# Having a website built: how to choose the right provider

> Having a website built: freelancer, agency or subscription? Criteria for choosing a provider, a briefing template to fill in, the process in six steps and a checklist before sign-off.

- Quelle: https://bezahlbare-webseite.de/en/ratgeber/homepage-erstellen-lassen/
- Datum: 2026-10-25
- Sprache: en
- Thema: Preise & Abo-Modell

If you want someone to build your website in 2026, you have four options: a freelancer, an agency, a managed website subscription or a service provider who populates a website builder for you. Prices vary, but in our experience of initial consultations, three other issues cause more trouble than price: an unclear scope, missing content and uncertainty over who takes care of things after launch. This article helps you choose, gives you a briefing template you can fill in straight away and a checklist for signing off the work. We cover website costs in detail in a separate article.

## Who can build a professional website for me?

First, a note on terminology: in German, “Homepage” used to mean just the home page, but today it is also used to mean the whole website. So commissioning a “Homepage” means the home page, service pages, contact information and legal notices; the quote must specify exactly which pages are included, because the word itself does not define the scope. There are four types of provider to consider. The table compares how you work together and who looks after things after launch, rather than ranking them by quality.

*Four ways to have a website built*

| Type of provider | Typical process | Your own workload | Who takes care of things after launch |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freelancer | Fixed price or hourly rate, working directly with one person | Supply content and make decisions promptly | Agree the scope of maintenance, separately or within the contract; clarify cover for holidays and illness |
| Agency | Ask who will manage the project and which specialists will be involved; often includes a planning phase | Coordination meetings and approvals | Maintenance contract; ask about response times |
| Website subscription | Website creation and operation for one monthly price, with a standardised process | Supply content | The subscription provider; check each package to see whether hosting, updates and changes are included |
| Website builder service | Sets up Wix, Jimdo or IONOS for you | Book the plan yourself and maintain the site yourself later | You, with support from the website builder provider |

Our view, openly stated as a subscription provider: a freelancer offers the most personal working relationship, but comes with the risks of relying on one person; check whether they cover all the work you need. An agency brings structure and makes sense when a proper planning phase is needed. A subscription takes the day-to-day running off your hands, in return for a contractual commitment. A website builder service suits you if you really intend to maintain the site yourself later.

## Which website provider suits my business?

The decision comes down to seven criteria. Work through them honestly, based on how your business actually operates rather than how you would like it to operate.

- A named contact: do you have someone who knows your project, or do you end up in a ticket system?
- Cover: what happens if that person is unavailable for three weeks? This is the most important question with a freelancer.
- Previous work: are there websites you can visit for businesses in your sector or of your size? Ask for one that is more than two years old and see whether it is still being maintained.
- Content: will you supply the copy and photos yourself, or should the provider handle this? Either way, the quote must set out the work and its price.
- Changes: how often do things change in your business? New offers every month call for a different contract from a website that stays the same for three years.
- Ongoing support: who handles updates, security and backups? At what price, and with what response time?
- Leaving: what do you receive when you cancel, and what does switching provider cost?

Two typical situations from our initial consultations: a trades business with three employees and nobody with time for the website needs someone to look after it on an ongoing basis, whether through a subscription or a freelancer with a maintenance contract. A consultant who enjoys writing and wants to publish a post every month needs a system she can use herself, with someone looking after just the technical side. We would recommend something different to each.

## How do I know whether a website quote is complete?

A quote is complete if you can see, without asking further questions, what you will get, what you need to supply, the total cost and what happens after launch. It must include these six points:

- Scope: the number of pages, which pages and which features (contact form, appointment booking, gallery, blog).
- Revisions: how many rounds of revisions are included, and what does an extra round cost?
- Content: who supplies the copy, photos and logo? By when? What happens if they are missing?
- Usage rights: will the design, copy and images belong to you after payment? Which licences are registered in whose name?
- Responsibilities after launch: hosting, domain, updates, backups and changes, each with a price and response time.
- Acceptance: when is the website considered finished and paid for? What checks come first?

A brief word on budget: in 2026, freelancers quote €1,000 to €2,000 for five to ten pages, a Berlin studio quotes €4,000 to €12,000 excluding VAT for five to twelve subpages, and website subscriptions start at €39 to €49 a month excluding VAT; ours starts at €79. The sources behind these figures, website builder plans and a three-year calculation are in the article “What does a website cost in 2026?”. Here, we are looking at the quote as a document: if the price is right but several of these points are missing, ask for a revised quote before comparing providers.

## What information does a web designer need from me?

The better your brief, the easier it is to compare quotes and the shorter the project. The following template is enough for an enquiry to any provider. Copy it into an email and fill in the brackets. The examples are made up and simply show how specific your answers should be.

*Briefing template for your enquiry*

| Item | Your information (example) |
| --- | --- |
| Business and location | [Malerbetrieb Muster, Berlin-Pankow, team size] |
| Purpose of the website | [Enquiries for flat renovations; attract job applicants] |
| Target audience | [Private customers in Pankow and Weißensee; property management companies] |
| Services to feature on the website | [Interior painting, exterior painting, wallpapering, flooring] |
| Preferred contact method | [Phone and contact form; would you like WhatsApp?] |
| Existing material | [Logo as a PDF, phone photos of jobs, no copy yet] |
| Features | [Gallery, embedded reviews, no shop] |
| Existing website / domain | [Current address, current provider, to be moved] |
| Person responsible within the business | [Owner; days and times available] |
| Preferred deadline | [Specific date, e.g. before the spring season] |
| Budget range | [One-off or monthly amount; including or excluding VAT] |

The last point can feel awkward, but it is useful: stating your budget gets you a proposal that fits, rather than a range nobody can work with. Then check which services are specified for that amount and which requests have been left out. This tells you whether the provider has planned around your budget or simply used it all up.

