What I Actually Check in a $199 Website Audit (and What You Get Back)
October 4, 2026Does Your Business Need a Website if You Have a Facebook Page?
October 10, 2026If you’re pricing a new website in 2026, you’ve probably seen everything from free DIY builders to five-figure agency quotes. That spread is confusing on purpose. Different kinds of sites cost different amounts, and a lot of the “cheap” options leave you with bills later.
I’ve been building websites since 1998, and I’ve put up more than 90 sites for restaurants, realtors, contractors, artists, nonprofits, and other small businesses. I’m Google Ads and Google Analytics certified, and my Google reviews sit at 4.9★ from 45 reviews. Here’s an honest look at what a small business website usually costs, what drives the price, and how I package it so you know what you’re paying for.
Typical Price Ranges in 2026
These are ballpark ranges I see in the wild. They’re not research findings and they aren’t promises. Think of them as a map so you can tell which lane you’re shopping in.
DIY website builders
Drag-and-drop tools can get a simple page online for little or nothing up front. Monthly plans often land somewhere from roughly the price of a streaming subscription up into the low tens of dollars, and you do the design yourself. That works if you enjoy tinkering and have time. It falls apart when the site needs real SEO structure, a contact form that actually delivers, or help after something breaks on a Saturday.
Freelancers and independent designers
Hiring a freelancer is usually more than DIY and less than a full agency. A basic brochure site might land in the low hundreds to a few thousand dollars, depending on pages, custom design, and whether copy and photos are included. Quality varies a lot. Some freelancers are excellent. Others disappear after launch and leave you with a theme you can’t update.
Agencies
Agencies often start in the several-thousands and climb from there for branding, strategy, and multi-page builds. That can be the right fit for a bigger company with a marketing team. For a local bakery, landscaper, or dental office, it can be more process (and more money) than you need.
What Actually Drives the Cost
The sticker price is rarely “a website.” It’s a stack of choices:
- How many pages you need (a home page and contact form is one project; services, galleries, and team pages are another)
- Design effort — whether the site is shaped around your brand or dropped into a one-size layout
- Content — who writes the words and supplies photos
- Features — forms, galleries, booking, live chat, or a full online store
- SEO basics — titles, headings, mobile layout, and speed built in from the start
- Who maintains it after launch
A three-page site for a service business and an ecommerce store with shipping rules are not the same job, even if both are “a website.”
Don’t Forget the Ongoing Costs
The build fee is only half the story. Every site has a monthly (or yearly) cost of staying online and safe:
- Hosting — where the site lives
- Domain name — your .com or .net renewal
- Updates — WordPress, themes, and plugins need regular care
- Security and backups — so a hack or bad update doesn’t wipe you out
- Small content changes — new hours, a new service, a swapped photo
Skip maintenance and you often pay later in downtime, malware cleanups, or a full rebuild. A site that looked cheap on day one can get expensive when nobody’s watching it.
How I Price a Small Business Website
I keep pricing simple: a one-time setup fee plus a low monthly rate that covers hosting, maintenance, security, and support. No hidden fees and no annual contract required.
On my Full Site Design page, the packages look like this:
- Small Business — $299 setup + $39/month — 1–3 professionally designed pages, mobile-friendly and SEO-minded, your own domain, contact form, social links, managed hosting and maintenance, security scans, and weekly backups
- Commercial — $599 setup + $39/month — 4–10 pages (extra pages available), multiple forms, galleries and video, and the same hosting and care
- Ecommerce / Deluxe — $999 setup + $39/month — a full store with payment options, products set up for you, shipping options, and everything in Commercial plus more
That $39/month is the same rate as my standalone Monthly Maintenance Plan. It includes managed hosting, WordPress/theme/plugin updates, weekly backups, security scans and real-time attack blocking, malware monitoring, speed tuning, minor content updates, and U.S.-based support by text or email. If you already have a site and just need someone to keep it healthy, that plan stands on its own.
You always reach a real person who knows your site. Text me at 321-578-8133, email nadine@twinrivers.net, or use the contact form.
How to Decide What You Need
Ask yourself a few practical questions:
- Do I need one clear place that explains what I do, where I am, and how to hire me?
- Will customers search Google (or ask an AI assistant) for a business like mine?
- Do I want to change my own hours and photos forever, or would I rather send a message and have it done?
- Am I shopping for a one-time project, or for someone who stays after launch?
If you mainly need a trustworthy home base online and don’t want to babysit plugins, a packaged build with monthly care is usually the calmer path. If you love DIY tools and have the hours, start there and revisit when growth (or headaches) show up.
FAQ
Is a cheap DIY site “good enough” for a small business?
Sometimes, for a short while. If the pages are clear, mobile-friendly, and easy to contact you from, visitors may not care who built it. The risk is maintenance, search basics, and what happens when something breaks and you’re the only support desk.
Why do agencies charge so much more?
You’re often paying for a team, project managers, brand workshops, and layers of revision. That can be worth it for a larger company. Many local businesses do better with a smaller build and a person who still answers after the site goes live.
What’s included in the $39/month after my site launches?
Hosting, updates, weekly backups, security monitoring, performance tuning, minor content updates, and direct support from me. Details are on the Monthly Maintenance Plan page.
Have a question? Text or email me. Text 321-578-8133, email nadine@twinrivers.net, or use the contact form. I’m happy to help you figure out which package fits before you spend a dollar.
A professional resume writer and digital content specialist with over 28 years of experience helping individuals and businesses communicate effectively. Through Twin Rivers Communications, she provides custom resumes, cover letters, blog posts, ad copy, and social media content tailored to real-world results.