Ask an agency what a project costs and you will usually get “it depends” and a request for a call. Sometimes that is honest. Often it is a habit. We looked at how common it is, and what the leaders do instead.
What the data says
Across 771 agency websites, price and engagement transparency had a median score of 5 out of 20. Among the best-scoring tenth of sites, the gap to the rest was about 5 points, one of the largest differences we measured. Showing a range, an engagement model or a typical timeline puts a site in the minority.
What we publish
- Product prices in full: for example, Concierge starts at $297 a month plus a $1,500 setup, and a full EKO-II disclosure report starts at $497.
- For custom work, the rule rather than a number: a written scope first, fixed terms, one accountable owner, and a quote in writing before anything is built.
Why it is worth it
- It filters early. A visitor who cannot afford a plan leaves before costing anyone a call. A visitor who can, arrives ready.
- It builds trust before the first message. Hiding the price is the most common reason a buyer assumes the worst.
- It forces clarity inside the studio. If you cannot write down what a plan includes, you do not know what you are selling.
Publishing prices is not free. It makes you easier to compare, and some work really does need a conversation first. The answer is not to publish everything, but to publish what you can and to say plainly how the rest is quoted.