Website Development Munich: Costs, Process & Provider Comparison

You need a new website for your business in Munich. But what does it cost? How long does it take? And who's the right partner - agency, freelancer, or DIY with Wix?

In this guide, you'll get all the answers: from realistic prices to the typical process to comparing different provider types.

Table of Contents

1. What Does a Website Cost in Munich?
2. The Typical Process
3. Provider Comparison: Agency, Freelancer, Website Builder
4. How to Find the Right Partner
5. Avoiding Common Mistakes
6. FAQ

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What Does a Website Cost in Munich?

Price Overview by Website Type

Website Type	Price Range	Typical Scope
One-pager / Business Card	€1,500-€4,000	1 page, basic info, contact form
Small Business Website	€3,000-€8,000	5-10 pages, professional design
Medium Website	€8,000-€20,000	15-30 pages, CMS, blog, special features
Complex Website	€20,000-€50,000	Extensive features, integrations
E-Commerce Shop	€10,000-€80,000+	Product catalog, checkout, connections
Web Application	€30,000-€150,000+	Individual functionality, user accounts

What Influences the Price?

Design Effort:

• Template-based: €500-€2,000
• Custom design (1 draft): €2,000-€5,000
• Premium custom design (multiple drafts): €5,000-€15,000

Functionality:

• Contact form: €200-€500
• Blog/News: €500-€1,500
• Multilingual: €1,000-€3,000 per language
• Booking system: €2,000-€8,000
• Member area: €3,000-€10,000
• E-Commerce: €5,000-€30,000+

Content Creation:

• Writing texts: €50-€150 per page
• Professional photos: €500-€3,000
• Video content: €1,000-€10,000
• Illustrations: €200-€500 each

SEO & Marketing:

• Basic SEO: often included
• Comprehensive SEO optimization: €1,000-€3,000
• Google Ads setup: €500-€2,000

Ongoing Costs

Item	Monthly Costs
Hosting	€10-€100
Domain	€1-€5
SSL Certificate	Often free (Let's Encrypt)
Maintenance & Updates	€50-€300
Content Care	As needed

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The Typical Process

Phase 1: Briefing & Quote (1-2 Weeks)

What happens:

• Initial meeting (30-60 min)
• Clarify requirements
• Define goals
• Create quote

Your preparation:

• What should the website achieve?
• Who is your target audience?
• Which pages/features do you need?
• Example websites you like
• Budget expectations

Phase 2: Conception (1-3 Weeks)

What happens:

• Create sitemap
• Wireframes/page structure
• Technical concept
• Content planning

Your input:

• Feedback on wireframes
• Plan content delivery
• Provide branding materials

Phase 3: Design (2-4 Weeks)

What happens:

• Mood boards/style direction
• Homepage design
• Subpage design
• Mobile view
• Feedback rounds

Your input:

• Constructive feedback
• Collect change requests
• Final approval

Phase 4: Development (2-6 Weeks)

What happens:

• Technical implementation
• CMS setup
• Program functions
• Responsive design
• Browser tests

Your input:

• Deliver content
• Interim approvals
• Test feedback

Phase 5: Content & Finishing (1-2 Weeks)

What happens:

• Enter texts
• Optimize images
• SEO basics
• Performance optimization
• Final tests

Your input:

• Approve texts
• Last changes
• Final acceptance

Phase 6: Launch (1 Week)

What happens:

• Domain switch
• Go live
• Monitoring
• Bug fixes
• Handover

Total duration typical business website: 8-12 weeks

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Provider Comparison: Agency, Freelancer, Website Builder

Web Agency

Advantages:

• Professional team (designer, developer, PM)
• Broad expertise
• Reliability
• Support and maintenance
• Larger projects possible

Disadvantages:

• Higher prices
• Often longer timelines
• Sometimes less personal

Price range: €5,000-€100,000+

Ideal for:

• Medium-sized companies
• Complex requirements
• Long-term partnerships

Freelancer

Advantages:

• Cheaper than agencies
• Direct contact
• Flexible working style
• Often specialized

Disadvantages:

• Failure risk (illness, vacation)
• Limited capacity
• Possibly missing skills (design OR development)

Price range: €2,000-€20,000

Ideal for:

• Small businesses
• Clear, manageable projects
• Personal support important

Website Builder (Wix, Squarespace, etc.)

Advantages:

• Very cheap
• Quick to go online
• Self-changeable
• No technical knowledge needed

Disadvantages:

• Limited design
• Limited functions
• Dependency on provider
• SEO restrictions
• Doesn't look professional

Price range: €100-€1,000 + monthly fee

Ideal for:

• Hobby projects
• Absolute minimal budget
• First test website

WordPress with Theme

Advantages:

• Flexible and extensible
• Large community
• Many plugins
• SEO-friendly
• Self-maintainable

Disadvantages:

• Technical know-how needed for customizations
• Regular updates required
• Security risks if neglected

Price range: €2,000-€15,000 (with agency/freelancer)

Ideal for:

• SMEs with limited budget
• Blog/content-focused websites
• Long-term independence

Custom Development (React, Next.js, etc.)

