Two quotes for “a website” can differ by ten times and both be honest. One might be five pages on a template; the other a custom build with booking, a CMS and content writing. The useful question is not “what does a website cost?” but “what does this scope cost, and what is left out?”

This guide gives you the published ranges I could verify, my own starting prices, and the questions that make two quotes comparable. It is written for owners of trades, home-service and other local businesses, but the arithmetic applies to most small sites.

01 / THE RANGEWhat the market publishes

Clutch's web design pricing page (updated September 21, 2026) reports figures from verified reviews of agencies listed on its platform:

  • An average project cost of about $38,000, with most reviewed projects under $10,000. A few large projects pull the average up, so the “most projects” figure is the more useful one for a small business.

  • Typical agency rates of $100–$149 per hour.

  • $25–$49 per hour for agencies building on Wix, WordPress, Squarespace, Webflow or Shopify.

Treat these as context, not a price list. They describe agencies that collect reviews on one platform, across every kind of project. They say nothing about what your site should cost.

02 / MY PRICESMy published starting prices

These are starting prices for a defined scope. Your final quote and schedule are agreed in writing before work begins.

  • Business Website, from $1,500: a small custom site of up to five core pages built around one main customer journey, with a tested contact path, responsive layout and performance checks, domain connection, launch and a documented handover.

  • Website Refresh, from $1,000: one customer journey across up to three existing pages, with focused copy, layout, mobile and contact-path fixes.

  • Website Care, $150/month: scheduled maintenance for a supported site, a monthly health check and up to one hour of small edits. Cancel anytime.

Domain, hosting, subscriptions and usage charges are separate. Additional pages, features, integrations and migrations are quoted separately. All prices are USD.

03 / THE DRIVERSWhat moves the price

Most of the difference between quotes comes from a handful of decisions. Ask each provider how they priced these:

  • Number of distinct pages. A page per service, per service area or per project gallery adds design, content and testing time.

  • Who writes and gathers content. Organizing copy and photos you supply is very different from writing it from scratch.

  • Forms and integrations. A tested quote form is common. Online booking, payments, a CRM or job-management software connection each adds work and often a subscription.

  • Editing after launch. If you want to edit pages yourself, a CMS or site builder changes both build cost and monthly cost.

  • Migration. Moving an existing site keeps old links and content working. That is real work and should be listed.

04 / AFTER LAUNCHBudget for the recurring costs too

The build is a one-time cost. Expect separate lines for the domain (yearly), hosting, business email, any form, booking or review tools, and maintenance. A website budget is more than the hosting line walks through a worksheet for those recurring items.

05 / COMPARINGFive questions that make quotes comparable

  • How many pages are included, and which ones?

  • Who provides the copy and photos?

  • Which forms or tools are set up, and are they tested?

  • What recurring costs will I pay, and to whom?

  • What do I own and receive at handover?

If a quote cannot answer those in writing, the headline number is not comparable yet. The last question matters most; what to ask a web designer before you pay a deposit covers it in detail.

Want a number for your own site? Ask for a website quote in four questions. I reply by email within 1 business day.