A custom small business website from an independent designer typically costs anywhere from about $1,500 to $10,000, depending on how many pages you need, whether you sell products online, and whether you need branding too. Agencies often charge well above that range, while DIY website builders cost less upfront but require your time instead.
That's a wide range, so here's what actually moves the price, and what to budget for after launch.
What affects the cost of a website?
Number of pages. A simple service business might need five pages: Home, About, Services, Portfolio, and Contact. Each additional page adds design and build time.
Selling online. An e-commerce site needs product pages, collections, shipping settings, payment setup, and policies. The more products and product options you have, like sizes, colors, or personalization fields, the more setup is involved.
Branding. If you don't have a logo, color palette, and fonts yet, those need to be created before your website can be designed. Many designers offer branding and web design as a bundle, which usually costs less than booking them separately.
Custom features. Booking systems, custom order forms, member areas, and integrations with other tools all add time.
Content. Whether you're writing your own page content or need help shaping it affects both cost and timeline.
What does a custom website include?
At a minimum, a professionally designed website should include:
- A custom design that fits your brand, not a template with your logo dropped in
- Mobile-friendly layouts tested on phones, tablets, and desktops
- SEO setup so Google and AI tools like ChatGPT can understand and recommend your business
- Accessibility features, like alt text on images and readable color contrast
- Training so you can update your own site after launch
If a quote doesn't mention these, ask about them.
What I charge, and why
I believe in being upfront about pricing, so here's how my packages start:
- Signature Web Design: starting at $1,750 for a custom Shopify or Squarespace website of up to five pages
- Branding + Web Design Suite: starting at $2,500, including a custom logo, brand guide, color palette, and fonts, plus your website
- Website Refresh: $75 per hour for improving an existing site without rebuilding it
Every project gets a custom quote after a free 30-minute consult, because every business needs something a little different. For e-commerce sites, the base price includes up to 10 product listings, with more quoted separately.
Ongoing costs to plan for
A website isn't a one-time expense. After launch, budget for:
- Your platform subscription. Shopify and Squarespace both charge monthly or annual plans. Check their pricing pages for current rates.
- Your domain name. Usually a small yearly fee.
- Apps or add-ons. Some features, like reviews or advanced forms, require paid apps.
- Updates and maintenance. You can make edits yourself after training, or hire help. I offer a maintenance plan with discounted hourly rates for clients who'd rather hand updates off.
Is a cheaper website worth it?
A DIY website can be a great starting point when you're just testing an idea. But as your business grows, your website often becomes the first thing people see. A site that looks outdated, is hard to use on a phone, or doesn't show up in search can quietly cost you customers.
Thinking about a new website? Start with my website questionnaire, and I'll reach out to set up a free consult.
