TechNow SAI Answers · Websites

How much does a small business website cost in 2026?

Short answer: About $16–$46 a month if you build it yourself on Wix or Squarespace; about $500–$5,000 one time for a freelancer; $5,000–$15,000 and up for an agency; or $0 upfront and $59–$99 a month for a subscription site you rent. Our starter website is a flat $500, one time — and you own it. (Market figures from Sitewell Co.’s published Chico website-cost guide, October 2026.)

The year-one math nobody shows you

DIY builder: $16–$46/month — $192–$552 in year one, plus every hour of your own time, every year.

Subscription site: $59–$99/month — $590–$708 in year one for the basic tier alone, the same again in year two, and every year after. In their own words: “you keep paying monthly for as long as you keep the site.” Stop paying, and the site is gone.

Freelancer (typical): $500–$5,000 once, sometimes plus $50–$150/month for upkeep if you hire it out.

TechNow SAI starter website: $500 once. Year two costs you $0 in build payments. The site is an asset on your books, not a subscription on your card.

The question that matters more than price

Ask every seller one question: “If I stop paying you, what do I still have?” If the answer is “nothing,” you are renting. Renting is sometimes fine — just walk in knowing it.

And the honest limits of the $500 door

$500 is our starter build for a small business that needs a real, clean site. Bigger builds, stores, and corporate work are quoted at premium rates — professional clients who are already making money pay premium, and that is exactly what keeps the $500 door open for the little guy. We will tell you straight, for free, which one yours is: text us a link to your current site — or just the business you want online.

More answers: How much does paperwork help cost? · All answers