How Much a Small Business Website Costs (Example Numbers)
By Cedar & Ledger
A website for a small local business can cost a few dollars a year or a few hundred, depending on how you build it and what you add. The price you see on the signup page is often a first-year promo, and the yearly renewals are what you actually live with. This guide shows how to list every cost, compare two common setups per year, watch for renewal prices, and put the number in your business budget, using example numbers.
Every dollar figure here is a made-up example to show the math, not a quote or a typical price. Prices change often and vary by company and plan. This is general information, not financial, tax, or legal advice.
Quick checklist
- ☐ Decide what the site has to do
- ☐ List every cost: domain, hosting or builder, email, extras
- ☐ Price each setup per year, not per month
- ☐ Check renewal prices, not just the first year
- ☐ Read the free-tier terms before you rely on one
- ☐ Turn the yearly total into a monthly set-aside
- ☐ Log it as a business cost and review it once a year
The steps below walk through each one.
Step 1: Decide what the site has to do
For most local service businesses, the site's job is simple: say what you do, where you work, and how to reach you. If that's all you need, a one-page site is usually enough. If you need online booking, payments, or a store, you'll likely pay for a tool that does those. Free One-Page Website for a Local Business: What to Include lists the sections a one-page site needs. Writing the text yourself costs nothing but time; How to Write Your Small Business Website Text (Examples) shows what to put in each section. A free Google Business Profile can also put you on Google Maps before (or without) a website: How to Put Your Business on Google Maps for Free (Steps).
Step 2: List every cost
Write down each piece, even the ones that look free:
- Domain name (yourbusiness.com): usually a yearly fee to a registrar. The first year is often discounted.
- Hosting or a website builder: a builder plan usually includes hosting and an editor you use in the browser. A plain HTML site can sit on a static host, and some have free tiers.
- Business email (you@yourbusiness.com): optional and often a monthly fee per person. A regular free email address works too.
- Design: a template, a theme, your own time, or paying someone.
- Extras: contact forms, booking tools, photos, and add-ons. Many are free at a small size and charge later.
Step 3: Price each setup per year
Monthly prices look small, so multiply them out. Two example setups:
Example (made-up numbers):
| Setup (example) | Year 1 | Year 2 and after |
|---|---|---|
| A: website builder plan, $17/month, domain included the first year, then $20/year | $17 × 12 = $204 | $204 + $20 = $224 |
| B: HTML template $12 (one time), domain $15/year, static host free tier $0 | $12 + $15 = $27 | $15 |
Over 3 years in this example, setup A costs $204 + $224 + $224 = $652, and setup B costs $27 + $15 + $15 = $57, so B is $595 less.
That doesn't make B the right pick for everyone. A builder gives you a visual editor, built-in forms, and support. Setup B means editing a text file yourself. Pick the one you'll actually keep updated, then compare it with the other at the same yearly level.
If you add business email at an example $6/month ($72/year), add it to both: over 3 years, A becomes $652 + $216 = $868 and B becomes $57 + $216 = $273.
Step 4: Check renewal prices, not just the first year
Before you sign up, look for the renewal price of the domain and the plan, not just the promo. A domain that's a few dollars the first year can renew at several times that. Put the renewal date in your calendar a few weeks early so you can decide on purpose instead of finding the charge on your statement. How to Track Yearly Subscriptions and Renewals shows a simple way to list them. Once you have a domain, How to Connect a Custom Domain to Your Website (Steps) shows how to point it at your site and turn on auto-renew.
Step 5: Read the free-tier terms
Free hosting tiers are real, but each company sets its own rules. Some free plans are for personal or non-commercial use only, and some limit traffic or features. Read the host's terms for business use before you put your business site there, and check them again if the company changes its plans.
Step 6: Turn the yearly total into a monthly set-aside
Monthly set-aside = yearly cost ÷ 12.
Example (made-up numbers): setup A in year 2 is $224 ÷ 12 ≈ $18.67 a month. Setup B in year 2 is $15 ÷ 12 = $1.25 a month. Moving that amount into the business account each month means the renewal is already covered when it hits.
Step 7: Log it as a business cost and review it yearly
Pay website costs from the business account, keep the receipts, and log each one in your books under a category like "website and software." Website costs are often treated as business expenses for taxes, but rules depend on where you live and your situation, so check with the IRS website, your state, or a tax professional. Once a year, look at what you paid and whether each piece is still worth it.
Common snags
- Comparing a monthly price to a yearly one. Multiply everything out to a year first.
- Budgeting the promo price. Year 2 is usually the real number.
- Forgetting the domain renewal. If it lapses, the site and any email on that domain can stop working.
- Paying for add-ons you don't use. Cancel the ones nobody clicks.
- Mixing it with personal spending. A website bill on a personal card is easy to lose at tax time.
A simple way to track it
A note with each cost and renewal date works. If you'd like a head start on setup B, the One-Page Local Business Website Template ($12, HTML and CSS) is a one-page site with services, service area, reviews, hours and a tap-to-call button already laid out, 3 color themes, and a README for free static hosts. You edit one file, so it's best if you're comfortable editing text (details). To log website costs with the rest of your business spending, the Small Business Bookkeeping Spreadsheet ($12, Excel and Google Sheets) has a transaction log with categories, a profit & loss, and a deductible-expense summary for your tax preparer (details).
Honest note: I make these templates and sell them under Cedar & Ledger, so I'd earn from a purchase. General information only, not financial, tax, or legal advice.
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Frequently asked questions
What does this guide cover?
List every website cost, price a builder plan and a template on a free host per year, check renewal prices, and set aside monthly. Example numbers only.
What are the steps?
1) Decide what the site has to do; 2) List every cost; 3) Price each setup per year; 4) Check renewal prices, not just the first year; 5) Read the free-tier terms; 6) Turn the yearly total into a monthly set-aside; 7) Log it as a business cost and review it yearly.
Do I need a template to do this?
No. You can build the page yourself or use any site builder. Cedar & Ledger also sells a one-page HTML/CSS website template (I'd earn from a purchase); see the template box at the top of this page.
Is this financial advice?
No. It's general information with example numbers only, not financial, tax, legal or medical advice. Use your own numbers and check anything important with a qualified professional or the official source.