How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026? Real Price Ranges
By Chronolyte · Updated 2026-09-30
A realistic breakdown of website costs for small businesses and startups — what drives the price, what is usually left out, and how to avoid overpaying.
Short answer: a simple landing page costs about $500-$2,500, a small business website $2,000-$8,000, an e-commerce store $2,500-$15,000, and a custom-designed or custom-coded website $8,000-$60,000+. Add roughly $20-$100 per month for hosting, domain and maintenance.
Website cost by type
| Type of website | Typical one-off cost | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| DIY template builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $0 - $500 plus subscription | Days |
| Landing page (1 page) | $500 - $2,500 | 1 - 2 weeks |
| Small business site (5-10 pages) | $2,000 - $8,000 | 3 - 6 weeks |
| E-commerce store (Shopify / WooCommerce) | $2,500 - $15,000 | 3 - 8 weeks |
| Custom-designed, brand-led website | $8,000 - $25,000+ | 6 - 12 weeks |
| Custom web application or portal | $15,000 - $60,000+ | 2 - 5 months |
These are typical market ranges in US dollars. Prices vary by region, team and scope, so treat them as a planning guide rather than a quote.
What makes a website cost more?
- Number of pages and templates — every unique layout needs design and development.
- Custom design vs templates — a bespoke design takes longer than customising a template.
- Functionality — booking, memberships, calculators, user accounts, search and integrations all add cost.
- Content — copywriting, photography and video are often billed separately.
- E-commerce complexity — number of products, variants, shipping rules, tax and payment methods.
- Speed and SEO requirements — migrations with redirects and technical SEO need extra care.
- Who builds it — freelancers, agencies and studios price differently (see our guide to hiring a web developer).
Costs people forget to budget for
- Domain name: about $10-$20 per year.
- Hosting: $5-$50 per month for most small sites; more for high-traffic or e-commerce.
- Plugins and licences: premium themes, forms, SEO or booking tools.
- Maintenance and security: updates, backups and monitoring, usually $50-$300 per month if outsourced.
- Content updates: new pages, blog posts and campaigns after launch.
- Marketing: a website does not bring visitors by itself — budget for SEO, ads or email.
How to get an accurate website quote
- Write down your goal (more enquiries, online sales, bookings, credibility).
- List the pages and features you need, and mark which are must-haves.
- Collect 3-5 websites you like and what you like about each.
- Decide who will supply the text and images.
- Ask for a fixed-price quote with deliverables, revisions and timeline spelled out.
Want a number for your own project? Start your project free and Chronolyte will send a scoped plan and quote.
How to save money without getting a worse website
- Launch with the essential pages and add the rest later.
- Use proven templates or components for standard sections and spend your budget on what makes you different.
- Supply good content early — waiting on copy is the most common cause of delays and overruns.
- Avoid unclear scope: changes mid-project are what inflate budgets.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business website cost?
Most small business websites cost $2,000-$8,000 with a professional designer or studio, depending on pages, features and content.
Is a cheap $500 website worth it?
For a simple landing page or a temporary presence, yes. For a site that must generate leads, a very low price often means templated design, no strategy and little support.
How much does website maintenance cost?
Typically $50-$300 per month for updates, backups, security monitoring and small changes, plus hosting.
Why do web designers charge so much?
You are paying for strategy, design, development, testing, project management and ongoing responsibility — not just a few hours of drag-and-drop.