1. Executive Summary
As of 2026, website production costs are largely divided into three categories in the domestic market. Web builder subscription costs 10,000 to 50,000 won per month, template-based production costs 1 to 5 million won, and custom development costs 5 to tens of millions of won.It goes up to. The reason why the same “company website” quote is 10 times higher for each company is not because of rip-offs, but because they are different products in the first place.
The problem is that there is no way for those ordering to tell the difference. The quotation only says “8.8 million won for website production,” and it is often only after signing the contract that it is revealed whether planning has been done, whether responsiveness is included, and how many revisions will be required. This article opens up that quote and breaks it down item by item.
Three questions this article answers
① Why do some companies charge 1 million won and others charge 30 million won? The cost structure that determines the estimate is explained down to the labor cost unit.
② How much is it right for our company to spend? We compare three production methods - builder, template, and custom - and scenarios by budget.
③ What should be checked in the contract? Compile a list of money leaking outside of the estimate, including maintenance, scope of modifications, and ownership.
2. Why do the estimates differ by 10 times?
To start with the answer, The main body of the website quote is ‘human time’no see. There is no server fee or domain fee. How many weeks planners, designers, and developers spend on this project determines 80% of the total cost. It is rather normal for estimates to differ by 10 times if the number of personnel involved is different.
2.1 Why is labor cost 80% of the estimate?
The cost of one designer or developer working at a domestic web agency for a month, including the four major insurance and expenses, is usually around 5 to 9 million won. For a project that takes one planner, one designer, and one developer for a month and a half, the cost alone is well over 20 million won. This is how the 30 million won estimate is made.
On the other hand, the 1 million won estimate is structured so that almost no people enter it. If it's just a matter of replacing a logo, company name, and a few photos into a template you've already created, the actual work can be completed in a day or two. That price is possible, but it is also the limit of that price.
2.2 The trap of saying “one company introduction website”
The most frequently appearing sentence in order inquiries is “Please create a website to introduce the company.” The problem is the breadth of specifications that this one sentence can refer to.
- Number of pages: The amount of work is more than 5 times different between a 5-page page including the main page and a 30-page page with details for each product line.
- Administrator features: The administrator page (CMS), where the person in charge directly uploads announcements and portfolios, requires additional development time.
- Responsive: If you design for PC, tablet, and mobile screens separately, publishing costs will increase by 1.3 to 1.5 times.
- Multilingual: Adding English pages is not a simple copy, but is a separate process that includes translation and layout readjustment.
- Content: Estimates vary by several million won depending on whether the company history and product description manuscript is written by the company or provided by the ordering company.
If you inquire with three companies using the same sentence, each of them imagines different specifications and provides a quote. Half of the difference in estimates comes from this.
2.3 How are cheap quotations made?
The principle of low price quotation is one, reuseno see. Rewrite proven templates, limit design drafts to one, limit the number of revisions to two, and entrust the work to new or outsourced personnel. This in itself is not a bad thing. For a company in the verification stage, this is a rather reasonable choice.
What is dangerous is not the low price quote, Signing a contract without knowing what's missingno see. In practice, we often see cases where we find out when paying the balance that conditions such as "200,000 won per revision for more than 2 revisions," "separately responsive," and "manuscript provided by ordering company" were on the back of the contract.
1 million won and 30 million won are ‘different products’
The 1 million won estimate is Right to use the created frameis to buy, and the estimate of 30 million won is Time for planners, designers, and developersis to buy . The former one is fast and cheap, but is not modified to suit our company, and the latter one is made as requested, but has a corresponding labor cost.
Which side is right is the wrong question. We need to ask which stage our company should buy now.
