How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost in 2026?

A small business website in 2026 costs anywhere from about $200 a year to several thousand dollars, depending on who builds it. A DIY builder like Wix or Squarespace runs roughly $200 to $600 in the first year. A freelancer typically charges $1,500 to $5,000 upfront, plus monthly costs. An agency costs more. An all-in-one monthly service charges a flat fee, often with the domain, hosting and booking included. Below is what each option really costs for a salon, restaurant or local service business, including the fees that don’t show up on the pricing page.

What are the main ways to get a small business website?

There are four realistic paths for a local business:

1. DIY website builder. You pick a template on Wix, Squarespace or GoDaddy and build the site yourself.
2. Freelancer. You hire one designer or developer to build the site, usually for a one-time fee.
3. Agency. A team handles strategy, design, copy and development, usually at a higher price.
4. All-in-one monthly service. A company builds and runs the site for a flat monthly fee, often with booking and support included.

Each one trades money for time differently. The cheapest option on paper can be the most expensive once you count your own hours, so it helps to look at the full picture.

How much do DIY website builders cost in 2026?

These are the published prices on each builder’s official pricing page as of November 2026. Prices are in US dollars and exclude tax.

Wix pricing

Wix shows prices for yearly subscriptions, paid in full upfront:

• Light: $17.77/month
• Core: $29.77/month (includes scheduling and services)
• Business: $39.77/month (includes scheduling and services)
• Business Elite: $159.77/month

All paid plans come with a voucher for a free domain for the first year. The voucher only covers a new domain bought through Wix, has to be redeemed within 60 days, and applies to your first premium purchase, not renewals. For a salon or service business that needs online booking, Core is the realistic starting point.

Squarespace pricing

Squarespace has no free plan but offers a 14-day free trial:

Plan	Billed yearly	Billed monthly	Online store fee
Basic	$12/month	$19/month	2%
Core	$17/month	$27/month	0%
Advanced	$25/month	$36/month	0%

Annual plans include a free domain for the first year, which then renews at the standard rate. For appointments, Squarespace points you to Acuity Scheduling, which is billed separately:

• Starter: $16/month yearly or $20/month monthly (1 bookable calendar)
• Standard: $27/month yearly or $34/month monthly (up to 6 calendars)
• Premium: $55/month yearly or $69/month monthly (up to 36 calendars)

So a two-chair barbershop on Squarespace is really paying for a website plan plus a booking plan.

GoDaddy pricing

GoDaddy’s US plan page could not be checked directly for this article, so we’re not quoting its exact plan prices. GoDaddy’s own 2026 cost guide puts its website builder subscription at roughly $9.99 to $20.99 or more per month, and notes those figures exclude promotions. GoDaddy also offers a free tier with limited AI credits. As with any introductory price, check the renewal rate and the term length before you check out.

What does a freelancer charge for a small business website?

Upwork’s 2026 pricing guidance puts typical web designers at about $15 to $30 per hour, with custom design work at $45 to $75 or more per hour. For a complete new business website, Upwork’s project estimates fall between roughly $1,500 and $5,000.

What that fee usually covers:

• Design and layout of a set number of pages
• Setup on a platform (often WordPress or a builder)
• A limited number of revision rounds

What it often does not cover:

• Hosting and domain
• A booking or reservation system subscription
• Photos and written copy
• Changes after launch

A good freelancer can produce a site that looks more custom than a template. The risk is what happens six months later, when you need a price updated and the freelancer has moved on. Ask upfront how changes are handled and what they cost.

What does a web design agency charge?

Agencies don’t publish standard prices, and quotes vary a lot by region and scope, so we won’t invent a number here. Expect a higher total than a solo freelancer, because you’re paying for a team: a project manager, a designer, often a copywriter and a developer.

An agency makes sense when you need things a template can’t do well, such as several locations, a custom ordering flow or a full brand identity. For a single salon or café that needs a clean site with booking, an agency is usually more than the job requires. If you do go this route, get at least two written quotes that list exactly what’s included and what monthly fees follow after launch.

What do all-in-one monthly website services cost?

All-in-one services build the site for you and keep it running for a flat monthly fee. Prices and what’s included vary a lot from one provider to the next. Some include booking, reminders and a client list. Others are just a hosted website.

For example, One Site System charges $49 a month for a website on your own domain (domain included), online booking by service and staff, email confirmations and reminders, a client list, hosting and support. The $99 Pro plan adds SMS reminders, a table map for restaurants, review requests, PayPal gift cards and deposits, and a monthly Google ranking report. There’s no setup fee and no per-booking commission.

