A monthly plan is the better fit when
- You want someone else to make every change
- Cash flow matters more than the three-year total
- You'd rather not deal with hosting or updates
- You change your site every month
Website cost guide · United States · 2026
How much does a small business website cost in the US? (2026)
Real ranges for DIY builders, subscriptions, freelancers and agencies in US dollars, what actually drives the price, the costs that arrive after launch, and a quick estimator you can use before you talk to anyone.
Estimator
Estimate your website cost
Pick a page count, who writes the words and the features you need. You get a typical market range and the SIX9 package that matches. Nothing you enter is stored or sent.
Typical market range, not a quote
- Freelancer
- US$800 – US$4,000
- Agency
- US$3,000 – US$12,000
Rough one-time build ranges based on the published figures cited below. Domain, hosting, apps and ongoing work are extra. Real quotes vary widely with scope.
The matching SIX9 path
- Growth websiteUp to 5 pages
- US$299
- Listed price, once
- US$299
Domain and hosting are separate for website packages. Your written scope confirms the total before any work starts, and no payment is taken with a brief.
Start with Growth websiteBy build type
What each type of website costs
The same “five-page website” can mean a DIY template, a monthly subscription, a freelancer project or an agency engagement. They are different products, so compare what each includes, not only the headline number.
| Option | One-time cost | Ongoing cost | Who does the work | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIY builder | Your time | About US$48–US$300 a year on WordPress.com plans billed yearly; B12 is US$24 a month | You | Testing an idea on a very tight budget |
| Done-for-you subscription | US$0–US$997 setup | About US$25–US$199 a month (UENI, Jottful, CalTech Web, Sunny HQ) | The provider | Owners who want every edit handled for a monthly fee |
| Freelancer | US$500–US$10,000+ | Hosting, plus hourly changes | One person | A clear scope and a trusted referral |
| Agency | US$3,000–US$30,000+ | Hosting and often a monthly care plan | A team | Strategy, copywriting, complex features, many stakeholders |
| SIX9 fixed-scope build | US$169–US$449 once | Your own hosting and domain (we budget US$15 a month and US$25 a year) | SIX9, from your supplied content | A custom site with a clear page count and content ready |
DIY builders have the lowest cash cost and the highest time cost. You plan the pages, write the words, choose images, set up forms and keep everything current. That suits a new idea or a very small budget. It suits a busy owner less well, because the hours add up and an unfinished builder site does not win work.
Done-for-you subscriptions spread the cost and bundle hosting, security and a set amount of edits. Read the minimum term, what happens to the site and domain if you cancel, and whether the monthly price can rise at renewal.
Freelancers range from template setups to fully custom builds, which is why the published range is so wide. A good freelancer with a clear brief is often the best value; the risk is scope that grows without a written agreement, and a single point of failure if they become unavailable.
Agencies cost more because they sell more: discovery, strategy, copywriting, project management, a larger team and ongoing support. That is worth paying for on a complex site with many stakeholders. It is overkill for a small business that needs a few clear pages and a working inquiry form.
Fixed-scope studios like SIX9 sit between a freelancer and an agency: a published price for a defined page count, a set number of revision rounds, and a written scope before any work starts. The trade-off is that you supply the content and anything outside the package is quoted separately.
Cost drivers
What actually drives the price
Two quotes for “a small business website” can differ by ten times. Almost all of that gap comes from the six things below. Decide them before you ask for prices and your quotes become comparable.
- Number of pagesEvery page is planned, designed, filled and tested. Count the pages a visitor can open: home, about, each service, contact. SIX9 packages cover up to 3, 5 or 8 pages, and extra pages are US$14 each.
- Who supplies the contentWriting and photography are often the biggest hidden cost. If you supply finished text and images, the build is faster and cheaper. Professional copywriting and photography are separate trades and are priced separately almost everywhere, including at SIX9.
- Custom features such as bookingA contact form is simple. Booking and scheduling, member areas, calculators and quote forms take longer to design and test, and some rely on a paid tool with its own monthly fee. Name the features you need up front.