3. Cost comparison by production method: builder, template, custom
There are three main production methods. Web builder subscription, template-based production, custom development. The cost ranges in order from 10,000 to 50,000 won per month, 1 to 5 million won, and 5 million to tens of millions of won. Let’s start with the table and look at the substance of each method.
| division | Web Builder Subscription | Template-based production | custom development |
|---|---|---|---|
| initial cost | 0~1 million won | 1 to 5 million won | Over 5 to 30 million won |
| monthly maintenance fee | 10,000~50,000 won (subscription fee) | Hosting 10,000~50,000 won + maintenance | Hosting + maintenance 50,000~300,000 won |
| production period | A few days to 2 weeks | 2-6 weeks | 2~4 months |
| Representative tool/subject | I'm Web, Wix, Cafe24, etc. | WordPress themes, small business | Web agency, developer |
| If it suits you | Quick opening and verification steps | Standard company introduction type | When brand/functional requirements are clear |
| margin | Design freedom, platform dependency | Difficult to change structure | Variation in cost, period, and company capabilities |
3.1 Web Builder: Rental type starting at several thousand won per month
Builders such as I'm Web, Wix, and Cafe24 are services that create sites by assembling blocks without coding. The monthly subscription fee ranges from 10,000 to 50,000 won and covers hosting, security, and basic design, and even if you leave the setup to an agency, the cost is in the hundreds of thousands to 1 million won range. It's the fastest and cheapest.
Instead, we must remember the essence of leasing. If you cancel your subscription, your site will disappear, you will not be able to implement features that are not supported by the platform, and if you move to another location, you will have to take your data with you but leave the design and structure behind.
3.2 Template-based: Realistic compromise in the 1 to 5 million won range
This is a method of putting content on top of a WordPress paid theme or the company’s own template. Many of the estimates for domestic small and medium-sized businesses are in this section. A standard company introduction-type structure that includes the main page, company introduction, product/service, notice, and inquiry is the most cost-effective compared to quality.
The limitation is structural change. The moment you request a layout or function that is not expected in the template, the answer is “That’s custom, so there will be additional costs…” It is safe to open the demo site of the template before signing the contract and check whether the screen we want is there.
3.3 Custom Development: How to Buy Time
The entire process of planning (screen design) → design → publishing → development → inspection is carried out according to the requirements of the ordering company. Typically, it starts at around 5 million won and can exceed 20 to 30 million won depending on the number of pages, functions, and level of brand demand. If functions such as membership, reservation, and quote calculator are added, it becomes closer to web service development than a website, and the quotes are also provided that way.
The real variable in customization is the company's capabilities rather than price. Even with the same amount of 15 million won, there is a large difference in results depending on the texture of the portfolio, the density of planning documents, and the communication of the PM in charge.
4. Anatomy of the quote item by item
What you need to look at in the quote is not the total amount. Unit price and scope of work for each itemno see. Two quotations for a total of 8 million won may actually be for completely different items. Based on custom production standards, let's take a look at the items that appear in the quote and their typical proportions.
| item | Normal proportion | Range frequently seen in practice | Confirmation questions before contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning/screen design | 10~20% | 50,000 to 150,000 won per storyboard page | Do you receive the screen design in writing? |
| design | 25~35% | Main page 800,000~1.5 million won, subpage 150,000~300,000 won | How many drafts and how many revisions are included? |
| publishing | 15~25% | 1.3 to 1.5 times when including responsiveness | Is mobile/tablet support included or separate? |
| development | 20~35% | Functional units such as administrator (CMS), bulletin board, inquiry form, etc. | To what extent can the person in charge directly edit? |
| PM·Inspection | 5~10% | Many cases are incorporated in the total amount. | Is browser compatibility testing included? |
4.1 What happens if you save on planning costs?
There is an estimate with a planning fee of 0. This does not mean that we do not plan, but it means that we follow the reference site sent by the ordering company. In this case, the point at which the phrase “it’s different from what I expected” comes up during the design draft stage, and a change in direction at that point costs several times more than a change in the planning stage. The quickest indicator of a company's system is whether there is a process for receiving the screen design (storyboard) as a document, checking it, and then moving on.
