By the Adverico team · Updated November 2026 · All prices in USD.
A professional small business website typically costs $1,500–$10,000 to build and $300–$1,500 per year to run (domain, hosting, maintenance). A DIY builder site can cost under $500 a year, while a custom e-commerce or web-app build can exceed $25,000. The biggest cost drivers are the number of pages, custom design, e-commerce features and who writes the content.
Website cost at a glance
| Website type | Typical build cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $0–$500 + monthly plan | Testing an idea, very tight budgets |
| Template-based small business site (5–10 pages) | $1,500–$4,000 | Local businesses, consultants, service providers |
| Custom-designed business website | $4,000–$10,000 | Brands that need to stand out and convert |
| E-commerce store (Shopify / WooCommerce) | $2,000–$15,000 | Selling products online |
| Large custom site or web app | $15,000–$50,000+ | Complex functionality, integrations, portals |
These ranges reflect what freelancers and small-to-mid agencies in the US and UK commonly charge. Large enterprise agencies charge more; offshore marketplaces can charge less, often with trade-offs in strategy, copy and support.
What affects the cost of a website?
1. Number of pages and content
A 5-page site (Home, About, Services, Contact, plus one service page) is the classic starter. Every extra service page, location page or landing page adds design, development and copywriting time. Professional copywriting alone often adds $100–$400 per page.
2. Template vs custom design
A well-chosen template customised with your brand is faster and cheaper. A fully custom design is planned around your customers and offers, which usually converts better but takes more time.
3. Platform
- WordPress — flexible, SEO-friendly and owned by you. See our WordPress development services.
- Shopify — the easiest way to sell online with secure checkout. See Shopify store development.
- Website builders — cheap to start but limited for SEO, speed and growth.
4. Features and integrations
Booking systems, payment gateways, CRM integrations, multilingual content, memberships and custom calculators all add cost. List the must-haves before asking for quotes so you compare like for like.
5. SEO and speed from day one
A cheap site that nobody finds is expensive. Ask whether the price includes keyword-mapped pages, technical SEO, schema markup and Core Web Vitals optimisation. Fixing these later usually costs more than doing them at launch.
Ongoing website costs per year
| Item | Typical yearly cost |
|---|---|
| Domain name | $10–$25 |
| Hosting (shared to managed) | $60–$600 |
| SSL certificate | Free–$100 |
| Premium plugins / apps | $0–$500 |
| Maintenance & security plan | $600–$3,000 (e.g. from $49/month) |
Skipping maintenance is the most common reason small business sites get hacked or break after an update. A care plan such as our website maintenance services keeps updates, backups and security handled.
Get a fixed website quote in 24 hours
Tell us what you need and we will send a clear, fixed price — no surprises. Adverico websites start at $799.
How to budget for a website (step by step)
- List your goals: calls, bookings, sales or credibility.
- Decide your must-have pages and features.
- Choose a platform that fits (WordPress for most service businesses, Shopify for stores).
- Budget for content: photos, copy and at least one strong offer.
- Add 10–20% for revisions and extras.
- Plan yearly costs for hosting, maintenance and SEO.
Is a cheap website worth it?
A $300 website can work for a placeholder, but it rarely ranks or converts. If your website is meant to bring in customers, invest in speed, clear messaging and SEO structure. The right question is not “how cheap can I build it?” but “how many customers will it bring in?”
Frequently asked questions
How much does a website cost for a small business?
Most small business websites cost $1,500–$10,000 to build and $300–$1,500 per year to run, depending on pages, design and features.
How much does it cost to build a 5-page website?
A professional 5-page website typically costs $1,500–$4,000 with a customised template, or more for a fully custom design.
How much does a Shopify website cost?
A professionally built Shopify store usually costs $2,000–$15,000 plus your Shopify subscription and apps.
What are the monthly costs of running a website?
Expect $25–$250 per month for hosting, domain, plugins and maintenance, depending on the size of the site.
Is WordPress cheaper than Shopify?
For service businesses WordPress is usually cheaper to run; for selling products Shopify often saves money on development and checkout security.
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