Ask five people what a website costs and you will hear five answers between $0 and $20,000. Here is how the options actually compare in 2026, and how to tell a fair monthly fee from a bad one.
The four ways to get a site
- Build it yourself on Squarespace, Wix and similar. Squarespace's plans run from about $16 to $99 a month on a yearly plan. Cheapest in money, most expensive in your time, and you are on your own for getting found on Google.
- Software you already use, like booking or job software, often includes a simple website. Fine to start; usually thin on the pages that bring in Google searches.
- A freelancer or small agency, usually a one-time build fee plus an optional monthly plan. Prices vary widely; ask exactly what the monthly covers.
- A full marketing agency, often with a monthly retainer and a minimum term. Makes sense once you are spending real money on ads.
What hosting really costs
Owners on Reddit said it clearly in 2026: hosting and maintenance are two different things. Hosting a simple small business site costs very little; a domain name costs roughly $10 to $20 a year. If someone charges $100 or more a month and calls it "hosting", ask what else is in it.
A fair monthly plan names what you get: hosting, security, backups, a set amount of edits, support, and maybe reports. For comparison, WP Buffs, a well-known WordPress care company, lists its plans with unlimited small edits at $179 a month, without hosting.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Whose name is the domain registered in? It should be yours. See our guide on owning your website.
- If I stop paying, what happens to my site? A fair answer: you get your domain and your files.
- What exactly does the monthly fee include? Get it in writing.
- Is there a minimum term or a cancellation fee?
- How many pages, and is there one for each of my main services? That matters for Google and AI search; see our guide on getting recommended by AI.
- Can I see it before I pay?
How we price it, for comparison
We Boost Leads builds your site first, free, and you pay only if you like it: $997 one time for a five-page site plus a page for your industry, with year one of hosting and your domain included. After that, hosting is $149 a year, or a care plan with hosting, unlimited small edits and support is $129 a month, cancel anytime. The domain is yours. See pricing.