OneWave
How much does a small business website cost in 2026?
Prices run from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. The gap comes down to who builds it and how much of the work you do yourself.
In the US, a DIY site on a website builder costs about $200 to $800 in the first year. A freelancer typically charges $2,000 to $7,600 for a small business site, and a full-service agency $5,000 to $15,000. Budget another $50 to $275 a year for a domain and hosting if they aren't included.
| Route | Typical cost | Who it suits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder | $200 to $800 in year one | Simple sites, tight budgets, owners with time | [1] |
| DIY WordPress | $95 to $180 to start | Owners comfortable with tech | [1] |
| Freelancer | $2,000 to $7,600 (some quote from $500) | A clear brief and a set budget | [1] [2] |
| Full-service agency | $5,000 to $15,000 (up to $30,000+) | Larger sites, more people involved | [1] [2] |
| Small online store | $3,000 to $10,000 | Selling products online | [2] |
DIY: cheapest in cash, costliest in time
Website builders bundle hosting, templates and security into one monthly fee. WebsiteSetup puts first-year costs at $200 to $800, with subscriptions of $17 to $120 a month [1]. Squarespace's current plans run $12 to $25 a month billed yearly, or $19 to $36 billed monthly [3].
Self-hosted WordPress is cheaper to start, about $95 to $180 for a domain, hosting and an optional theme [1]. You also take on updates and security yourself.
DIY is the right choice when you need a simple site soon, you can write your own words, and you enjoy the work. Many good local businesses run on a builder template.
Freelancer: the middle ground
WebsiteSetup puts WordPress freelancers at $50 to $95 an hour, which works out to $2,000 to $7,600 for a small business site taking 40 to 80 hours [1]. WebFX gives a wider range of $500 to $10,000 or more [2]. The sources disagree because freelancers range from beginners to senior specialists.
A good freelancer is often the best value for a straightforward site. The risk is reliance on one person: check what happens if they get busy or disappear, and make sure the domain and hosting are in your name.
Agency: more people, higher price
A full-service agency typically charges $5,000 to $15,000 for a small business site [1]. WebFX puts agency design at $3,000 to $30,000 or more [2]. You pay for project managers, strategists and a team, which helps on bigger or more complex sites.
For a five-page site for a local business, that extra layer often adds cost without adding much to the result.
What moves the price
Two quotes for the same business can differ by thousands. These are the usual reasons.
- Number of pages and how much is custom design versus a template
- Who writes the words and supplies the photos
- Online booking, payments or a store
- Integrations with your CRM, email or scheduling tools
- How many rounds of changes are included
Running costs after launch
A standard .com domain costs about $12 to $25 a year, and shared hosting $40 to $150 a year [1]. On a builder these sit inside the monthly fee. WebsiteSetup puts yearly builder renewals at about $220 to $700 [1].
Maintenance is where prices vary most. WebFX quotes anything from $5 to $5,000 a month depending on what is covered [2]. A simple site needs very little. A store or a site with bookings needs more care.
How OneWave prices a website
OneWave is a small, founder-led studio. You get one fixed quote before work starts and talk directly to the person designing and building. You watch it come together on a live preview link, and you own the code, accounts and data at the end. Prices are in US dollars.
- Landing page From $500
- One focused page for an offer, launch or campaign.
- Full website From $1,500
- A complete small business site, designed and built.
- Online store From $500
- A store on Shopify, Wix or Squarespace. Custom store builds from $3,000.
- AI automation From $1,000
- Automating repeat tasks in your business.
- Monthly care $300 a month
- Ongoing updates and support after launch.