Website quotes are easier to compare when you separate the initial build, recurring costs and work you will do yourself. This guide uses our published package prices and explicitly labelled arithmetic examples, rather than claiming a nationwide market average.
Our published package prices
| Package | First year | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $396 | $396/year |
| Business | $639 | $639/year |
Starter and Business include domain registration or connection and hosting for one year. Confirm domain availability and the written scope before proceeding. One Page starts at $99 and Store at $936; confirm their coverage and renewal terms before paying.
Compare scope before comparing the price
Write down the pages, contact forms, booking links, product catalogue and content you need. Ask each provider whether writing, images, accessibility checks, analytics setup and post-launch edits are included. A five-page brochure and a custom booking system are different projects even if both are called a business website.
DIY builders
A builder can suit an owner who likes editing and has time to learn the platform. Check its current checkout price, annual billing requirement, domain renewal, email charges and export options. Promotional first-year pricing is different from the ongoing cost. A template can work well when its content and layout meet your customers' needs.
For an illustrative time budget, 30 hours valued at $50/hour is $1,500 of your time, plus software. That is an example, not an estimate of how long your project will take. Time has an opportunity cost only to the extent it displaces other useful work or rest.
Freelancers and agencies
Request a written quote for the same brief from each candidate. Compare live work, who handles revisions, what happens after launch, ownership and the total recurring cost. A higher quote can include strategy, integrations or ongoing support that a smaller package does not. The right choice depends on your requirements and the actual agreement.
A three-year comparison you can check
As a hypothetical example, a $99/month service costs $3,564 over 36 months before setup fees, taxes and extras. Our Business package at $639 each year totals $1,917 over three years at the currently stated renewal price. Starter at $396/year totals $1,188. Compare included work and cancellation terms as well as those totals.
Ask about the costs outside the build
- Domain registration, premium-domain charges and renewal.
- Hosting, backups and maintenance.
- Business email, paid booking software and payment processing.
- Photo licences, copywriting and additional pages.
- Content changes after the included allowance.
- Moving your files or domain to another provider.
Work out a realistic return
Use contribution margin, rather than sales revenue alone, when estimating how many additional customers would cover a website. For example, if each extra customer leaves $100 after variable delivery costs, a $639 annual website cost requires at least seven additional customers to cover that fee. Advertising, your time and other overhead still need to be considered. A website cannot guarantee those customers.
Before you approve
Get the total, renewal schedule, deliverables, revision allowance and transfer terms in writing. Test the preview on a phone and check the contact method. Choose a package that supports the next useful action your customer needs to take.