How much does a website cost in 2026?
A small business website costs $0 to $500 to set up yourself, $500 to $5,000 with a freelancer, or $5,000 to $15,000 with an agency. After that, expect $3 to $50 a month for hosting or a builder plan, plus $10 to $20 a year for your domain.
Below: what each option really costs over three years, the fees nobody mentions up front, and how to pick the right one for your business. Prices checked October 2026.
Every way to get a website, side by side
The upfront price is only part of it. The 3-year total is what you really pay. Add your domain, $10 to $20 a year, to every option.
| Option | Upfront | Monthly | 3-year total | Your time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $0 | $17 to $49 | About $600 to $1,800 | You build it, often 20+ hours | People who enjoy doing it themselves |
| Our template, your hosting | $29 to $49 | $3 to $15 hosting | About $140 to $590 | An afternoon with our guide | Tight budgets and do-it-yourselfers |
| We build it (Shop Site Templates) | $99 | $49, first month free | $1,814 | About 5 minutes for the form | Owners who want it done for them |
| Freelancer | $500 to $5,000 | $50 to $150 upkeep | About $2,300 to $10,400 | Meetings and revisions | Custom work on a mid-size budget |
| Agency | $5,000 to $15,000 | $100 to $1,000 upkeep | About $8,600 to $51,000 | Weeks of meetings | Larger companies and brand projects |
How we got these numbers: builder prices are Wix and Squarespace's published plans as of November 2026, billed yearly (Wix Light to Business, Squarespace Basic to Plus). Freelancer and agency ranges are typical 2026 quotes for a small business site of 5 to 10 pages. Our “We build it” total is $99 plus 35 months at $49, because your first month is included. Sources: Wix pricing, Squarespace pricing, 2026 design cost survey.
What you are actually paying for
Every website, at any price, is made of the same few pieces. Here is what each one costs on its own.
Domain name
$10 to $20 a year for a .com. Register it in your own name, never your designer's, so you can't be locked out.
Hosting
$3 to $15 a month for a fast, simple site. Builders like Wix bundle it into their $17 to $49 plans. Managed plans that include edits cost more.
Design
$0 if you use a builder theme, $29 to $49 for a ready-made template, and $500 to $10,000+ for a design made from scratch.
Writing the words
The part most people underestimate. Freelance copywriters charge $100 to $500 a page. Good words are what turn visitors into calls.
Photos
Free stock photos to start. A local photographer for your team and your work is usually $200 to $600, and worth it.
Upkeep and edits
New hours, prices and photos. Free if you do it yourself, $50 to $150 an hour from a freelancer, or included in a managed plan.
The costs nobody mentions up front
These are the line items that turn a cheap website into an expensive one.
Promo prices that renew higher
Many hosts and builders advertise a first-year price. Check the renewal price, because that is what you will pay for years two and three.
Apps and plugins
Booking, forms, reviews and popups are often paid add-ons at $5 to $30 a month each. Three of them can double a builder bill.
A domain held hostage
If a designer registers your domain in their name, leaving them can mean losing your web address and your Google history.
Paying by the edit
A $20 change billed at an hour's minimum adds up fast. Ask how edits are charged before you sign anything.
Contracts and exit fees
Some “$0 down” website deals lock you into 12 to 36 months, and the site isn't yours when you leave.
A slow site
Heavy page builders can load slowly on phones. A slow site costs you calls every day, and Google notices too. Test your site's speed free.
Which one is right for you?
Be honest about your time. For most owners, that decides it.
You like doing it yourself
A builder or a template. A template costs less over time and loads faster, and our guide gets most people live in an afternoon. Browse templates from $29.
You want it done, without a big bill
A done-for-you service. We write it, build it and host it for $99 and $49 a month, and you see a free mockup first. How it works.
You need something one of a kind
A custom design. Get a fixed quote before any work starts, and make sure you own the domain and files at the end. Custom design.
You're a large company
An agency makes sense when you need strategy, branding and a team. For a local service business, it is usually more than you need.
What our websites cost, with nothing hidden
Three ways to work with us, and every price is on this page.
Build it yourself
- A complete, tested website for your trade
- Step-by-step setup guide
- Host it anywhere, even free hosts
- We fix any problem
We build it for you
- Your words written, your photos added
- Hosting, security and small edits included
- Free mockup before you pay
- No contract. Leave anytime and keep your site
Custom design
- An original design from your idea
- Free consultation
- Revisions included
- $49 a month once live
Website cost questions
How much does a website cost for a small business?
Most small businesses spend between $0 and $500 to start if they build it themselves, $500 to $5,000 with a freelancer, or $5,000 to $15,000 with an agency. On top of that, plan on $10 to $20 a year for a domain and $3 to $50 a month for hosting or a builder plan. A done-for-you service like ours is $99 to build and $49 a month.
How much does a website cost per month?
Between about $3 and $50 a month for most small businesses. Basic hosting for a template site runs $3 to $15 a month. Wix and Squarespace plans run about $17 to $49 a month, billed yearly. A managed service that includes hosting and edits, like ours, is $49 a month. Agency maintenance plans can run $100 to $1,000 a month.
Can I build a website for free?
You can start one for free on Wix or Squarespace trials, but a free plan shows the builder's ads and doesn't let you use your own domain name. For a business, that looks unprofessional. The cheapest real setup is a template on low-cost hosting, about $30 to $50 for the template plus $3 to $15 a month.
Why do agencies charge $5,000 or more?
You pay for a team: a strategist, a designer, a developer and a project manager, plus meetings and rounds of revisions. For a large company that needs a one-of-a-kind brand site, that can be worth it. Most local service businesses need a fast site that gets calls, and that does not take a $5,000 budget.
Is a $99 website any good?
It depends on what is behind the price. Ours start from designs that are already finished and tested, so we are not starting from a blank page, and every site scores 90 or higher on Google PageSpeed for mobile. You see a free mockup before you pay, and two rounds of changes are included before launch.
How much does a domain name cost?
Usually $10 to $20 a year for a .com. Keep it registered in your own name so you never lose it if you change web designers.
Related guides: Website template vs. Wix or Squarespace · What pages does a small business website need? · How to get your business on Google Maps · 3-year cost: Wix and Squarespace vs. owning your site · Paying once for a website
See your new website today.
Send a few details and get a free mockup with your business name on it. No card needed.
- Text or call (904) 413-1777
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