A Website for Freelancers: Cheap and Professional

As a freelancer you need a website that shows who you are, what you do and how someone can reach you. Cheap is possible: start with a site builder or a simple template. You recognise a professional website by fast loading, clear text and a visible contact button. At Tieman IT, a template website starts from € 1,950 one-time, excluding VAT.

What do you need when you have a website made as a freelancer?

Many freelancers start with too much. A website with twenty pages, a blog and a webshop is unnecessary for most. What you really need fits on one or a few pages:

• What you do: in one or two sentences, for whom and for what.
• Proof that you can do it: examples of your work, a few real client comments, or a list of assignments.
• How you work and what it costs: not necessarily a price list, but an impression (a from-price, an hourly rate or "by quote").
• Contact: phone number, email address and a form. The easier it is, the more enquiries you get.
• Who you are: a real photo and a short text. Clients pick a person, not a logo.

If you have that, your site does what a freelancer's website should do. The rest is refinement.

Having a cheap website made: where can you save?

Cheap does not mean bad. The point is to save in the right places.

You can safely save on:

• The number of pages. Start small and grow when there is a reason.
• Custom features. A standard contact form does the job.
• A site builder in the early stage. Wix and Squarespace are a fine first step for a starting freelancer. In 2026, Squarespace starts at around € 12 per month with yearly billing according to squarespace.com/pricing, and Wix at around 18 dollars per month according to wix.com/plans. Prices change, so check them yourself.

You should not save on:

• Your own domain name and the matching email address (name@yourbusiness.com). A free webmail address on your quote looks less certain.
• Good photos and texts. Stock photos and generic sentences say nothing about you.
• Speed on mobile. Many visitors arrive on their phone, and long load times drive them away.

To be honest: if you are just starting and your jobs mostly come through acquaintances, building it yourself with a site builder is usually the best choice. That money is better spent on your business, and you can always switch later.

What makes having a professional website made worth it?

Having a professional website made pays off once your site has to work for you: new clients who find you through Google, or larger clients who check your site before agreeing anything. Then these count:

• Trust. Your own photos and texts make a different impression than the stock photos and stock phrases on the fifty other sites using the same template.
• Speed. Google calls a main-content load time under 2.5 seconds good (Google Search Central, Core Web Vitals). A site that stays well below that starts with an advantage.
• Findability. Good headings, clear texts and the right technical settings help Google understand what your site is about.
• Convenience for you. You do not have to work out why the form is not working or why your site suddenly got slow.

An example of what the technology behind a site can do: on a Magento webshop with over 3,400 products, the mobile load time (LCP) measured 14 to 16 seconds in the lab in my hands. For real visitors, Google now measures 2.14 seconds. A freelancer's site is much smaller, but measuring and improving works the same way.

Build it yourself, template or custom: what fits your business?

| Option | Fits | Cost (indication, 2026) | |---|---|---| | Build it yourself in Wix or Squarespace | Starters, word-of-mouth work, small budgets | A subscription of about € 12 to € 32 (Squarespace) or 18 to 40 dollars (Wix) per month, plus your own time | | Template website by Tieman IT | Freelancers who want to be found via Google and do not want to deal with technology | From € 1,950 one-time, plus € 49 to € 149 per month for hosting and maintenance | | Custom build | Freelancers with special wishes, such as their own booking system | On request, with a fixed price upfront |

A template website is the middle road: you get a proven setup that works quickly and neatly, filled in with your story. You do not pay for a design made entirely from scratch. On the page about template websites you can read what is included.

What does a professional website cost for a freelancer?

At Tieman IT: a template website from € 1,950 one-time, excluding VAT, plus € 49 to € 149 per month for hosting and maintenance. That is € 588 to € 1,788 per year. Extra work costs € 95 per hour, in blocks of 15 minutes. If you regularly need small changes, the 10-hour credit bundle for € 875 is cheaper.

Also work out what a new client brings you. If one extra job per year already covers the cost, the decision is quickly made. If you do not expect that, take the cheaper route. Ask your accountant how to process the costs in your books. All rates are on the pricing page.

How do you make sure your website brings in work?

A beautiful site without visitors earns nothing. A few things that always work:

1. Write for your client's question. Say what you do in the words your client types, not in jargon.
2. Name your region or speciality. "Plumber in Twente" is easier for Google to place than "installation company".
3. Put your contact details on every page. Nobody goes looking.
4. Show real work. Photos, short stories about jobs, or a portfolio.
5. Keep your site up to date. An outdated site looks like an abandoned office.

Not sure what fits you? Get in touch. I will look at it honestly, even if the answer is that a site builder will take you further.

Frequently asked questions

What does a website cost for a freelancer?

At Tieman IT a template website starts from € 1,950 one-time, excluding VAT, plus € 49 to € 149 per month for hosting and maintenance. Building it yourself with a site builder only costs a subscription. A custom build gets a fixed price upfront on request.

Can I have a website made as a freelancer that is cheap and still good?

Yes. Keep it small: a few clear pages, real photos, your own domain name and fast load times. If you like, start with a site builder and switch once your site has to bring in work through Google.

What is the difference between an ordinary and a professional website?

A professional website is fast on mobile, has clear texts, its own look and a visible way to get in touch. It is less about expensive features and more about earning trust and being easy to find.

As a freelancer, do I need my own website, or is social media enough?

Social media helps, but you depend on a platform that changes its rules. A website of your own belongs to you, can be found in Google and gives clients a calm place to look at your work and contact details.