Website Development Proposal: How to Price and Win Projects

Creating a website development proposal is more than just naming a price. It's about clearly showing clients what they get for their investment. In this guide, we'll show you how to create professional proposals that win projects.

What Belongs in a Website Development Proposal?

A complete proposal contains these components:

1. Project Description

What exactly will be created? A new website, a redesign, an extension?

2. Sitemap Overview

Which pages will be created? With what features?

3. Technical Specifications

CMS, responsive design, browser compatibility, hosting.

4. Scope Definition

What's included, what costs extra?

5. Timeline

When will it be delivered? What milestones exist?

6. Cost Breakdown

Transparent and understandable.

7. Payment Terms

Deposits, payment deadlines, etc.

Website Pricing Examples for 2025

Landing Page / One-Pager

Scope: 1 page with multiple sections Typical Features: Contact form, responsive design Price Range: $1,000 - $3,500

Sample Breakdown:

Item	Hours	Price
Concept & Design	6h	$750
Development	8h	$1,000
Content Entry	2h	$250
Testing	2h	$250
Total	18h	$2,250

Business Website (5-10 pages)

Scope: Company website with CMS Typical Features: Blog, contact form, Google Maps Price Range: $4,000 - $10,000

Sample Breakdown:

Item	Hours	Price
Concept & Structure	8h	$1,000
Design (Desktop + Mobile)	16h	$2,000
WordPress Development	24h	$3,000
Basic SEO Setup	4h	$500
Content Entry	8h	$1,000
Testing & Optimization	4h	$500
Total	64h	$8,000

E-Commerce / Online Store

Scope: Online shop with product management Typical Features: Shopping cart, payment, order management Price Range: $8,000 - $25,000

How to Calculate Your Project Costs

The Pricing Formula

Total Price = (Hours × Hourly Rate) + Fixed Costs + Buffer

Effort by Project Phase

Phase	Percentage	For 50h Project
Concept	10%	5h
Design	25%	12.5h
Development	40%	20h
Content	15%	7.5h
Testing	10%	5h

Always Add a Buffer

Plan for 15-20% buffer:

• Revision rounds
• Unexpected issues
• Communication overhead

Fixed Price vs. Time & Materials

Fixed Price

Pros:

• Budget certainty for client
• Clear expectations
• Simple communication

Cons:

• Risk with change requests
• Requires accurate estimation

Best for: Standard projects, experienced developers

Time & Materials

Pros:

• Flexible with changes
• No risk for additional work
• Transparent

Cons:

• No budget certainty for client
• More documentation required

Best for: Complex projects, unclear requirements

Hybrid: Fixed with Cap

Fixed price for core scope, additional work billed hourly with a maximum budget.

What Should Cost Extra?

These services are often not included:

• Copywriting: $75-200 per page
• Stock Photos: $10-30 per image
• Hosting: $15-40/month
• Domain: $12-25/year
• SSL Certificate: Often free (Let's Encrypt)
• Maintenance: $75-250/month
• Additional Pages: $200-500 per page
• Training: $125-200/hour

Sample Cost Breakdown

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
Client: [Company Name]
Date: [Date]

DESIGN & CONCEPT
────────────────────────────────────────
Site structure and navigation              $500
Desktop design mockup                    $1,000
Responsive adaptation (tablet, mobile)     $500
                              Subtotal:  $2,000

DEVELOPMENT
────────────────────────────────────────
WordPress setup and configuration          $400
Custom theme development                 $1,500
Contact form with validation               $250
Blog setup                                 $400
Cookie consent solution                    $200
                              Subtotal:  $2,750

CONTENT & SEO
────────────────────────────────────────
Content entry (6 pages)                    $750
Basic SEO optimization                     $500
Google Analytics setup                     $125
                              Subtotal:  $1,375

QUALITY ASSURANCE
────────────────────────────────────────
Cross-browser testing                      $250
Performance optimization                   $250
                              Subtotal:    $500

────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL                                    $6,625
────────────────────────────────────────

PAYMENT SCHEDULE
────────────────────────────────────────
40% deposit at start                     $2,650
30% at design approval                   $1,988
30% at launch                            $1,987

Common Estimation Mistakes

Mistake 1: Forgetting Communication

Emails, calls, meetings – it adds up. Plan 10-15% extra for communication.

