Cheap and professional website, how? Our turnkey solutions

You want to create a cheap website without sacrificing professionalism? Whether for a corporate window, a personal blog Or a webshop, there are now solutions adapted to all budgets. In this comprehensive guide, we show you the best platforms, the real costs to be expected and our expert advice to get a pro result at a low price. And if you are looking for a team of professionals at an attractive price, Scalapp is the one for you.

The best platforms to create a cheap site

When you start with a limited budget, every euro counts. But low price does not mean poor quality site. Today, there are many platforms that allow you to create a professional, aesthetic and functional website, without exploding its budget. All without advanced technical skills. Here are the best options to consider.

All-in-one solutions: practical and economical

Perfect for beginners or freelancers who want to get started quickly, these platforms offer turnkey tools with accommodation included, visual editor, and technical support.

Wix: simplicity above all

Wix has established itself as a reference for create a site in a few hours. Thanks to its drag-and-drop interface, you don't need to know how to code to get a polished look.

Advantages:

• Ultra intuitive interface, accessible to all,
• Over 500 models design, adapted to each sector,
• Features e-commerce, blog, SEO, booking, etc.,
• Free offer to test the tool.

Disadvantages:

• Difficult migration to another platform,
• Less efficient on the natural referencing side (especially in the free version).

Rates:
Free with ads or from €8.50/month to remove ads and connect a custom domain name.

Webnode: the multilingual and economical option

Less well known, but extremely effective, Webnode allows you to create a multilingual site in a few clicks, which makes it a good choice for professionals who aim at the international level.

Strengths:

• Fast online : a complete site in less than an hour,
• Responsive and modern design;
• Ideal for artisans, freelancers and small businesses.

Testimonial:
“I created my photography site with Webnode for less than €100 per year, and my customers find the rendering very professional.”
— Marie, entrepreneur

Rates:
Starting from €3.90/month, making it one of the most affordable deals on the market.

Webflow: premium design without coding

Webflow is for demanding creators who want a rendering upstanding without going through a developer.

Why we like Webflow:

• Great freedom of design (animations, interactions, custom structure),
• Perfect for portfolios, creative sites or premium brands,
• Free version to start with, with a very complete editor,
• Possibility to work in a team (freelancer + client).

Rates:
Starting from $14/month, depending on the type of project and the accommodation chosen.

Open-source CMS: more technical, but powerful

For those who want more control over their site (design, functionalities, SEO performance), Open source CMS like WordPress.org remain essential references.

WordPress.org: the most complete solution

WordPress powers more than 40% of websites in the world. This is no coincidence: it offers unparalleled flexibility.

Advantages:

• Thousands of themes and available plugins,
• Great base for SEO,
• Great for blogging, showcase sites, content portals, and even e-commerce (with WooCommerce),
• Large community to find help and resources.

Disadvantages:

• Requires a web host,
• A bit longer learning curve for beginners

Comparison of the “hidden” costs to be expected:

The average cost forlodging is 30 to 100 euros per year. For a premium theme, you need to count between 50 and 100 euros and for essential plugins, you will have to pay between 0 and

Despite this, WordPress is still one of the most popular options scalable and profitable in the long run.

The little-known (but economical) alternatives

If your goal is to create a simple and fast showcase site, without frills, other options can do the job at a lower cost, or even for free.

• Google Sites : completely free, easy to learn, but very limited in terms of customization.
• Canva : now allows you to create basic sites from designs (useful for portfolio or event landing page).
• Strikingly : ideal for clean and responsive one-page sites, with a free version available.

Cheap website: how much does it really cost?

Create a professional website without breaking the bank, it is entirely possible. But to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is better to know the real costs, visible or hidden, from the start. Here is a clear overview of the budgets to be planned according to the type of site, ancillary expenses that are often forgotten... and tips for saving intelligently.

What budget should be planned according to the type of site?

The cost of creation varies greatly according to the objectives of your site: simple window, professional blog or e-commerce store? Here is an estimate of most common price ranges :

Type of site

Price range

Recommended solutions

Simple showcase site

0 — 300€

Wix, Webnode, Google Sites

Professional blog

100 — 800€

WordPress (with hosting)

Online store

200 — 3000€

Shopify, PrestaShop, Ecwid

These rates generally include the initial creation, the first few months of hosting, and a custom domain name.

Costs not to be overlooked

Even though some platforms advertise very low rates, some fees are often added over time. Here are the most frequent expense items :

• Domain name : between 10 and 15 €/year for .com or.fr.
• Web hosting : of 30 to 120€/year depending on the formula (shared or dedicated).
• Premium template (optional) : between 50 and 150€ for a more professional design.
• Paid extensions or plugins : variable according to your needs (0 to 200€).
• Maintenance (if delegated) : approximately 50 to 200 €/year, especially for WordPress.

 Tip: by managing maintenance yourself, you can save several dozen euros per year if you have the necessary skills.

