How Much Does a Website Cost for a Small Business in 2026?
Quick answer: A small business website costs anywhere from about $200 a year on a do-it-yourself builder (plus your time) to several thousand dollars for a custom agency build. Sir Marketer builds a free live preview first; if you approve it, the site is $300 one-time with hosting and maintenance included and the site in your name, or $100 a week.
The short answer
There are three ways to get a small business website, and they cost very different amounts:
- Build it yourself on a website builder. You pay a monthly plan, usually billed yearly, and do the design, writing and setup yourself.
- Hire a freelancer or agency for a custom build. You pay a project fee quoted for your scope, and hosting and changes are often billed separately.
- Buy a done-for-you site at a fixed price. A provider builds it for a published price. At Sir Marketer that is $300 one-time after a free live preview, with hosting and maintenance included, or $100 a week.
The cheapest option on paper is not always the cheapest in practice, because the builder route costs your time, and custom quotes often add hosting, maintenance and edits later. The tables below use the builders’ own published prices so you can compare like for like.
What website builders charge in each market
Builder plans are the most common starting point. These are Squarespace’s published prices for its two entry plans in the five markets we serve, taken from Squarespace’s own pricing data (Squarespace, updated 5 October 2026). Prices include VAT or GST where Squarespace is required to charge it.
| Market | Basic, billed yearly | Basic, billed monthly | Core, billed yearly | Core, billed monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $19/mo ($228/yr) | $25/mo | $29/mo ($348/yr) | $39/mo |
| United Kingdom | £12/mo (£144/yr) | £16/mo | £17/mo (£204/yr) | £24/mo |
| Canada | CA$21/mo (CA$252/yr) | CA$30/mo | CA$32/mo (CA$384/yr) | CA$45/mo |
| Australia | A$17/mo (A$204/yr) | A$24/mo | A$28/mo (A$336/yr) | A$39/mo |
| Singapore | S$22/mo (S$264/yr) | S$30/mo | S$31/mo (S$372/yr) | S$45/mo |
Wix lists its Light plan at $17 a month and Core at $29 a month in US dollars, billed yearly, and notes that prices and currency vary by location (Wix plans page). Both builders include hosting and a free domain for the first year on yearly plans; after that the domain renews at the registrar’s price.
What the plan price does not include is the work: choosing a template, writing every page, taking or sourcing photos, setting up forms, connecting the domain and email, and fixing the mobile layout. If you are a plumber, a dentist or a salon owner, that is usually a few evenings to a few weekends of your time.
Builder vs agency vs a $300 done-for-you site
| DIY builder | Custom agency build | Sir Marketer website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0 to start; plan billed monthly or yearly | Quoted per project | $0 for the preview; $300 one-time if you approve, or $100 a week |
| Ongoing cost | Plan renews every year; domain renews after year one | Often separate hosting and care plans | Hosting and maintenance included in the $300 |
| Who does the work | You | The agency | We do; you review the live preview |
| See it before paying | Free trial of the tool, not of a finished site | Usually designs or mock-ups after a deposit | A real, clickable preview of your site before any payment |
| Who owns it | You own your content; the site runs on the builder’s platform | Depends on the contract | The site and domain are in your name |
| Best for | Owners who enjoy DIY and have time | Large sites, stores, complex integrations | Local and service businesses that want a professional site fast |
Two honest caveats. First, a $300 site is right for most service businesses, but it is not a 200-product online store or a custom web app; those are quoted in writing after a call. Second, our payments are non-refundable under our terms, which is exactly why we build the preview first: you decide after you have seen the real thing.
Want to see your site before you pay anything? We build a free live preview of your new website. If you like it, launch it for $300 one-time (hosting and maintenance included) or $100 a week. If you don’t, you owe nothing.
What is included in the $300 website
- A free live preview you can open on your phone and laptop before you decide.
- Pages that explain your services, your service area and how to contact or book you, with a call button and an enquiry form.
- Hosting and maintenance, included in the $300.
