The honest answer to "How much does a small business website cost?" is: it depends on how the website is built, what is included, and how you pay for it.
A small business website can cost a few hundred dollars, several thousand dollars, or come with an ongoing monthly fee.
The important question is not just how much you pay upfront. You also need to consider what you are getting, what you will pay over time, and whether you actually control the website when it is finished.
A $99/month website may look cheaper than a $2,000 website today. Over several years, however, the total cost and ownership terms can look very different.
Let us break down what small businesses can expect to pay.
Small business website cost ranges
For a typical small business, website costs generally fall into a few categories:
| Website option | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder | $15–$50+/month | Very simple websites |
| Freelancer | $500–$5,000+ | Custom small business sites |
| Web agency | $1,500–$10,000+ | Businesses needing strategy and services |
| Custom flat-fee website | Varies | Businesses wanting a defined project |
| Ecommerce website | Usually higher | Businesses selling products online |
These are broad industry ranges, not fixed prices. The actual cost depends on the number of pages, design, functionality, content, SEO, integrations, and the provider you choose.
The 4 ways small businesses usually buy a website
1. DIY website builders
Platforms such as website builders can have relatively low monthly prices. You may pay around $15 to $50 or more per month, depending on the platform and features you need.
The advantage is a lower upfront cost. The tradeoff is your time. You may need to:
- Choose a template
- Build the pages
- Write the content
- Find images
- Configure forms
- Set up SEO
- Maintain the website
- Troubleshoot problems
DIY can make sense for a very simple website, especially if you enjoy doing the work yourself.
2. Freelance web designers
A freelancer may charge anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars for a small business website. The price depends heavily on:
- Experience
- Number of pages
- Custom design
- Content
- Functionality
- SEO
- Revisions
- Technical requirements
This can be a good option when you want something more customized without hiring a larger agency. The important thing is to understand exactly what is included.
3. Monthly website plans
Some companies offer websites for a monthly fee. For example, you might pay $99/month × 36 months = $3,564. The monthly fee may include more than the website itself, such as:
- Hosting
- Maintenance
- Support
- Updates
- Security
- Design changes
So a monthly plan is not automatically a bad deal. The important questions are:
What exactly is included? How long will you pay? And what happens to the website if you cancel?
Depending on the provider, the website may be portable, or it may remain tied to the provider's platform.
4. Custom flat-fee websites
Another approach is paying a defined project price for the website. You agree on the scope, the price, and what is included before development begins. This can make the total project cost easier to understand.
For example, GetOwnWeb currently offers a Standard Custom Build starting at $900, with up to 15 pages, custom design, mobile responsiveness, SEO setup, contact forms, revisions, and website ownership included. See the current GetOwnWeb pricing for the latest details.
What actually determines website cost?
The number of pages is not the only thing that affects the price.
Number of pages
A five-page brochure website generally requires less work than a 25-page website with individual service and location pages.
Design
A template-based site may cost less than a fully custom design created around your brand.
Functionality
Features such as booking systems, contact forms, calculators, ecommerce, memberships, customer portals, and third-party integrations can increase development time and cost.
Content
Someone has to create the words, images, videos, and other content. If your designer or agency handles copywriting, photography, graphics, or content migration, those services may increase the project cost.
SEO
Basic technical SEO can be part of a website build. Ongoing SEO is different. Continued content creation, link building, local SEO, technical improvements, and performance tracking may require a separate budget.
Migration
If you are replacing an existing website, migration can involve moving content, preserving URLs, setting redirects, moving images, rebuilding pages, testing forms, and protecting existing SEO. That can add to the project cost.
Do not compare website prices based on the number alone. Compare the scope, ongoing costs, ownership, support, and what happens if you decide to leave the provider.
How much does a 5-page small business website cost?
A five-page website is a common starting point for a small business. It might include:
- Home
- About
- Services
- Reviews or Portfolio
- Contact
The cost can range from a relatively inexpensive DIY setup to several thousand dollars for a fully custom project. The number of pages is only one factor.
A custom five-page website with professional copywriting, custom design, SEO setup, integrations, and migration work can require considerably more work than a five-page template site. The goal should not be to build the biggest website.
Build the smallest website that completely answers your customers' questions and makes it easy for them to contact you.
What should a small business website include?
