- The difference between full-scratch and full-stack — what it means
- Full-scratch is a way of building — designed from zero without templates. Full-stack is a composition — a site that presents plus members, bookings, payments, a database and an admin screen. At Webharu, full-scratch is from ¥1,000,000 in about 1.5 to 2 months, and full-stack is from ¥2,500,000 in about 2 to 4 months (excl. tax, as of 2026).
Hello, this is Masato from Webharu.
The short answer: if you want a site that presents, go full-scratch; if you need a working mechanism beyond the site (members, bookings, payments, a database, an admin screen), go full-stack. At Webharu, full-scratch is from ¥1,000,000 and takes about 1.5 to 2 months, and full-stack (Web Application Development) is from ¥2,500,000 and takes about 2 to 4 months (both excl. tax, as of 2026, starting prices). This article separates the two and explains how to choose.
The difference: whether the site holds a working mechanism
| Point | Full-scratch website | Full-stack website |
|---|---|---|
| What gets built | A site that presents (corporate site, service site, landing page) | A site that presents plus a working mechanism (a web app) |
| What is included | Design from zero in Figma, SEO and AIO, forms and email infrastructure, CMS, analytics, monitoring | Everything on the left, plus members, bookings, payments, a database, an admin screen and external API integrations |
| Price (excl. tax, starting) | From ¥1,000,000 | From ¥2,500,000 |
| Typical timeline | About 1.5 to 2 months | About 2 to 4 months |
| Delivered as | Code (Astro or Next.js), or Webflow | Code (not possible in Webflow alone) |
| Deliverables | The full codebase, a style guide and an AI update handbook | The full application and operations documentation |
| Businesses it suits | You want to build, or rebuild, a brand properly | You need a mechanism beyond the site, or want to turn it into your own service |
| Detailed article | What is a full-scratch website? | What is a full-stack website? |
The names are similar, so the two get mixed up. Full-scratch is about how the site is built — designed from zero. Full-stack is about what it is made of — a front end and a back end together. At Webharu, a full-stack build is a full-scratch site that presents, with a working mechanism added on top.
Do you need full-stack? | Five questions
If even one applies, it is full-stack. If they are all no, launch as full-scratch and add the rest when you need it. Because we deliver the code, adding members or bookings later does not mean rebuilding. Webharu’s own SaaS products (HaruCMS and HaruMail) were built in that order too.
Where AI and Webflow fit | both are built with AI, only the delivery differs
Webharu builds both full-scratch and full-stack with AI (Claude Code). We do not say it is cheaper because it is AI. The price is set by what gets built, not by what it is built with. What differs is the delivery: full-scratch can be delivered as code or in Webflow, at the same price. Full-stack holds members, payments and a database, so it is delivered as code. The comparison between building in Webflow and building with AI is in the AI section of What is Webflow?.
Cost and how it is decided | the final figure comes from the requirements phase and does not change after we start
Both prices above are starting prices. They move with the number of pages, multilingual versions, how much existing content has to be migrated, how many departments are involved, security requirements and whether photography is needed. We present the final figure with an itemized breakdown after hearing the requirements, and we never change it after work starts. The full picture is on the pricing page.
FAQ
How are full-scratch and full-stack different?
Full-scratch is a way of building — designed from zero without templates. Full-stack is a composition — a site that presents plus members, bookings, payments, a database and an admin screen. What separates them is whether you need a working mechanism.
How much does each cost?
At Webharu, full-scratch is from ¥1,000,000 in about 1.5 to 2 months, and full-stack (Web Application Development) is from ¥2,500,000 in about 2 to 4 months (both excl. tax, as of 2026, starting prices). The final figure is set in the requirements definition phase and does not change after work starts.
I cannot decide which one to choose
If you need even one of these five — member login, bookings that complete on the site, payments, holding customer data in-house, external integrations — go full-stack. If you need none of them, launch as full-scratch and add them when the need arrives. We assess it in a free consultation.
Can a full-scratch site be extended into full-stack later?
Yes. Because we deliver the code, adding functions such as members or bookings later does not mean rebuilding. Webharu built its own SaaS products in that order.
Can you deliver in Webflow?
Full-scratch can be delivered either as code or in Webflow, at the same price. Full-stack holds members, payments and a database, so it cannot be built in Webflow alone and is delivered as code.
![AI Website Cost [2026]: Our Real Prices, Published](/assets/posts/thumb-ai-website-cost.avif?v=db2fd782)