- An online storeProducts, cart, checkout, shipping, tax settings and order emails add a lot of work, and payment processing adds a fee per sale. SIX9 builds custom online stores as separate packages from US$279; see online stores.
- Integrations and automationConnecting your site to a CRM, accounting software, email marketing or an AI workflow means working with someone else's system. It is priced after the systems are reviewed, never guessed. At SIX9 it is a custom quote after a free review.
- Brand and logoIf you have no logo or visual identity yet, design it before or with the website. SIX9's Brand Launch combines a logo suite, a website and a social kit from US$599, with first-year domain and hosting included.
One-time vs monthly
Think in three-year totals
A monthly plan looks cheaper on day one. A one-time build usually costs less over three years, as long as your site doesn't need constant changes. Compare the total, then decide how much the included edits and support are worth to you.
| Option | Basis | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|
| UENI Website Launch, billed yearly | US$79 setup, then US$249.90 a year | US$828.70 |
| Jottful, entry plan | US$199 setup, then US$65 a month | US$2,539 |
| CalTech Web | US$99 a month, no setup fee | US$3,564 |
| SIX9 Launch + hosting and domain | US$169 once, plus our hosting assumption | US$784 |
| SIX9 Growth + hosting and domain | US$299 once, plus our hosting assumption | US$914 |
A one-time build is the better fit when
- Your pages won't change much after launch
- You want to own the finished site once it's paid
- You're comfortable arranging hosting and a domain
- You'd rather pay for changes only when you need them
After launch
Ongoing costs to budget for
The build is a one-time cost; these are not. They are paid to third parties (your registrar, host, email provider and app vendors), not to SIX9. We don't sell hosting or maintenance plans: changes after launch are quoted when you need them.
| Cost | Typical basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | We budget US$25 a year | A .com is the usual choice. Renewal prices vary by registrar, so check the second-year price, not the first. |
| Hosting | We budget US$15 a month for a small site | Our planning assumption, on the high side for a small business site. Yours may be lower. |
| Business email | Per user, per month | Charged by your email provider. It runs on separate DNS records, so it isn't tied to the website build. |
| Apps and tools | Monthly, per tool | Booking tools, form services, newsletter software and store apps each carry their own plan. |
| Payment processing | A fee per transaction | Set by your payment provider, such as Stripe or Square. Relevant if you take bookings or sell online. |
| Changes and maintenance | Per change, or a monthly plan | Varies widely. WebFX puts ongoing maintenance at US$3,600 to US$50,000 a year for agency-managed sites; small sites need far less. |
United States
US-specific costs: tax, accessibility and language
A few things change the budget for US businesses in particular. None of this is legal or tax advice; check with a professional for your situation.
- Sales tax varies by stateSome states tax digital products or web design services and others don't, and the rules depend on what is being delivered. We don't give tax advice: ask your accountant how a website purchase is treated in your state before you budget. Your written SIX9 quote confirms the currency and total.
- Accessibility and the ADAAccessible design is far cheaper to build in from the start than to retrofit. Clear headings, readable contrast, labelled forms, keyboard access and alt text are part of doing the job well. Our website accessibility guide explains the WCAG checks and what they cost to fix later.
- Spanish or second-language pagesIf a share of your customers prefer Spanish, a second language roughly adds another set of pages to write, translate, design and test. Budget for a professional translation rather than machine output on pages that sell.
- Working with a remote studioSIX9 is based in Melbourne, Australia, and works with US clients remotely: briefs, previews and approvals happen by email and shared links, and our working day overlaps with US evenings. Read how that works on remote web design.
By industry
Website cost by industry
SIX9's Launch, Growth and Advanced prices are the same in every industry (US$169–US$449). What changes is the page plan: a clinic needs treatment and team pages, a restaurant needs menus and bookings. Each page below shows the pages we plan for that industry.
Professional services and small brandsConsultants, agencies, advisers and local businessesContractors and home servicesService areas, quote requests and job photosRestaurants and cafesMenus, opening hours, bookings and ordering linksDental clinicsTreatments, team pages and appointment requestsFitness studios and coachesClasses, memberships, timetables and trial offersReal estateListings, appraisals and agent profilesArtists and creativesPortfolios, collections and commission requests
Watch for
Hidden costs and scope traps
Most budget surprises come from what a quote leaves out. Check every quote, including ours, for the items below.
