Start with what the website needs to do
A five-page service website and a shop with inventory, payments and delivery rules are different projects. Before comparing prices, write down the pages, user actions and integrations you need. Ask every provider to quote against that same brief.
Use starting prices as a scope discussion
ShoutX lists business websites from LKR 40,000, e-commerce from LKR 65,000 and custom applications from LKR 115,000. Each includes one year of hosting. These figures describe starting offers; content volume, integrations and custom features affect the final scope.
Ask about costs after launch
Confirm who pays for the domain, premium plugins, email services and external tools. ShoutX lists hosting plus routine maintenance after year one at LKR 10,000 annually. Ask what routine maintenance includes and what is billed as new development.
Compare handover as carefully as design
Your proposal should explain access, ownership, source files, training and the support period. A lower initial quote is less useful if essential access or renewals are unclear. Keep a written record of the agreed deliverables.
Bring the information that makes a quote useful
Prepare your logo, business description, service list, contact details and any existing website. Include examples of designs you like and explain why. A clear brief reduces assumptions and makes the proposal easier to compare.