# How Much Should a Small Business Website Cost? > Agencies often quote $3,000 to $15,000 up front. I charge a monthly plan from $97 with no build fee. What you are paying for and what to ask first. Canonical page: https://launchautomation.ai/guides/how-much-should-a-small-business-website-cost # How much should a small business website cost? There are two ways to pay for a website: a big build fee up front, or a monthly plan with no build fee. Here is what each one really costs, what you are paying for, and what I would ask before signing anything. - Real numbers - No build fee option - Questions to ask first ## The short answer. In my experience, agencies commonly quote somewhere between $3,000 and $15,000 up front for a small business website, then charge monthly for hosting and by the hour for changes. My custom websites start at $97 a month, or $873 a year when you pay yearly, with no build fee and no design fee. Same kind of result, very different way to pay. ## What you are actually paying for. - **Design and build.** Someone has to design the pages, write them with you and build them so they work on a phone. This is the part agencies charge up front for. - **Hosting, security and updates.** A website is not a one-time purchase. It has to live on fast hosting, stay secure and keep getting updated. Ask whether that is in the price or a separate bill. - **Changes.** Your business changes, so your site will too. A new service, a new price, a new page. Ask what a change costs, because hourly edit fees add up quietly. - **The domain.** Your domain is your address. It should be in your name, and you should be able to take it with you. - **Being found.** A site that search engines and AI assistants cannot read does not bring in customers. Ask how the pages are built for that. ## What I would ask before signing. - **What does the monthly price include?** Hosting, security, updates, changes, support. If any of those is extra, add it to the real cost. - **Who owns the domain?** You should. Most of my clients buy their own and keep it for good. - **What does a change cost?** If the answer is an hourly rate, expect to pay it often. - **Can I see the site before I pay?** In a lot of cases, depending on the build, I build first and you see it before you pay. If a designer wants the whole fee before you see anything, that is a risk. - **What happens if I want to leave?** Ask about the minimum term and what you walk away with. Mine is a 3-month minimum, then month to month. ## What I charge. A custom website starts at $97 a month, or $873 a year when you pay yearly, with a 3-month minimum and then month to month. An insurance agent website is $423 a year, about $35 a month, or $47 if you pay monthly. Hosting, SSL, security, updates and unlimited changes are in the price. I only quote separately for major work, like complex integrations or a bunch of new pages. [See the custom website plans](https://launchautomation.ai/custom) or [the insurance website offer](https://launchautomation.ai/websites). ## When a bigger budget makes sense. If you need something larger than a website, like a membership platform, a custom business app or a command center that connects your tools, that is a different kind of project and I quote it separately. Start with the site. You can add the rest when you are ready. ## Questions you may be asking. ### How much does a small business website cost? Agencies commonly charge $3,000 to $15,000 up front plus a monthly fee. A monthly plan with no build fee is the other way to pay. Mine starts at $97 a month, or $873 a year when you pay yearly. ### Is $97 a month really all I pay? For a custom website, yes, on the annual plan. It includes hosting, SSL, security, updates and unlimited changes. There is a 3-month minimum, then it is month to month. Major work, like complex integrations or many new pages, is quoted first. ### Do I pay anything up front? There is no build fee and no design fee. In a lot of cases, depending on the build, I build the site first and you see it before you pay. ### What costs extra? Your domain, if you do not already have one, and usage if you add texting or phone automation. Texting and phone numbers are billed at cost. Anything major is quoted before I start. ### Who owns the website and domain? You own your domain. Most of my clients buy their own and keep it for good. ## Keep reading, or talk to us. - [Custom website plans](https://launchautomation.ai/custom) - [A website with no upfront cost](https://launchautomation.ai/guides/website-with-no-upfront-cost) - [What website hosting should include](https://launchautomation.ai/guides/website-hosting-for-small-business) - [What to ask a web designer first](https://launchautomation.ai/guides/how-to-choose-a-web-designer-boca-raton) - [Get a quote](https://launchautomation.ai/quote) - [Browse all Launch Automation guides](https://launchautomation.ai/guides) Written by Corey Gray, founder of Launch Automation in Boca Raton, Florida. Last updated November 7, 2026. ## Want a real number for your business? Tell me what you do and I will send a plan in writing, with the price. --- Launch Automation (WOLF 23 LLC) · 9792 Grand Verde Way Unit 508, Boca Raton, FL 33428 · (561) 287-3456 · team@launchautomation.ai Custom websites, browser-based business apps, AI command centers, membership platforms, CRM and automation.