It depends on the type of site and who builds it. According to Bluehost, a simple small business site from a freelancer runs $1,000 to $5,000, a basic site from an agency $5,000 to $15,000, and a custom-built online store $5,000 to $20,000 or more. A site-builder plan costs far less, from $9.99 a month at GoDaddy, but you build and maintain the site yourself.
The price of a website depends on what it has to do and on who builds it. A one-page site made with a builder and an online store with custom features sit at opposite ends of the same market. This guide explains the common types of small business websites in the United States, what each one typically costs, what you pay every month or year after launch, and what to ask before you hire anyone.
Start with what the site has to do.
Before comparing quotes, decide what a visitor should do on your site. For most small businesses it is one of four things:
- Find you and contact you. A one-page site or a small site of a few pages, with your phone number, a contact form and your address on every page.
- Ask for a quote. A site with each service explained and a form that collects what you need to price the job, such as the location, the size or a few photos.
- Book or schedule. A site connected to a booking tool or to software that keeps the calendar, so the same slot is never sold twice.
- Buy. An online store with a catalog, checkout, shipping and returns.
If your business does several of these, pick the one that brings in the most revenue and build the site around it. The rest can sit in secondary pages.
The most common types of small business websites.
One-page site. Everything sits on a single page that visitors scroll: what you offer, who it is for, reviews and contact details. It suits a new business, a single service or an ad campaign.
Small business site. Several pages, usually home, services, about and contact. It suits a business with more than one service, because each page can show up in Google for its own search.
Online store. Catalog, cart, checkout and shipping. Besides the site itself, you have to manage inventory, orders and returns, so decide early who handles each task.
Site with bookings and software. The site takes the reservation or appointment and software handles it behind the scenes: calendar, capacity, reminders and customer records. Restaurants, clinics, salons and leisure businesses need this type.
Brand site. For a brand that sells its product through other channels: what the product is, full product information, where to buy it and, if it sells abroad, several languages.
These two sample projects show two of those types. You can open them and try them on your phone:
Trampoline park: a website for booking from a phone and software with capacity-based bookings, ticket office, parties and passes.
Open the project →
Vermouth brand: a website in four languages and software for orders, stock by batch and reviews, with ordering by QR code.
Open the project →What each type typically costs.
These ranges come from Bluehost, a web hosting company, and apply to a one-time build:
The same source puts complex freelancer projects at $5,000 to $20,000 or more and advanced agency sites at $15,000 to $50,000 or more. Freelancers charge $30 to $150 per hour, according to Bluehost. Clutch, a directory of agencies, reports $100 to $149 per hour for shortlisted web design companies in the United States, and it notes that most of the projects reviewed on its platform cost less than $10,000.
Prices differ between sources. Business.com, for example, gives a total of $500 to $3,000 for a small business site. Treat every range as a guide and compare it with written quotes for your own project.
The cheapest route is a site builder, where you assemble the site yourself from templates. GoDaddy lists its Website Builder from $9.99 to $20.99 a month. Bluehost puts an online store made with a builder at $200 to $1,500 a year. You pay little, but the design, the text and the upkeep are your work.
What you pay after the site is live.
A website has costs that repeat every month or year. Ask for each one separately:
- Domain name. Typically $10 to $20 a year for a standard domain, according to Bluehost. GoDaddy says around $20 a year.
- Hosting. The service that keeps the site online. Bluehost gives $3 to $50 a month, and GoDaddy $5.99 to $24.99 a month for common plans. Site-builder plans include hosting.
- Security certificate. The padlock in the browser. Bluehost lists $10 to $100 a year, and some hosting plans include it.
- Maintenance. Updates, backups, security and small fixes. Bluehost estimates $200 to $1,000 a year for a business site and $500 to $3,000 for an online store. GoDaddy says most businesses should budget up to $500 or more per year.
- Payment processing. For a store, Bluehost lists $29 to $300 a month for ecommerce and payment tools.
Add these up before you decide. A cheap build with expensive upkeep can cost more over three years than a higher build price with maintenance included.
What makes the price go up or down.
Two sites of the same type can differ by thousands of dollars. These are the factors that weigh most, according to GoDaddy and Bluehost:
- Number of pages. Each page needs design, text and review.
- Who prepares the text and the photos. GoDaddy cites $0.35 per word for professional writing. If you supply the content, the price drops.
- Features. Bookings, payments, a customer area, search or several languages.
- Template or custom design. A template is adapted to your business; a custom design is made for it.
- The platform. A builder, WordPress or a custom build each have a different cost structure.
- Software behind the site. If the site needs a program for bookings, orders or customers, that is one more piece to price.
- Maintenance. Whether it is included or billed separately, and what it covers.
Questions to ask before you hire.
They apply to any provider. Write down the answers.
- 1Who owns the site and the domain?Both must stay in your name, so you can change provider later.
- 2What exactly does the price include?Number of pages, text, photos, features and rounds of changes.
- 3What do I pay each month or year?Domain, hosting and maintenance, each with its price in writing.
- 4Can I edit the text and photos myself?If not, ask what each change costs and how long it takes.
- 5Can I open sites you have built?Look for sites you can try on your phone, not only screenshots.
Frequently asked questions.
How much does a website cost for a small business?
According to Bluehost (updated June 19, 2026), a simple small business site from a freelancer costs $1,000 to $5,000, a basic agency site $5,000 to $15,000 and a custom-built online store $5,000 to $20,000 or more. Domain, hosting and maintenance are paid on top of that.
How much does it cost per month to keep a website running?
Hosting typically runs $3 to $50 a month and a domain $10 to $20 a year, according to Bluehost. Maintenance adds an estimated $200 to $1,000 a year for a business site. The total depends on what the provider includes.
What site do I need if I only want customers to call me?
A one-page site or a small site of a few pages, with your phone number, a contact form and your address visible on every page.
Is a site builder enough for a small business?
It can be, if your needs are simple and you are willing to do the design, the text and the updates yourself. Builder plans such as GoDaddy's start at $9.99 a month and include hosting.
Is it better to pay once or monthly?
Paying once needs more money up front and leaves maintenance as a separate cost. A monthly fee spreads the cost and often includes changes. It depends on how many changes you expect.
Sources.
- How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026? · Bluehost Published January 9, 2026 and updated June 19, 2026; accessed on November 3, 2026.
- How much does a website cost in 2026? · GoDaddy Published February 27, 2026; accessed on November 3, 2026.
- Web Design Company Pricing Guide · Clutch Updated September 21, 2026; accessed on November 3, 2026.
- How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website? · Business.com Updated September 14, 2026; accessed on November 3, 2026.
Proclub Agency. Custom websites and management software for businesses. This guide is reviewed whenever its sources change.