Comparing Web Agency Quotes Line by Line

Put every quote into the same table

Build a simple spreadsheet with one column per agency and one row per item below. Copy the exact wording from each quote into its cell. Where a quote is silent, write "not stated" rather than guessing. Where it is vague, such as "responsive design" or "SEO-friendly", write the vague phrase in the cell and add a question to ask. The table below is a starting point.

Scope: pages, features and content

The biggest difference between quotes is usually content. One agency assumes you deliver finished text and photos; another includes copywriting for every page. That single assumption can explain most of the gap between two totals. Ask each agency to state which pages they write, which you write, and what happens if your text is late.

Next, count unique page designs rather than pages. Twenty service pages built from one template cost far less than twenty individually designed pages. Then list every feature and integration. If you sent the same website brief to every agency, this part is quick: check each line of your brief against each quote and mark it covered, partly covered or missing.

Ownership, hosting and licences

Two quotes with the same price can leave you in very different positions after launch. The questions to settle in writing are simple, and every serious agency can answer them in one line each.

• Is the domain registered in your company's name, with your organisation number?
• Is the hosting account yours, or rented through the agency? If the agency's, can it be moved and at what cost?
• Do you receive the source code or the full platform export, and the design files?
• Which paid themes, plugins, fonts or images are included, and who pays their renewals?
• Is the site built on a platform you can edit yourself, or does every change go through the agency?

A lower build price combined with hosting you cannot move is often the more expensive deal over three years. Add the recurring costs to your table and compare over that period, not just the launch invoice.

Support and warranty

A warranty covers faults in what was delivered; support covers everything else, such as questions, small changes and updates. Quotes often mention one and imply the other. Write down for each agency how long faults are fixed free of charge after launch, what counts as a fault, how fast they respond, and what a monthly maintenance plan costs and contains.

For a WordPress site, updates and backups are not optional, so a quote without them is incomplete rather than cheaper. For a hosted platform, the platform handles most of it, and a smaller support budget can be reasonable. Our own packages state what is included on the pricing page, which makes this row easy to fill in for us and a useful reference for the others.

Exclusions and assumptions

Read the exclusions and assumptions last and slowly. This is where scope gaps hide: "client provides all content", "two revision rounds", "integrations quoted separately", "migration of existing content not included". Each one is legitimate, but each one moves cost to you. Estimate what it would take to cover every exclusion, add it to that agency's column, and compare the adjusted totals.

1. Fill in the table from the written quotes only.
2. Send each agency the same list of questions for its blank or vague rows.
3. Price every gap and exclusion and add it to the total.
4. Compare adjusted totals over three years, including hosting and maintenance.
5. Then weigh the rest: communication, relevant work and who actually does the job.

When you do not need this method: for a small, clearly defined site where agencies publish fixed package prices, you can compare the package contents directly and skip the spreadsheet. If you would like a second opinion on quotes you already have, including ours or not, a free 15-minute call is enough to spot the biggest gaps. For a full package with a published scope, see our business website launch.

Frequently asked questions