The short answer: a professionally built small business website usually costs $1,000 to $10,000, a custom WordPress site $1,200 to $12,000, and an online store $2,500 to $25,000. The range is wide because “a website” can mean five template pages or a custom platform with integrations.
I’ve quoted and built websites since 2000, from single landing pages to large eCommerce stores. This guide explains where the money goes, so you can compare quotes on equal terms and spend where it matters.
Typical website costs by project type
These ranges come from a 2026 analysis of more than 600 project quotes across six markets (US, UK, Australia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and South Asia) by Project Cost Estimator. Figures are in US dollars.
| Project | Freelancer | Agency | Overall range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landing page | $300–$1,500 | $800–$3,000 | $300–$3,000 |
| Small business website | $800–$4,000 | $2,000–$10,000 | $1,000–$10,000 |
| WordPress website | $1,200–$5,000 | $3,000–$12,000 | $1,200–$12,000 |
| eCommerce store | $2,500–$10,000 | $5,000–$25,000 | $2,500–$25,000 |
| Custom web app / SaaS | $5,000–$40,000 | $15,000–$120,000+ | $5,000–$120,000+ |
Source: Project Cost Estimator, Website Cost Breakdown 2026 (updated July 2026).
The same research found agencies typically charge about 2.2 times what a freelancer charges for the same scope. Part of that is overhead (account managers, offices, sales teams) and part is capacity for very large projects. For most small and mid-size businesses, an experienced freelancer delivers the same result for considerably less.
What drives the cost of a website
1. Number of pages and templates
Ten pages that share one layout cost far less than ten pages that each need a unique design. Ask any developer how many templates they’re quoting, not just pages.
2. Custom design vs a theme
A well-chosen theme, customized to your brand, is often the right call for a small business. Fully custom design adds cost but pays off when your brand or your conversion rate really matters.
3. Content
Copywriting, photography and product data are the most underestimated costs. Copywriting typically runs $0.20–$1.00 per word, and professional photography from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. If you’re providing your own content, make sure it’s ready before the build starts. Late content is the number-one cause of delays.
4. Functionality
Booking systems, member areas, multilingual content, calculators, CRM integrations and custom search all add development time. Each one should earn its place.
5. eCommerce complexity
Product count, variations, payment gateways, shipping rules, taxes across regions and inventory sync are where store budgets grow.
6. SEO and migration
Redesigning an existing site? Budget for redirects and SEO migration. Skipping it is the most expensive mistake in web design, because it can wipe out years of search traffic.
Ongoing costs to budget for
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Domain name and SSL | $15–$50 per year (SSL is often free) |
| WordPress hosting and plugins | $5–$50 per month, plus $200–$1,000 per year for premium plugins |
| Shopify platform | $39–$399 per month, plus apps |
| WooCommerce hosting and maintenance | $25–$150 per month |
| Business email | $6–$30 per user per month |
| Maintenance and updates | Monthly care plan or hourly support |
Source: Project Cost Estimator (2026). Hosting and platform prices change; check the provider’s current pricing.
A website that nobody maintains becomes a security risk within months. Whatever you build, plan for updates, backups and monitoring: either a care plan or time set aside in-house.
Cheap websites: what you give up
A $500 website can be a fine starting point for a brand-new business. The trade-offs are usually speed (heavy themes and page builders), SEO foundations, security, and the ability to grow without rebuilding. I see a lot of businesses pay twice: once for the cheap site, then again for a redesign two years later.
Freelancer, agency or DIY builder?
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace) | Brand-new businesses testing an idea on a tiny budget | Your time, limited SEO control, monthly fees, and platform lock-in when you outgrow it |
| Experienced freelancer | Most small and mid-size businesses and nonprofits | Check their portfolio, how long clients stay, and who maintains the site after launch |
| Agency | Large projects needing a team of specialists at once | Higher cost, account managers between you and the people doing the work |
Whichever route you choose, make sure you own the domain, the hosting account and the content. Recovering a site that was registered in a former provider’s name is always harder than it needs to be.
Hidden costs to ask about
- Premium plugin and theme licences that renew every year.
- Stock photos and fonts, which may need commercial licences.
- Revision rounds beyond what the quote includes.
- Content entry: moving dozens of pages or hundreds of products takes real time.
- Email setup on your domain, and keeping it working during a move.
- Post-launch support: is the first month of fixes included?
A simple website budget checklist
- Design and development (one-time)
- Content: copywriting, photography, product data (one-time)
- Domain, hosting and premium licences (yearly)
- Maintenance, backups and security (monthly)
- Marketing to bring visitors: SEO, ads or email (monthly)
A website with no plan for the last item is like opening a shop on a street nobody walks down. If budget is tight, a smaller site plus steady SEO usually beats a bigger site with no promotion.
How to get an accurate quote
- List your goals. More calls? Online sales? Fewer support emails?
- Sketch the pages. Even a rough sitemap makes quotes comparable.
- Collect examples of sites you like, and say why.
- List must-have features separately from nice-to-haves.
- Be honest about your budget range. A good developer will tell you what’s realistic within it.
How I price projects
Every project is different, so I don’t publish a fixed price list. After a free consultation I send a fixed quote with clear milestones and no open-ended hourly billing. Payment plans are available. If your budget doesn’t match your wish list, I’ll suggest a phased plan that launches what matters most first.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business website cost?
Typically $1,000–$10,000 for a professionally built site, depending on page count, design, content and features. Freelancers generally sit in the $800–$4,000 range for this scope.
Is WordPress cheaper than a custom website?
Usually, yes. WordPress gives you a proven content management system, so budget goes into design, content and features rather than building basics from scratch.
How long does it take to build a website?
A small business site typically takes 4–6 weeks from kickoff to launch. eCommerce and custom functionality take longer. Content readiness is the biggest variable.
Do I have to pay monthly for a website?
You’ll always have hosting and domain costs. Maintenance is optional but strongly recommended, because unmaintained sites become security risks.