A typical local business website may need:
- A clear homepage
- About information
- Service or product pages
- Contact information
- Contact forms
- Reviews or testimonials
- Service-area information
- Clear calls to action
- Mobile-friendly design
- Basic technical SEO
- Analytics
- Appropriate privacy and legal information
Some businesses need more. An ecommerce business may need product pages, checkout, payments, shipping, taxes, customer accounts, and inventory management. A local plumber may need service pages, service-area information, reviews, emergency contact options, and quote forms.
The right website is based on what your customers need, not an arbitrary number of pages.
What are the ongoing costs of a website?
Even if you own your website outright, you may still have ongoing operating costs. These can include:
- Domain renewal
- Web hosting
- Business email
- Website maintenance
- Premium plugins or software
- Security services
- SEO
- Advertising
- Ecommerce transaction fees
A one-time website build does not mean your domain and hosting will remain free forever. Think of it like buying a physical business asset: you can own the asset while still paying for the costs required to operate it.
How much does a website cost over 3 or 5 years?
This is where monthly pricing becomes important. Two common monthly rates add up like this:
| Monthly price | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| $99/month | $1,188 | $3,564 | $5,940 |
| $150/month | $1,800 | $5,400 | $9,000 |
That does not automatically make a monthly website a bad value. You may be receiving hosting, maintenance, support, updates, and other services throughout that period. But you should compare the total cost of ownership, not just the monthly price. A $900 website build and a $99/month website are also not necessarily equivalent products.
Ask:
- What is included?
- Who maintains it?
- Who owns the website?
- Can I move it?
- What happens if I cancel?
- What will I pay for hosting and other services?
Why website ownership matters
Price is not the only consideration when choosing a web designer. You should also understand who controls your website. Ideally, your business should have appropriate control over:
- Domain
- Hosting
- Website files
- Content
- Backups
- Business email
- Analytics
- Search Console
- Important website accounts
You can hire someone else to manage these things without giving up control of them. If you would like to understand this in more detail, read our guide to website ownership.
The goal is not to manage your website yourself. The goal is to make sure you can change providers without losing your website.
What does GetOwnWeb charge?
GetOwnWeb uses a flat-fee approach rather than requiring a long-term website rental. Our current Standard Custom Build starts at $900. The package includes up to 15 pages and is designed for small businesses that want a professional custom website without committing to an ongoing agency website fee.
Depending on your project, the build can include:
- Custom website design
- Mobile-responsive development
- Up to 15 pages
- Basic on-page SEO setup
- Contact forms
- Clean technical structure
- Revisions
- Website ownership
For the latest pricing and what is included, see the GetOwnWeb pricing page.
Already have a website?
If your existing website needs to be rebuilt or migrated, GetOwnWeb also offers a Website Rescue starting at $450. Learn more about website redesign and migration.
Final takeaway
There is not one universal price for a small business website. You could spend hundreds of dollars building one yourself, several thousand dollars on a custom project, or thousands of dollars over several years through a monthly website plan.
The most important thing is to look beyond the initial price. Before choosing a website provider, ask:
What am I getting, what will I pay over time, who owns the website, and can I take it with me if I leave?
For a small business, the right website is not necessarily the cheapest or the most expensive. It is the one that gives you the right functionality, professional presentation, SEO foundation, ongoing cost structure, and level of ownership for your business.
If you are looking for a custom small business website with a clear upfront price and ownership included, see what GetOwnWeb offers.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business website cost?
A small business website can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. DIY builders may have lower upfront costs, while custom websites generally cost more depending on design, functionality, content, and services.
How much does a 5-page website cost?
A five-page website can range from a DIY subscription to several thousand dollars for a custom build. The number of pages is only one factor in the total cost.
How much does a website cost per month?
Monthly website costs vary by provider and may include hosting, maintenance, support, software, and other services. Some businesses choose a monthly plan, while others pay a one-time development fee and handle ongoing operating costs separately.
Is it cheaper to build a website yourself?
DIY website builders can reduce the upfront cost, but you will spend your own time building, writing, maintaining, and managing the website. Whether DIY is cheaper depends on how you value your time and what the business needs.
Do I have to pay monthly for a website?
No. You do not necessarily need a monthly website subscription. You can pay a developer for a website build and separately pay for ongoing costs such as hosting, domain renewal, email, and maintenance.
Is $900 expensive for a small business website?
Price depends on what is included. GetOwnWeb's current Standard Custom Build starts at $900 and includes up to 15 pages, custom design, mobile responsiveness, SEO setup, and website ownership.