Updated October 2026
A small business website can cost nothing but a domain, or thousands of dollars. Most of the difference comes from who builds it, how custom it is, and what you pay every year afterward. Most small businesses now have a website (a 2025 Clutch survey put the figure at 83%), so the real question is how to get a good one at a cost that makes sense.
The cost pieces every website has
| Cost | What it is | How it’s billed |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Your web address, such as yourbusiness.com | Yearly |
| Hosting or builder plan | Where your site lives | Monthly or yearly |
| Business email | An address on your domain | Monthly or yearly, per mailbox |
| Design and build | Creating the site | Your time, or a one-time fee |
| Content | Text, photos and video | Your time, or a fee |
| Maintenance | Updates, backups, security, changes | Your time, or monthly |
What each approach costs
| Approach | Upfront | Ongoing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free builder | Your time | Domain; optional upgrades | New businesses and simple service sites |
| Paid builder plan | Your time | Monthly or yearly plan | Owners who want features without a developer |
| WordPress on hosting | Your time, or a freelancer | Hosting, domain, premium themes or plugins | Flexibility and full ownership |
| Freelancer | A one-time project fee | Hosting and occasional updates | A custom look on a modest budget |
| Agency | Project fees | Often a monthly plan | Larger sites and ongoing marketing |
Prices vary widely by region, scope and experience. Get written quotes for the same scope.
Watch for renewal pricing
Many hosting plans and domains advertise a low first-year price that rises at renewal. Check the renewal price before you buy, and pay for longer terms only if you’re confident in the provider. See renewing your domain and hosting.
Hidden costs to budget for
- Premium themes, plugins and apps with yearly fees.
- Photography that shows your real work.
- Business email mailboxes for each employee.
- Online booking, payments or stores, which often carry monthly or per-transaction fees.
- Your time for updates, or a monthly maintenance plan.
A simple three-year budget
- List what your site must do: inform, take calls and forms, book appointments or sell products.
- Choose the approach that fits your skills, time and budget.
- Add up three years of domain, hosting or plan, email and maintenance, using renewal prices.
- Compare that total, not just the first-year price.
Do it yourself, step by step
Our free website builder creates a site in about 10 minutes, and launch your business online walks through your domain, hosting and email. If you’d rather hire help, see small business website design for questions to ask before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Can a small business website really be free?
The builder can be; you’ll usually still pay for a domain, and possibly business email.
Why do hosting prices go up?
Many providers discount the first term; renewals are billed at the regular rate.
Who should own the domain?
You, registered in your business’s name.
How Advanton helps
Advanton is a free resource that helps small businesses start, get online, find customers and grow. Free tools that help here: the website builder, launch your business online, a step-by-step guide to your domain, hosting and email, the online presence checkup. You can also list your business in the Advanton business directory for free.
There’s no contract and nothing to sign up for to read our guides or use the tools. Advanton earns money when you buy a domain or hosting through our store, which helps keep everything else free.
Keep learning
Sources
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Startup costs are estimates; check local prices, licensing and tax rules before you commit money.