5 tips to reduce the bill

An effective website doesn't have to be expensive. Here it is 5 simple tips to control your budget while getting a good result:

1. Watch for promotions
   Many platforms offer special offers at certain times of the year (Black Friday, back to school, end of year, etc.).
2. Choose shared hosting
   This is often more than enough for a beginner site, and much more economical than a dedicated server.
3. Use quality free themes
   On WordPress, there are very good free themes (Astra, OceanWP, Hello, etc.) perfectly optimized.
4. Ensure the updates yourself
   By learning how to do basic updates and backups, you avoid paying a service provider regularly.
5. Ask for several quotes before making a commitment
   Compare deals, even for a small site. Price differences can be significant for an equivalent service.

Do it yourself or go through a web agency: what to choose?

When you want to create a cheap website, an essential question arises: should you do it yourself or use professionals? Both approaches have their advantages... provided you clearly understand your needs, budget and skills.

Create your site yourself: ideal for small budgets

Self-creation is the most economical solution. It allows you to maintain total control over your project, while offering you the opportunity to develop new digital skills.

Advantages:

• Significant savings on the cost of production
• Total freedom on design and content
• Flexibility to make changes at any time

Disadvantages:

• Time to devote to learning and creating
• Often limited result without notions of design or referencing
• Fewer performance guarantees (speed, mobile compatibility, SEO...)

Recommended tools:

• For newbies: Wix, Squarespace
• For more technical profiles: WordPress.org, Webflow

Tip: self-creation may be suitable for a personal project or a simple showcase, but quickly shows its limits when it comes to custom development or complex functionalities.

Using a web agency: efficiency, quality and support

Call on a professional web agency allows you to save precious time while benefiting from an optimized site, adapted to your goals, and designed to last.

The essential criteria for choosing the right one:

• One solid portfolio of achievements.
• Of positive customer reviews.
• One transparent price list.
• One post-delivery support.

Scalapp, for example, supports companies looking to create a professional site, without compromise between controlled budget and technical quality. The agency offers tailor-made and no-code solutions, ideal for small businesses, freelancers and startups.

However, be careful with quotes that are too low:

• Use of templates that are not very personalized.
• Sites poorly optimized for SEO.
• No follow-up after delivery.

The balanced alternative: “turnkey” packages

Between 100% DIY creation and high-end services, some agencies — such as Scalapp — offer accessible formulas, designed for small structures.

These packs generally include:

• One custom design based on a premium template.
• Up to 5 essential pages.
• Fast training to take charge of the administration.
• Accommodation included for one year.
• Basic tips in natural referencing.

This hybrid solution allows you to benefit from the expertise of an agency while keeping a reasonable budget — ideal to start without breaking the bank.

Optimize your cheap site like a pro

Create a low cost website, that's good. THEoptimize to make it efficient, visible and sustainable, it's even better. Good news: it's entirely possible to do it free or at a very low cost, as long as you know the best practices and the right tools.

Boost your natural referencing without spending a cent

The SEO (natural referencing) is the key to appearing in Google search results and attracting qualified traffic to your site, even without an advertising budget.

Here are 5 simple but effective actions to implement:

1. Use an SEO extension
   If you are on WordPress, install Yoast SEO or Rank Math. These free tools guide you step by step to optimize each page.
2. Work on your title tags (H1, H2, etc.)
   Structure your pages with titles that are clear, organized and contain your main keywords. This helps Google understand what your content is about.
3. Take care of your meta descriptions
   Even if they don't have a direct impact on rankings, attractive meta descriptions increase the click through rate (CTR) on Google.
4. Create useful and high-quality content on a regular basis
   Write blog posts, how-to guides, or FAQs related to your business. It shows your expertise and attracts organic visitors.
5. Get natural backlinks
   Participate in forums, collaborate with other sites, or write guest posts. High-quality inbound links strengthen your SEO authority.

Bonus tip: monitor your performance with Google Search Console, a free and powerful tool.

Professional design, even on a low budget

An attractive site immediately gives an impression of seriousness and professionalism. Here are some free resources to improve the design your site at no cost :

• Unsplash : for high-quality, royalty-free photos.
• Google Fonts : modern font library, easy to integrate.
• ColorHunt : harmonious color palettes that are ready to use.
• Canva : to easily create personalized visuals.

Use these tools to create a cohesive visual identity that inspires confidence in your visitors.

Simple and economical maintenance for a reliable site

An optimized site is also a maintained site. Regular maintenance prevents bugs, reinforces security and guarantees good performance over time.

Here is a Easy to follow monthly checklist :

•  Backups : automate them with plugins like UpdraftPlus (WordPress) or via your host.
•  Updates : of your CMS, your plugins, and your theme. This fixes security holes.
•  Security check : install a plugin like Wordfence or perform manual scans.
•  Performance audit : test your site with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix, to identify the elements to improve (speed, image weight, scripts, etc.)

Tip: Set up a short reminder every month to keep your site healthy without stress.

Conclusion: choosing the right way to succeed

Create a cheap website does not mean compromising on quality. The main thing is to making the right choices from the start.

Here is a short recap to move forward calmly:

• Clarify your real needs : window, blog, e-commerce? Simplicity or personalization?
• Compare platforms and solutions according to your technical level and your ambitions.
•  Evaluate your time : do you want to get your hands dirty or do you prefer to delegate?
• Ask for several quotes to have a precise idea of the budget to be expected and to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Bonus tip: consider Scalapp if you are looking for a hybrid solution, combining customization, performance and a controlled budget. We are here to bring your project to life, without breaking the bank.