In this article · 6 sections
You ask three web designers for a price and get ₹5,000, ₹18,000 and ₹60,000. It's tempting to pick the cheapest or assume the expensive one is overcharging. Usually, though, they're quoting for different things. This guide shows how to put quotes side by side and see what each one actually delivers.
Start with the same brief
You can only compare quotes that answer the same question. Before you compare anything, make sure every agency received the same written requirements. If you haven't written one yet, use our website project brief template.
Build a comparison table
Put the quotes in columns and these items in rows. Fill in what each quote says, and mark anything missing with a question mark.
| What to compare | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of pages | |||
| Custom design or template | |||
| Who writes the content | |||
| Mobile responsive | |||
| Basic SEO setup (titles, sitemap, Search Console) | |||
| Forms, WhatsApp, call buttons | |||
| Admin panel / self-editing | |||
| Domain and hosting included? For how long? | |||
| Renewal cost from year 2 | |||
| Revisions included | |||
| Timeline | |||
| Support after launch | |||
| Who owns the domain, code and logins |
The question marks are your follow-up list. Ask each agency to fill them in writing.
Where big price differences come from
Template vs custom design
A pre-made theme with your logo dropped in is fast and cheap. A custom design planned around your business costs more. Both can be right; a new home bakery doesn't need the same site as a manufacturer pitching to export buyers.
Content writing
Writing good service pages takes time. Some quotes assume you'll supply all text; others include it. If you're not a writer, a cheaper quote without content often ends up as a slower, emptier website.
Hidden year-two costs
Some low quotes include "free hosting" for the first year and then renew at a much higher price. Ask for the renewal cost of domain, hosting and any paid plugins in writing. See the hosting renewal price trap.
SEO and speed work
"SEO-friendly" can mean anything from nothing at all to proper titles, schema, sitemap, speed tuning and Search Console setup. Ask exactly which of these are included.
Support
Will the agency fix things if the form stops working in month four? Is that free, or charged per hour? Is there an annual maintenance option?
Red flags in a quote
- No list of pages or features. Just a single price with no breakdown.
- Domain registered in the agency's name. You should own your domain. Read who should own your domain and hosting.
- 100% payment in advance for a large project, with no milestones.
- Unrealistic promises like "guaranteed #1 on Google in 15 days".
- No portfolio of live sites you can open and test on your phone.
Green flags
- They asked questions before quoting.
- The quote lists what's not included, so there are no surprises later.
- They show live websites, not just screenshots.
- Payment is split into milestones (advance, design approval, launch).
- They explain what happens after launch.
So which one should you pick?
Pick the quote that best matches your goal at a cost you can sustain for three years, not just for the first month. A ₹5,000 website that brings no enquiries is more expensive than a ₹15,000 website that pays for itself in two months.
It's also fine to ask an expensive agency, "What would you remove to hit ₹X?" A good partner will tell you honestly which features matter for your business and which can wait.
For reference, our own packages are published openly: business websites from ₹4,999, ₹8,999 and ₹14,999, and online stores from ₹12,999. Each quote lists the pages, features and renewal costs. Ask for an itemised quote.