How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026? Prices, Timelines, and Real Examples (Showcase, E-commerce, Web App)

Talking about “the price of a website” only makes sense if you also talk about scope (what the site needs to do), quality level (template vs custom), and who builds it (DIY, freelancer, agency). In 2026, price ranges are still close to what we saw in 2025, with a simple rule: the faster you want to go, the more guidance you need, and the more custom you want, the higher the budget.

In this article, I’ll share realistic benchmarks (France), typical timelines, and concrete examples for a showcase website, an e-commerce site, and a web app.

Quick comparison table: price and timeline by site type (2026)

Before the details, here are the ranges worth remembering. They cover the three main cases: showcase website, e-commerce, and custom web app. Prices are excluding tax, for the French market.

Showcase website pricing in 2026

A showcase website usually includes a homepage, service pages, an “About” page, contact page, sometimes a blog, appointment booking, forms, tracking, and basic SEO.

Price ranges (showcase website)

• DIY (Wix / templates): usually €200 to €1,000 (subscriptions + add-ons + a bit of design) if you do everything yourself.
• Freelancer: €800 to €3,000 for a standard showcase site, more if you want polished design, animations, or integrations.
• Agency: often €2,000 to €6,000 (strategy, UX, design, development, basic SEO, QA, and support).

At the same budget, the biggest difference between a freelancer and an agency is often the process: how well the project is framed, how clean the execution is (testing, performance, SEO), and how strong the follow-up will be.

Typical timeline (showcase website)

• Simple showcase site: 2 to 5 weeks, depending on the process and how quickly you deliver content.

What really drives the price of a showcase website

At an equal number of pages, two showcase websites can cost two or three times apart. It is not the pages that set the price, it is the level of custom work and guidance.

• Custom design or template: an adapted theme costs far less than a visual identity built from scratch with animations.
• Content ready or to be produced: if copy, photos and structure still need to be created, the budget climbs fast. A showcase site stalls on content more often than on development.
• Expected SEO level: a site designed to rank (structure, speed, tags, search intent) takes more work than a simple go-live.
• Integrations: appointment booking, CRM, payments, multilingual: each block adds time.

Showcase website: freelancer or agency?

For a simple showcase site with content ready, a freelancer is often the best speed-to-price ratio. As soon as you want polished design, real SEO and ongoing follow-up, an agency makes sense: you pay for execution plus a framework (project management, QA, continuity). If you go the agency route, our list of seven questions to ask before choosing a digital agency helps you pick the right partner.

E-commerce website pricing in 2026

An e-commerce site is not just a website. It’s a full system: product catalog management, payments, shipping, taxes, emails, marketing tools, and sometimes ERP/CRM connections, marketplaces, and more.

The common trap

The cost isn’t only “building the site.” You also pay for:

• setup (design, configuration, integrations)
• subscriptions (platform, apps, email tools)
• payment fees (commissions)
• maintenance and ongoing improvements

Price ranges (e-commerce)

1) Monthly platform costs

• A basic Shopify store often starts at a few dozen euros per month (for example, around €39/month for a new store in some estimates).
• Shopify and Wix pricing varies by plan. On Shopify, it’s commonly around €33 to €384/month, while some Wix plans can be lower.

2) Build and launch cost

Typical ranges you’ll see:

• Shopify: €2,000 to €8,000 (theme setup, configuration, payments/shipping, apps, analytics/tracking).
• WooCommerce: €3,000 to €12,000 (flexible, but usually more technical to set up properly).
• PrestaShop: €6,000 to €20,000 (often chosen for richer catalogs and more complex setups).
• Headless / fully custom: €15,000+ if you want a very specific experience, strong performance, and heavier integrations.

Typical timeline (e-commerce)

• Depending on complexity, a common range is 4 to 12 weeks.

Web app pricing in 2026 (custom web application)

Here we’re talking about an internal tool, a SaaS product, a platform, an extranet, and similar projects. The budget mostly depends on:

• number of screens and user journeys
• business rules
• roles and permissions
• integrations (payments, CRM, APIs, SSO)
• security and compliance requirements
• performance, scalability, and monitoring

How pricing works (in practical terms)

A web app is mostly time: product work, design, development, and QA. That’s why budgets are closely tied to daily rates. In France, you’ll often see daily rates around €500 to €700/day depending on seniority and complexity, and higher for specialist profiles. Agencies can be higher too, especially for complex projects.