- The site and the domain in your name. If you leave, you take them with you.
- The option to pay $100 a week instead of $300 up front. See pay monthly websites for how the weekly option compares.
Extra pages, an online store, booking or payment integrations, SEO campaigns and ads are separate and quoted in writing first. See pricing for every published price.
Costs people forget to budget for
- Domain renewal. Builders often include the first year free; the renewal is billed by the registrar after that.
- Business email. An address at your own domain usually comes from a separate provider such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
- Transaction fees. Squarespace’s Core plan charges a 3% transaction fee on commerce sales, according to its pricing data (Squarespace).
- Apps and plug-ins. Booking, reviews or chat widgets can each carry their own monthly fee.
- Your time. The hours you spend building and updating the site are hours not spent on paying work.
- Tax. In the UK, Australia and Singapore, builder prices shown to consumers include VAT or GST; businesses registered for VAT or GST may be able to reclaim it. Check with your accountant.
Website cost notes for each country
United States
Prices are in US dollars, and Sir Marketer’s published offer is in US dollars, so there is no currency conversion. If you serve the public, the U.S. Department of Justice has published guidance on making websites accessible under the ADA (DOJ web accessibility guidance); we build with readable contrast, labelled forms and keyboard-friendly menus.
United Kingdom
UK limited companies must show their registered number, registered office address and the part of the UK they are registered in on their website (GOV.UK). We add these to the footer. Our offer is billed in US dollars, so your bank converts the charge into pounds and may add a foreign transaction fee.
Canada
If you do business with customers in Quebec, your commercial website must also be available in French (Éducaloi). Tell us at the preview stage so the French version is scoped in writing. Billing is in US dollars.
Australia
Squarespace’s Basic plan is A$17 a month billed yearly. If your business is registered for GST, show your ABN where your invoices or quotes require it. Billing for our website is in US dollars, converted by your bank.
Singapore
Squarespace’s Basic plan is S$22 a month billed yearly. If your site collects enquiries, the Personal Data Protection Act applies to how you collect and use that data (PDPC). Billing for our website is in US dollars.
How the free preview works
- Tell us about your business on the preview request form. It takes about two minutes.
- We build a live preview of your new site, with your services and your area.
- You review it on your phone. Ask for changes.
- Approve and launch for $300 one-time or $100 a week, or walk away and owe nothing.
Want to see the process first? Open the website preview demo, or browse small business web design.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small business pay for a website?
It depends on how much work you want to do yourself. Builder plans start around $17 to $19 a month in the US when billed yearly, plus your time. Custom agency builds are quoted per project. Sir Marketer builds a free preview and charges $300 one-time if you approve it, with hosting and maintenance included.
Is a $300 website good enough for a small business?
For most local and service businesses, yes: what matters is a fast, mobile-friendly site that explains your services and makes it easy to call or book. A large online store or custom software needs a bigger, quoted project.
Are there monthly fees after the $300?
Hosting and maintenance are included in the $300. Extra work such as new pages, SEO or ads is quoted in writing before it starts.
Do I own the website?
Yes. The site and the domain are in your name, and you can take them with you.
Can I pay in GBP, CAD, AUD or SGD?
The published offer is billed in US dollars. Your card issuer converts the charge into your currency and may add a foreign transaction fee.
What if I do not like the preview?
You do not pay. The preview is free, and you only pay if you approve it and launch.
Sources
- Squarespace pricing by currency (Squarespace billing data, updated 5 Oct 2026)
- Wix Premium plans (USD reference prices, yearly billing)
- U.S. Department of Justice: Guidance on web accessibility and the ADA
- GOV.UK: Running a limited company, signs, stationery and promotional material
- Éducaloi: Language laws and doing business in Quebec
- PDPC Singapore: Personal Data Protection Act overview
Written by Utkarsh Arora, owner of Sir Marketer LLC. Last updated . Prices and rules are taken from the linked sources on 12 November 2026 and can change; Sir Marketer’s own prices are on the pricing page.