It's the very first question a shop owner or restaurateur asks me: "How much does a website cost?" And it's a fair one. Searching on Google, you'll find offers ranging from 0€ (free, or almost) to over 10,000€. How do you find your way, and above all, what is the fair price for a professional who wants a serious site without breaking the bank?
I've been building websites for Parisian shops and restaurants for several years. In this article, I give you the real numbers, no fluff, and I explain what makes the price vary — so you can decide with full knowledge of the facts.
The price ranges in 2026
Concretely, here is what you'll find on the market for a showcase website for a shop or restaurant:
- "Free" website (0€ to 15€/month): builders like Wix or a Google page. Fine to test, never to last.
- Junior freelancer / template (500€ to 1,500€): a lightly customized template. Correct, but rarely distinctive.
- Experienced freelancer / custom (1,500€ to 3,500€): unique design, fast, SEO-optimized. The best value for a small business.
- Communication agency (3,500€ to 10,000€+): quality is there, but you also fund the offices, salespeople and project managers.
- All-inclusive monthly subscription (100€ to 200€/month): creation, domain, hosting and edits spread over time. See below.
The myth of the free website
Platforms promise you "free" websites. The reality is often quite different, and I see it regularly when a client asks me to take over a site built on this kind of tool:
- Forced ads and branding: the platform's logo appears on your site.
- No real domain name: you inherit an address like my-restaurant.free-site.com, which badly lacks professionalism (I cover this in my domain name and hosting guide).
- Almost no SEO: these sites are slow and poorly structured, so rarely well indexed by Google.
- You own nothing: if you stop paying, everything disappears.
What really makes the price vary
Two "showcase" sites can differ by a factor of three. Here are the factors that explain the gap:
- Custom vs template: a design built for your identity takes more work than a bought template.
- Number of pages and features: a single page, an online menu, a booking form, a gallery… every block counts.
- Content: professional photos, copywriting, translation — often underestimated.
- Performance and SEO: a truly fast, well-optimized site for local search takes expertise, but that's what makes it profitable.
- Maintenance: who updates the site, fixes bugs and handles security once it's live?
The traditional agency: quality at a premium
Calling on a large agency often guarantees a good result, but the price is heavy: you pay for the infrastructure (offices, sales team, project managers) as much as the site itself. For a small business, an artisan or an independent restaurant, the investment is rarely profitable in the short term.
The freelancer: the middle ground
Working with an independent developer gives you the quality of an agency without the fixed costs. You speak directly with the person designing your site, exchanges are faster and the budget is better controlled. A professional showcase site (custom design, very fast, SEO-optimized) generally costs between 1,500€ and 3,500€ as a one-time payment, depending on features.
The modern alternative: the monthly subscription
This is the formula I offer, and it appeals to more and more business owners: instead of paying a large sum upfront, you pay a fixed monthly subscription. It includes the creation of the site, the domain name, secure hosting, maintenance and above all unlimited modifications thereafter. You smooth out the expense, control your cash flow, and never have to worry about the technical side. For many small structures, it's the best compromise between budget and peace of mind.
The "hidden" costs to anticipate
A creation quote doesn't tell the whole story. Also think about these recurring items:
- Domain name: ~10 to 20€/year.
- Hosting: from free (for a well-built static site) to ~10€/month.
- Maintenance and updates: either you handle it, or it's included in a subscription.
- Future changes: new pages, menu updates, redesign. I cover the signals in when to redesign your website.
Profitability: a website is an investment, not an expense
This is the most important point. You shouldn't see building a website as a simple line of expense, but as a commercial tool that must bring you money. A showcase site optimized for local SEO works for you 24/7, attracting prospects who are looking for exactly your services on Google.
Do the math: if a 1,500€ site brings you even 10 new regular customers in the first few months, it has already paid for itself. This is why systematically choosing the cheapest quote — or entrusting the creation to "the nephew who knows a bit about computers" — is often the worst calculation: an unprofessional, slow, or poorly referenced site will generate no traffic and become a useless expense.
My advice for choosing well
Don't just compare prices, compare what is included. An 800€ quote with no SEO, no hosting and no maintenance will cost more, in the end, than a complete package at 1,800€. Ask any provider three questions: is the design truly custom? Will the site be fast and optimized for Google? Who handles updates once it's live? The answers say a lot about the real value.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average price of a showcase website for a business in 2026?
Expect between 1,500€ and 3,500€ as a one-time payment with an experienced freelancer, or a subscription of around 100€ to 200€/month in an all-inclusive package. Basic templates go below 1,000€; agencies often exceed 3,500€.
Is it better to pay once or take a monthly subscription?
A one-time payment suits you if you have the cash flow and someone to handle maintenance. The monthly subscription is ideal if you want to smooth out the expense and fully delegate the technical side and the updates.
Is a more expensive site necessarily better?
No. Sometimes you're mainly paying for an agency's structure. What matters is design quality, speed, SEO optimization and support — not the amount alone.
Want a clear, no-surprise quote for your shop or restaurant? Let's talk about your project — I'll reply with a precise price and what's really included.