Price ranges (web app)

• Simple MVP (auth, dashboard, CRUD, admin, a few integrations): often €15,000 to €25,000, depending on complexity and finish level.
• More ambitious SaaS (modular architecture, multiple integrations, etc.): commonly €50k to €100k, and €100k to €500k+ for enterprise or deep-tech level projects.

Typical timeline (web app)

• An MVP can be delivered in 6 to 12 weeks if the scope is well defined and stays under control.

Before commissioning custom development, check whether an existing SaaS already covers your need: it is often cheaper and faster. We compare both approaches in our article on off-the-shelf SaaS vs custom development.

Hidden costs to plan for (often overlooked)

Hosting, maintenance, security

Even a great website needs ongoing care: updates, backups, monitoring, and fixes.

• Market benchmarks often mention €35 to €500/month depending on service level and response time, and much more for complex projects.

Content and SEO

• copywriting (pages, FAQs, product descriptions)
• photos and videos
• technical SEO (speed, structure, tags) plus content SEO (search intent and topics)

Legal and compliance

• GDPR (cookies, consent, forms)
• legal pages, terms and conditions (especially for e-commerce)

Real examples: budgets and timelines in 2026

Example 1: “Pro” showcase website for an SME (5 to 8 pages)

Includes custom design, CMS integration, form setup, analytics/tracking, basic SEO, and performance optimizations.

• Budget: €3,500
• Timeline: 4 weeks

Example 2: Shopify e-commerce for a brand (200 products)

Includes theme customization, payments/shipping, emails, useful apps, analytics, basic SEO, and training.

• Build budget: €8,000
• Subscription: depends on the plan, often from a few dozen to a few hundred euros per month
• Timeline: 7 weeks

Example 3: MVP web app (internal tool) with 2 roles + back office

Includes scoping, UX/UI, authentication, user management, dashboards, exports, logs, deployment, and testing.

• Budget: €18,000
• Timeline: 8 weeks

How to pick the right budget level

• If your goal is simply to have an online presence: keep it to a solid showcase site and focus on message and conversion.
• If you already sell and want to grow: build a reliable e-commerce setup with clean tracking, email flows, and strong performance.
• If you’re losing time on internal processes: a well-scoped MVP web app often pays for itself quickly.

A useful approach is to request pricing in three tiers (Essential, Standard, Premium). It makes trade-offs visible and helps you decide what you need now versus what can wait.

FAQ: website pricing in 2026

How much does a showcase website cost with a freelancer in 2026?

With a freelancer, a showcase website typically runs from €800 to €3,000 (excl. tax). The price rises if the design is custom, if content (copy, photos) needs to be produced, or if you add integrations like appointment booking or a CRM.

What is the cost of a showcase website with an agency?

With an agency, expect €2,000 to €6,000 (excl. tax) for a showcase site. You pay for execution plus a framework: strategy, UX, QA, basic SEO, and ongoing follow-up. It’s justified as soon as you want polished design and real support.

How much does an e-commerce website cost?

An e-commerce site costs €2,000 to €8,000 on Shopify, €3,000 to €12,000 on WooCommerce, and €15,000+ for headless or fully custom builds. On top of that, plan for monthly subscriptions (platform, apps) and payment commissions.

What budget for a custom web application?

A web app MVP often starts between €15,000 and €25,000 (excl. tax). A more ambitious SaaS (modular architecture, multiple integrations) runs from €50,000 to €100,000, and beyond for enterprise projects. The budget mostly depends on the number of screens, business rules, and integrations.

Should I choose a freelancer or an agency for my website?

For a simple showcase site with content ready, a freelancer usually offers the best speed-to-price ratio. As soon as you want polished design, real SEO and ongoing follow-up, an agency makes sense: you pay for a framework, project management, and continuity.

What are the hidden costs of a website?

Beyond the build, plan for hosting and maintenance (€35 to €500/month depending on service level), content production and SEO, and legal compliance (GDPR, legal pages, terms and conditions for e-commerce).

Need a quick estimate?

At Fenxi Technologies, we build showcase sites, e-commerce websites, and web apps with a product-driven approach: clear scoping, focus on impact, and iterative delivery (especially useful if you’re aiming for an MVP in 2026). Share your needs in 10 lines, and we can come back with a realistic budget and timeline, plus options.