Free tool
Website cost calculator for small businesses
Pick what your site needs. See what each way of getting it really costs over three years, your time included.
3-year cost, your time included
WeBoss Starter comes out lowest for this site, at about $1,345 over three years.
Money paid Your time
| Option | Money | Your hours | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website builder, done yourself | $1,233 | 74 | $4,193 |
| Freelancer | $4,485 | 24 | $5,445 |
| Web agency | $10,145 | 28 | $11,265 |
| WeBoss Starter | $585 | 19 | $1,345 |
How the numbers are worked out
- Website builder: a $17/month plan, plus $16/month for booking (a scheduling app or a higher plan), 25 to 60 hours to build depending on size, and an hour a month of upkeep.
- Freelancer: $800 to $6,000 to build depending on size, about $500 each for booking and a quote form, $400 for copywriting, and $40/month for hosting and small changes.
- Web agency: $2,500 to $9,500 to build, about $1,000 each for booking and quotes, $800 for copywriting, and a $100/month care plan.
- WeBoss: Starter at $14.99 a month for 36 months; booking and quotes included.
- Every option adds $15 a year for a domain, and half an hour a month of your time for updates (more for doing it yourself).
Ranges from 2026 small business website cost surveys; see how much a small business website costs for the sources.
How to use the website cost calculator
- Pick the size. One page is enough for many local businesses. Choose more only if you really need separate pages.
- Tick what the site must do. Online booking and quotes are the two features that add the most to a quote from a freelancer or an agency.
- Decide who writes the words. If you would pay a copywriter, tick the box.
- Set what an hour of your time is worth. Use what you earn in an hour of paid work. Slide it to $0 to compare cash only.
- Read the bars. The dark part is money you pay out. The light part is your own hours, turned into dollars.
How to read the result
The calculator adds up three years, because the first year hides the real cost. A builder looks nearly free in month one and then bills you every month. A freelancer or an agency costs a lot at the start and less afterwards. Three years puts them on the same footing.
It also counts your time. Building a site yourself costs no cash and many evenings. If your evenings are worth nothing to you, set the slider to $0. If an hour of your work earns $60, the "free" route is not free.
What changes the price most
| Factor | Effect on price |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | The biggest factor with freelancers and agencies; small with a builder |
| Booking and quote tools | Often $500 to $1,000 each when built for you, or a monthly app with a builder |
| Copywriting | A few hundred dollars, or your own time |
| Custom design | Raises agency quotes sharply; not included in these figures |
| Ongoing changes | A monthly care plan, or free if you edit the site yourself |
Checking a quote you were given
Put the same site into the calculator and compare. If a freelancer's quote is far above the range here, ask what it includes that this does not: custom design, photography, extra pages. If it is far below, ask who hosts the site and what changes will cost. A fair quote is one where you know exactly what you are getting.
For the full breakdown behind these figures, with sources, read how much a small business website costs.
How accurate is this calculator?
It gives a typical range, not a quote. The build prices come from 2026 small business website cost surveys; real quotes vary by city, scope and who you hire.
Why count my own time?
Hours spent building or updating a website are hours not spent on paid work. Set the hourly value to what an hour of your work earns; set it to $0 to compare cash only.
What is included in the WeBoss line?
Starter at the live monthly price for 36 months, plus a domain. Booking, the quote calculator, hosting and SSL are included in the plan.
Is $1,500 a good price for a website?
It is a fair price for a tidy, template-based site from a freelancer. Ask what is included, who hosts it and what changes cost afterwards. It is not enough for custom design or an online shop.
What is a reasonable price for a small business website?
About $200 to $600 a year on a builder you run yourself, $1,500 to $5,000 from a freelancer, and more from an agency. The right figure depends on how many pages and features you need.
How do web designers price a website?
Usually by the number of pages, whether the design is custom or from a template, the features (booking, forms, a shop), who writes the words, and what support you want after launch.
Is the calculator free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
Get started