What Should a Small Business Spend on Its First Website?

Website pricing is confusing on purpose. Quotes for the "same" site can range from free to $20,000. Here's what you're actually getting at each level.

DIY builders ($0–$40/month)

Wix, Squarespace and friends. Great if you have time, an eye for design and simple needs. The hidden cost is your weekends — and most DIY sites quietly leak customers through slow load times, weak copy and no clear call to action.

Freelancer or small studio ($1,000–$5,000)

The sweet spot for most small businesses. You get a professional eye on your layout, copy and mobile experience, plus someone accountable when things break. A well-built site at this level typically pays for itself with a handful of jobs.

Agency builds ($10,000+)

Worth it for complex needs: e-commerce with big catalogues, custom booking systems, multi-location businesses. Overkill if you need a sharp site that turns visitors into enquiries.

Where the value really is

Whatever you spend, these matter more than page count or flashy animation:

• Speed — especially on mobile
• Clarity — what you do, who for, where, in five seconds
• A clear next step — call, enquire or book on every page
• Being findable — sensible page structure that search engines understand

Our take

Spend enough to look credible and convert enquiries — for most small businesses that's in the low thousands, not the tens of thousands. Then put the savings into being seen: content and advertising that actually send people to the site.