How much does a small business website cost in 2026?
Real price ranges by site type and country, hidden costs, and how to budget.
Short answer: in 2026 a small business website typically costs $300–$800 from a budget template shop, $500–$3,000 from an experienced freelancer, and $2,500–$8,000+ from a US or UK agency. Running costs add roughly $10–$150 a month for hosting, domain and maintenance. The rest of this guide explains where your money goes, so you can tell a fair quote from a bad one.
Typical price ranges by type of website
| Type of site | Typical one-off cost | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| One-page site / landing page | $300–$1,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| 5-page small business site (WordPress) | $800–$3,000 | 2–4 weeks |
| 10–20 page site with blog and service pages | $1,500–$5,000 | 3–6 weeks |
| Small online shop (WooCommerce) | $2,000–$6,000 | 4–8 weeks |
| Custom agency build | $5,000–$20,000+ | 6–12+ weeks |
These are market ranges from published pricing pages of small studios, freelancers and agencies, not guarantees. Your own price depends on the factors below.
What actually drives the price
1. Number of pages and templates
Each unique page type (home, service, about, contact, blog post) needs designing and building. Ten service pages that share one template cost far less than ten pages that each look different.
2. Who writes the words
Copywriting is the most underestimated cost. If you supply finished text, the project moves faster and costs less. Professional copy for a 5-page site often adds $300–$1,000, but it's usually the biggest lever on enquiries.
3. Features
Online booking, payments, multilingual content, member areas and custom integrations each add time. A contact form is cheap; a booking system linked to your calendar and CRM is not.
4. SEO and speed work
A site that looks nice but loads slowly and has no proper titles, schema or Google Business Profile will not bring many enquiries. Good builders include on-page SEO and a speed target. Ask what's included, and ask for the mobile Lighthouse score at launch.
5. Where your developer is based
A US or UK agency carries local salaries and overheads. Experienced freelancers, including many in India and Eastern Europe, can deliver the same WordPress quality for less. The key is vetting: portfolio, reviews, a written scope and, crucially, owning your own accounts.
Website costs by country (2026 ballpark)
- United States: local agencies commonly publish $2,500–$8,000 for small-business WordPress sites; freelancers $1,000–$5,000.
- United Kingdom: small studios and freelancers commonly start around £500–£1,500, with typical projects £2,000–£3,500.
- Australia: similar to the UK in local currency, roughly A$1,500–A$6,000 for a small business site.
- India: from around ₹15,000 for basic sites to ₹1,00,000+ for larger custom WordPress builds.
Ongoing costs most quotes leave out
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Domain name | $10–$20 / year |
| Quality managed hosting | $5–$30 / month |
| Premium plugins or theme licences | $0–$200 / year |
| Maintenance / care plan | $29–$150 / month |
| Business email (Google Workspace / Microsoft 365) | $6–$12 / user / month |
A care plan isn't mandatory, but WordPress sites need updates and backups. Skipping them is how sites get hacked. See the WordPress maintenance checklist if you plan to do it yourself.
Red flags in a website quote
- The developer registers your domain or hosting in their name.
- No written scope: "a website" with no page list or features.
- Hourly billing with no cap on a small, standard project.
- No mention of SEO basics, speed, backups or training.
- 100% payment upfront to someone with no reviews.
- A price far below the market (under $200) for a "custom" site. It's usually a reused template with no support.
How to budget sensibly
- Decide the job of the site. Calls? Bookings? Quote requests? That decides the pages you need.
- List your must-have pages. Most service businesses need home, services, about, reviews/work and contact. That's a 5-page site.
- Get a fixed price in writing, with milestones, a timeline and what happens after launch.
- Budget for year one, not just launch: build + hosting + domain + care.
What Sites You Own charges
For transparency: Starter one-page sites start at $499, 5-page Business sites at $999 and 10–15 page Growth sites at $1,999, with care plans from $29/month. See full pricing, or get a range in two minutes with the website cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is a $500 website worth it?
For a one-page site with a clear offer, yes, if it's fast, mobile-friendly and you own it. For a multi-service business that wants Google traffic, you'll usually need more pages.
Is WordPress cheaper than Wix or Squarespace?
Wix and Squarespace are cheaper to start yourself but cost a monthly fee forever and limit ownership. WordPress costs more upfront if someone builds it but is cheaper to run long-term. See WordPress vs Wix.
How long should a small business website last?
A well-built WordPress site can run for 4–6 years with regular updates and content refreshes before a full redesign is needed.
Next step: get a fixed quote in 24 hours or request a free video audit of your current site.