A good website for a small business can cost a few thousand dollars to build, plus a monthly fee for hosting and updates. A do-it-yourself builder runs a few hundred dollars a year. An agency build can top $10,000.
Those ranges come from two pricing guides written for 2026, WebsiteSetup and Levitate. Neither cites a survey, and Levitate sells a marketing platform, so take them with a grain of salt. We checked them ourselves in October 2026, before writing this.
What does each kind of website cost?
- Build it yourself on a website builder: about $200 to $800 to start, then roughly $220 to $700 a year (WebsiteSetup).
- Hire a freelancer: $2,000 to $7,600 by WebsiteSetup’s math, or $500 to $5,000 by Levitate’s. Monthly upkeep runs $50 to $150 (Levitate).
- Hire an agency: $5,000 to $15,000 for a small business site, with monthly retainers of $100 to $1,000 (Levitate).
The spread is wide, so the price alone tells you little. What you get matters more.
Why do quotes vary so much?
Four things help decide the price:
- Pages. Five pages is a different job than thirty.
- Custom or template. A template costs less. Custom design costs more.
- Content. Someone has to write the words and get real photos of your work.
- What it does. A phone number and a form are cheap. Booking, payments and a store are not.
What does the monthly fee cover?
Common items are hosting, security, a contact form and updates. Ask what “updates” means.
How do I compare two quotes?
Compare them line by line before you look at the totals:
- Does each include the same number of pages?
- Who writes the words and provides the photos?
- Is hosting in the price or extra?
- What does each monthly fee cover?
- Who owns the site?
A lower quote that leaves out photos, writing, hosting and updates may cost more in the long run.
What should I ask before I pay?
- Who owns the site? You should own the site, the domain and your data. If the builder owns them, you’re renting your own website.
- What’s included each month? Get it in writing.
- What does a new page cost? Get the number before you sign.
- How long is the contract? Month to month is easier to leave than a long lock-in.
- What happens if I leave? You should be able to take the site with you.
We build and host every site we manage, and you own the site, the code, the domain and your data. Services are month to month, and a website build can be paid over a year if needed.
Our prices are public, so you can read them first. See R7’s website pricing.
FAQ
How much does a website cost per month?
A builder plan runs about $17 to $120 a month (WebsiteSetup). Hosting alone runs $40 to $250 a year (WebsiteSetup). Updates cost extra unless the plan includes them.
Is a cheap website worth it?
It can be as a start. A $200 builder site gets you online. You build it yourself, and it’s up to you to show real work and a clear way to call.
What is the difference between a template and a custom website?
A template is a ready-made design you fill in. A custom site is designed around your business, which is why it costs more.
What does a small business website cost to maintain?
Hosting and a domain together run roughly $50 to $300 a year (WebsiteSetup). Updates, security and new pages cost extra unless a plan includes them.