4.2 Design unit price standards: main and sub
Design customarily calculates different unit prices for main pages and subpages. The main page is the face of the brand, so draft work is concentrated (around 800,000 to 1.5 million won), and the sub is the work that applies the design system established in the main page, so the cost goes down to the 150,000 to 300,000 won per page. There are estimates that increase the total amount by inflating the number of sub pages, so it is worth asking whether the calculation was made by grouping subs with similar layouts.
4.3 Development Cost: The Admin Page is a Crossroads
When it comes to development items, the thing that moves the estimate the most is the admin page (CMS). To create a structure where the person in charge directly uploads notices, portfolios, and pop-ups, separate development man-hours are required, and without this, you have to request a paid modification from the company every time you change a single text. A typical path in which money saved from production costs is spent again on maintenance costs.no see.
4.4 Why is the quote “8.8 million won for a single meal” dangerous?
Estimates that only have one line for the total amount without any items can be compared. What is included and what is additional depends on the company's memory rather than the contract, and if a dispute arises, the ordering company is at a disadvantage. If a company says "it just includes everything" when asked to disassemble an item, the minimum defense is to get the definition of "all" in writing.
The only way to compare quotes: same spec sheet
To compare quotes from each company, the ordering company must first fix the specifications. Page list, responsiveness, administrator function scope, manuscript/photo provider, number of revisions — Make the same request to three or more places with one document containing these five lines.
Only when quotes are received under the same conditions does the difference in price tell the difference between companies.
5. Hidden costs not included in the contract
Production costs aren't everything. Based on patterns frequently seen in practice, The total cost in the first year is 1.3 to 1.5 times the production cost.It is safer to catch it. If the website costs 10 million won, the actual money spent in the first year is around 13 million won. Find out where the leak is by item.
5.1 Maintenance costs: stagnant at 50,000 to 300,000 won per month
The maintenance contract includes text modification, banner replacement, security updates, and failure response after opening. In the domestic market, the average price is 50,000 to 300,000 won per month, and the key is the condition rather than the amount. If “2 revisions are included per month,” you will be charged per revision from the 3rd revision, and the perceived cost will be completely different depending on whether ‘one revision’ is defined as one line of text or one page.
5.2 Hosting·Domain·SSL: Small but money spent every year
Domains range from 20,000 to 30,000 won per year, hosting ranges from 10,000 to 100,000 won per month depending on traffic, and SSL certificates range from free (Let's Encrypt) to hundreds of thousands of won per year. than the amount itself Who is the name of?You should see . A domain registered in the name of a production company turns into a bargaining chip when the relationship with the company sours. Be sure to create a domain and hosting account in the name of the ordering company.
5.3 Content costs: who creates the manuscript and photos
This is the most common item missing from quotes. It is rare for a company to write a company introduction, product description, or greeting from the CEO, and if they do, there is a corresponding fee. The same goes for photos. Professional photography costs around 500,000 to 1.5 million won per day, and if you fill it with stock images, your website will look like something you've seen before.
If you only look at content as a cost, it becomes a waste. Ultimately, it is these texts that determine whether our company is exposed in search results and AI answers. The structure in which website content operates as a search and AI exposed asset is Search exposure strategy that goes beyond SEO to GEOThis was covered in detail.
5.4 Ownership and transfer costs: What comes to light when you separate
If it is a custom production, the contract must specify whether the source code and original design (Figma, PSD) will be delivered. If not specified, you will be tied to the existing company during renewal. The builder is structurally impossible to transfer, so if you plan to switch to custom in a few years, you will need to factor in the cost of remanufacturing at that time.
Four things to ask before signing a contract
① Maintenance conditions: How many times a month does it include, and what is the definition of ‘one revision’?
② Name: Are the domain, hosting, and administrator accounts in the ordering company’s name?
③ Deliverables: Do you receive source code and original design?
④ Content: Who prepares the manuscript and photos and by when?
