How to Compare Website Redesign Quotes (and Why They Vary So Much)

Why redesign quotes differ so much

Two quotes for "a website redesign" can describe different projects. One agency guide puts it this way: ask three agencies and you may get $8,000, $35,000 and $90,000, and usually all three are honest, pricing three different projects that share one label.

The usual reasons for a gap:

• Different scope. One bid includes writing copy, migrating old pages and setting up redirects. Another assumes you supply everything and the pages stay as they are.
• Different counting. Agencies often price by layout, not page count. One published guide says a 60-page site on 8 templates can cost less to design than a 20-page site needing 15 layouts. If quotes count pages and templates differently, you cannot compare them.
• Different provider models. A freelancer, a small agency and a larger agency carry different overheads and process, and they bill for different things. A commenter on one thread said it was shocking to hear clients say an agency quoted $40k when they figured it would cost $8k. That is one person's view, not a benchmark.
• Different platform choices. A DIY-platform build, a WordPress build and a custom build come with different recurring costs.
• Different assumptions about what you already have. Existing photos, text, logos and brand guidelines change the work involved.

The spread is normal. What matters is whether you can see why it exists.

What a comparable quote states

Before judging price, check that each proposal answers the same questions. A quote you can compare names:

• Page and content volume: how many pages and templates, and who writes and sources copy and images.
• Design work: what is designed, in what format, and how many rounds of revisions are included.
• Development work: the platform or theme, custom features, responsive behaviour and accessibility testing.
• Migration: which existing pages move as-is, which are restructured, and whether redirects from old URLs are handled.
• Integrations: forms, booking, email, payments, analytics and CRM, and who owns each account.
• Timeline: start conditions, milestones and what you must supply, and by when.
• Platform, hosting and domain costs: what is in the project fee and what you pay separately, and for how long.
• Post-launch support: a fix window, training, and what ongoing maintenance costs.
• Terms: payment schedule, ownership of files and accounts, and how scope changes are handled.

A gap in any of these often explains a price difference. It also shows what you will pay for later.

Quote comparison grid

Use the grid below with each proposal. For every line, mark the quote as included, excluded or unclear. Treat "unclear" as a question to send, not a pass.

To use it:

• Fill one column per proposal. Copy the grid into a document or spreadsheet if you have more than three.
• Count the "unclear" and "excluded" marks before you compare prices. A cheaper quote with five exclusions is not yet cheaper.
• Price the exclusions you need. Ask the provider, or estimate separately, then compare totals.
• Don't score the grid as a ranking. A line you do not need, such as migration for a brand-new site, can stay excluded.

Is a low bid missing something?

Sometimes, but not always. A low quote may reflect a narrower scope, a template-based approach, a smaller provider with lower overhead, or a client who supplies the content. It may also leave out content, migration, integrations or support that the higher quote includes. The grid shows which.

Published price ranges won't settle this either. Sources vary widely and measure different things: one agency says most custom small-business sites land between $8,000 and $30,000, another guide spans about $5,000 for a visual refresh to $150,000 and up for a full rebuild, and agencies that publish prices on redesign service pages quote roughly $25,000 to $155,000. These are provider-published figures with their own assumptions. Use them to see that the spread is wide, not to judge your quote.

One poster on a developer forum described estimates from $4,000 to $8,000 with a few between $13,000 and $17,000. That is one person's anecdote, and the project details are unknown. It shows why asking "is this reasonable?" is hard without a written scope.

Red flags in a redesign proposal

These are warning signs worth a question, not proof of bad faith.

Unspecified content. The quote says "content" or "copywriting" without saying who writes it, how many pages, or whether photos are sourced. Content is a common area where scope grows, and a thread on pricing notes that content creation, UX strategy, graphics and SEO can make costs add up quickly.

Vague integrations. "Standard integrations" or "forms and tools" with no list. One agency's checklist asks, what is the integration list, and who owns credentials for each system? If a quote can't answer, it may be a placeholder.

Open-ended change orders. A change order is a written amendment, usually with a price, for work outside the agreed scope. They are normal. The red flag is a quote that does not say what counts as a change, how it is priced (hourly rate or fixed) or who approves it before work starts.

Unlimited or unstated revisions. "Unlimited revisions" can hide a limit on how long the project can run. No mention at all means you do not know when a round of feedback becomes billable.

No timeline, or a timeline with no dependencies. A date without milestones or your responsibilities is hard to hold anyone to. One commenter on a regret thread summarised a long wait for a small output: months for a simple three-page theme, a logo and icons. That is one person's account, but it shows why timelines matter.

Hosting and platform costs left out. The project fee and the recurring fee are different things. Platforms bill per site, usually by plan; see, for instance, Webflow's per-site plans. Ask who holds the account, who pays and what happens if you leave.

No mention of accessibility or SEO protection. If your site must be usable by people with disabilities, ask what is tested. W3C advises evaluating accessibility early and throughout development. If search traffic matters, ask how old URLs will be redirected and checked after launch.

Pages counted, templates not. If the quote counts pages but never says how many layouts it designs, ask for the template count.

Questions to send each provider

Send the same questions to every provider so the answers line up in the grid. Paste them into an email as they are.

• How many unique page templates are included, and what are they?
• How many pages are included? Which migrate as-is and which are restructured?
• Who writes the copy and sources images? What do you need from us, and by when?
• Which integrations are in scope? Who owns the accounts and credentials?
• How are old URLs redirected, and what is checked after launch?
• How many rounds of design and development revisions are included, and what counts as one round?
• What triggers a change order? How is it priced, and do you need our written approval before starting?
• What is the timeline, with milestones? What happens if our feedback or content is late?
• What platform or theme will the site use? What are the recurring platform, hosting and domain costs, and who holds those accounts?
• What accessibility checks are included?
• What support is included after launch, for how long, and what does ongoing maintenance cost?
• Do we own the design files, content and site on final payment?
• What is the payment schedule, and what is tied to each payment?

A provider who answers clearly and in writing is easier to compare than one who says "we'll work it out." Slow or evasive answers are information too.

Next step: write down your own scope

The most effective way to make quotes comparable is to write one scope and ask every provider to price it. List your pages and templates, content you will supply, integrations, migration needs, timeline and support expectations. Then request revised quotes against that document and fill the grid again.

If you have not yet set a budget, start with the cost guide for what each route typically involves. If you are still deciding between doing it yourself and hiring, that is a different question and a different guide.

About this guide

This guide is published by Dance Technologies, which builds AI website and marketing products. We are not an independent reviewer, we have not tested or rated providers, and this page has not been through expert review. It does not recommend any freelancer, agency or platform. Sources are cited so you can check them, and the price figures quoted are other parties' published or anecdotal numbers, not ours.

This grid is a checklist assembled by Dance Technologies from published provider guidance and buyer discussions. It is not a tested or expert-reviewed standard. It does not compare prices or rank providers, and it won't tell you whether a line you don't need is worth paying for.

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