"How much does a website cost?" is a fair question with a frustrating answer: it depends. But it doesn't depend on nothing — it depends on a few specific things, and once you know them you can read a quote properly.
The biggest driver is whether the site is a template build or a bespoke platform. A well-executed template site can be genuinely great and start in the low hundreds. A custom platform with integrations, a real CMS, and performance guarantees is a different category, and pricing scales accordingly.
The second driver is what happens after launch. A cheap build with no maintenance is often more expensive over two years than a solid build with a care plan — because you pay for the emergencies instead of the prevention.
Be wary of two extremes: a quote far below market usually means corners you'll pay for later, and a quote far above it should come with a very specific justification. A fair quote tells you what you're getting, what it's built on, and who maintains it. That's what we aim for with transparent starting ranges rather than a single mystery number.