How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost?

A family friend of mine was recently looking for someone to build her website, and she found a company that promised her a really good deal. She signed the contract, but they never actually told her what the website was going to cost. Once the work started, they kept adding on different things, and by the end, she'd spent about $4,000 on a website that didn't even work. When she tried to get out of the contract, she found out she couldn't, because she's legally locked in.

So yes, let's talk about how much a small business website costs (because that's what you came here for), but I also want you to walk away knowing what to ask BEFORE you sign anything.

Here's the price range (and why it's so wide).

If you build it yourself on something like Wix or Squarespace, you're paying for the plan and your domain, plus a whole lot of your evenings. If you hire a freelancer or a small studio like mine, most small business websites land somewhere in the low thousands. And if you hire a big agency with a full team, it can climb into the tens of thousands.

That's a HUGE spread, I know. It's that wide because "a website" can mean a single page with your phone number on it, or a 40-page site with online booking, a shop, and a blog. Two quotes can both say website and be completely different things, so the number only means something once you know what's included.

What actually makes the price go up or down?

Scope, every single time.

If you need a bajillion pages, an online store, booking, a menu that changes every week, and an events calendar, it's going to cost more, because there's more to plan, write, design, and build. If you just need a clean one-pager that tells people who you are and how to reach you, that's what you should get (and it should cost LESS).

The other big one is the copy (AKA the words). Writing your website copy is the part everyone thinks they'll knock out this weekend, and then it sits there for three months. And listen, I build websites for a living, and writing my OWN was still the hardest part. The biggest difference between a cheap website and a good one is how much thinking happens before anything gets designed.

Ask these questions before you sign ANYTHING.

First, can you see the full price in writing before you sign? If someone won't tell you what it costs until after you're committed, that's your sign to walk away (preferably quickly).

Second, what happens if you need something added later? The answer should be a conversation about scope that you approve first (surprise charges on your next invoice are a BIG red flag).

Third, can you leave if it isn't working? Don't get locked in to something you haven't seen add value.

And last, who owns your domain and your website if you part ways? The answer should be YOU, every time.

Here's how I handle all of that: My starting prices are on my website, meaning you see your full price in your contract before you sign, and if something needs to be added, we talk about it and you approve it first. I don't do anything crazy with my contracts, because I'm not here for a love-hate relationship. If you don't want to work with me anymore, I don't want to keep you stuck. I want to enjoy my clients, I want them to enjoy me, and I want it to be good for both of us.

Your website is NOT a set-it-and-forget-it thing (sorry!).

After launch, most of my clients pay around $200 a year for their domain and hosting to "keep the lights on," but a lot of people think a website is something you build once and never touch again (spoiler alert: nope!).

Things change! You add a new service, your hours change for the holidays, you've got an event coming up, your menu changes, or you finally have better photos and your websiet should move WITH you.

Google also pays attention to how current a site is. Back in 2011, it changed its search to show fresher, more recent results for about 35% of searches, and freshness matters most for things that change, like events, hours, and anything time-sensitive.

But don't get me wrong and start rearranging your homepage every Tuesday! What helps is keeping it current when things change, with updates like this month's events, new photos, a new offer, or a new blog post, so Google (and your customers) can tell you're still open for business.

That's exactly what my Website Management is for. Depending on what you need, it includes updating pictures, calendars, offers, events, menu changes, blog posts, and whatever else pops up, so your website keeps up with your business without you having to log in and figure it out. It starts at $100 a month, and it's kind of like having someone on call for your website.

A cheap website can cost you twice.

Green Heart Enterprises is a general contractor with two decades in a niche most contractors don't touch, aviation. Their old website looked super professional, and it had SEO baked in, but it was basically keyword salad. There was nothing about who they actually are, so they looked like literally every other contractor out there.

They still got inquiries, but not the right ones. A lot of them were (in their words) like someone's granny trying to DIY her bathroom for $17.

So I rebuilt the website to show clearly, consistently, and cohesively who they are and what they do. In the first month, they got 32 qualified inquiries.

Because a website that sounds like everyone else costs you in the junk leads you have to sort through AND in the good ones you never even hear from.

Not ready for a website yet? Start with your brand.

If you're brand new, a website might not be your first move. What you need more at the start is clarity on who you serve, what you do, and what makes you different, because that's what your website is going to be built on (here's why branding matters even for small businesses).

And if you want to try building your website yourself first, go for it! There's no shame in scrappy (If you're on the fence, here's whether to build your own website or hire a designer)!

But, when you're ready for a website that brings in the right leads, that's when it's time to bring someone in.

So, what does it cost to work with me?

My Website Build starts at $1,000. That's the starting point for what most small businesses need, so if you need a bunch more pages, a shop, or booking, it'll cost more, and if you only need a one-pager, it can cost less. Either way, you'll know your price before you sign.

I'm also not going to build you a website that just sits there looking pretty. It should attract the right people and get them to book, buy, or reach out, while you focus on running your business.

That includes mapping out your pages and customer journey before anything gets built, writing all of your website copy in your voice (with foundational SEO), designing it to work on every screen, and 14 days of support after launch. I plan for about four weeks, and I usually beat that, especially when approvals move fast.

If you want to know what YOUR website would cost, tell me what you need. I'll give you the exact scope and numbers in writing before you sign anything.

Start your inquiry here →