How do I compare website quotes?

Make the scopes match first

Three quotes for “a website” can describe three different projects. One includes copywriting and redirects. One assumes you supply all the words. One is a template with your logo. Before comparing numbers, list what each quote includes. Ask for anything missing in writing.

If you haven’t written a brief yet, do that first. A website brief gives every designer the same starting point.

The rows that matter

• Number of pages and which templates are custom.
• Copywriting, photography and content entry.
• SEO setup: titles, redirects, schema, sitemap.
• Revision rounds.
• Timeline and what it depends on.
• Ownership of code, design and domain.
• Hosting and monthly fees, and the minimum term.
• Training or how you’ll edit the site.

Look at the total over a few years

A low build price with a high monthly fee can cost more than a higher build price with modest hosting. Add the build to three years of ongoing costs for each quote. Then check what you keep if you stop paying. Some low-cost offers are really rentals, which can be fine, as long as you know.

For a ballpark of what a project like yours involves, the website project estimator lays out the main cost drivers.

Then compare the people

Once the scopes line up, the remaining difference is the person or team. Look at their live sites, how clearly they explained the quote, and whether they asked good questions. The quote that answers your questions before you ask them is usually from someone who has thought hard about your project.

I’d build a simple spreadsheet with the rows above and send each designer the same follow-up questions to fill the blanks. It takes an hour and saves a lot of guessing.

In my experience, when quotes differ a lot, the gap is usually scope. One includes copywriting and redirects, another quietly doesn’t. My quotes list exclusions explicitly for exactly this reason.