself with an online builder (Wix, Squarespace and the like): €50–500 a year in subscription, but all the work is yours.
• One-page site: €300–1,500.
• Freelancer: from €500 for a simple template-based site, several thousand euros for a custom-designed one.
• Agency: from about €2,000, up to €10,000 and more for a showcase site.

The same words, “showcase website”, cover very different products. A theme filled with your text in two days and a site designed to turn visitors into quote requests take neither the same time nor the same skills.

Why quotes range from one to ten times the price

1. Template or custom design. The first gap. A template is quick to set up; a design built around your business needs a design phase.
2. Copy. Supplying it yourself lowers the price. Having it written for your clients and for Google raises it, and it is often what sells.
3. Number of pages. One page per service costs more than a single page, but it is what makes you appear on each search.
4. Features. Booking, quote form, blog, several languages: each addition is billed.
5. Basic SEO. Titles, speed, structured data, Google Business Profile: included by some, billed separately by others.

Excluding VAT, including VAT, or “VAT not applicable”

Agencies charge 20% VAT. Many French freelancers are under the VAT exemption threshold (micro-entrepreneurs) and invoice without VAT, with the mention “TVA non applicable, art. 293 B du CGI”. If your business cannot recover VAT, compare quotes including VAT: an agency quote of €3,000 excluding VAT comes to €3,600.

Yearly costs, after launch

• Domain name: €10–50 a year depending on the extension.
• Hosting: from about €50 a year for a showcase site.
• Maintenance: €200–500 a year on average for a site that needs updates (WordPress, plugins). A modern static site needs far less.

The rule: do not compare prices, compare scopes. Ask for the list of pages, what is included (copy, SEO, training) and what comes back every year.

What a showcase website must include, whatever its price

• One page per service, with a clear call to action (call, book, ask for a quote).
• Proof: work, reviews, verifiable figures.
• The mandatory legal notices and a GDPR-compliant privacy policy.
• A site that is fast on mobile, where most visitors arrive.
• The domain name and every access in your name.

If you are torn between a freelancer and an agency, see a freelance web developer or an agency.

Sources: Codeur.com, “Quel est le prix d’un site internet ?” (March 2025 update), public price grids from French providers, accessed 1 November 2026; article 293 B of the French General Tax Code for the VAT exemption. Prices vary by provider: these are ranges.

Hamza BenjaabaI design and launch showcase websites for practices, shops and independents, with a written fixed price and every access in the client’s name.