Compare the work, not just the page count
Start with the business outcome: clearer service information, a reliable inquiry path, a better mobile experience, or a careful migration. List the pages and functions needed at launch. A five-page brochure and a five-page site with booking, custom integrations, and a content migration are different projects.
Ask who supplies writing, photography, service facts, brand assets, and approvals. Identify what is included, what is optional, and what depends on another provider. Record unanswered questions as open items rather than assuming they are included.
Include the existing site in the scope
Inventory the URLs customers already use and the available search data. Ask how useful content, redirects, metadata, internal links, and form delivery will be checked. A new appearance should not accidentally remove a working service page or break a contact path.
Separate the project fee from domain registration, hosting, licences, maintenance, advertising, and requested design changes. For an installment offer, distinguish the payment schedule from a minimum service term. Confirm the actual amount owed on cancellation in the applicable order; do not infer it from a general subscription slogan.
Use the same worksheet for every proposal
For each quote, record the goal, included pages, content owner, integrations, migration, mobile checks, inquiry delivery, launch support, recurring fees, cancellation rules, and account ownership. Compare the same scope before comparing totals.
Before handover, establish who controls the domain and finished content, what can be exported, and which third-party licences have separate terms. Confirm what happens to hosting and connected tools if the relationship ends. The useful result is a documented scope and ownership plan, not an unsupported universal price.
- Goal and acceptance criteria
- Included work and dependencies
- Recurring costs and payment schedule
- Domain, content, export, and support ownership
Frequently Asked Questions
Is page count enough to compare website quotes?
No. Content, functionality, migration, delivery checks, and ongoing responsibilities can differ even with the same page count.
Is a monthly payment the same as a minimum contract term?
Not necessarily. Confirm the service term and installment obligations separately in the applicable order.
What should I own after launch?
Agree on domain control, content rights, account access, exports, and third-party licence boundaries before choosing a provider.