## What is the process for having a website built?

Whatever type of provider you choose, a website project has six steps. The brackets show what you need to contribute at each stage, because that determines how long it takes.

- Initial consultation and quote (you: send the brief and answer questions). Result: a written quote covering the six points above.
- Gather content (you: supply copy, logo, photos and legal notices, or authorise their creation). Agree who is responsible and set deadlines at this stage; otherwise it becomes a waiting period.
- Structure and design (you: review the design and give consolidated feedback). Keep an eye on the number of revision rounds included in the quote.
- Build (you: be available for questions). The provider builds all pages, the form, legal notices and the basic search engine setup.
- Checks and acceptance (you: work through the checklist below and give written approval). Agree that the site will only go live after you have signed it off.
- Launch and handover (you: store login details securely). Point the domain to the new site, redirect old addresses and receive an introduction to using the site; the contract determines when recurring charges begin.

Our standard-scope websites are usually online within five to ten working days, counted from the day step 2 is complete. Ask every provider when their timeframe starts. If content arrives in stages, agree a phased schedule. There is usually still work to do after the final delivery, so the launch date moves back by a little more than the content delay itself.

## What should I check before signing off my website?

Acceptance is the point at which you still have negotiating power. Use this table to check the website before signing it off, ideally on your own smartphone rather than the provider’s screen.

*Acceptance checklist before sign-off*

| Check | Expected result | Who checks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mobile view | All pages readable on a smartphone, buttons easy to tap, no cut-off text | You, on your own phone |
| Contact form | Test message arrives in your inbox, not spam; confirmation for the sender | You send it, provider documents it |
| Phone number and address | Clickable on a phone, consistent everywhere and matching the Google Business Profile | You |
| Content | All agreed pages present, no placeholder copy, spelling checked | You and the provider |
| Legal notices | Impressum and privacy policy tailored to your business; need for a cookie consent solution checked | Provider supplies them, you check the company details |
| Loading time | PageSpeed Insights report available for the home page, results as agreed; also tested on your own phone over a mobile connection | Provider shows the result |
| Agreed features | Appointment booking, gallery and reviews work with real data | You test each one |
| Old addresses | For a relaunch: old URLs redirect to the new pages | Provider shows a list |
| Access | You have received and tried the login details for the domain, hosting and website | You |

The point we most strongly urge you to check is the contact form. It may look finished, but you cannot tell by looking whether messages arrive or land in spam; you only notice when someone asks why you have not replied. Send a test message yourself, check your inbox and spam folder, note the sending and receipt times, and repeat this after every change to the form or email reception.

## What happens after launch or if I switch provider?

After launch comes the part that costs money and patience over the years: changes, maintenance and being able to reach someone. Clarify what counts as a “change” before signing the contract. New opening hours or a replacement team photo are small jobs; with us, they are included depending on the package. A new service page with copy, photos and links is a small project. Reputable providers put this distinction in writing before you sign.

An anonymised example from our day-to-day work: before the season started, a customer wanted a limited-time offer on the home page, with an image, a price and an expiry date. After one email, it was online the next working day and covered by the package. Two months later, the same customer wanted a new service page with six photos and copy for us to write. That was additional work, quoted in advance, and the customer knew this because the distinction was in the contract. Both are normal; it only becomes awkward when you first see the distinction on the invoice.

To switch provider, you need four things: control of the domain, all website files, a database export for systems such as WordPress, and the licences for paid components. Before signing the contract, ask whether you will receive these on cancellation, within what timeframe and at what cost. For a subscription, also ask what happens to the website after the minimum term: does it become yours, or does it end with the contract? Both arrangements exist; what matters is knowing in advance.

## Common questions before commissioning a website

### Does “Homepage” mean the home page or the whole website?

In everyday German today, it means the whole website. When you commission a “Homepage”, you get the home page, subpages, contact information and legal notices. Still, specify the number of pages in the quote to avoid misunderstandings.

### Freelancer or agency: which suits a small business?

For five to ten pages without special features, a freelancer or website subscription is enough. An agency makes sense for larger projects with a planning phase, multiple locations or a shop. The type of provider matters less than who is responsible after launch and how cover is arranged.

### Do I have to supply the copy and photos myself?

No, but it makes a significant difference to the price and timescale. If the provider writes the copy or arranges a photographer, the quote must list this as a service with a price. We prefer real photos of your work to stock images, even if they were taken on a phone; discuss suitability and image rights with the provider.

### How much do I need to contribute during the project?

You need to do four things: complete the brief, gather content, approve designs and work through acceptance checks. Assign someone in your business to this and agree dates for feedback. When this is taken care of, our projects run within the five to ten working days stated; when it is squeezed in around other work, the project takes as long as finding that spare time.

### Who manages the domain and login details?

The domain should be registered in your name or contractually belong to you, even if the provider manages it technically. Have all login details handed over and store them securely. Without control of the domain, a provider can hold you to ransom when you want to leave.

### What happens if I want to switch provider later?

You need the domain, files, database where applicable, and licences. This should be in the contract, with a deadline. The new provider charges for the move; ask for a quote specifying the scope and price in advance. For a subscription, also clarify whether the website becomes yours after the term ends.

---
Veröffentlicht von bezahlbare-webseite.de — Website im Abo ab 79 €/Monat. https://bezahlbare-webseite.de/