Ask five web designers what a website costs and you’ll get five different answers, from “free” to “$15,000”. Both can be honest. The price depends on who does the work, what you need, and what happens after launch.

Here’s a plain breakdown of your options, with the typical price ranges we found when we compared the market in October 2026. Prices change often and vary by region, so treat these as ballpark figures.

Option 1: Build it yourself with a website builder

Typical cost: roughly $17 to $50 a month for the plans most businesses need, on builders like Wix, Squarespace or GoDaddy.

What you get: templates, hosting and a drag-and-drop editor.

What it really costs: your time. You write the words, pick the photos, design every page, figure out the settings and make every update yourself. For many owners that’s 20+ hours up front and more every time something changes. Watch for intro prices that jump at renewal, and “free domain” offers that only cover the first year.

Best for: owners who enjoy this kind of work and have time to spare.

Option 2: Hire a freelancer

Typical cost: about $500 to $5,000 one-time, depending on experience and size.

What you get: a custom site built by one person.

Watch for: what happens after launch. Hosting, security updates and changes are often extra, and freelancers move on. Make sure you own your domain and can get your site files if you part ways.

Option 3: Hire an agency

Typical cost: around $2,000 to $10,000 or more up front, often with maintenance billed on top at roughly $50 to $300 a month.

What you get: a team, more polish and usually more strategy.

Watch for: paying for more than you need. A five-page site for a local service business rarely needs a five-figure budget.

Option 4: A done-for-you monthly plan

Typical cost: done-for-you subscriptions commonly run about $50 to $200 a month, often with a setup fee.

What you get: a professional builds the site, hosts it and makes your updates, for one predictable monthly price.

Watch for: long contracts, setup fees, limits on how many changes you get, and whether you can keep your domain if you leave.

The costs people forget

Whichever route you take, budget for these:

  • Domain name: usually $10 to $20 a year after any free first year.
  • Business email (you@yourbusiness.com): often a few dollars per mailbox per month.
  • Updates: new hours, prices, photos and services. Someone has to make them.
  • Your time: the biggest hidden cost of doing it yourself.
  • Add-ons like online booking or a store, often billed separately.

A quick way to compare

Add up what you’d pay in the first year, including setup, monthly fees, domain and email. Then ask:

  1. Who writes the content and builds the pages?
  2. Who makes changes after launch, and how fast?
  3. Is there a contract or setup fee?
  4. Do I own my domain?

A $2,000 build with $100 a month in maintenance adds up to about $3,200 in year one. A DIY builder may cost a few hundred dollars, plus every hour you put in.

Where BoostCrow fits

We built BoostCrow for owners who want a professional site without paying agency prices or doing it themselves. We build your site, host it, include your domain on every plan and make your edits for you, with no setup fee and no long contract. Our plans cost about what many people pay to build a site themselves on a DIY builder.

See current plans and prices, or start with a free demo of your new site. It costs nothing and there’s no commitment. Not sure what your site should include? Start with our website checklist.