· 5 min read · Joan Karstrom
How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost in 2026?
It’s the first question almost every small business owner asks me, and the honest answer is “it depends.” That isn’t very useful on its own, so here is what it actually depends on, with real numbers.
The short answer
At jCode Studio, a small business website costs between $500 and $5,000 to build, plus an optional monthly Care Plan of $100–$1,000 after launch. If you want the site to actively bring in customers, plan for the $1,500–$3,000 range.
Agencies often charge $10,000 or more for the same scope because you’re paying for a team: an account manager, a designer, a developer, and a project manager. When one person designs and builds the whole thing, a lot of that overhead disappears.
$500–$1,200: getting online with a credible site
This is the Starter tier. You get up to five pages built on a proven, branded layout, a contact form, basic SEO (page titles, descriptions, and a sitemap), and your Google Business Profile and Analytics set up.
It’s a good fit if you’re new, if your current site is embarrassing, or if most of your business comes from referrals and you mainly need somewhere to send people.
$1,500–$3,000: a site that brings in leads
The Growth tier is where a website starts working as a sales tool. Up to ten pages plus a blog, a semi-custom design, online booking, keyword-focused pages, and structured data so Google understands what you do.
This is the tier most coaches, consultants, and service businesses need. If customers find you through search, it usually pays for itself.
$3,000–$5,000: fully custom
The Pro tier is a fully custom design with full technical and content SEO, CRM-connected lead routing, and an AI chatbot trained on your business. It’s for businesses with multiple services, multiple audiences, or a brand that has to stand out in a crowded market.
What you pay after launch
A website needs hosting, security updates, backups, and the occasional content change. You can handle that yourself or add a Care Plan, from $100/month for the basics up to $1,000/month for ongoing SEO, blog posts, and a quarterly strategy call.
Either way, you own your site. A Care Plan isn’t a lock-in.
What actually changes the price
Number of pages, whether you need a brand identity designed first, booking or e-commerce features, how much writing you need help with, and how many rounds of revisions you want. Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) is not one of them, because it’s included in every tier.