- Hosting and the domain left out of the first-year total
- An introductory builder or hosting price that renews much higher
- A minimum subscription term, or a cancellation fee
- The domain registered in the provider's name instead of yours
- Revision rounds that aren't defined, or are billed hourly once used
- Copywriting and photos assumed to be yours without anyone saying so
- Paid plugins, booking tools or store apps with their own monthly fees
- Content entry (products, posts, team profiles) charged per item
- No clear answer on who owns the site and the logins after payment
- "Unlimited" edits that turn out to mean small text changes only
- Redirects from your old site not included when you replace it
- Second-language pages priced as a small add-on when they double the content
Bigger projects
When a website isn't the whole job
Some businesses need their website to do more than inform: route inquirys, update a CRM, generate quotes or run an order process. That work is priced differently, because it depends on your systems. At SIX9 it is quoted after a free review, never guessed.
AI automation
- Inquiry triage, document processing and follow-ups with human review. See AI automation and use cases.
- Quoted after a free review; AI usage and subscriptions are your running costs
Custom CRM and business software
- A CRM, order management system or custom backend built around how you work. See custom CRM development and custom software.
- Quoted after a free review; hosting and software licenses are your running costs
How SIX9 prices
Why our prices can be this low
SIX9 Design is a small Melbourne studio led by founder and lead designer Rifat Hasan Rafi. Our prices are published because the scope is fixed. Here is what keeps them low, and what that means for you.
Launch
US$169once
Up to 3 pages for a focused small business site.
- Up to 3 pages
- Custom responsive design for mobile, tablet and desktop
- Contact form and supplied content added
- Page titles, descriptions and launch checks
- 1 consolidated revision round and launch assistance
The price covers the features listed. Anything extra is quoted separately before work starts.
Choose LaunchGrowth
US$299once
Up to 5 pages with on-page SEO basics. Our most common choice.
- Up to 5 pages
- Custom responsive design for mobile, tablet and desktop
- Contact form and supplied content added
- On-page SEO, sitemap and performance checks
- 2 consolidated revision rounds and launch assistance
The price covers the features listed. Anything extra is quoted separately before work starts.
Choose GrowthAdvanced
US$449once
Up to 8 pages with an editable collection.
- Up to 8 pages
- Custom responsive design for mobile, tablet and desktop
- Contact form and supplied content added
- On-page SEO, sitemap and performance checks
- 3 consolidated revision rounds and launch assistance
The price covers the features listed. Anything extra is quoted separately before work starts.
Choose AdvancedDomain and hosting are separate. Need more pages? Move up to Growth (up to 5 pages) or Advanced (up to 8 pages); bigger sites are quoted. Most standard websites are ready within 5–7 business days after we receive your content, images, access and project details. Your turnaround starts once we’ve got everything needed to get cracking. Once the project is fully paid, the finished website is yours, subject to any third-party platform or license restrictions. See all packages.
- Fixed scopeA set page count and a set number of revision rounds. We don't price for open-ended meetings or unlimited changes.
- Supplied contentYou provide the text and images; we shape them into clear pages. Copywriting is quoted separately if you need it.
- A remote studioNo expensive office to pay for. Briefs, previews and approvals happen by email and shared links.
- No account-manager layerYou deal directly with the people designing and building your site, so nothing is lost or marked up between them.
When SIX9 isn't the right fit: you need WordPress, Shopify or Webflow specifically, an SEO retainer, ads management or a monthly maintenance plan, or in-person workshops in the US. An agency or a local freelancer will serve you better. Our only published case study so far is Heartful Celebrations, an Australian celebrant's website and owner workspace.
Method
How we checked these figures
Last checked September 25, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with each provider before you buy.
We used only prices and ranges published on each provider's own website, or in a named cost guide, and we give the date we checked them. Where a provider doesn't publish a price, we say so rather than estimate. Ranges from cost guides are labelled as typical, because they reflect many projects, not a quote for yours.
