Ask "how much does a website cost?" and the honest answer is "it depends", which isn't very helpful. So here are realistic ranges for US small businesses, and what drives the price up or down.
Typical price ranges
- Do it yourself (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy): roughly $20 to $50 a month, plus your time.
- Freelancer or small studio: roughly $1,500 to $8,000 for a custom small business site.
- Agency: often $10,000 to $30,000 or more, especially with strategy, copywriting and custom features.
- Online store: usually more than a brochure site, depending on the number of products and integrations.
Ranges vary by region and project, but these are a fair guide to what you'll be quoted.
What drives the price
- Number of pages. A five-page site costs less than a thirty-page one.
- Custom design vs template. Custom design takes more time but fits your brand and goals.
- Copywriting. If someone writes the words for you, that's extra work, and usually worth it.
- Features. Booking, payments, member areas and integrations add cost.
- SEO setup. Proper technical SEO and page structure take time to do well.
Ongoing costs people forget
- Domain: around $10 to $25 a year
- Hosting: anywhere from $10 to $50 a month for most small business sites
- Maintenance: updates, backups, security and small edits, either your time or a monthly plan
- Paid plugins or apps: some features charge a monthly fee
Is DIY good enough?
Sometimes, yes. If you're just starting out and money is tight, a clean template site is better than nothing. But DIY sites often struggle with the things that bring in customers: clear messaging, speed, SEO and a layout designed to turn visitors into calls.
A good way to think about it: what is one new customer worth to you? If a better website brings in even two or three extra customers a year, it often pays for itself.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
- What exactly is included in the price?
- Who writes the content?
- Will I own the website and be able to edit it myself?
- Is basic SEO included?
- What happens after launch if something breaks?
Our pricing, for reference
Our custom websites start from $1,500. You can also choose a monthly plan where we host and look after the site for you. We always start with a free website health check, so you know what you actually need before spending anything.