What Should Be Included in a Website Quote? A 2026 Checklist
A clear checklist of what every professional website quote must specify — and the red flags when it does not.
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Most web design disputes start because the quote was vague. One party thought the scope included social media setup; the other thought it did not. One expected unlimited revisions; the other specified only two rounds. A professional, detailed quote prevents these conflicts upfront. Here are the 12 things a complete website quote must specify.
The 12-item website quote checklist
Complete page list
Every page should be named specifically — "About Us", "Services", "Contact", etc. — not a vague "up to X pages" estimate.
Feature specification
Every function listed explicitly: booking system, contact forms, payment processing, image gallery, blog, etc.
Project timeline
Start date, milestone dates (design approval, development milestone), and launch date. A timeline should have checkpoints, not just an end date.
Revision rounds
Number of revisions included per design stage and what counts as a revision — layout changes count, typo fixes usually do not.
Mobile responsiveness
Explicitly confirmed and tested on actual mobile devices (iPhone, Android), not just browser-responsive design checks.
Hosting arrangement
Who hosts the website, who owns the hosting account, and whether you can migrate or cancel the hosting independently if the agency relationship ends.
Domain ownership
Your domain is registered in your name and control, not the agency's. The agency should set up DNS pointing but have zero control over renewal or transfer.
SSL certificate
Included in the build and free (Let's Encrypt), not billed separately or monthly. Any quote charging separately for SSL is a red flag.
SEO setup
Title tags, meta descriptions, heading structure, and URL structure per page. SEO setup is not the same as ongoing SEO services — it means the technical foundation is correct.
Analytics setup
Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console connected and verified, so you can track traffic from day one of launch.
Post-launch support
Duration (usually 30 days), what is covered (bug fixes vs content updates), and what is charged hourly after the support period ends.
Payment terms
Deposit amount (typically 30-50%), milestone payments, final payment trigger, and what happens if the project runs over timeline.
What most quotes do NOT include
| Excluded item | Typical additional cost |
|---|---|
| Product/team photography | €200-1,500 |
| Copywriting | €500-3,000 |
| Stock photo licensing | €100-500/year |
| Email inbox setup | €60-180/year |
| Google Ads setup | €300-800 |
| Social media integration | €200-500 |
Red flags in vague quotes
"Includes X pages" without listing them
A quote that says "includes up to 10 pages" without naming each page is inviting scope creep. You need a specific list of deliverables.
"SEO-friendly" without specifying what is done
This is marketing language meaning nothing. SEO means: title tags, meta descriptions, heading structure, image alt text, XML sitemap, and proper URL slugs. Ask for each item specifically.
Hourly billing without a cap
Unlimited hourly billing is a blank check. Insist on a fixed price or at minimum a maximum hour cap with notification if approaching it.
No milestone payment structure
The agency should be willing to break the project into milestones with payments. This protects both sides. If they want 100% upfront, walk away.
How to compare three quotes fairly
- Standardise scope first: Ask all three suppliers to quote against the exact same specification. Different scope makes quotes impossible to compare.
- Separate build from ongoing: Get the build cost separate from ongoing hosting, maintenance, and support costs. This is where most confusion happens.
- Check revision policy: A quote with 2 revision rounds is not comparable to one with unlimited revisions. Normalise this before comparing price.
- Verify who actually builds it: Ask if the agency will build the work themselves or sub-contract it. Sub-contracted work is fine, but you should know upfront.
- Call their references: Ask for 2-3 clients who had similar projects and call them. Ask: "Did the agency hit the timeline? Did they hit the budget? Would you work with them again?"
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Frequently asked questions
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