What does it cost to build a website myself?
About $17 to $19 a month on the starter plans from Wix and Squarespace, if you pay for a year up front. Paying month to month costs more.
Both include a free domain name (your web address, like yourbusiness.com) for the first year. Their middle plans, with more features, cost $29 to $49 a month.
The bigger cost is your time. You write every page, take the photos, learn the builder, and set it up so Google can find you.
What does it cost to hire a web designer?
Usually $1,000 to $3,000 for a basic site and $5,000 to $20,000 for a bigger one. In GoodFirms' 2026 survey of more than 300 web design companies in 31 countries, 60% priced a basic site at $1,000 to $3,000, and 54% priced a standard mid-sized site at $5,000 to $20,000.
Many designers charge by the hour. In the same survey, 57% said they charge $50 to $100 an hour. Freelancers on sites like Upwork can cost less. Upwork says most web designers there charge $15 to $30 an hour.
Whatever the price, ask what's included. Some quotes leave the writing, the photos, and the Google setup to you.
What will I pay each year after the site is built?
Plan on a domain name, hosting, and someone to make changes. GoodFirms suggests setting aside 15% to 20% of the build price each year for upkeep. On a $5,000 site, that's $750 to $1,000 a year.
- Domain name. Your web address. Squarespace says most cost $10 to $20 a year.
- Hosting. The service that keeps your site online. Wix and Squarespace include it in the plan. If a designer builds your site, ask who pays for hosting and how much.
- Changes. New hours, prices, photos, or services. Some designers include small changes in a monthly fee. Others bill by the hour.
- Security and backups. Updates that keep your site safe, and a saved copy in case something breaks.
Is a website with a monthly fee a good deal?
It can be, if you'd rather not pay a big bill up front or make changes yourself. You pay a smaller build fee, then a monthly fee that covers hosting and changes for as long as you keep the site.
For example, a Lumora Launch site in Atlanta starts at $1,500 to build plus $129 a month, with hosting, backups, and small changes included.
Before you sign any monthly plan, ask how long the contract is and whether you keep your site and domain if you leave. Lumora's website plan is month to month with no contract, and your domain stays yours.
Why do website prices vary so much?
Mostly because of how many pages you need, who writes the words and takes the photos, and what extra features you want.
- Pages. A one-page site costs less than a site with a page for each service and each area you serve.
- Words and photos. It costs less if you provide them. It costs more if the designer writes the words or hires a photographer.
- Features. Online booking, payments, a store, or customer logins all add cost.
- Custom or template. A design made for your business costs more than a ready-made template with your logo added.
What should I get, whatever I pay?
A site that works well on a phone, makes it easy to call you, and shows the same business name, phone number, and address as your Google Business Profile (your listing on Google Search and Maps).
- Your domain registered in your name, not the designer's
- A tap-to-call phone number, your hours, and the areas you serve
- A section for each main service, with prices or a starting price
- Pages that load fast on a phone
- The logins to everything, or a promise in writing to hand them over if you leave
More on the smallest site that works in do I need a website if I have a Facebook page.