Mistake 2: No Revision Rounds

"2 revision rounds included" – otherwise you'll lose money on endless changes.

Mistake 3: Too Optimistic Estimates

When in doubt, estimate higher. It's easier to come in under budget than to ask for more.

Mistake 4: Undefined Scope

"The website" is too vague. List every page and feature explicitly.

Website Development Proposal Template

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
══════════════════════════════════════════

Prepared for: [Client Company]
Prepared by:  [Your Company]
Date:         [Date]
Valid until:  [Date + 30 days]

──────────────────────────────────────────
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
──────────────────────────────────────────

[Brief overview of the project and what
you'll deliver]

──────────────────────────────────────────
PROJECT UNDERSTANDING
──────────────────────────────────────────

Current Situation:
[Describe their current website situation]

Goals:
• [Goal 1]
• [Goal 2]
• [Goal 3]

──────────────────────────────────────────
SITEMAP
──────────────────────────────────────────

1. Homepage
   - Hero section with key messaging
   - Services overview
   - Testimonials
   - Call to action

2. About Us
   - Company story
   - Team section
   - Values/mission

3. Services
   - Service descriptions
   - Pricing (optional)

4. Portfolio/Work
   - Project showcases
   - Case studies

5. Contact
   - Contact form
   - Map integration
   - Contact details

──────────────────────────────────────────
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
──────────────────────────────────────────

• Platform: WordPress with custom theme
• Responsive design (mobile, tablet, desktop)
• Browser support: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
• Page speed optimization
• SSL certificate ready
• SEO-friendly structure

──────────────────────────────────────────
TIMELINE
──────────────────────────────────────────

Week 1:     Discovery & Planning
Week 2-3:   Design & Mockups
Week 4-5:   Development
Week 6:     Content Entry & Testing
Week 7:     Launch & Training

Total: 7 weeks

──────────────────────────────────────────
INVESTMENT
──────────────────────────────────────────

Discovery & Planning         $750
Design                     $2,000
Development                $3,500
Content & SEO              $1,000
Testing & QA                 $500
Training                     $250
──────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL                      $8,000

──────────────────────────────────────────
NOT INCLUDED
──────────────────────────────────────────

• Copywriting/content creation
• Stock photography
• Hosting & domain
• Ongoing maintenance
• Additional pages beyond scope

──────────────────────────────────────────
PAYMENT TERMS
──────────────────────────────────────────

40% deposit to begin       $3,200
30% at design approval     $2,400
30% at launch              $2,400

Due within 14 days of invoice.

──────────────────────────────────────────
NEXT STEPS
──────────────────────────────────────────

1. Review this proposal
2. Schedule a call if you have questions
3. Sign and return with deposit
4. We'll kick off the project!

──────────────────────────────────────────

[Your Name]
[Your Company]
[Email] | [Phone]

Tips for Presenting Your Proposal

1. Offer Options: Basic, Standard, Premium
2. Make a Recommendation: "We recommend Option B because..."
3. Show Value: What does the client gain?
4. Reference Similar Work: "Similar project for Company XY"
5. Set an Expiration: "Proposal valid until..."

Conclusion

A good website development proposal is transparent, complete, and professionally formatted. It shows clients exactly what they're getting and what it costs.

Proposal Checklist:

• Project understanding stated
• All pages listed
• Services clearly defined
• Pricing itemized
• Payment terms defined
• Timeline realistic
• Expiration date set

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With SimpleProposals you can create website development proposals with professional pricing tables and templates in minutes.