What a Practice Website for Therapists Really Costs

The quotes therapists receive for a practice website vary enormously. Some agencies charge 3,000 to 8,000 euros for a solo practice website. Some online builders advertise as free. And in between lies a gray area of monthly subscription fees, hidden plugin costs, and the time investment nobody factors in.

So you know what you're paying for — and what you're not.

Option 1: Web Design Agency

When you hire an agency, you're paying for someone else to do the work. That sounds appealing — and in some situations, it is. But there are a few things you should know beforehand.

The typical price range for a professional therapist website through an agency is between 2,500 and 6,000 euros for the initial creation. On top of that come ongoing costs for hosting (typically 20 to 60 euros per month), occasional adjustments (usually billed by the hour, typically 80 to 120 euros per hour), and updating the privacy policy whenever something changes legally.

What's often missing: Agencies rarely know the specific requirements of healthcare professions. The imprint needs the medical license authority and professional chamber membership. The contact form must meet the requirements of Article 9 GDPR, because health data forms its own category. And the copy must stay within the Advertising of Medicines Act. These are things you have to explain to the agency — and for which you're ultimately responsible yourself.

When it's worth it: When you want a complex website with many custom pages, already have a clear vision of the design, and don't want to spend any time on technical aspects. And when the budget is there. What matters for the first impression of your practice website is described in a dedicated article.

Option 2: Setting Up WordPress Yourself

WordPress powers around 40 percent of all websites worldwide. The software is free, the possibilities are nearly unlimited — and the effort is underestimated by most.

The direct costs are manageable: Hosting with a German provider costs between 5 and 15 euros per month. A good theme between 50 and 100 euros one-time. Add plugins for privacy, contact forms, backups, and SEO — each 0 to 80 euros per year, depending on whether you use free versions or need premium ones.

The real price is time. Anyone who has never used WordPress will realistically invest 20 to 40 hours just for setup, design, and initial content. And after that, there are regular updates, security questions, and the occasional plugin conflict that takes the site down.

GDPR compliance is not automatic with WordPress. Google Fonts are loaded externally by default — this triggered a wave of cease-and-desist letters in 2022 that caught many practices off guard. The imprint must be written yourself. The privacy policy is generated via external generators and has to be revised every time something changes.

When it's worth it: When you're technically proficient or have someone nearby who is, when you want maximum control over every detail, and the time for setup and ongoing maintenance is available.

Option 3: General Website Builder (Wix, Jimdo)

The well-known builders are easy to use and cheaper than an agency. Wix costs from about 13 euros per month for the relevant plan, Jimdo from 11 euros. How the builders compare in detail is described in our comparison of Wix, WordPress, Jimdo, and Therapendo.

The problem for therapists lies less with the price than with the gaps. Wix servers are predominantly in the USA — a serious GDPR issue when it comes to health data. No tool automatically generates the imprint with the required information for healthcare professions. And the contact forms transmit inquiries unencrypted via email, which is problematic with sensitive patient data.

That doesn't mean it can't work. But it means you have to close these gaps yourself — and for that you again need time and knowledge that isn't included in the price.

When it's worth it: When you need a simple information page without a contact form and have the GDPR requirements well in hand.

Option 4: Specialized Tool for Healthcare Professionals

The fourth path is a tool built from the ground up for the therapeutic context. Therapendo's Starter plan is permanently free — including a complete practice website with up to 10 inquiries per month. The Practice plan for unlimited inquiries and your own domain costs 24 euros per month.

What makes the cost-benefit ratio different here: The things you'd otherwise pay extra for or spend extra time on are built in. The imprint is automatically generated from your practice details — with all healthcare-specific required information. The privacy policy too. The servers are in Frankfurt. The contact form encrypts inquiries end-to-end, so patient data doesn't flow unsecured through random mail servers. And all inquiries land in a structured dashboard instead of your email inbox.

The time until the website is live: realistically one afternoon. Not because you're cutting corners, but because the structure is already there. What exactly belongs on the site — and what you can skip — is described in our article Creating a Practice Website: What Therapists Actually Need. And for full online presence, it's also worth setting up a Google Business Profile.

The Cost Comparison at a Glance

The Calculation That's Usually Missing

All direct costs are comparatively easy to research. What's missing from most comparisons is the time factor.

An hour spent on WordPress issues, privacy policy generators, or agency briefings is an hour you're not available for patients — or for yourself. At an hourly rate of 100 euros, a weekend of WordPress setup quickly costs more than a year of Therapendo.

That's not a sales pitch — it's simple arithmetic. Every tool has its place. But the place for a specialized tool is precisely where you don't want to deal with the side shows.