Website costs depend on what you build and who builds it
A website can cost anywhere from nothing to tens of thousands of dollars per year, depending on whether you build it yourself, hire someone, what features you need, and how much traffic you get. A simple site using a free platform costs zero upfront. A custom site built by an agency can run $5,000 to $50,000 or more. Most small business owners spend $500 to $5,000 in the first year, then $100 to $500 annually to keep it running.
The real cost question is not "how much does a website cost" but "what am I paying for" — the software to build it, the server space to host it, the domain name, ongoing maintenance, and any help from a designer or developer. Each of these is separate and optional, and you can mix and match depending on your budget and technical comfort.
Key Takeaways
- Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress.com charge $10 to $30 per month and include hosting, making them the cheapest route for small sites.
- Self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org) costs $3 to $15 per month for hosting plus a domain name, but requires more technical knowledge to set up and maintain.
- Hiring a freelancer or agency to design and build a site typically costs $1,000 to $10,000 upfront, plus ongoing hosting and maintenance fees.
- Domain names cost $10 to $15 per year, and SSL certificates (which make your site secure) are free on most platforms or included in hosting plans.
- Monthly costs for a basic site stay low, but add-ons like email hosting, premium themes, plugins, and extra storage can push your bill higher over time.
Website builders: the lowest upfront cost
Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, and GoDaddy Website Builder are designed so you do not need to know how to code. You pick a template, drag elements around, add text and images, and publish. They handle hosting, security, and backups for you. Monthly plans typically range from $10 to $30, though some offer free tiers with limited features and the builder's branding on your site.
Wix starts at $14 per month for a basic site and goes up to $27 per month for e-commerce. Squarespace is $15 to $33 per month depending on features. Weebly is $6 to $38 per month. These prices include hosting, a free domain for the first year (then $10 to $15 annually), and an SSL certificate. You do not pay separately for these things — they are bundled in.
The trade-off is flexibility. Website builders lock you into their system. If you want to move your site to a different platform later, you cannot easily export your design and content — you have to rebuild it. They are best for small businesses, portfolios, and blogs where you do not expect to outgrow the platform.
Self-hosted WordPress: more control, more responsibility
WordPress.org (self-hosted WordPress, not WordPress.com) is free software you install on your own server. You pay for hosting separately — typically $3 to $15 per month from providers like Bluehost, SiteGround, or Kinsta. You also buy a domain name for $10 to $15 per year. That puts your first-year cost at $50 to $200, and annual costs at $40 to $200 after that.
The advantage is control. You own your content and your site's code. You can install thousands of free and paid plugins to add features. You can change your design without losing your content. You are not locked into one company's ecosystem.
The disadvantage is that you are responsible for updates, security, and backups. If your site gets hacked or breaks, you fix it — or you pay someone to. Many hosting providers offer managed WordPress hosting, which handles updates and security for you, but that costs $20 to $100+ per month. For beginners, this extra cost is often worth it.
Hiring a designer or developer
If you do not want to build the site yourself, you hire someone. A freelancer on Upwork or Fiverr might charge $500 to $5,000 for a simple site. A local web designer or small agency typically charges $2,000 to $15,000. A larger agency can charge $10,000 to $50,000 or more for a custom-built site with special features.
These prices are one-time design and build costs. After the site launches, you still pay for hosting ($5 to $50 per month), a domain name ($10 to $15 per year), and any ongoing maintenance or updates. Some designers include the first year of hosting in their price; others do not. Ask before you hire.
Hiring makes sense if you have a complex site, need custom features, or want a professional design. It does not make sense if you are testing an idea or have a tight budget — a website builder is faster and cheaper to start.
Domain names and email
A domain name — the address people type to reach your site, like yourname.com — costs $10 to $15 per year from registrars like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains. Some website builders include a free domain for the first year, then charge the standard rate after that. If you register a domain through one company and host your site elsewhere, you need to point the domain to your hosting provider, which takes a few minutes but requires following technical steps.
If you want an email address at your domain (like hello@yourname.com instead of yourname@gmail.com), that costs extra. Website builders sometimes include one or two email addresses in higher-tier plans. Self-hosted WordPress requires a separate email hosting service, which costs $5 to $10 per month from providers like Google Workspace or Zoho Mail. Some hosting providers include email, so check before you buy.
