How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026? Prices for DIY, Freelancer and Agency Websites (Plus Ongoing Costs)
How much does a website cost to build and run? Realistic price ranges for DIY builders, freelancers and agencies by website type (small business, landing page,…
In this article
A website can cost almost nothing or tens of thousands of dollars. As a rough guide: a DIY website builder costs about $0–$50 per month; a professional small business website from a freelancer typically costs $1,000–$6,000; an agency-built business site often runs $5,000–$30,000+; and e-commerce sites and custom web apps range from a few thousand to six figures. On top of that, expect ongoing costs for domain, hosting, maintenance and tools.
The right budget depends on what the website must do for your business. This guide breaks down costs by approach and website type, explains what drives price, and shows how to budget sensibly.
Website cost by approach
| Approach | Upfront cost | Ongoing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, Framer, Webflow templates) | $0–$500 (templates, apps) | ~$15–$50+/month | Very small budgets, simple sites, testing an idea |
| WordPress DIY | $0–$300 (theme, plugins) | Hosting ~$5–$50/month | Hands-on owners comfortable with tech |
| Freelancer | ~$1,000–$6,000 for a small business site | Optional care plan | Small businesses wanting a professional, custom result |
| Small studio / agency | ~$5,000–$30,000+ | Retainer or support plan | Established businesses, strategy, larger sites |
| Enterprise | $50,000+ | Dedicated teams | Complex platforms, integrations, compliance |
Prices vary widely by country, experience and scope; these ranges are typical for the US market.
Cost by website type
| Website type | Typical professional cost |
|---|---|
| Landing page (single page for an offer or ad campaign) | ~$500–$3,000 (see What is a landing page?) |
| Small business website (5–10 pages) | ~$1,500–$8,000 |
| Local service site with booking/WhatsApp integration | ~$2,000–$10,000 |
| Portfolio site | ~$800–$5,000 |
| E-commerce store | ~$3,000–$25,000+ depending on products, platform and integrations |
| Membership or course site | ~$5,000–$30,000 |
| Custom web application | ~$15,000–$150,000+ (see How to build a web app) |
What drives website cost?
- Number of pages and templates
- Custom design vs template
- Copywriting (written for you or by you)
- Functionality: booking, payments, forms, memberships, search, multilingual
- Integrations: CRM, WhatsApp, email marketing, ERP, calendars (see CRM integration and automation)
- E-commerce: product count, variants, shipping and tax rules
- Content: photography, video, motion graphics
- SEO setup: technical SEO, structured data, speed optimisation
- Accessibility and compliance (privacy, cookie consent, accessibility standards)
- Timeline: rushed projects cost more
- Who builds it: location, experience and process
Ongoing website costs
| Cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Domain name | ~$10–$40/year |
| Hosting | ~$0–$50/month for most small sites (static hosting can be free or very cheap; managed WordPress costs more) |
| Website builder subscription | ~$15–$50+/month |
| SSL certificate | Usually free (Let's Encrypt) |
| Professional email | ~$6–$15/user/month |
| Maintenance/care plan | ~$50–$500/month (updates, backups, security, small edits) |
| Premium plugins/apps | $0–$100+/month |
| SEO and content | Varies by goals |
How much do web designers charge?
| Pricing model | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Hourly | ~$30–$150+/hour (freelancers), more for agencies |
| Per project | Fixed price based on scope (most common for small business sites) |
| Per page | ~$100–$1,000 per page for simple sites |
| Retainer | Monthly fee for ongoing updates, SEO and improvements |
| Website-as-a-service | Lower upfront cost plus monthly fee covering hosting and updates |
Fixed-price projects with clear scope are usually easiest to budget.
Does it cost money to make a website?
You can make a basic website for free using free plans of builders (with their branding and subdomain) or free static hosting. A professional site with your own domain, no ads, good design and conversion-focused content costs money, but should be seen as an investment that brings in customers. (DIY route: How to create a website for your business.)
How to budget without overpaying
- Start with goals: leads, bookings, sales or credibility
- List must-have features vs nice-to-haves
- Get 2–3 quotes with the same written scope
- Ask what's included: copy, SEO setup, revisions, training, hosting, support
- Own your domain and accounts
- Prioritise speed, mobile and clear calls to action over fancy effects
- Plan phases: launch a strong core site, add features later
(Hiring tips: How to hire a web designer.)
Cheap vs expensive websites: what you actually get
| Cheap/DIY | Professional |
|---|---|
| Template look, generic copy | Design and copy built around your customers |
| Slow load times common | Optimised for speed and Core Web Vitals |
| Basic or missing SEO | Technical SEO and structure for ranking |
| Few integrations | Booking, CRM, WhatsApp and automations connected |
| Your time to build and maintain | Expert build, fewer mistakes |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a website cost?
DIY builders cost about $0–$50 per month. A professional small business website typically costs $1,000–$8,000 with a freelancer and more with an agency, plus ongoing costs for domain, hosting and maintenance.
How much does a website cost per month?
Running costs for a small business site are often $20–$100 per month for hosting or builder fees, email and basic tools, plus any maintenance plan.
How much do web designers charge?
Freelancers commonly charge about $30–$150+ per hour or a fixed project price, often $1,000–$6,000 for a small business website.
How much does it cost to build a landing page?
Roughly $500–$3,000 from a professional, depending on design, copy, integrations and testing; DIY tools cost less.
Can I build a website for free?
Yes, with free builder plans or free hosting, but you'll usually have branding, a subdomain and limits. A professional domain and features cost money.
Why do website prices vary so much?
Because scope varies: number of pages, custom design, copy, features, integrations, e-commerce, SEO and who builds it all affect the price.
Want a website built for your business?
I design and build fast, modern websites that turn visitors into customers, with booking, WhatsApp and automations built in. Tell me about your business.
Start a conversationWritten by Sachin Rawat
AI & automation engineer · websites, apps and motion design
I build AI agents, automations, websites, apps and motion design for businesses. These guides answer the questions people actually search, written from hands-on experience building them.
Work with meMore stories