Advantages:

• Maximum flexibility
• Best performance possible
• No limitations
• Scalable

Disadvantages:

• High costs
• Longer development time
• Technical maintenance needed

Price range: €15,000-€100,000+

Ideal for:

• Complex web applications
• Highest performance requirements
• Individual functionality

Comparison Table

Criterion	Agency	Freelancer	Builder	WordPress	Custom
Price	€€€	€€	€	€€	€€€€
Quality	High	Medium-High	Low	Medium	Very High
Flexibility	High	Medium	Low	Medium	Very High
Timeline	Medium	Fast	Very Fast	Medium	Long
Support	High	Variable	Limited	Community	High
Scalability	High	Limited	Very Limited	Medium	Very High

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How to Find the Right Partner

Step 1: Clarify Requirements

Before searching, answer:

• Goal: What should the website do for your business?
• Target audience: Who should use the website?
• Functions: What must the website be able to do?
• Content: Who provides texts and images?
• Budget: How much can you invest?
• Timeline: When does it need to be online?

Step 2: Choose Provider Type

Your Situation	Recommendation
Small budget (<€3,000)	Freelancer or WordPress
Standard website (€3,000-€15,000)	Freelancer or small agency
Complex website (>€15,000)	Agency
E-Commerce	Specialized agency
Web app	Development agency

Step 3: Find Candidates

Where to search:

• Google: "Web design Munich" / "Website agency Munich"
• Portfolio platforms: Behance, Dribbble
• Freelancer platforms: Malt, Fiverr Pro
• Recommendations from your network
• LinkedIn

What to look for:

• Portfolio with similar projects
• Customer reviews
• Local presence (for meetings)
• Recency (modern designs)

Step 4: Conduct Initial Conversations

Talk to 3-5 providers and pay attention to:

• Understanding: Do they listen and ask good questions?
• Experience: Have they done similar projects?
• Process: Is the workflow clearly explained?
• Chemistry: Does the collaboration feel good?
• Transparency: Are prices and services clear?

Step 5: Compare Offers

Pay attention to:

• Scope: What exactly is included?
• Revisions: How many change rounds are included?
• Content: Who writes texts, who provides images?
• Technology: What CMS/system is used?
• SEO: Is basic SEO included?
• Maintenance: What happens after launch?
• Payment plan: When is what due?

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Avoiding Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Only Comparing Price

Problem: Choosing the cheapest provider.

Reality: Cheap websites often look cheap and work poorly. Corrections cost extra.

Solution: Compare portfolio quality and included services, not just price.

Mistake 2: Not Preparing Content

Problem: Thinking the agency writes all texts.

Reality: Content creation is usually extra and can double the price.

Solution: Clarify beforehand who writes texts. Prepare as much as possible yourself.

Mistake 3: Unrealistic Timeline

Problem: "The website must be ready in 2 weeks."

Reality: A good website takes time. Rushed projects turn out poorly.

Solution: Plan at least 8-12 weeks for a professional website.

Mistake 4: Forgetting SEO

Problem: Beautiful website, but no one finds it.

Reality: Without SEO, the website is invisible on Google.

Solution: Look for basic SEO in the offer (meta tags, page structure, loading time).

Mistake 5: Not Planning Maintenance

Problem: After launch, no one takes care of the website.

Reality: Websites need updates, backups, and maintenance.

Solution: Clarify maintenance and support before project start.

Mistake 6: Too Many Decision-Makers

Problem: Everyone on the team has an opinion about the design.

Reality: "Design by committee" leads to mediocre results and delays.

Solution: Designate one person as the final decision-maker.

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Conclusion

A professional website in Munich costs between €3,000 and €50,000 - depending on requirements. The right partner depends on your budget, your requirements, and the desired quality.

At Balane Tech, we create modern websites with a focus on conversion and performance. From landing pages to complex web applications. Contact us for a free initial consultation.

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FAQ

What does a professional website cost in Munich?

A simple business website costs €3,000-€8,000, a medium website €8,000-€20,000, complex websites or shops €20,000-€80,000+.

How long does it take to have a website built?

A typical business website takes 8-12 weeks. Simple one-pagers can be faster, complex projects take longer.

Should I hire an agency or a freelancer?

Freelancers are cheaper and more personal, agencies offer more security and broader expertise. For small projects, a freelancer is often enough; for complex websites, an agency is better.

What's typically included in a website quote?

Conception, design, development, CMS setup, basic SEO, responsive design. Often NOT included: texts, images, hosting, domain, ongoing maintenance.

Do I need a CMS like WordPress?

If you want to change content yourself, yes. For pure business card websites, a static website can also suffice.

What does website maintenance cost?

Typically €50-€300 per month for updates, backups, security, and small support. Larger changes are billed separately.