What changes the price
Three things drive the cost of almost any small business website:
- How many pages. One page with your services, hours and contact info takes far less time than ten pages with a menu, a gallery and service areas.
- Who writes and shoots it. If you send your own text and photos, the price is lower. If I rewrite your copy or come and photograph your business, that's more work.
- What the site has to do. A contact form is simple. Online booking, ordering or a login where you change your own prices is a bigger build.
What's included at each price
Starter $1,200
or $300 down, then $85 a month for 12 months ($1,320 total)
For a sole operator who needs to be found and called. One page with services, hours, contact and a map, one request form, built for phones first, one round of changes. About 1 to 2 weeks.
Standard $2,500
or $625 down, then $175 a month for 12 months ($2,725 total)
For a business with several services and photos of its work. Up to 5 pages, two forms, your copy rewritten clearly, your photos, Google Maps and search basics, two rounds of changes. About 3 to 4 weeks.
Premium $4,500
or $1,125 down, then $320 a month for 12 months ($4,965 total)
For an owner who wants photos and listings handled too. Up to 10 pages and two forms, a photo session at your business, menu or flyer pages, Google Business Profile cleanup, launch-day social graphics, three rounds of changes. About 5 to 6 weeks.
Paying in full is half to start and half at launch, and costs less overall. Either way, you own the site and your domain.
Extras some businesses need
Extra page $300. Extra form $175. Admin login to change your own prices, hours and photos, from $700. Online booking setup from $450. Order builder with a live total $700. Logo refresh $500. Photo session $450.
After launch: care plans (optional)
- Hosting, $35 a month: your site online, secure and backed up.
- Care, $100 a month: hosting plus up to 1 hour of updates a month.
- Care Plus, $200 a month: up to 2 hours of updates, a visitor report and same-day urgent changes.
Paying yearly saves two months. Changes outside a plan are $85 an hour, quoted first.
What to watch out for
- A price with no list of what's included. Ask how many pages, how many rounds of changes, and who writes the text.
- Not owning your domain. Your domain should be in your name, so you can move it if you ever need to.
- Monthly fees that never end. Some builders charge a monthly fee forever just to keep the site up. Ask what happens if you stop paying.
- Sites that look fine on a computer but not on a phone. Most people will find you on their phone. Check the sample sites on a phone before you decide.