Prices as of November 2026. All amounts are indicative prices excluding VAT, based on common market prices in the Netherlands.
You request three quotes and get three completely different amounts: €900, €3,500 and €9,000. That seems random, but usually you are comparing three different websites. This article explains the realistic website cost in the Netherlands in 2026, what that amount is made up of and how to compare quotes fairly.
Short answer: a business website of 5 to 10 pages in the Netherlands usually costs a few thousand euros excluding VAT. A freelancer charges €800 to €3,000 on average, a small agency often charges between €1,750 and €3,500, and an agency that includes strategy and conversion charges €4,000 to €8,000. On top of that come ongoing costs for your domain, hosting and maintenance.
1. How much does a website cost in 2026?
Prices on the Dutch market vary widely. These are indicative prices, not quotes. They mainly help you estimate which category your plans fall into.
| Type of website | Suits | Indicative price (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Building it yourself with Wix or WordPress | Starters with time and a small budget | €60 to €700 in the first year, excluding your own hours |
| Online business card (1 to 3 pages) | Freelancers who mainly want to be found and called | €500 to €1,750 with a freelancer or small agency |
| Business website (5 to 10 pages) | SMEs that explain services and want enquiries | €1,750 to €3,500 with a small agency, €4,000 to €8,000 with an agency that includes strategy and conversion |
| Extensive website (around 20 pages) with SEO research and copy | Businesses with several services or audiences | €7,500 to €15,000 |
| Online shop | Selling online to consumers or businesses | €2,500 to €7,500 with a freelancer, €10,000 to €30,000+ with an agency |
Why are the differences so large? A web builder sells hours. How many hours depends on what needs to be done, not on the number of pages in the menu.
2. How to check a quote yourself
Most amounts can be traced back to hours multiplied by an hourly rate. A self-employed web developer in the Netherlands charges an average of around €73 per hour excluding VAT in 2026. Web agencies often charge €75 to €125 per hour.
A simple business website of 5 to 8 pages easily takes 40 to 80 working hours. That gives you:
- 40 to 80 hours × €73 = €2,920 to €5,840
- 40 to 80 hours × €100 = €4,000 to €8,000
Is a quote far below that amount? Ask which parts are not included and how many hours it really contains. A template with few adjustments can be a good fit, as long as you know that is what you are buying.
3. What is and is not included in the website cost?
Many quotes only cover the build. Copy, photography, SEO optimisation and moving your old website are often not included. Together, these can add €1,000 to €3,000. So check who delivers each part:
- Strategy and structure: which pages, for which customer questions and with which next step?
- Copy: will you supply it yourself or will someone write it with you? Self-employed Dutch copywriters often charge around €85 per hour excluding VAT.
- Images and look: your own photos of your business, a photographer or stock images. If you do not have a logo or recognisable visual identity yet, budget for it separately.
- Technology: design, build, forms, integrations, speed and a good display on every screen.
- SEO basics: page titles, meta descriptions, a logical structure and redirects from old to new URLs. That way your new website does not start from zero in Google. Read more about our approach to SEO and content.
- Handover: instructions, access to all accounts and clarity about who owns the domain and hosting.
4. Do not forget the ongoing costs
A website still costs money after launch. These are the fixed items:
| Cost item | Explanation | Indicative price (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| .nl domain name | SIDN charges registrars €4.38 per year in 2026. Your registrar adds its own costs. | often €10 to €15 per year |
| Hosting | Depending on speed, storage, backups and support. | €5 to €50 per month |
| Maintenance and updates | From updates and backups only to monitoring and small changes. | €20 to €200 per month |
| Premium themes and plugins | Check whether a licence is one-off or renews annually. | €50 to €300 |
So do not just calculate with the build price, but with the total cost over three years. A cheap website with poorly arranged hosting or maintenance can turn out more expensive over that period than a higher quote in which everything is arranged.
5. Build it yourself, hire a freelancer or an agency?
- Building it yourself: the lowest outlay, but you pay with your own time. This suits you if you need a simple presentation and enjoy building it yourself.
- Freelancer: direct contact and often a lower rate. Ask who takes over during illness or holidays.
- Agency: strategy, design, copy and SEO under one roof, usually at a higher price. Expect an average lead time of 4 to 8 weeks.
Do not choose based on the type of provider, but on whether someone understands your goal and can translate it into pages, copy and technology. Always ask to see previous work. For example, take a look at our projects, such as the identity and website for Kings Cleaning. Unsure about a provider? Read how to spot a reliable web designer.
6. Running an online shop? Budget for accessibility
Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act applies. Do you sell online to consumers and employ more than 10 people or have an annual turnover of more than €2 million? Then your online shop must be digitally accessible. Include this in your budget: think of sufficient contrast, keyboard operation and clear forms. Even if the rules do not formally apply to you, it helps every visitor. Also read which online shop features help customers choose and order.
7. The biggest mistake: comparing only the total
Two quotes of €2,500 can deliver completely different websites. One contains five pages on a standard template without copy. The other contains a worked-out structure, copy and redirects from your old site. So compare the scope, not just the price.
This matters most when you replace an existing site. Google advises redirecting old URLs to the new ones with a permanent redirect, so visitors and search engines can keep finding your pages. If that is not in the quote, a new website can temporarily cost you visibility.
8. Checklist: how to compare quotes fairly
- Is the price including or excluding 21% VAT?
- How many pages, design variants and rounds of revisions are included?
- Who writes the copy and who supplies the images?
- Are SEO basics and redirects from your old site included?
- Who owns the domain, hosting and accounts?
- What do hosting and maintenance cost per year, and what is included?
- What is the rate for additional work after launch?
- How will you measure whether the website does its job? Read how in improve your website with GA4.
Going further: set a budget per goal
Start with what the website needs to achieve. If you mainly want to build trust with people who already know you, a compact site may be enough. If you want to reach new customers through Google, you need pages per service and time for good copy. Working mainly in your own region? Then also read our practical plan for local SEO. That costs more, but it is also a different product. Read in SEO and web design why the two need to be designed together.
Put your goal, your main services and what you can supply yourself on one page. Send it with your request. Then you get quotes about the same website, which you can actually compare. Want enquiries quickly after launch? Then also budget for Google Ads or Meta Ads.
How Digital Pandas approaches this
We do not quote a standard price before we know what is needed. After an introductory meeting, at your location or in Julianadorp, you receive a proposal with a clear scope and investment. It also states what is not included. See our approach to web design or get to know Digital Pandas first.
Frequently asked questions about website costs
Do the prices in this article include VAT?
No, all amounts exclude VAT. If your business is registered for VAT, you can usually reclaim it. Otherwise, 21% VAT is added.
How long does it take to have a website built?
With an agency, it takes 4 to 8 weeks on average. Delays are often caused by supplying copy and images. If you have those ready, it goes faster.
Is a cheap website always bad?
No. A simple website can be perfectly fine if you mainly need an online business card. It goes wrong when you buy a cheap website and expect it to bring in new customers automatically, without good copy, structure or visibility.
What does a website cost per month?
For hosting and maintenance, you pay roughly €20 to €200 per month, depending on what is arranged. Always ask what the package contains: updates only, or also backups, monitoring and small changes.
Digital Pandas helps business owners in Julianadorp, Den Helder and the rest of North Holland get a website with a clear scope and an honest budget. Unsure about a quote or about what you really need? Tell us what you want to improve.
