What kind of website do you need?
Pick the closest match. Complexity is the #1 driver of cost.
How will you build it?
This choice alone can swing your budget by 100×. There's no wrong answer — only trade-offs.
What features do you need?
Tick everything you want at launch. You can always add features later — launching lean is cheaper.
Your website cost estimate
Where the money goes
| Item | Details | One-time | Per year |
|---|
Ranges reflect typical 2025–2026 US market pricing (intro vs. renewal rates, template vs. custom). Your actual quotes will vary — use this to sanity-check any quote you receive.
Your cheapest path to launch 🚀
Based on your answers, here's what we'd do in your shoes — with the exact services to start with.
Website cost FAQs
Why do quotes for the "same" website range from $500 to $50,000?
Because you're not buying the same thing. A $500 site is usually a template with your logo dropped in; a $50,000 site is custom strategy, design, copywriting, integrations, and testing. Most small businesses land in the middle: a well-built WordPress or DIY-builder site for a few hundred to a few thousand dollars all-in for year one. The calculator above shows where each approach lands.
Is WordPress really free?
The WordPress software is free and open-source. What you pay for is everything around it: hosting ($60–$300+/yr), a domain (~$15/yr), and optionally a premium theme or plugins. The "free" part is real — the running costs are what surprise people.
What's the cheapest legitimate way to launch?
A DIY website builder or self-hosted WordPress on budget shared hosting. Expect roughly $100–$400 for the entire first year including your domain. Avoid anyone charging a "setup fee" for what is essentially a 30-minute install.
What yearly costs surprise people most?
Three things: (1) hosting renewal prices, which are often 2–3× the intro price; (2) premium plugin/theme renewals; and (3) paid maintenance or "care plans." Always check the renewal rate, not the headline promo price.
How accurate is this calculator?
It's built from typical 2025–2026 US market ranges for each approach and feature — good enough to budget and to spot an inflated quote. It can't replace a real quote for custom work, but if a freelancer quotes you 5× the top of your range here, ask exactly why.