How much does a small business website cost?
Honest price ranges for 2026, what you get at each level, and how to tell whether a quote is fair.
The short answer
Most small service businesses spend somewhere between nothing and a few hundred dollars a month on their website, depending on whether they build it themselves, hire an agency, or pay a monthly website service. The right choice depends on how much your time is worth and how much one new customer is worth to you.
Option 1: Build it yourself
Website builders such as Wix, Squarespace and GoDaddy typically cost roughly $0 to $50 a month for hosting and templates. The software is cheap; the real cost is your time. Most owners spend days getting a site live, and many sites stall half-finished or never get updated.
Good fit if: you enjoy it, have time, and only need a simple online presence.
Option 2: Hire an agency for a custom build
A custom site from an agency or freelancer often costs a few thousand dollars upfront, plus separate hosting and maintenance. One provider we looked at charges about $3,800 for a typical five-page site. Updates later are usually billed by the hour.
Good fit if: you want to own everything outright and have the budget upfront.
Option 3: A monthly website plan
A growing number of companies build and run your site for a monthly fee, with little or no upfront cost. In 2026, done-for-you website subscriptions commonly run about $99 to $250 a month and include hosting, security and edits.
Good fit if: you'd rather spend your time on jobs than on your website.
What about SEO and Google Maps?
A website alone doesn't guarantee anyone finds it. Google Business Profile management commonly costs $100 to $400 a month, and full local SEO from an agency often runs $500 to $3,000 a month. Be wary of very cheap packages that promise first-page rankings. No one can honestly guarantee that.
What Sitehaus charges
We price a little under typical agency rates: $39 a month to keep a simple site online, $129 for a custom site with booking, $249 to add Google Business Profile management and SEO, and $449 for full local SEO. Every plan has a six-month minimum, and there's a one-time $499 setup fee that's waived when you commit to 12 months. See exactly what each plan includes.
How to judge a quote
- Who owns the domain? It should be registered in your name.
- What's included each month? Hosting, security, backups and how many edits.
- What happens if you cancel? Get it in writing.
- Are results guaranteed? If someone promises a #1 ranking, be careful.
- Can they show real work? Ask for live examples, not mockups.
Prices above are typical ranges from public 2026 pricing and vary by provider and project.
Common questions
Is a free website builder good enough?
It can be for a very simple presence. The tradeoffs are your time and the fact that many DIY sites never get the SEO basics right. If one new job is worth hundreds of dollars, a professional site often pays for itself quickly.
Why do some agencies charge so much more than others?
Prices vary with how much custom work, writing, SEO and ongoing support is included. Compare what's actually delivered each month, not just the headline price.