We break down the real tiers: DIY builders like Wix and Squarespace (around $15 to $50 a month, where you do the work and rent the platform), freelancers (usually $1,500 to $5,000), and full-service agencies (starting around $3,500 and scaling with design, features, and support). You'll learn why page count is a poor way to price a site, why content volume is what really drives cost, and how to make sure you actually own what you pay for.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:11 The real range: $3,500 to $10,000+
0:29 What actually drives the price
0:44 DIY builders: Wix & Squarespace
1:04 Freelancer vs. agency
1:25 Why page count is the wrong measure
1:48 What to do before you get quotes
2:11 The bottom line

KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A professional small-business website is usually a $3,500 to $10,000+ one-time build.
- Price is driven by how much content each page carries, functionality (store, booking, integrations), and who builds it, not the number of pages.
- DIY builders are a real option, but you are renting the platform, not owning your site.
- Freelancers run about $1,500 to $5,000; agencies start around $3,500 and give you the full range done consistently.
- Before you get quotes: write down what the site has to do, and confirm you own it (files and all) from day one.

FREQUENTLY ASKED
Q: How much does a website cost for a small business?
A: Most professional small-business sites run $3,500 to $10,000+ as a one-time build. DIY builders are $15 to $50/month, freelancers $1,500 to $5,000, and agencies start around $3,500.

Q: Is a cheap website worth it?
A: A $500 template site usually costs more later in lost leads, slow load times, and a rebuild. A site that ranks and converts pays for itself.

Q: Are there ongoing costs?
A: Yes, hosting and a domain (roughly $10 to $40/month combined), plus optional maintenance or SEO. A one-time build is not a monthly subscription unless you choose a care plan.

Q: Should I price a website by the number of pages?
A: No. Page count on its own is a poor guide. A five-page site with booking and custom design can cost more than a fifteen-page site that is all text.

LINKS
Full written breakdown: https://fivensonstudios.com/how-much-does-a-website-cost/
Get a straight quote for your project: https://fivensonstudios.com/contact-us/
More from Fivenson Studios: https://fivensonstudios.com

FULL TRANSCRIPT
Jack: Alright, today's question is the one everybody asks and nobody answers straight. How much does a website actually cost?
Jackie: Yeah, so the honest answer starts with "it depends." But that's a cop-out, so let me give you real numbers. For a professional small business site, you're usually looking at $3,500 to $10,000 and up, as a one-time build.
Jack: Okay, that's a wide range. What makes it thirty-five hundred versus ten grand and up?
Jackie: Three things. How much content each page has to carry, which decides how many custom layouts you need. Then functionality: a store, booking, integrations, custom code. And who's building it.
Jack: What about the DIY builders, like Wix or Squarespace? Those are like fifteen bucks a month, right?
Jackie: They are, and honestly they've gotten good. If you want to do it yourself and never touch code, that's a real option. Just know you're doing the work, and you're renting the platform. You don't own it the way you own a custom build.
Jack: And freelancers versus an agency?
Jackie: A freelancer usually lands around $1,500 to $5,000, great for a small, defined project. An agency costs more, usually starting around $3,500, but you get the full range: design, development, SEO, all of it, done consistently.
Jack: Here's what I always wonder though. A lot of people price a site by the number of pages. Is that a good way to think about it?
Jackie: No, and this part matters. Page count on its own is a terrible guide. A five-page site with booking and custom design costs way more than a fifteen-page site that's all text. We don't even quote from page count.
Jack: So what should someone actually do before they go get quotes?
Jackie: Two things. First, write down what the site has to do. Not how many pages, but the jobs: take bookings, sell products, capture leads. Second, decide who owns it at the end. Cheap quotes often mean you're renting, or you don't even get your files. Everything a good agency builds should be yours from day one.
Jack: That's a great filter. So the number's real, thirty-five hundred to ten grand and up for a custom build, but the smart move is knowing what actually drives it.
Jackie: Exactly. And if you want a real number for your project, not a page-count guess, that's a five-minute conversation. This has been The Fivenson Playbook.

ABOUT
The Fivenson Playbook is straight answers on marketing, branding, web design, SEO, and getting more customers, from Fivenson Studios in Ann Arbor, Michigan. New episodes 2 to 3 times a week.

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