How Much Does a Website Cost in Ireland? A Straight Answer for Small Businesses

If you've asked three web designers for a price, you've probably had three very different answers. One says €600, another says €2,500 and an agency says €7,000, and they're all describing "a website". It's hard to know who is being fair and who is padding the quote.

This guide gives you realistic price ranges for Ireland in 2026, explains what drives the price up or down, and covers the running costs that most quotes leave out. It finishes with the questions to ask before you sign anything, so you can compare quotes properly.

I build websites for small businesses myself, so I'll also tell you what I charge. You'll find that near the end, after the information you actually came for.

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The short answer

For a small Irish business, most website quotes fall into four broad bands:

• Do it yourself (Wix, Squarespace and similar): from nothing up to a few hundred euro in the first year, plus your own time.
• Freelancer or small studio: roughly €500 to €3,000 for a small brochure site of a handful of pages.
• Established agency: roughly €3,000 to €8,000 for a larger site with more planning, copywriting and search work built in.
• Online shops and custom builds: usually from about €6,000 upwards, and well beyond that for complex projects.

These bands are drawn from pricing guides published by Irish web designers this year, including Raven Design, Create108 and Everblue Digital. Their figures differ, but the shape is the same: the price rises with the number of pages, the amount of writing and planning involved, and whether you need to sell online.

Then add the running costs, which I cover below. A website is never a single payment.

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Why website quotes vary so much

Two quotes for "a five-page website" can be thousands apart and both be honest. These are the things that usually make the difference:

• Template or custom design. Adapting a well-made template is quicker than designing every page from scratch.
• Who writes the words. Copywriting is often the biggest hidden difference between quotes. If you're expected to supply all the text, the quote will be lower, but the work hasn't gone away. It has moved to you.
• Planning. A good build starts by working out who the site is for and what you want visitors to do. Some quotes include this properly; some skip it.
• Search basics. Page titles, descriptions, headings, image text and a sitemap should be part of any build. Ongoing SEO work is a separate thing.
• Online sales and bookings. Payments, stock, delivery options and booking systems add cost and complexity.
• Number of pages and revisions. More pages and more rounds of changes mean more hours.
• Who is doing the work. A one-person studio has lower overheads than an agency with an office and a team, and prices accordingly.

None of these are wrong in themselves. The trouble starts when two quotes include very different things and you compare only the bottom line.

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What any small business website should include

Whatever you pay, these are the basics I'd expect from a professionally built small business site in 2026:

• It works properly on a phone, because that's where most people will first see it.
• It loads quickly on mobile data, not just on the designer's office wifi.
• It makes clear, within a few seconds, what you do, who it's for and what to do next.
• There's an obvious way to get in touch on every page.
• The basic search settings are done: page titles, meta descriptions, headings and image descriptions.
• It's connected to Google Search Console so you can see how people find you, and your Google Business Profile links to it.
• You can make simple changes yourself, such as updating opening hours or adding a photo.
• You own the domain and the site, and you have the logins.

If a quote doesn't cover these, ask why.

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The running costs after launch

This is where many small businesses get caught out. The build is a one-off, but a website has costs every year. The main ones:

• Domain name. Your .ie or .com address is renewed every year. Check the renewal price, not just the first-year offer, because registrars often discount the first year.
• Hosting or platform plan. Every website needs somewhere to live. On a builder like Squarespace or Wix, it's part of your subscription. On Webflow, which I use, publishing to your own domain needs a paid site plan: on Webflow's pricing page, the Basic plan is listed at $15 a month and the plan with the content management system (needed for a blog) at $25 a month, both billed yearly, in US dollars, plus VAT.
• Business email. If you want an address at your own domain, that's usually a separate subscription, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
• Maintenance. Some sites need regular updates and security patches, especially WordPress sites with plugins. Others need very little. Ask your designer what yours will need, and whether they charge a monthly fee for it.
• Your own updates. New photos, prices and news keep a site useful. That costs time rather than money if you can do it yourself.