When you compare services like this, ask four questions:

• Is the domain registered in my business name, and can I take it with me?
• Are there setup fees, contracts or cancellation fees?
• Do you charge per booking or take a commission on new clients?
• How fast are changes made, and is that included?

What are the hidden costs of a small business website?

The sticker price is rarely the full price. These are the costs that most often catch owners by surprise.

Domain renewal after the free year

Free domains usually mean free for year one only. On November 1, 2026, the registry wholesale price for a .com rose to $10.97 per year, plus a $0.20 ICANN fee, so every registrar pays at least about $11.17 a year before adding its own margin. Your renewal will be that plus whatever your provider charges on top.

Booking add-ons and per-calendar pricing

Booking is often priced separately or by number of staff calendars. On Squarespace, moving from one Acuity calendar to six raises the booking cost from $16 to $27 a month on yearly billing. Count your staff before you pick a plan.

SMS reminders

Email reminders are commonly included. Text reminders often cost extra or come with a monthly cap, because sending texts in the US costs the provider money per message and requires carrier registration.

Payment and transaction fees

If you take deposits, sell gift cards or sell products online, expect payment processing fees from the card processor. Some builders add their own fee on top: Squarespace’s Basic plan charges a 2% fee on online store sales, while Core and Advanced charge 0%.

Marketplace commissions

Some booking apps list you on their own marketplace and take a cut when a new client finds you there. That can be worth it for discovery, but it’s a cost that grows with your bookings. Read the fee page closely.

Introductory prices that renew higher

Promotional first-term prices are common, especially with multi-year prepayment. Always check the renewal price, not just the checkout price.

Your own time

DIY means you’re the designer, writer, photographer and IT support. If an evening spent fixing the site costs you a client or two, that belongs in the budget too.

What is the total first-year and ongoing cost of each option?

Here’s a side-by-side using published prices as of November 2026. DIY totals assume yearly billing and a plan that includes or adds online booking.

Option	First-year cost	Ongoing yearly cost	Booking included?	Who does the work
Wix Core	About $357	About $357 + domain renewal	Yes	You
Wix Business	About $477	About $477 + domain renewal	Yes	You
Squarespace Core + Acuity Starter	About $396	About $396 + domain renewal	Via Acuity add-on	You
Squarespace Core + Acuity (monthly billing)	About $564	About $564 + domain renewal	Via Acuity add-on	You
GoDaddy builder	Varies by plan and promo	Check renewal rate	Depends on plan	You
Freelancer	About $1,500 to $5,000 upfront, plus hosting, domain and booking tool	Hosting, domain, booking tool, plus paid changes	Only if you add a tool	Freelancer, then you
Agency	Quote-based, typically above freelancer	Quote-based retainer or paid changes	Usually custom or add-on	Agency
One Site System Starter	$588 ($49 × 12)	$588, domain included	Yes	Done for you
One Site System Pro	$1,188 ($99 × 12)	$1,188, domain included	Yes, plus SMS and deposits	Done for you

A few honest takeaways from the table:

• DIY is the cheapest in pure dollars, especially on yearly billing.
• A freelancer costs the most in year one, but a well-built site can last years if you’re comfortable maintaining it.
• Monthly services cost more than DIY each year, but they include the build, the updates and the support you would otherwise do yourself or pay a freelancer for.

How do I choose the right website option for my business?

Use these steps to narrow it down quickly.

1. List what the site must do. For most salons and service businesses, that means services and prices, online booking by staff member, reminders, and a way to see your client history. Restaurants often need reservations, a menu and hours.
2. Count your staff calendars. Booking tools often charge per calendar, which can change the math.
3. Be honest about your time. If you enjoy design and have a few free evenings, a builder is a good deal. If you don’t, factor in the hours or pay someone.
4. Add up the full year, not the first month. Include domain renewal, booking add-ons, SMS and payment fees.
5. Check ownership and exit terms. Make sure the domain is yours, that you can export your clients, and that there’s no long contract.
6. Look at real examples. Ask any provider to show you live sites for businesses like yours before you pay.

Which option fits which business?

• Solo stylist or new business on a tight budget: a DIY builder on yearly billing.
• Business that wants a custom look and has budget upfront: a freelancer with a clear maintenance agreement.
• Multi-location brand with complex needs: an agency.
• Busy owner who wants website, booking and client list in one place without doing it themselves: an all-in-one monthly service.

Want to see what your site would look like?

If you’d rather not build it yourself, you can browse live examples for salons, restaurants and service businesses on our templates page. One Site System will also build a free personalized demo site for your business before you pay anything. Request your free demo or compare plans on our pricing page.