The estimator adds rough typical costs for each feature to a base range drawn from those published figures. Treat it as a way to see which choices move the price most, not as a quote. SIX9's figures are our listed package prices; your written scope confirms the total before any work starts.
SIX9 Design isn't affiliated with any provider named here. Names belong to their owners. Spotted a price that has changed? Tell us through the contact page and we'll correct it.
Sources
- WebFX, How much does a website cost in 2026? (updated May 2026) · checked September 25, 2026
- WordPress.com pricing · checked September 25, 2026
- B12 pricing · checked September 25, 2026
- UENI pricing · checked September 25, 2026
- Jottful · checked September 25, 2026
- CalTech Web · checked September 25, 2026
- Sunny HQ small business websites · checked September 25, 2026
- Websites for 99 · checked September 25, 2026
How much does a small business website cost in the US?
Published industry ranges put a freelancer-built small business website at about US$500 to US$10,000 and agency projects at US$3,000 to US$30,000 or more. DIY builders cost from about US$48 a year in plan fees plus your time. SIX9 builds fixed-scope websites for US$169–US$449 once, with hosting and a domain paid separately.
How much should a 5-page website cost?
With your own text and photos, a 5-page site from a US freelancer typically lands in the low thousands of dollars, and more with an agency. SIX9's Growth package covers up to 5 pages for US$299 once, including on-page SEO basics and two revision rounds. Copywriting, photography, hosting and the domain are separate.
Is a website subscription cheaper than paying once?
Usually not over three years. At the prices we checked, Jottful's entry plan costs about US$2,539 over 36 months and CalTech Web about US$3,564, against about US$784 for SIX9 Launch plus our hosting and domain assumption. Subscriptions include ongoing edits and support, so they buy more service, not just a website.
What ongoing costs should I budget for?
A domain, hosting, business email, any paid apps (booking, forms, newsletters), payment processing if you sell online, and changes after launch. We budget US$15 a month for hosting and US$25 a year for a domain for a small site. SIX9 doesn't sell hosting or maintenance plans.
Do I pay sales tax on a website?
It depends on your state and on what is delivered. Some states tax digital products or web design services and others don't. We don't give tax advice, so ask your accountant. Your written SIX9 quote confirms the currency and total before any work starts.
Does an accessible (ADA-friendly) website cost more?
Building accessibility in from the start adds little: clear structure, readable contrast, labelled forms, keyboard access and alt text are part of a well-built site. Retrofitting an existing site is what gets expensive. Nobody can honestly promise legal compliance from design work alone.
Why are SIX9's prices so much lower than US agencies?
The scope is fixed and small: a set page count, your supplied content, consolidated revision rounds, and hosting kept separate. We are a remote studio without an office in a US city or an account-manager layer. An agency quote usually includes strategy, copywriting, a larger team and ongoing support.
Can a Melbourne studio build a website for a US business?
Yes. We work with US clients remotely: you send a brief and content, we share previews by link, and you send consolidated feedback by email. Your written quote confirms the scope, timeline, total and currency before any work starts.
What isn't included in a SIX9 website package?
Domain and hosting fees, paid third-party tools and API usage, custom CRM or complex software, copywriting, photography and ongoing SEO campaigns. We don't build on WordPress, Shopify or Webflow, and we don't sell SEO retainers, ads management or maintenance plans.
How accurate is the estimator?
It's a rough guide. The market ranges come from published US figures and are not quotes; real prices vary with scope, experience and location. The SIX9 figures are our listed prices. Anything custom, such as integrations or automation, is quoted after a free review.
Keep exploring
Related guides and pages
SIX9 packages and pricesWebsites from US$169, Brand Launch from US$599Pay monthly vs one-time build12, 24 and 36-month totalsPublished US website pricesSubscriptions and one-time builds, sourcedWebsite accessibility guideWCAG checks and what they cost to fixWeb design for US businessesHow we work with US clients remotelyHow to choose a web design agencyQuestions to ask before you signSmall business website checklistWhat to prepare before the buildRedesign vs rebuildWhen to improve, redesign or start again
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