When you compare quotes, add up the build plus three years of running costs. A cheaper build on an expensive monthly plan can cost more over time than a dearer build with low running costs.

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The cost no quote includes: your time

Every website project needs things only you can provide: decisions about what you offer and who for, information about your business, photos, feedback on drafts and sign-off. If you're writing the copy yourself, add many more hours on top.

This isn't a reason to avoid a website. It's a reason to plan for it. In my experience, projects stall far more often because the owner is too busy to send content than because of anything the designer does. Before you start, block out the time you'll need, and ask the designer exactly what they need from you and when.

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Do you need a new website at all?

Not always, and an honest designer will tell you so.

If your current site looks reasonable and works on a phone, a refresh is often enough: clearer wording at the top of the homepage, a better contact page and some speed and search fixes. That usually costs a fraction of a rebuild.

And if you're a local business that gets most customers from Google Maps searches, your Google Business Profile may matter more than your website in the short term. It's free, and getting it right is a good first step whatever you decide about the site.

A full rebuild makes sense when the site is badly out of date, doesn't work on mobile, can't be edited without paying someone each time, or no longer describes what you actually do.

If you're not sure which applies to you, my one-hour marketing self-check includes a ten-second website test you can run today.

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Questions to ask before you accept a quote

Put the same questions to everyone you're getting quotes from. It's the easiest way to compare like with like:

1. How many pages are included, and what happens if I need more later?
2. Who writes the words, and is that included in the price?
3. Is the design built from a template or from scratch?
4. How many rounds of changes are included?
5. What search settings will you set up, and will you connect Google Search Console?
6. Who will own the domain, the site and the accounts once it's live?
7. What will it cost to run each year, and what is that money for?
8. Can I update it myself, and will you show me how?
9. What do you need from me, and by when?
10. What happens if I want to move the site to someone else later?

The answers matter more than the price. A quote that answers all ten clearly is usually a safer bet than a cheaper one that's vague.

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Red flags to watch for

• You won't own the domain or the site. Your domain should be registered in your name or your business's name. If the designer owns it, leaving them later gets complicated.
• No written scope. You should know exactly what's included before any money changes hands.
• Pressure to sign up for extras. Monthly SEO packages, social media management or advertising may be useful later, but they shouldn't be bundled into a website quote by default.
• No examples of real work. Ask to see sites they've built for businesses like yours, and look at them on your phone.
• A very low price with no explanation. Some cheap sites are fine. Others cut corners on mobile, speed or ownership. Ask what's been left out.

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What I charge

I'd rather be upfront about this, because it's the question you came here with.

I build websites in Webflow for small businesses in Ireland. A Refresh of an existing site starts from €600, and a Full Build, including the copy, costs €1,400 to €1,700. The scope is fixed and agreed before any design work begins, the site belongs to you once it's live, and I show you how to update it yourself. You can see the details on my website design page.

If you're not sure whether you need a refresh, a rebuild or something else entirely, start with a free consultation and I'll tell you honestly, even if the answer is that your current site is fine.

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Frequently asked questions

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How much does a basic website cost in Ireland?

A small brochure site of a few pages built by a freelancer or small studio typically costs somewhere between €500 and €3,000. Doing it yourself on a website builder costs less in money, but more in time.

Is a cheap website worth it?

It can be, if it works well on a phone, loads quickly, is clear about what you do and is owned by you. Ask exactly what a low quote includes, and what it leaves out, before you decide.

How much does it cost to run a website each year?

At a minimum you'll pay for your domain and a hosting or platform plan. Many businesses also pay for business email and, for some types of site, a maintenance plan. Ask for the yearly running cost in writing before you commit to a build.

Can I get a grant for a new website?

Possibly, but don't assume it. Local Enterprise Office supports for digital projects have changed in recent years, and the rules on what they cover vary. Speak to your Local Enterprise Office before you budget around a grant.

Should I own my website and domain?

Yes. The domain should be registered in your name or your business's name, and you should have the logins to the site and hosting. That way you can move to another designer later without starting again.