How much does a small business website cost?

There’s no single price. The number depends on who builds the site, who keeps it running afterwards and who ends up owning it. Most small businesses take one of three routes.

1. Build it yourself on a website builder

You pay the builder a monthly or yearly plan, plus a web address. The real cost is your time: learning the builder, writing the pages, taking and editing photos, and coming back to update it. Check the builder’s current plan prices, and whether the plan you need allows your own web address.

It works if you like doing it and have evenings free. The common problem is a site that never gets finished, or never gets touched again after launch.

2. Pay a designer or agency up front

You pay a one-time fee for the build. Prices vary widely by how many pages, how much writing and how custom the design is. Ask what happens after launch: hosting, security updates and changes are often billed separately, by the hour or on a maintenance plan.

It makes sense when you want something custom and have the budget. Just know you may be paying again every time something needs changing.

3. A monthly done-for-you plan

You pay a monthly fee and the company designs, writes, hosts and updates the site. There’s usually a minimum contract. This is what SmallWeb does: from $175 a month, no setup fee, with content updates, technical updates and redesigns included. The contract is 6 months, then month to month.

It suits owners who want it handled. Before you sign with anyone, us included, check who owns the web address and what you keep if you leave.

What to ask before you pay anyone

• Who owns the web address? It should be registered in your name.
• What updates are included? Photos, hours, prices, new services.
• How long is the contract, and what does it cost to leave?
• What do you keep if you leave? Your web address and your site files.
• Who writes the words? You, or them?
• Is it built for phones? Most of your customers will see it on one.

Want a straight answer for your business? Book a 10-minute call and we’ll tell you what we’d build and what it would cost.