Websites
How much does a website cost in 2026, and why prices vary so much
In 2026, a small business website built by a freelancer typically costs $2,000 to $7,600, and a full-service agency charges $5,000 to $15,000 for a custom design, according to WebsiteSetup's guide. A site you build yourself on Wix or Squarespace costs roughly $17 to $120 a month instead. On top of the build, you pay every year for the domain (about $10 to $25 for a .com) and hosting (about $40 to $250).
Contents
Key points
- Freelancers typically charge $2,000 to $7,600 for a small business site: 40 to 80 hours at $50 to $95 an hour.
- Agencies typically charge $5,000 to $15,000 for a custom small business site; larger projects go well beyond that.
- The .com wholesale fee rises from $10.26 to about $11 a year on 1 November 2026; retail renewals run about $10 to $23.
- Two quotes can only be compared once you know what they include: pages, copy, domain, hosting, changes after launch.
Ask for website quotes and you'll get prices that differ by a factor of ten or more. The differences have reasons. Below are the 2026 ranges from published US sources and what you're paying for in each.
What it costs: the 2026 ranges
| Kind of website | Typical price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Built by you with a website builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $17–$120 a month; $200–$800 to get started | WebsiteSetup; Wix plans start around $17 a month billed yearly |
| Built by you on WordPress | $95–$180 to start (domain, hosting, a theme) | WebsiteSetup |
| Built by a freelancer | $2,000–$7,600 (40–80 hours at $50–$95 an hour) | WebsiteSetup |
| Built by an agency, custom design | $5,000–$15,000 | WebsiteSetup |
| Larger sites and online stores | Well above $15,000, depending on scope | Varies widely between sources |
The figures are indicative: they come from published guides, not a market survey. They show where prices start and how far they go.
Why prices vary so much
The design. A template you buy and fill in with your text is cheap. A design made for your business, starting from your colours, photos and customers, takes days of extra work.
The number of pages. A well-made service page has text, photos, common questions and data for Google. Ten services means ten of those pages.
The copy and photos. If you bring them, the price goes down. If they have to be written or shot, it goes up. Many cheap quotes assume the client supplies the text.
The features. Online booking, payments, customer accounts, multiple languages, a panel where you change prices yourself. Each one adds to the price.
The technology. A WordPress site with a bought theme is quick to build but usually needs regular updates to the theme and plugins. A site written from scratch costs more up front and contains only what it uses.
Who builds it. A freelancer has lower costs than an agency, but also fewer people for design, copy, development and maintenance.
What's included. The domain, hosting, search engine work, changes after launch and taxes are included in some quotes and missing from others. Two prices can only be compared once you know.
What you pay every year
| Cost | How much | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .com domain | About $10–$23 a year at most registrars | Register it in your own or your company's name |
| Other domain endings (.ai, .app, .site) | $20–$50 a year | Some are much more expensive to renew than to register |
| Shared hosting | $40–$150 a year | Enough for a small business site |
| Managed WordPress hosting | $60–$250 a year | Updates and backups handled by the host |
| Website builder subscription (instead of hosting) | $17–$120 a month | Includes hosting |
| Maintenance | From $60–$150 a year for basic WordPress upkeep, more for a maintenance plan | Updates, backups, small changes |
Sources: WebsiteSetup for hosting and maintenance, Findstack and Openprovider for domains. The .com price is going up: Verisign's wholesale fee rises from $10.26 to about $11 a year on 1 November 2026, so retail prices are likely to follow. Watch for first-year discounts too: some registrars sell a domain for a dollar or two and charge $20 or more to renew it.
What to ask to compare two quotes
- How many pages does the site have, and what's on each one?
- Is the design made from scratch or based on a template?
- Who writes the copy and who takes the photos?
- Are the domain and hosting included? For how long, and what do they cost after that?
- Whose name is the domain registered in?
- Which changes after launch are included, and what do the others cost?
- What's done for Google: titles, descriptions, sitemap, structured data, speed?
- Does the price include tax?
- How long will it take, and how is it paid (deposit, milestones, on completion)?
- Can I move the site to another company if I want to?
If a quote doesn't answer these questions, ask for the answers in writing before you sign.
How to keep the cost down without losing what matters
- Start with fewer pages. Three to five good pages are enough for a local business; the rest can be added when needed.
- Bring the copy and photos. Even a price list, your hours and ten photos taken with your phone cut the work down a lot.
- Postpone features you don't need yet. Online booking or a second language can be added later, if the site is built to take them.
- Don't cut what's hard to fix later: the domain in your name, a site that's fast on a phone and page titles that work for Google.
For what the ranges mean in practice, see do I need a website for my business and what a small business website should include.
What a website from Manvro costs
We don't publish fixed prices, because a site for a coffee shop and one for a clinic with twenty services are different projects. After our first conversation we send you the price, with everything it includes (pages, design, domain, hosting, changes after launch), before any work starts. What a site built by us includes is on our web design page.
Questions
Why does one website cost $500 and another $15,000?
Because they aren't the same product. A low price is usually a template filled in with your text; a high one includes a custom design, more pages, copywriting, features (bookings, payments, multiple languages), work for Google and changes after launch.
Are the domain and hosting included in the price?
It depends on the quote. Many include the first year, some don't include them at all. Ask what you'll pay from the second year on, and whose name the domain is registered in.
How much does it cost to maintain a website?
The domain and hosting are paid yearly. For a simple WordPress site, WebsiteSetup puts basic upkeep at $60 to $150 a year; maintenance plans that include updates, backups and small changes cost more, usually monthly.
Is a cheap website worth it?
For a test or a business just starting out, yes, on three conditions: the domain is in your name, the site loads quickly on a phone, and you can change the page titles and descriptions for Google.
How long does it take to build a small business website?
A simple site can be ready in a few weeks. What usually slows a project down is gathering the text and photos, not the build itself.
Sources
- Small Business Website Costs (What to Expect in 2026), WebsiteSetup
- Wix Pricing 2026: Which Plan Should You Pay For?, Website Builder Expert
- What the .com price increase in 2026 means for your domain portfolio, Openprovider
- Domain renewal prices, Findstack