Add-ons and hidden costs
Once your site is live, costs can creep up. Premium themes or templates cost $30 to $100 one-time. Plugins that add features (contact forms, SEO tools, backup systems, security) range from free to $100+ per year. Extra storage for images and videos costs $5 to $20 per month. Premium support or priority help adds $10 to $50 per month.
If you sell products, payment processing fees apply. Stripe and PayPal charge 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. If you sell $10,000 in products per month, that is roughly $300 in fees. Some website builders bundle payment processing into their e-commerce plans, so the fee is already included in your monthly cost.
Maintenance and updates add up too. If you use self-hosted WordPress, you might pay a developer $50 to $200 per month to handle updates, security patches, and backups. Website builders handle this automatically, which is one reason they cost more per month.
Comparing total costs over one year
| Option | Setup Cost | Monthly Cost | Year 1 Total | Year 2+ Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free website builder (with ads) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Paid website builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $0 | $15–$30 | $180–$360 | $180–$360 |
| Self-hosted WordPress (basic) | $0 | $8–$20 | $96–$240 + domain | $96–$240 |
| Self-hosted WordPress (managed) | $0 | $30–$100 | $360–$1,200 + domain | $360–$1,200 |
| Freelancer-built site (WordPress) | $1,000–$5,000 | $10–$30 | $1,120–$5,360 | $120–$360 |
| Agency-built site (custom) | $5,000–$25,000 | $50–$200 | $5,600–$27,400 | $600–$2,400 |
The table shows why most small business owners start with a website builder. The upfront cost is zero, and monthly costs are predictable. If your site grows and you need more features, you can move to self-hosted WordPress or hire a developer later.
A freelancer-built site on WordPress costs more upfront but less per month than a managed WordPress host. An agency-built custom site costs the most upfront but may include ongoing support in the monthly fee. Your choice depends on your budget now and whether you expect to grow later.
What affects your actual cost
Your final bill depends on several factors. Traffic volume matters if you use a hosting provider that charges based on bandwidth — most do not, but some do. Storage needs affect cost if you host large files or many images; a portfolio site uses less storage than a video library. Integrations with other tools (payment processors, email marketing, CRM systems) may have their own fees on top of your website cost.
Whether you do the work yourself or hire someone is the biggest cost driver. Building your own site on a website builder costs $180 to $360 per year. Hiring a freelancer to build it costs $1,000 to $5,000 upfront, then $120 to $360 per year to maintain. Hiring an agency costs $5,000 to $25,000 upfront, then $600 to $2,400 per year.
Your timeline also matters. If you need a site in a week, you hire someone or use a website builder template. If you have a month, you can learn WordPress or another platform and save money. If you have three months, you can shop around for the best deal and make a more informed choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a website for free?
Yes. Free website builders like Wix, Weebly, and WordPress.com offer free plans, though they display ads and limit features. You get a free subdomain (like yourname.wixsite.com) instead of your own domain. For a personal blog or portfolio, this works. For a business, the ads and subdomain look unprofessional, so most people upgrade to a paid plan.
What is the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?
WordPress.com is a website builder owned by Automattic. You pay a monthly fee, and they handle hosting and maintenance. WordPress.org is free software you install on a server you rent separately. WordPress.org gives you more control but requires more technical knowledge. WordPress.com is easier but less flexible.
Do I need to pay for SSL or security?
No. SSL certificates (which encrypt data between your site and visitors) are free on all major website builders and most hosting providers. They are included in the monthly cost. You do not need to buy security separately unless you want advanced features like malware scanning or DDoS protection, which cost $5 to $50 per month.
What happens if I stop paying?
Your site goes offline. If you stop paying your hosting bill, your site disappears within days or weeks. If you stop paying for your domain name, someone else can buy it. If you use a website builder and stop paying, your site is deleted after a grace period (usually 30 to 60 days). Always keep your domain and hosting paid if you want your site to stay live.
Can I move my site to a different platform later?
It depends on the platform. Self-hosted WordPress sites are easy to move — you export your content and import it elsewhere. Website builder sites are harder. Wix and Squarespace do not make it easy to export your design, so you usually have to rebuild on the new platform. If you think you might switch later, self-hosted WordPress is a safer choice.