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This guide is based on research of official pricing from each vendor, checked on 2 November 2026. We haven’t run long-term hands-on tests yet. See how we review tools.
Short answer
A small business website can cost from about $120 for four years on a budget DIY builder up to several thousand if you hire a designer. On the plans we checked, the yearly cost of a DIY site ranged from about $30 a year (Hostinger Premium on its 48-month introductory deal) to $348 a year (Squarespace Core billed annually), before your time, photos or extras.
The real question is not “what is the cheapest”, but “what will it cost over three to five years, including renewals”.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for owners of small businesses in the US, UK and Australia who are planning a first website or replacing an old one. It is written with local service businesses in mind, such as plumbers, electricians, cleaners and landscapers, but the same costs apply to most small firms. We list the prices we could confirm on official vendor pages and show our working, so you can plug in your own numbers.
What you’re actually paying for
Every small business website has the same building blocks:
- Domain name: your address, like yourbusiness.com. Many builders include one free for the first year.
- Hosting: where the site lives. Website builders include it in the plan.
- Website builder or CMS: the tool you use to build and edit pages.
- Business email: name@yourbusiness.com. Sometimes included for a year.
- Design and content: your time, or a designer’s fee.
- Extras: booking tools, email marketing, SEO tools and premium plugins.
Option 1: DIY website builder
This is the most common route for sole traders and small teams.
| Builder and plan | Listed price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostinger Premium | $2.49/mo ($119.52 for 48 months) | Renews at $10.99/mo |
| Hostinger Unlimited | $3.49/mo ($167.52 for 48 months) | Renews at $16.99/mo |
| Squarespace Basic | $19/mo billed annually ($25 monthly) | 14-day free trial |
| Squarespace Core | $29/mo billed annually ($39 monthly) | Adds Google Workspace for 1 year, mobile info bar |
| Wix Light / Core / Business | see Wix’s current plans (prices vary by country) | Free plan available |
Prices are in USD as shown on each vendor’s site; UK and Australian prices may differ and can include VAT/GST. Checked 2 November 2026, before tax.
Working out the yearly cost
Here’s our arithmetic from those listed prices:
- Hostinger Premium: $119.52 ÷ 4 = about $30 a year for the first term. At renewal, $10.99 × 12 = about $132 a year.
- Squarespace Basic: $19 × 12 = $228 a year.
- Squarespace Core: $29 × 12 = $348 a year.
DIY is cheapest in cash but costs time. Allow a weekend or two to write your pages, collect photos and set up your contact form.
For trades businesses, see our best website builder for plumbers, which compares these builders for click-to-call, quotes and bookings.
Option 2: WordPress on your own hosting
WordPress itself is free software. You pay for hosting, a domain and any premium themes or plugins. Hostinger’s shared plans run WordPress, starting from the same listed prices above. Read is Hostinger worth it for a closer look at its renewal pricing.
WordPress gives you the most control over SEO, design and plugins, and you can move host later. The trade-off is more maintenance: updates, backups and security are your job unless you pay someone.
Option 3: Hiring a designer or agency
Designer prices vary widely by country, scope and experience, so we’re not going to quote a market average we can’t back up. As a guide to what changes the price:
- Number of pages: a five-page brochure site costs far less than a 30-page site with area pages.
- Copywriting: whether you write the words or they do.
- Custom design vs template.
- Integrations: booking, payments, CRM, quote calculators.
- Ongoing care: many agencies charge a monthly fee for hosting, updates and small edits.
Get at least three written quotes that list what’s included, who owns the domain and site, and what monthly costs apply after launch.
Ongoing costs to budget for
Renewals
Introductory prices end. Hostinger Premium, for example, renews at $10.99/mo after the $2.49/mo deal. Always budget for the renewal price.
Domain renewal
Free domains are usually for the first year only. Squarespace states its free domain renews at its standard rate after year one, so check the renewal fee when you register.
Business email
Hostinger lists mailboxes free for one year on Premium. Squarespace includes one Google Workspace account free for the first year on Core and above, then it renews at Google’s standard rate.
Email marketing
If you want to send newsletters or service reminders, MailerLite has a free plan (250 subscribers) and Brevo has a free plan (up to 300 emails a day). Paid plans start at $12/mo and $9/mo respectively. See Brevo vs MailerLite.
SEO tools
Optional for most small sites at the start. When you need one, SE Ranking Core is listed at $129/mo and Semrush’s SEO plan at $139/mo. See SE Ranking vs Semrush.
Sample budgets
These use only the prices we verified above (USD, first year, before tax and your time):
| Business | Setup | Estimated first-year cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sole-trader plumber | Hostinger Premium (48-month deal) + free MailerLite | $119.52 upfront (covers 4 years) |
| Cleaning company with bookings | Wix Core | see Wix’s current plans (prices vary by country) |
| Kitchen fitter, design-led | Squarespace Core annual | $348 |
How to keep costs down
- Start small. Five strong pages beat 30 thin ones.
- Use the free trials and money-back windows (Squarespace 14-day trial, Wix 14-day money-back, Hostinger 30-day money-back on the builder).
- Write your own copy. You know your customers best.
- Set up Google Business Profile. It’s free and drives local calls.
- Own your domain in your name.
Questions to ask before you spend anything
Before you choose a builder, a host or a designer, answer these questions. They decide your budget more than any price list.
- What should the site do? Get calls, take quote requests, take bookings, or sell products? A brochure site costs less than a booking or ecommerce site.
- Who will update it? If you will, choose a builder you find easy. If someone else will, budget for their time.
- How many pages do you need? List your services and the areas you cover. That list is your page plan.
- Do you need online payments? Squarespace lists card fees starting at 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic and Core, and a 2% online store transaction fee on Basic. Fees like these add to your running costs.
- Do you already own a domain? If so, you can connect it rather than buying a new one.
What a good small business site includes
Whatever you spend, make sure you get these basics:
- A clear headline that says what you do and where
- Your phone number at the top of every page, tappable on mobile
- A contact or quote form
- One page per main service
- Reviews and proof, such as licences, insurance and photos of real work
- A privacy policy and, if you use tracking or ads, a cookie notice
- Fast loading on a phone
How we researched this guide
We read the official pricing pages of Hostinger, Squarespace, Wix, MailerLite, Brevo, SE Ranking and Semrush on 2 November 2026. All yearly figures are our own arithmetic from those listed prices. Where a vendor didn’t show a price we could confirm, we link to its plans page instead. Read more on our how we test page.
Our verdict
For most small businesses, a DIY builder is the best value: from about $30 a year on Hostinger’s long-term deal to $348 a year for Squarespace Core. Budget for renewal prices and your own time. Hire a designer when your time is worth more than the fee, or when you need custom features like quote calculators.
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FAQs
How much does a basic website cost for a small business?
On the plans we checked on 2 November 2026, a DIY builder costs from about $30 a year (Hostinger Premium, 48-month deal) to $348 a year (Squarespace Core annual), before tax.
Is it cheaper to build a website yourself?
Yes in cash terms, but it takes your time. DIY builders include hosting and templates, so the main cost is your effort.
What are the hidden costs of a website?
Renewal prices after introductory deals, domain renewals after a free first year, business email after a free first year, and paid add-ons like booking or email marketing.
Do I need to pay for hosting separately?
Not with website builders like Wix, Squarespace or Hostinger Website Builder; hosting is included. With WordPress you pay for hosting separately.
How much does a website cost per month?
On the plans we checked, from $2.49/mo (Hostinger, 48-month term, renews at $10.99/mo) to $29/mo (Squarespace Core billed annually).