6. Recommended scenarios by budget
The answer to “how much is right” is not budget. business stepsIt is in The same 5 million won is an overspend for some companies and an opportunity cost for others. We have organized the options that we consider reasonable in practice by budget range.
| budget | Recommendation method | Perfect for this company |
|---|---|---|
| ~3 million won | Web builder or ready-made template | In the early stages of starting a business, in the business verification stage, when a “website that appears when you search” is needed first. |
| 3 to 10 million won | Template customization, semi-customization | For small and medium-sized businesses whose purpose is to secure sales and leads, and who want to add a brand to the standard structure |
| 10 million to 30 million won | custom made | Medium-sized companies with clear brand needs and functional needs such as administrator, multilingual, reservation, etc. |
| 30 million won~ | Web service type project | Requests beyond the website, such as membership, payment, and data linkage, require a separate planning stage |
6.1 Under 3 million won: Speed is quality
The goal in this section is not perfection, but existence. If a plausible site appears when a business partner searches for the company name, that is a sufficient step. As a builder, you can open it within two weeks, and once the business is verified, doing it right will save money. Receiving a custom quote at this stage is actually overspending.
6.2 3 to 10 million won: Narrow down your purpose to one
This is the section where the decision is most difficult. If you try to revive the brand, add features, and increase the page with this budget, everything will end up being half-hearted. Narrowing down your goals to one will be more successful. If your goal is to convert inquiries, consider the entire website. Focus your budget on one landing pageThis is also a way. This approach is Franchise affiliate recruitment landing page strategyI organized it with the actual structure.
6.3 Over 10 million won: Choosing a company becomes heavier than the budget
From this point on, people are more important than money. Since there is a large difference in results even with the same 20 million won, it is beneficial to check the portfolio for cases in industries and sizes similar to ours, and to spend time checking the screen design process and PM in charge before signing a contract. If the request exceeds 30 million won, it is a web service development, not a website, so the correct order is to first document the requirements definition (RFP) and receive a quote.
Convert the budget to ‘yearly’ basis.
The actual lifespan of a website is usually 3 to 5 years. If you use a 15 million won custom for 5 years, it is 3 million won per year or 250,000 won per month. That's about a day's worth of advertising costs.
On the other hand, if you add the cost of replacing a 1 million won bill every two years and refilling the content each time, the cheaper one may not be the cheapest. not the total amount Annual cost divided by period of useThe calculation is correct only when compared.
7. Conclusion and Checklist
7.1 The appropriate price comes from the purpose, not the market price
I understand the feeling of searching for “reasonable price for website production,” but the price list does not provide the answer. Whether 1 million won or 30 million won is an appropriate price for each person's position. The criteria for judgment converge to one. Is what this website will bring (inquiries, trust, job support) greater than the money it will cost? Once the calculations are made, the budget will follow.
7.2 Checklist before ordering
- Purpose in one sentence: Define the primary purpose of this website (inducing inquiries, brand trust, recruitment) in one sentence.
- Fixed spec table: Create page list, responsiveness, administrator function, manuscript/photo provider, and number of revisions in one document.
- Quotes from 3 places with the same conditions: Receive quotes from three or more sources using the same specification table, and request item disassembly for the total “Japanese” quote.
- Contract specifies: Maintenance conditions, definition of one modification, delivery of original source code and design, and domain and account name are written in the contract.
- Judging by the total cost for the first year: Look at the budget as production cost times total first year cost of 1.3 to 1.5, then annual cost divided by lifespan
- Secure your content schedule: Plan manuscript and photo preparation with the same weight as the production schedule — half of production delays are content delays.
7.3 Finally
Owners who know how to read quotations make companies nervous. The moment you ask for items, fix and compare specifications, and write down ownership in a contract — a signal is sent that this is not a project that can be done half-heartedly. A good website comes as much from good ordering as from a good company. The checklist in this article should be sufficient as the first document.