Ask three agencies to quote for “a company website” and you can get three answers that are nowhere near each other. That is rarely because one of them is cheating — it is because each one is quietly pricing a different website. Once you know what drives the cost, you can compare offers on equal terms and spend where it matters.
1. Template or custom design
A ready-made theme with your logo and colours is the fastest and cheapest route. A custom design starts from your brand, your customers and your content, and is built screen by screen. Custom costs more, but it is also what makes a site look like yours rather than like hundreds of others using the same theme.
2. Number of pages and page types
Ten pages built from the same layout cost far less than ten pages that each need their own structure. Count the types of pages (home, service, case study, article, contact) rather than the total number of pages.
3. Languages — especially Arabic and English
A second language is not just a translation. Arabic needs a right-to-left layout, suitable fonts, its own SEO (titles, descriptions and links per language) and content that reads naturally rather than word-for-word. Done properly, it is close to building the front end twice.
4. Features beyond pages
- Online payments and order management
- Booking and appointment calendars
- Customer accounts and dashboards
- Integrations with a CRM, ERP, WhatsApp or shipping companies
- Calculators, quote forms and custom search
Each of these is a small project of its own. A clear list of required features is the single best way to get accurate quotes.
5. Content
Who writes the text, who provides the photos, and who translates? Content is the most common cause of delays. If the agency produces it, it should be priced in — and it is usually money well spent, because content is what sells.
6. Speed, SEO and tracking
A site that loads slowly, cannot be found on Google, or cannot tell you where your enquiries come from is an expensive brochure. Technical SEO, image optimisation, analytics and conversion tracking should be part of the build, not an afterthought.
7. After launch
Hosting, security updates, backups and small edits all continue after go-live. Ask whether they are included, for how long, and what a monthly plan covers.
How to compare two quotes
- Ask for the list of page types and features each quote includes
- Check who provides content and translation
- Confirm whether SEO, tracking and training are included
- Ask what happens after launch and what it costs
- Look at real projects the team has delivered, not mock-ups
At Valdura we start every project with a short discovery call and a written scope, so the price you see matches the website you get. If you would like a clear estimate for your own project, talk to our team.
