What does a TYPO3 website cost?
TYPO3 is a powerful content management system (CMS), particularly well-suited for medium to large-scale web projects. It stands out thanks to its flexibility, scalability, clean software architecture, long-term stability, and guaranteed security updates — on par with comparable commercial systems. But one question almost always arises at the beginning of any project: How much does a TYPO3 website actually cost?
In this article, we provide an overview of typical TYPO3-related costs, explain which factors influence the price, and how projects can generally be categorized.
What Costs Should Be Considered?
Licensing Costs
Unlike other enterprise CMS platforms such as AEM, Sitecore, or Magnolia (see our CMS comparison), TYPO3 itself is open source and free of licensing costs.
Depending on your project requirements, however, licensing fees may apply for professional TYPO3 extensions such as KE Search Premium (More on the topic of onsite search with TYPO3) or for integrated services like consent management (cookie banners), as well as analytics and monitoring tools.
Project Costs for TYPO3
A major portion of the initial costs is usually spent on planning, design, and technical implementation. It starts with requirements engineering, analysis, and the development of a solid information architecture.
Depending on the project, UX and UI design, coordination with external agencies, or other stakeholders may also be involved.
The TYPO3 installation itself is only a small part of the total cost. The key cost drivers are the custom implementation of features, selection and integration of suitable extensions, development of content elements in responsive design, technical SEO – and, if needed, integration with third-party systems via interfaces.
Typical services also include project management, consulting, and editorial training.
Content Creation Costs
Professional content is a key success factor and should be considered from the very beginning (“Content First”). This includes copywriting, image sourcing, possibly photo shoots, and translations for multilingual websites. Initial and ongoing content maintenance – such as for news or blog sections – also requires effort. A website is not a one - time project but thrives through continuous updates and development.
SEO and Marketing (SEM)
To ensure the website is found, investing in content-focused search engine optimization (SEO) – from keyword research to technical SEO – is worthwhile. There may also be costs for search engine marketing (SEM), such as paid campaigns via Google Ads. Both areas can significantly contribute to the website’s success, especially in highly competitive fields or regions.
Infrastructure (Hosting)
A TYPO3 website requires a reliable hosting infrastructure. Depending on requirements for performance, regional availability, security, and scalability, monthly hosting costs can vary significantly.
Maintenance and Updates
Regular security updates and planned major updates are essential for a stable and secure operation. Long-term planning should include a fixed maintenance budget (see our F7 TYPO3 UpgradeFlat).
The cost of a TYPO3 major update (e.g., version 12 to 13) strongly depends on the project’s structure and complexity. As a general rule of thumb, you can estimate around 20% of the original implementation cost.
Ongoing Development
A TYPO3 website should not be a static product but evolve continuously. Ongoing operations often lead to new insights – be it from user analytics, feedback, technological progress, or legal requirements. Topics such as accessibility and new features like a job application module are becoming increasingly important. We recommend planning a fixed annual development budget to keep your project competitive, user-friendly, and future-proof.
Specific Costs for a TYPO3 Project
If you ask ChatGPT to answer this blog article's title question, you'll likely get a long, nuanced answer. Of course, the actual cost always depends on the specific project. However, the following table – based on our experience as a TYPO3 agency — provides a rough but helpful guideline:
| Project Size | Cost Range | Typical Features |
| Small Website | 5.000 – 10.000 € | Template-based design Basic TYPO3 setup 5–10 content pages Responsive design Basic SEO Editor training |
| Medium-sized Project | 10.000 – 30.000 € | Custom design Extended content structure Modules like news, blog, forms Multilingual Role and permission management |
| Large Project / Portal | 30.000 € to 150.000 €+ | Complex architecture Multi-domain/multi-site Integrations with third-party systems Accessibility High security requirements |
Whether these “typical features” are always meaningful is debatable:
Even a small website can, and should, be accessible. Moreover, whether a truly custom and well-conceived design, including the technical implementation in TYPO3 (or any other CMS), can realistically be achieved for €10,000 is questionable. Details ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Conclusion: TYPO3 is Cost-Efficient - Not Cheap
TYPO3 is particularly convincing as a CMS for medium-sized businesses, large enterprises, and public institutions. For small websites, it is often oversized – because TYPO3 is not a website builder, but the right choice for those who prioritise quality, scalability, and technical stability.
Compared to simple WordPress projects based on a €50 theme, TYPO3 may seem expensive – but this impression is misleading. In reality, it's often a case of comparing apples and oranges: TYPO3 stands out with clean architecture, high modularity, and long-term update reliability – crucial for data protection, compliance, and future-proofing.
These strengths come at a price – but compared to the annual licensing fees of systems like AEM or Sitecore, TYPO3 is highly cost-efficient.
Anyone investing in a professional, custom TYPO3 website should also realistically plan for ongoing costs for maintenance, hosting, and continued development.
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