Website cost guide · Updated for 2026
How much does a website cost?
The honest answer, from someone who builds them: what agencies charge, what you actually need, the hidden costs nobody mentions, and how to get a great site without overpaying.
What you're actually paying for
Every website price comes down to the same handful of things. Once you know them, quotes get a lot easier to compare.
- Number of pages. A home page, services, about and contact is a small site. A page for every service and every town you work in is a bigger one.
- Custom design or a template. Templates are cheaper up front but look like everybody else. Hand-built sites look like you and load faster.
- Features. Online booking, instant quote calculators, card payments, customer logins and email sign-ups all add work.
- Writing and photos. Someone has to write the words. If it's not you, it's part of the price.
- Search setup. Page titles, local business markup, a sitemap and your Google Business Profile are what help people find you.
- Overhead. Big agencies have offices, sales teams and project managers, and every quote has to pay for them.
Typical price ranges
Agency range from published 2026 industry cost guides, including WebFX, StartCosts (Kentucky) and Seahawk Media. Agency prices vary widely.
The hidden costs nobody mentions
- Monthly platform fees that keep going as long as the site exists.
- Paid plugins and apps for things like booking or forms.
- Charges for every change after launch, sometimes at an hourly rate.
- Who owns the site. Some companies keep your domain or won't hand over the files. With me, you own everything, in writing.
Cheap vs. affordable
A cheap website is one that costs little and does little. An affordable one is priced fairly and still does the job: it loads fast, works on every phone, shows up on Google and makes it easy for customers to call or book. That's the line I build on.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
- Is the price flat, and what exactly does it include?
- What does it cost each month after launch, and is that optional?
- Do I own the domain, the content and the files?
- Can I see live sites you've built?
- Who will I actually be talking to while it gets built?
Website cost FAQ
How much does a small business website cost?
It depends on who builds it. Agencies commonly charge about $3,000 to $30,000 or more. Freelancers and small studios usually land in the low thousands. My packages start at $1,250, and every price is listed on the pricing page.
Is a cheap website worth it?
A cheap website is only worth it if it's fast, works on phones, shows up on Google and gets people to contact you. Price matters less than whether it does those four things.
What are the hidden costs of a website?
Domain registration, hosting, platform subscriptions, paid plugins, and the cost of changes after launch. Ask about every one of these before you sign anything.
Should I use Wix or Squarespace instead?
For some people that's fine. You'll pay a monthly subscription, you're limited to the platform's templates, and you do the work yourself. A hand-built site loads faster and isn't boxed in, and someone else maintains it.
How much does it cost to maintain a website?
With me, you can pay $99 per update with no subscription, or choose a monthly care plan starting at $39 per month that covers hosting, backups and changes.
Let's build yours.
Send me a quick project brief, or just call or text (270) 681-0756. No pressure, no sales pitch.