This is the question I get most often from small business owners, and it deserves a straight answer. The internet is full of vague ranges and unanswered caveats. I’ll tell you what things actually cost and why.
The Short Answer
A professionally built custom website for a small business typically runs between $3,000 and $10,000. Larger projects with e-commerce, custom integrations, or complex functionality go higher. Ongoing maintenance and hosting adds $100 to $300 per month on top of that.
Here’s why the range is so wide, and how to figure out where your project falls.
DIY Platforms: Squarespace, Wix, Shopify
Cost: $16 to $65/month, plus your time
DIY website builders are a legitimate starting point for businesses that are genuinely just getting started. The monthly cost is low and you can get something up quickly.
The trade-offs are real, though. You’re working within the limits of what the platform allows. Your design options are constrained by their templates. Performance is often mediocre. You own nothing. If Squarespace raises their prices or shuts down your plan, you’re starting over. And the time you spend building and maintaining it has a cost even if it doesn’t show up on a bill.
For a business doing meaningful revenue and trying to grow, DIY platforms tend to become a ceiling.
Freelance Custom Development
Cost: $2,000 to $12,000 depending on scope and experience
This is where most small business websites should live. A skilled freelancer or small studio can build something custom, fast, and genuinely tailored to your business for a fraction of what an agency charges.
What drives the price up:
- Number of pages and complexity of each
- Custom functionality (booking systems, member portals, e-commerce)
- Content creation: writing, photography, video
- Integrations with CRMs, email platforms, or other tools
- Timeline: rush projects cost more
What keeps the price reasonable: a clear scope, organized content provided by you, and a direct working relationship without layers of project management overhead.
Marketing Agencies
Cost: $8,000 to $50,000+
Agencies have account managers, strategists, designers, and developers. You’re paying for all of them whether you need all of them or not. For enterprise clients with complex needs and large budgets, that model makes sense. For most small businesses, you’re paying for overhead that doesn’t directly benefit your project.
What You Should Budget For
Here’s how I think about scoping a website for a typical small business:
- 5 to 8 core pages (Home, About, Services, individual service pages, Contact). This is the foundation most businesses need
- SEO fundamentals built in from the start, not bolted on later
- Mobile performance as a core requirement, not an afterthought
- A clear CMS so you can update your own content without needing to hire someone every time
For that scope, budget $3,500 to $6,000 with a skilled independent developer. Add $150 to $250 per month for hosting and maintenance if you want someone to keep it running and updated.
The Question Underneath the Question
The real thing people are asking when they ask about cost is usually: “Is this worth it?” That depends entirely on what a new client is worth to your business and how many of them you can reasonably attribute to a better web presence.
If a new client is worth $3,000 to you and a new website brings in two extra leads a month, the math works in the first quarter. Most businesses I work with see a meaningful return well within the first year.
If you want a specific quote for your project, reach out and tell me what you’re working on. No obligation, no sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about what makes sense for your situation.