A small business website cost has two parts: what you pay once to build it, and what you pay every year to keep it running. The build price depends mostly on how many pages you need, which platform it sits on, and whether you sell online. For example, on our own price list a fully designed 7-page site starts at $850 [1]. Online stores start at $850 to $1,000, depending on the platform [1].
Quotes from different builders can still be thousands of dollars apart. That gap usually comes down to a few choices, and once you know them you can compare quotes fairly.
7 things that set small business website cost
| Factor | Why it changes the price |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | Each page needs a layout, text and images. Ten pages take longer than five. |
| Platform | Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, Shopify and others each have different setup work and monthly fees. |
| Online store | Products, payments, shipping and tax settings add a lot of work. |
| Custom design or template | A template is a ready-made layout. A custom design is drawn for you from scratch and costs more. |
| Words and photos | If you write the text and supply photos, the price drops. If the builder writes it, it goes up. |
| Features | Booking calendars, forms that send details into your customer list (a CRM), member logins and payment plans all add hours. |
| Who builds it | Doing it yourself costs time. A freelancer or an agency costs money, with different levels of support. |
If two quotes look very different, line them up against this table. Check whether one includes text writing or a store and the other does not.
Real small business website cost examples
Here is what our own price list shows for website work, as of October 2026. Other providers will price differently. Treat these as one real example, not a market average [1].
| Website type | Our price range |
|---|---|
| Website special offer | $449 (see the price list for what it covers) |
| Fully designed site, up to 7 pages | from $850 |
| Wix website design | $850 to $2,250 |
| Go High Level website design (an all-in-one marketing platform) | $850 to $2,750 |
| WordPress website design | $1,500 to $3,500 |
| Shopify or WooCommerce (a store add-on for WordPress) online store | $1,000 to $2,700 |
| One landing page (WordPress) | $850 |
A landing page is a single page built for one goal, like getting people to book a call from an ad.
The running costs people forget
The build is a one-time bill. The rest of your small business website cost comes back every month or every year, so add it to the total before you decide.
Your domain name
Your domain is your web address, like yourbusiness.com. You don’t buy it forever. You rent it, usually one year at a time.
Your registrar (the company you bought it from) must send you renewal reminders about one month and one week before it expires [2]. If it lapses and gets deleted, there is a 30-day window to restore it, sometimes for an extra fee [2]. Soon after that, anyone can register it [2].
Losing your domain means your website and your business email can stop working [2]. So keep your contact details current, and turn on auto-renew (a setting that renews it for you each year).
Hosting or a builder plan
Hosting is the rented computer space where your website lives. With an all-in-one builder, hosting comes inside the monthly or yearly plan. With WordPress, you usually pay a hosting company separately.
Watch for first-year deals. Squarespace, for example, includes a free domain for the first year on annual plans. After that, the domain renews at its standard rate [4]. Plan for a bigger bill in year two.
The security certificate
The padlock in the browser bar means the site uses HTTPS, a secure connection. That needs an SSL certificate, a small digital file that proves the site is really yours. It does not have to cost anything. Let’s Encrypt gives these certificates to anyone who owns a domain, at zero cost [3]. If a quote charges a yearly fee for this, ask why.
Updates and small changes
Prices change, staff change, and add-on tools (called plugins) need updates. Plan for who will make edits after launch, and whether that costs extra. Our $850 package, for example, comes with unlimited changes: we keep working until you are satisfied with our work [1].
How to lower your small business website cost
- Start with fewer pages. Home, services, about and contact cover most small businesses. Add more later.
- Write your own first draft. You know your business better than anyone. A builder can tidy it up.
- Use your own photos. Real photos of your team and work are cheaper than custom graphics.
- Pick a template. A good template looks professional and costs far less than a custom design.
- Build in phases. Launch the core site now. Add a store or booking system once money comes in.
Where you should not cut corners
Mobile. Google ranks your site by how it looks on a phone, using the mobile version of your pages [5]. A site that looks fine on a laptop but breaks on a phone can lose customers and slip in search results.
Ownership. Make sure the domain and the hosting account are in your business’s name, with logins you control. If your builder holds them, ask for them in writing before you pay. Our guide on web development trends covers more of what to plan for.
A way to contact you. A clear phone number, a contact form and a booking link turn visitors into leads (people who might buy). Drop the extras before you drop these.
Limits and risks
A low price can hide costs in the add-ons. These can be extra pages, writing or more changes. A high price does not promise more customers either. Get every quote in writing, with the page count, platform, features and running costs listed.
A website is also not a one-time project. If nobody updates it, the information goes stale and visitors notice. For a wider view of how your site fits with your other tools, see technology in business.
How we can help
If you want a clear, written small business website cost before you start, we build websites on Wix, WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify and Squarespace. See our website development packages for what each one includes. Consultations are always free, so you can talk through your budget before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Can I build a website myself to save money?
Yes. Website builders let you build a simple site yourself for the cost of a plan and a domain. The trade-off is your time, and the result depends on your design skills.
Is a monthly fee better than a one-time price?
It depends. A monthly plan spreads the cost and often includes hosting and updates. A one-time build costs more up front but you may pay less over several years. Compare the total over two or three years.
Does small business website cost include hosting?
Not always. With an all-in-one builder, hosting is part of the plan. With WordPress, it is usually a separate bill. Ask every builder to list hosting, the domain and the certificate in the quote.
What does website maintenance cost?
It depends on what you need done. Keeping the domain, hosting and certificate current is the minimum. If you want someone else to make edits and updates, ask for that price in writing before the site is built.
Sources
- 15X Business Solutions: Store and Pricing and Website Development: our published price ranges, the $449 special offer and the $850 package
- ICANN: FAQs for Registrants, Domain Name Renewals and Expiration: renewal reminders; 30-day Redemption Grace Period
- Let’s Encrypt: About: free certificates for anyone who owns a domain
- Squarespace: Pricing: free first-year domain on annual plans, then standard renewal rate
- Google Search Central: Mobile-first indexing best practices: Google uses the mobile version of a site’s content
