How much does a small business website cost?

In short: the price of a small business website depends mostly on who does the work. An agency or a freelancer bills you for people’s time, to build it and then to maintain it. An editor like Wix or WordPress costs a subscription or hosting, but you do the work yourself. A generator like BeeVitrine handles the copy, the design and the tech: nothing to build it, then $9.99 a month once it is live.

Ask around about the price of a website: an agency gives one quote, a freelancer another, an ad promises a “free” site, and a friend says they pay a subscription but never finished their pages. The gap is wide because you are not being sold the same thing, and above all because you are not always told who does the work.

A small business website shows what you do, your prices, your hours and your photos, and lets people reach you. This guide breaks down what goes into one, what each option makes you pay for, and what to check before you sign.

What goes into the price of a website?

Whether an agency builds it or an engine generates it, a website that brings in customers rests on seven parts:

1. 1Copy: describing your services in the words customers type into Google.
2. 2Design and phone display: colors, fonts, section order, readability on a small screen.
3. 3Code: turning the design and copy into fast, error-free pages.
4. 4Hosting: a server running day and night so the site loads.
5. 5Domain and https: the site’s address and the security padlock.
6. 6Local SEO: titles, sitemap, structured data, so Google understands your trade and your town.
7. 7Maintenance: monitoring, updates, changing a price or your hours.

The whole price gap comes down to one question: are these seven parts done by people paid by the hour, by you on weekends, or by an engine?

Who does what in each option?

What do you pay for with a web agency?

A project manager listens to you, a designer draws a mockup, a developer codes the pages, sometimes a writer handles the copy. You have nothing to learn.

What to look at:

• the deposit: agencies often ask for one before the first mockup;
• the timeline: meetings, sending photos, rounds of approval, launch;
• what comes after: who changes a price or your hours, and at what rate? Is maintenance included, or billed every year?

What should you ask a freelancer before signing?

A freelance developer or designer has lower costs than an agency, and often builds on WordPress. Before you sign, ask four questions:

1. 1Who writes the copy? If it is you, the project waits until you find the time.
2. 2Who pays for hosting and licenses? Often, a hosting plan and a paid theme are in your name.
3. 3What happens in two years? A freelancer may be busy elsewhere the day your site shows an error.
4. 4What does an edit cost? Ask for the rate for a change after delivery.

What does a do-it-yourself site cost?

Wix, Squarespace or WordPress show a modest subscription or hosting fee. That price does not count your time. List what you will have to do:

• pick a template and learn the editor;
• write all the copy;
• place the blocks and fix the phone layout;
• connect your domain, check https, fill in the settings for Google.

Multiply those hours by what an hour of your work is worth: that is the real price of a do-it-yourself site. Our page BeeVitrine, Wix or WordPress compares both approaches, and says when an editor is still the right call.

The effort each tool asks of you is covered in Build a website without drag-and-drop and Small business website builders: 7 tools compared.

What does BeeVitrine cost?

BeeVitrine starts from one observation: a small business owner should not have to tie up money with an agency to show their hours and prices, or spend weekends in an editor.

1. 1Creating costs nothing. No payment method at sign-up. Pick your industry, answer the questions, add your photos, and the site is generated.
2. 2You adjust before you pay. Change a line, a photo, a section’s layout, or ask for a new version of the design.
3. 3Copy, design and tech are included. Hosting, https address, Google readiness, call and WhatsApp buttons.
4. 4You pay when you click “Publish.”

You pay by card, and the details are on the Pricing page.

How do you choose?

• You want a one-of-a-kind design and have a budget for it: an agency, with a contract that says who maintains the site.
• You know a freelancer you trust: ask the four questions above.
• You enjoy layout and have the time: an editor gives you full freedom.
• You want a complete site without giving up your evenings: a generator like BeeVitrine. Our page BeeVitrine or a web agency compares the two.

The bottom line

A website costs time, someone’s or yours, plus hosting. Before comparing amounts, ask who does each part and who pays for upkeep. See pricing or create my site, free until it goes live.