It is the first question we get asked, and rightly so. The trouble is that the honest answer is frustrating: it depends. So rather than dodge it, let us break down what you are actually paying for.
What drives the price
A website is not a standardised product. Three factors explain most of the gap between a 150,000 FCFA quote and a 2,000,000 FCFA one.
The number of pages and features. A five-page site presenting your business has nothing in common with an online store handling stock, payments and deliveries. Every added feature means design, development and testing time.
The degree of customisation. A purchased template adapted quickly costs less than an interface drawn for you. The first will roughly resemble you; the second will carry your identity. Both approaches are legitimate — they simply answer different needs.
The invisible technical quality. This is the hardest line for a client to assess, and precisely where the gaps widen. Loading speed, security, search ranking, ability to evolve: none of it shows up in a screenshot.
Realistic ranges on the Ivorian market
Here are the orders of magnitude we observe across providers:
- 50,000 – 150,000 FCFA: generic template adapted quickly. Useful to exist online cheaply, but rarely strong on search ranking and hard to evolve.
- 300,000 – 800,000 FCFA: custom showcase site, properly optimised, with an administration interface. This is the sweet spot for most SMEs.
- 800,000 – 2,000,000 FCFA: full online store or multilingual corporate site, with online payment and business features.
- Beyond that: bespoke platforms, client portals, connections to existing software.
The costs everyone forgets
The initial quote is not the total cost of ownership. Also budget for:
- The domain name: 10,000 to 25,000 FCFA per year.
- Hosting: from 30,000 to 200,000 FCFA per year depending on needs.
- Maintenance: security updates, backups, fixes. Expect 10 to 20% of the initial cost per year.
- Content production: copy, photos, translations. This is the most underestimated line — and the one that delays projects the most.
How to tell whether a quote is honest
Three signals are worth checking.
A serious quote itemises the work rather than stating a lump sum. You should be able to see what you are paying for and make trade-offs.
It states what is not included. A provider who mentions neither hosting, nor maintenance, nor content migration is probably preparing follow-up invoices.
It says who owns the code. If that question is dodged, be careful: you may not be able to change provider without starting over.
Our advice
Start small, but start well. A solid, fast, well-optimised showcase site will bring you more than an ambitious platform poorly executed. You can always add features when your business justifies them — provided you built on clean foundations.
And if you are still unsure, ask for several quotes. A provider confident in their work does not fear comparison.