Getting a website built: freelancer, agency or website builder?
For most small and medium-sized businesses, a freelancer is the best balance of quality, price and speed: custom development from about €1,500, a single point of contact and delivery within a few weeks. An agency pays off on large projects with many people involved; a website builder such as Wix or Jimdo makes sense when the budget is close to zero and you are willing to put in your own time. Here is the comparison in detail – and how to recognise a good freelancer.
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- By Maurice de Felice, web developer in Augsburg, Germany
How do a freelancer, an agency and a website builder differ?
| Criterion | Freelancer | Agency | Website builder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price of a business website | €1,500–6,000 | €5,000–20,000 | €20–40/month + your own time |
| Point of contact | The developer | A project manager | A support hotline |
| Individuality | High | High | Tied to templates |
| Speed | 2–6 weeks | 2–4 months | Immediate – if you build it yourself |
| Load time & SEO | Very good, if the freelancer knows their craft | Good to very good | Often mediocre |
| Ownership | Code & content belong to you | Usually yes – check the contract | Only the content, not the website |
| Running costs | Hosting from €5/month | Hosting + often a maintenance contract | A subscription for as long as the site exists |
| Scalability | Extendable, if built cleanly | Extendable | Limited |
Experience values, as of September 2026
When is a freelancer the right choice?
You need a professional, custom website or web app, you have a budget of between €1,500 and €15,000, and you want to talk directly to the person who writes the code. Decisions are made quickly, changes do not turn into a marathon of meetings, and you always know where you stand.
That is exactly how I work: in my main job I develop backend systems at one of Germany's largest comparison portals, and as a freelancer I bring those quality standards to projects for small and medium-sized businesses – from one-page websites to SaaS platforms such as YachtBrokerBid.
When does an agency make sense?
- The project needs strategy, brand development, copywriting, photography and development all at once, from a single provider.
- Several departments or locations have to be involved.
- The budget is in the higher five figures, and there is someone on your side who coordinates the project.
When is a website builder enough?
As soon as the website is supposed to bring in customers, website builders reach their limits: they are slow, they look like a thousand other sites, and you can never take your site with you. Many of the enquiries I receive come from businesses that have reached exactly this point.
- You need a simple online presence at short notice and have no budget for development.
- You are prepared to invest your own time in setting the site up and keeping it up to date.
- Design, load time and being found on Google are secondary – for example, for a purely hobby project.
How do you recognise a good freelancer?
- Their references are live and can be clicked – not just screenshots.
- A fixed price with a description of the work rather than an hourly estimate with no upper limit.
- The code, domain and content belong to you at the end, and the offer says so.
- A reply within one working day and clear communication without jargon.
- They ask about your business and your customers before talking about technology.
- Testimonials with names and companies that can be verified.
What do clients often ask?
Planning a project?
In a free initial call you get an honest assessment of scope, timeline and a fixed price – by video, or in person in Augsburg and Munich. I usually reply within 24 hours.
About the author
Freelance web developer in Augsburg, Germany. By day a backend developer at one of Germany’s largest comparison portals; as a freelancer I build websites, web apps and SaaS platforms with Laravel and React – for example the SaaS platform YachtBrokerBid. More about me
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