How much does a small business website cost in 2026?

Ranges: DIY and freelancer figures from Clutch; agency figure from WebFX. Platform prices checked on the platforms' own pages in October 2026.

What does a website cost by who builds it?

Here's the short version. Every range is labeled with where it comes from.

Clutch also notes that most web design projects reviewed on its platform cost less than $10,000, with agencies charging anywhere from $2,000 to $100,000 depending on scope (Clutch pricing guide).

What does a DIY builder really cost per year?

Builder plans are cheap in cash and expensive in time. These are the published US prices per month, billed yearly:

Wix plan prices from Wix's plans guide; Wix's plans page shows prices by location, so yours may differ.

The bigger cost is your time. Choosing a template, writing every page, finding photos, connecting a domain, setting up forms and learning the editor takes most owners a few weekends. After launch, someone still has to update hours, prices, photos and seasonal offers. Put a number on those hours before you decide DIY is the cheap option.

What do freelancers, small studios and agencies charge?

• Freelancers usually charge per project. Clutch puts a basic 5 to 10 page site at $500 to $5,000, with more for custom design, e-commerce or integrations. Quality and what's included vary widely.
• Small studios sit between freelancers and agencies. You usually work with the person doing the work, with a defined process and ongoing care available. Few publish prices, which makes comparison hard. We publish ours below.
• Full-service agencies bring a team: strategy, design, development, content and account management. WebFX puts basic professional web design at $6,500 to $15,000 on average.

What does a website cost over 3 years?

Here's a worked example for a 6-page local service business site, such as a plumber or a salon. Cash costs are separate from owner time so you can see both.

How we did the math. WordPress.com and Wix use each platform's yearly plan price and include the free first-year domain. The .com renewal range is WordPress.com's own figure. The freelancer row uses Clutch's $500 to $5,000 build range plus Clutch's $10 to $50 a month builder fees for hosting. Larkspun rows use our published build price plus 36 months of the matching plan: $1,800 + $100 × 36 = $5,400; $3,500 + $199 × 36 = $10,664; $6,500 + $399 × 36 = $20,864. The agency row uses WebFX's basic-site range, and agencies rarely publish ongoing fees.

Don't forget your time. If you build it yourself, assume something like 40 hours in year one and 15 hours a year after that: about 70 hours over 3 years. That's our planning assumption, not a study. Multiply it by what an hour of your time is worth. At $50 an hour, it's $3,500.

Prefer to host it yourself? Larkspun's Care plan has a 3-month minimum. After that you can take the site in-house for a one-time $150 handoff fee, and later changes are $75 an hour. That makes Essential $1,800 + $300 + $150 = $2,250 in cash, plus your hosting and any changes you ask for.

What should be included in a website quote?

Use this as an "Is this quote complete?" checklist. Ask every builder to say yes, no or extra cost for each line.

• Domain: who registers it, and is it in your name?
• Hosting and SSL: included, and for how long?
• Copywriting: do they write the words, or do you?
• Photos: stock, your own, or a shoot?
• Forms tested end to end, with leads going to the right inbox
• Analytics installed (Google Analytics or similar)
• Structured data (schema) for your business, services and FAQs
• Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools set up and the sitemap submitted
• Accessibility basics: readable contrast, alt text, keyboard-friendly navigation
• Revisions: how many rounds are included?
• Who owns the code and content when the project ends
• Exit terms: can you take the site elsewhere, and what does it cost?
• Care plan scope: what's covered each month, and what costs extra?
• Edit turnaround: how fast will small changes get done?

What are the hidden costs most quotes leave out?

• Your time writing content, gathering photos and giving feedback.
• Domain renewal after a free first year.
• Paid apps, plugins or premium themes that add up on builder and WordPress sites.
• Professional email on your domain. WordPress.com puts one mailbox at about $2 to $7 a month (WordPress.com).
• Payment processing if you sell online. WordPress.com cites about 2.9% + 30¢ per US card transaction.
• Edits after launch billed by the hour.
• A redesign sooner than planned if the site is locked to a platform you outgrow.
• Ongoing visibility work: SEO and showing up in AI answers is a separate line item at most firms, if it's offered at all.

Do you own your website when someone else builds it?

Not automatically. Ownership is set by your contract and by the platform. On Wix, the site has to stay on Wix's servers: Wix says a site "needs to be hosted and operated on Wix's servers" to work (Wix Help Center). Squarespace exports only some content, as a WordPress-format file (Squarespace Help Center). Lock-in is a real cost: if you outgrow the platform, you rebuild.

Before you sign, get these in writing: the domain is registered in your name, you own the content and photos, and you receive the site files if you leave. At Larkspun, you always own your domain, content and site files.

What does a Larkspun website cost?

We publish our prices because comparing quotes shouldn't take three sales calls. Every build includes SEO, AEO and GEO setup for your market.

Not sure you need a new site? The Website & AI Visibility Audit is $595, delivered in 7 business days with a 45-minute walkthrough, and the full fee is credited toward any build. One-time build fee: 50% to start, 50% at launch. Prices may adjust for added complexity, and you get a fixed quote before any work starts. See full pricing and terms.

How do I choose the right budget for my business?

• A builder is enough if you need a simple brochure site, you enjoy doing it yourself, and most customers find you by referral or social media.
• A freelancer or small studio fits if the site needs to bring in customers from search in your town or region, and you'd rather spend your time running the business.
• An agency fits if you need a team for a large site, heavy integrations or a big marketing budget alongside it.
• Whatever you choose, compare 3-year totals, insist on owning your domain and content, and get every quote itemized against the checklist above.

FAQ

Is $1,500 enough for a small business website?

Often, yes, for a simple site. Clutch puts a basic 5 to 10 page freelancer-built site at $500 to $5,000, so $1,500 sits in that range. Check what's left out: copywriting, photos, hosting, setup for Google and who owns the site. A custom studio build like Larkspun's Essential plan is $1,800 plus $100 a month for care.

Why do website quotes vary so much for the same 5-page site?

Quotes cover different work. One may include copywriting, photos, SEO setup, analytics, accessibility checks and ongoing care, while another covers design only. Ask every builder to itemize against the same checklist, then compare 3-year totals.

Is a monthly website plan worth it, or should I pay once?

A monthly plan is worth it if you want someone else to handle hosting, security, backups, edits and reports. If you or a staff member will maintain the site, paying once and hosting it yourself can cost less. Make sure you own the site either way, so you can switch later.

How much should website maintenance cost per month?

It depends on what's included. Clutch puts DIY builder fees at about $10 to $50 a month, which covers the platform only. Done-for-you care usually costs more because someone does the work. Larkspun's Care plan is $100 a month for hosting, security, backups, small edits and a monthly report.

Is Wix or Squarespace cheaper than hiring a designer over 3 years?

In cash, usually yes. A builder plan costs a few hundred dollars a year. The real cost is your time to set up, write and maintain the site. If the site is a main source of customers, compare that time and the results, not just the subscription.

Does the website price include SEO and showing up in AI answers?

Not always, so ask. Some quotes cover design only. Every Larkspun build includes SEO, AEO and GEO setup for your market, and the Pro and Elite monthly plans add ongoing AI visibility tracking. No one can guarantee rankings or AI placement.