Website quotes are difficult to compare because they are priced as packages and the packages are not the same. The total is the least informative number in the document; the exclusions list is the actual proposal, and most bidders will only produce one if you ask.
Compare website development packages on the exclusions, not the totals
Ask every bidder the same six questions: how many unique page templates, who writes the content, how many revision rounds, whether migrating existing content is included, whether you can add pages yourself afterwards, and what happens after launch. Answers to those turn three incomparable packages into three comparable ones, and they usually reveal that the cheapest quote excluded the most work rather than costing less for the same work.
Content is the hidden line in almost every website development quote
Writing and migrating content is almost always the client's responsibility, is almost always underestimated, and is the single most common reason a site sits half finished for months while the agency waits. Decide who writes it before signing anything, and if the answer is the agency, get it priced explicitly. If the answer is you, put a realistic amount of your own time in the plan rather than assuming it will happen at weekends.
Landing page design price and commerce are driven by different things
A landing page is priced on the testing and iteration around it rather than on the page: one page built once is cheap, and a page that earns its keep is measured and changed repeatedly. Ecommerce is priced on catalogue complexity, payment and tax configuration, shipping rules and integrations with whatever runs the business, which is why an ecommerce quote and a brochure quote are not comparable even at similar page counts.
Make the measurable things contractual
Google publishes what a well built page delivers, including good Core Web Vitals, HTTPS, proper mobile display and no intrusive interstitials, all testable on a live URL. Put targets on the templates that matter, test on a real mid range phone at acceptance, and add a named accessibility conformance level. If marketing quotes are being considered alongside, read Google's guidance on hiring an SEO first, particularly its position on guaranteed rankings.
Questions people ask about website development price
How do we compare web design quotes fairly?
On their exclusions. Ask each bidder how many unique templates, who writes content, how many revision rounds, whether content migration is included, whether you can add pages yourself, and what happens after launch.
What is most often left out of a web development quote?
Content writing and migration. It is usually the client's job, almost always underestimated, and the most common reason a site stalls for months. Decide who writes it before signing and price it if the answer is the agency.
Why is ecommerce web design pricing so different?
It is driven by catalogue complexity, payment and tax configuration, shipping rules and integrations with the systems that run the business, none of which scale with page count. A brochure quote and an ecommerce quote are not comparable.