How to compare website quotes that don't match

You've got two website quotes. One is far higher than the other, and they don't list the same things, so you can't tell which is the better deal.

You don't need a spreadsheet to sort it out. You need the same five things written down for each quote, and a few questions for the gaps.

Why don't website quotes compare by their totals?

A total is only the price of what that person chose to include. Two quotes for a "five-page website" can describe very different jobs. One might include writing the words and setting up your email. The other might expect you to supply the words and leave email out.

So line up what each quote covers first, and look at the totals last. For what moves a website price, and the ranges agency guides publish, see our post on what website design costs in Australia. This post is about the quotes already in your hand.

What five things should match before you compare prices?

Take each quote and find these five things. Write them on one page, side by side.

1. What's included, by name. The pages, listed one by one, and anything a customer can do on the site, such as book or pay. "Up to five pages" isn't a list.
2. What's left out. A good quote says what it doesn't cover. If one quote leaves out something the other includes, the totals aren't for the same job.
3. Who supplies the words and photos. Writing and photography take time. If one quote includes them and the other expects you to do them, that explains part of the gap.
4. What you own at the end. The domain (your web address) and the hosting account should be in your business's name. So should the site's files and content, once it's paid for.
5. What it costs after launch. Hosting, the domain renewal, email, and how changes are charged. Some quotes include these, and some leave them for later.

If a quote doesn't answer one of the five, write "not stated". Don't fill the gap with a guess. Those blanks are your questions.

What does a side-by-side comparison look like?

Here's the layout, filled in with made-up labels. It shows the shape to copy. It isn't a real quote, and there are no prices in it.

Read across each row. In this layout, Quote B writes the words, which is real work that Quote A leaves to you. But Quote B has three rows marked "not stated". Ask those three questions before you compare the totals.

Write each total at the bottom only once every row is filled in. Check both totals are shown the same way, both ex GST or both including GST.

What should you ask when one quote is much lower?

A much lower quote isn't automatically a worse one. A simpler build, a template or a website builder can be the right answer for a small business. Find out which you're being offered. Ask:

• What does the other quote include that this one doesn't? Name the rows from your table.
• Who writes the words, and who supplies the photos?
• Is it built on a template or a website builder, and who can change it later?
• What will I pay each year after launch, and how are changes charged?
• If I leave, what do I take with me?

Then ask the higher quote the same thing in reverse. What does it include that the lower one doesn't, and do you need that now? Some of it may be able to wait for later.

What if a quote is vague?

A short quote is a reason to ask before you say no. Reply with the five things from your table and ask for each one in writing. Give a date for the answer, such as the end of next week.

Send the same list to everyone, in the same words. The answers then come back in the same shape, ready for your table.

If someone still won't write down what's included, you can't check that quote, and you can't compare it.

Which red flags should make you slow down?

Most gaps in a quote are quick to fix. These three are worth slowing down for.

• A promise of first place on Google. Google's own guide to hiring search help says "No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google" (Google Search Central, Do you need an SEO?, last updated 5 June 2026, read 7 October 2026).
• A site you rent rather than own. If the quote is a monthly fee with no build price, ask whose name the site and domain are in. Then ask what you keep if you stop paying.
• A price that runs out in a day or two. Pressure to sign fast stops you comparing. Ask for the quote in writing, with the date it's valid until.

How do we write our quotes?

We'd want ours to pass the same test. Our how we work page says we "write down what we'll build, page by page or screen by screen, what's not included, and how long it should take." You get a written quote for exactly what's included; anything you add later is quoted before we start it.

The domain and hosting go in your business's name. Our website service page puts it this way: "We set them up in your name from day one, so they stay with you whoever looks after the site later."

Your next step

Put your quotes side by side, five rows each, and circle every "not stated". Send those questions back to each person, in the same words. If you'd like a quote from us to sit next to them, tell us about your project.

Common questions

How do I compare two website quotes?

Compare what each one includes before you look at the totals. Write down five things for each quote. The pages by name, what's left out, who supplies the words and photos, what you own at the end, and costs after launch. Then ask about every gap.

Why is one website quote so much lower than another?

Usually the jobs differ. The lower quote may leave out writing, photos or costs after launch, or use a template or a website builder. Ask what it doesn't include, then decide whether you need those things now.

How many quotes should I get for a website?

Two or three is usually enough to see the spread. Send each person the same short description of your business and what the site must do, so every quote is for the same job.

What if a web designer won't put the details in writing?

Ask once more, with the five things listed and a date for a reply. If they still won't write down what's included, you can't check the quote or compare it. Choose someone who will.