What website copy costs — per page, per project, per word

Many businesses commit to hiring a copywriter, then get sticker shock at the first quote. Others commit to a lower-priced quote without confirming what's included, and end up with work that needs redoing, or worse—months later, copy that hasn't moved the needle on sales or leads. The gap between these experiences usually isn't accident. It's that pricing for website copy varies wildly because the *scope* of what's actually included varies wildly, and neither party always sees that until halfway through.

When a quote seems too low, it's often because something's been stripped out. When it seems too high, you might not yet understand what's being factored in. This guide unpacks the levers that move the price, so you can compare quotes fairly and know what you're actually paying for.

Research and strategy sit before words hit the page

A copywriter who charges by the word alone is often working blind. Decent website copy begins with discovery: understanding your audience, your competitors, your market position, your sales funnel, and what actually converts on your site now (if you have one). Some copywriters bundle this into their fee; others bill it separately or don't do it at all.

That discovery work is invisible in the final copy, but it changes everything. A writer who spends a day interviewing you, your team, and your customers will write differently—faster, more accurately, with fewer revision rounds—than one who takes a brief over email and starts typing. The time spent here affects both the quote and the outcome. If a quote doesn't mention research or calls it an "optional extra," that's a cost driver to flag.

How the work is measured and charged

Website copy is priced at least three ways. Per-word rates lock in a cost once you know the scope: a 500-word homepage, a 300-word services page. Per-project pricing wraps research, writing, and revisions into a single fee—useful if you don't know how long copy should be. Per-day or hourly rates suit complex projects where discovery is long or where revisions spiral. Each method hides assumptions.

Per-word can seem transparent, but it dodges the fact that a quick 500 words takes four hours, while careful 500 words takes two days. Per-project rates can lock you in or lock the writer out if scope creeps. Hourly billing needs clear revision limits or it becomes open-ended. Ask what revision rounds are included and what triggers additional charges. Some writers promise two rounds of edits; others include five; others price each round separately. This, more than the headline rate, shapes your actual cost.

Copy that fits *your* audience costs more than generic copy

Copy written for financial services isn't copy written for hospitality. A copywriter who has written for your industry before, who understands your audience's language and pain points, typically charges more than one treating it as a first project. That premium can reflect the added time this expertise takes to build and apply, though the same industry knowledge is sometimes available at lower rates too—it's worth asking how a writer developed it. Asking "Have you written for SaaS before?" or "Do you understand the B2B buying cycle?" is asking whether you'll pay for expertise already built in, or whether you're funding that research on your project.

Similarly, copy that's been tested or revised to perform better than the first draft costs more. Copy that's handed to you as-is, with no option for revision or testing, may need rewriting sooner—regardless of what it cost—so it's worth confirming upfront whether any refinement is included. A quote that includes performance testing or iterative refinement reflects that difference.

What an incomplete quote leaves unsaid

A quote at any price point can skip SEO research, competitor analysis, or audience interviews if these aren't explicitly confirmed. It may exclude discovery calls, limit revisions to one round, or not cover page templates and calls-to-action. It might not include a style guide or tone guidelines for future writers. It may not factor in the time to gather your product information or testimonials. These aren't trivial gaps to leave unconfirmed—copy that skips them, at any price, is more likely to underperform.

Before comparing quotes, list what each one actually includes. Does it cover the work before writing starts? How many revision rounds? Are strategy and structure included, or just words? Do they'll be available after delivery if copy needs tweaking? Once you see what each quote really covers, the price differences start making sense.

When you're ready to commission, look for a copywriter on Strove who can walk you through their process and explain what drives their pricing—that conversation alone tells you whether they've done this before.