How much does a small business website cost?

The short answer: most professional small business websites land somewhere between $1,500 and $6,000+, depending on how much help you need. If you already have your brand and copy and just need it built, expect around $1,500-$2,000. If you also need help shaping your message and writing the words, it's usually $3,000-$4,000. And if you're starting from scratch - brand, messaging, and website together - plan for $5,000 and up.

That's a wide range, I know. So let me walk you through what actually moves that number, so you can figure out where your project would land - no sales pitch, just how this really works.

Why is there such a big range?

A website isn't one thing. "Build me a website" can mean "take everything I already have and make it look great" or it can mean "help me figure out what to even say, then design the whole thing." Those are very different amounts of work - and that's the real reason quotes vary so much.

The price isn't really about the number of pages. It's about how much thinking, writing, and designing has to happen before the site can be built.

What actually affects the price?

Five things move the number, in roughly this order:

• How much is already done. If you have your branding, your copy, and your photos ready, a designer can move fast. If those pieces don't exist yet, they have to be created first.
• Whether you need help with the message. Most business owners can tell me what they do - but turning that into clear words on a page is the part that overwhelms people. Copywriting and messaging are often the most valuable (and time-intensive) part of a project.
• Whether you need branding. A logo, colors, fonts, and a cohesive visual identity are their own project. If your brand already looks like you, you can skip this. If it doesn't, it's worth doing well.
• The scope of the site. A focused five-page site is very different from a large site with booking, e-commerce, or lots of custom features.
• The level of support and strategy. A guided, done-with-you experience costs more than a quick build - because you're getting a thought partner, not just a deliverable.

What about DIY builders like Squarespace or Wix?

They have their place. A DIY website builder runs about $15-$50 a month, and for some businesses, a simple do-it-yourself site is a fine place to start.

But "cheap" and "free" usually means you're paying with your time - and often ending up with a site that looks okay but doesn't actually bring in the right clients. The real cost of DIY is the hours you spend wrestling with it, plus a website that doesn't quite say what makes you the obvious choice. When your business depends on being found and trusted online, that's where bringing in a designer earns its keep: the strategy, the message, and the design are handled by someone who does this every day.

So what should I budget?

Here's the simplest way to think about it. Find the one that sounds like you:

• You have your brand and copy - you just need it built. A streamlined, professional site on your existing brand. At my studio, that's The Weekender, starting at $1,500.
• You know what you do, but the words and message are the hard part. We work through your messaging and write your copy together, then build the site. That's The Collaborator, starting at $3,000 - the option most people choose.
• You're starting fresh or rebranding entirely. Brand identity, messaging, copywriting, and website designed together from the ground up. That's The Studio Experience, starting at $5,000.

Whatever the level, you should always get a clear, fixed quote before any work begins. No surprise invoices - that's a fair thing to expect from anyone you hire.

Is a custom website worth it for a small business?

If your website is mostly a formality, a simple DIY site is probably fine. But if people find you online before they ever meet you - and for most service-based businesses, they do - then your website is doing real work. It's making the case for you when you're not in the room.

A site built with strategy and a clear message isn't an expense so much as an investment that keeps paying you back in the right clients. The goal isn't a prettier website. It's a business that finally looks online the way it feels in person.