How Much Should You Pay for a Small Business Website?
One of the biggest questions most small business owners have is how much to budget for their website. Affordability is often the top priority and the options can feel overwhelming. DIY might look appealing… until you try it. Agencies seem like the answer… until your jaw drops at the high price tag. Matching your expectations with your budget might require a closer look. So, let’s take a peek at how much you should really pay for a small business website in 2025.
Option #1: DIY Website Builders ($10 - $50/month)
For budget-conscious businesses, a DIY website builders like Wix often sounds like a good, affordable solution. Notice, however, that DIY does not mean free. To get the features most small businesses need requires a paid subscription plan. And once you consider the investment of your time and energy, it’s usually not your best choice. It’s a cliche, but time is money.
Pros: Lowest cost, no coding required
Cons: Limited customization, lacks advanced features, gets costly with add-ons, no copywriting
Option #2: Freelancer-Designed Website ($500 - $5,000)
For this option, think Fiveer or Upwork. Hiring a freelance web designer allows for more customization than a DIY website builder. The price, however, depends on the complexity of the site, number of pages, and additional features like SEO optimization and eCommerce capabilities.
Pros: More customization, potential for better design, higher level design
Cons: Quality varies, may require ongoing maintenance fees, no copywriting
Option #3: Web Design Agency ($3,000 - $20,000+)
Clearly, this option has the highest level of variance in pricing! But, if you need a custom-built website with advanced features, hiring a professional web design agency might be the best option. It would be rare for a small business to need a $20,000 website, but businesses that need full-scale branding (logo development, strategy), SEO, security, and maintenance as part of their packages might get close to this price point.
Pros: High-quality design, scalable solutions, ongoing support
Cons: Expensive, longer development time, no copywriting
But that’s not all…
Beyond the website design investment, here are some additional costs to include in your budget:
Domain Name: $10 — $50/year
Subscription Plan: $5 — $50/month
Maintenance: $100 — $500/month (or more if using an agency)
SEO: $750 — 1,000/month (optional but sometimes needed)
Let’s do a quick check-in…
Was this more or less than you expected? I know what my reaction was when I researched options as a new small business owner over a dozen years ago.
As a budget-conscious business owner, I did my best to make DIY work. But I lost hundreds of hours trying every platform (really… all of them) and buying pre-made templates in an attempt to save money. From Wix to WordPress to Squarespace, I tried them all. I wrote more about my conclusions in this blog post.
Know what I lost trying to skimp on my website? Time and money. Know what I gained? Grey hair and hours of frustration.
I could never get onboard with paying a big agency oodles of money. I had no interest spending weeks wading through overly complicated branding exercises or waiting months to launch my website.
So, I created a better option.
Option #4: StoryMatters Creative ($1750 — $5000)
All that DIY experimenting led to something good after all! StoryMatters sits in the sweet spot between DIY and the typical website design agency. You get the more moderate pricing of a freelancer with the support of a small agency. And there are some additional bonuses you don’t get from any of the options above, including StoryBrand coaching strategy session and copywriting of all website content — all done in just 5 days.
Pros: Get a clear StoryBrand message, full-scale copywriting of all pages, 1-4 page website option, basic SEO, full-custom design, fast build time, simple and hassle-free branding
Cons: No e-commerce option, not for large businesses, fast build-time isn’t for everyone
StoryMatters is lower cost than most agencies and fully personalized with the help of the StoryBrand Framework.
Having a website for your small business isn’t optional—it’s imperative. Even if you have “enough” business right now, every small business needs a professional website to build a reputable business. How much you invest in a website depends on your budget, timeline, and goals. But having one is non-negotiable if you want to stand out from your competition and grow a sustainable business.
After three decades of coaching expertise, creative design, and small business ownership, StoryMatters understand people — and we know how to capture their attention. Handcrafted for solo and small business owners, our website design and copywriting is simple and hassle-free.
Whether you’re a real estate agent, tax planner, or coach, we all want to be the business people choose.
If you want to be the business people choose, let’s talk!
