Published October 3, 2026 by TruHint Digital
If you have searched for a website recently, you have seen every price possible. Free builders, $99 offers, and agencies quoting thousands. The price only makes sense once you know what is included and who does the work.
The four ways to get a website
1. A DIY website builder
You pick a template and build it yourself. The monthly fee is usually low, often somewhere around $15 to $50, but you pay with your own time: writing, photos, setup, and learning the tool. You also handle updates, security settings and anything to do with Google yourself.
Good for: people who enjoy doing it themselves and have the time.
2. A freelancer
Prices vary widely, from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Quality varies just as much. The common problem is what happens after launch: many freelancers move on to the next project, and you are left with a site nobody looks after.
3. A traditional web agency
Agencies often quote $2,000 to $5,000 or more before you see anything, and take 4 to 8 weeks. Hosting, SEO and updates are frequently billed separately.
4. A done-for-you plan
A company designs and builds the site, then hosts it and looks after it for a monthly fee. This is how we work. At TruHint, a 3 to 5 page website is $299 with a free logo, then $29 a month for care: hosting, security, backups, form checks, a monthly report and changes by email. Bigger sites are on our Growth and Pro plans. You can see every price here.
The costs people forget
- Domain name: usually $10 to $20 a year for a normal .com.
- Hosting: keeping the site online, often $10 to $30 a month on your own.
- Business email: addresses like [email protected], often a few dollars per person per month.
- Security and updates: someone has to keep the site patched and backed up.
- Changes: new prices, hours or photos. Freelancers often charge by the hour.
- Being found on Google: a site nobody finds does not bring in customers.
When you compare prices, add these up. A "cheap" website can cost more over a year than a plan that includes them.
What should a small business actually pay?
For most local businesses, a clean 3 to 5 page site is enough to start: a homepage, services, about, and contact. What matters more than page count is that it loads fast on a phone, shows up on Google and Maps, and makes it easy to call or book.
Ask any provider three questions before you pay:
- Can I see a design before I pay anything?
- Who looks after the site after launch, and what does it cost?
- Do I own my domain, and can I take the site with me if I leave?
If the answers are vague, keep looking.