Guides / Guide
How much does a website cost in 2026?
Domus Design Team · Updated October 8, 2026 · 7 min read
Ask three studios what a website costs and you'll get three numbers and a lot of 'it depends'. Here's the honest version: the real price ranges for 2026, what moves a quote up or down, the costs that show up after launch, and the fixed prices we charge at Domus so you have a number to compare against.
The short answer
A small-business website in 2026 costs anywhere from about $150 a year for a do-it-yourself builder to $3,000–$15,000 for a custom site from a freelancer or small studio, and $15,000 and up from a larger agency. Online shops cost more than brochure sites, and the biggest price driver is how many pages and features you need, not how pretty it looks.
| How it's built | Typical price in 2026 | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify) | $150–$500 a year, plus your time | A first site when you have more time than budget |
| Freelancer on a marketplace | $300–$3,000 | A simple site, if you can manage the project yourself |
| Small studio (custom design and code) | $1,200–$15,000 | A business that wants a site built around its brand, with a delivery date |
| Larger agency | $15,000–$50,000+ | Companies with many stakeholders and a long brief |
What actually moves the price
- Pages. A 5-page site and a 30-page site are different projects. Blog posts and repeated pages (locations, team members, products) usually don't count the same way.
- An online shop. Products, payments, taxes, shipping and order emails add days of work. Expect it to add $400–$3,000 to a custom build.
- Languages. A second language is a second set of pages to write, design and test.
- Copywriting. Someone has to write the words. Writing done by a person costs more than text drafted by AI and edited.
- Branding. If you don't have a logo and brand colors, that's a separate piece of work before the site can be designed.
- Custom features. A booking calendar, members' area, live map or calculator is quoted on top.
- Speed. Many studios charge 25–50% more for priority delivery.
The costs after launch
This is where DIY sites stop being cheap. Budget for these every year:
- Domain name: $10–$25 a year.
- Hosting: $0–$30 a month for a normal site; shops and heavy sites cost more.
- Maintenance and updates: $50–$200 a month if you pay someone, or your own time.
- Email on your domain (you@yourbusiness.com): often $6–$12 per address per month on Google or Microsoft, or free with forwarding.
- Plugins and tools: forms, bookings, analytics and SEO tools can add $10–$100 a month on builder platforms.
What Domus charges
We price websites as packages, each with a delivery date we promise. The Starter Website is $1,199.99: up to 5 pages, mobile-ready, with a contact form, SEO setup, your brand's mini style guide and 2 email addresses on your domain, delivered in about 4 weeks. The Business Website adds an online shop with every payment method and a full brand manual; the Signature Website adds a blog and two languages. Create a free account to see every price: they're the same for everyone, and nothing changes based on your budget.
Hosting and care after launch are optional. Once your site is paid in full, the code and the files are yours, and you can take them anywhere.
How to compare quotes
- Ask what's included: pages, forms, shop, languages, copy, photos, SEO setup, training.
- Ask who owns the site when it's done, and whether you can move it.
- Ask for a delivery date in writing, and what happens if it slips.
- Ask how revisions work: how many rounds, and what an extra change costs.
- Ask what you'll pay every year after launch.
Questions people ask
Is a $300 website worth it?
Sometimes, for a one-page site you'll replace within a year. The risk is time: template sites often need a rebuild once the business grows, and the cheap price rarely includes writing, SEO or support.
How long does a website take?
A simple site takes 3–5 weeks when the content is ready; a shop or a multi-language site takes 6–10 weeks. The content, not the code, is what usually slows a project down.
Do I need to pay everything up front?
A fair studio splits payments across the project. At Domus it's 30% to start, 40% when you approve the design and 30% at launch, each one after something you've approved.
Can I update the site myself afterwards?
Yes. Ask for it before the build starts, so the parts you'll edit (hours, menu, prices, posts) are set up for you to change without touching code.
If you want a number for your own project, answer five short questions and we'll reply with a quote and a delivery date, in writing, within 48 hours.