If you’re googling “how much does a website cost” - you’ll get answers ranging from $0 to $500,000. Both are technically correct and completely useless.

Here’s what websites actually cost in 2026, based on real projects I’ve built.

The Quick Answer

Type	Price Range	Timeline
Landing page	$500 - $1,500	1-2 weeks
Business website (5-10 pages)	$1,500 - $5,000	3-5 weeks
E-commerce (basic)	$3,000 - $10,000	4-8 weeks
Web application / SaaS	$10,000 - $50,000+	2-6 months
Enterprise platform	$50,000+	6+ months

These are based on real projects and typical market rates in 2026. Not Fiverr prices, not agency markups.

What You’re Actually Paying For

1. Design ($400 - $2,000)

This is the visual layer. Includes:

• Layout and structure
• Color scheme, typography
• Mobile responsive design
• 1-2 revision rounds

Where people overpay: Agencies charging $5,000+ for “brand discovery workshops” that produce a Figma file. If you have a logo and know your colors, a good developer can design as they build.

2. Development ($500 - $5,000+)

The actual building. Factors:

• Platform choice matters enormously. WordPress is cheaper upfront but slower and needs constant updates. Next.js/Astro costs more initially but runs faster and needs less maintenance.
• Number of pages - more pages = more work, but the marginal cost decreases.
• Custom functionality - contact forms are simple. Product configurators are not.

3. Content ($0 - $2,000)

The text, images, and media on your site. Options:

• You provide it - $0 but requires your time
• Developer writes it - $500-2,000 depending on volume
• AI-assisted - 2026 reality: AI writes first drafts, humans edit. Cuts cost 50-70%.

4. SEO Setup ($0 - $500)

Basic technical SEO should be included in any professional build:

• Meta tags, sitemap, robots.txt
• Page speed optimization
• Schema.org markup
• Google Search Console setup

If someone charges extra for this, they’re padding the invoice.

5. Hosting & Domain ($50 - $300/year)

• Domain: $10-15/year
• Hosting: $0 (Vercel/Cloudflare free tier) to $300/year (dedicated server)
• SSL: Free everywhere in 2026. If someone charges for SSL, run.

WordPress vs Modern Stack (Next.js, Astro)

Factor	WordPress	Next.js / Astro
Initial cost	Lower	Higher
Speed	Slower	Much faster
SEO	Decent with plugins	Excellent by default
Security	Needs constant updates	Minimal attack surface
Maintenance	$50-200/month	Near zero
Flexibility	Plugin dependent	Unlimited

My recommendation: If you need a blog or simple site and want to edit it yourself with zero technical knowledge - WordPress is still a viable option. For everything else, modern frameworks tend to win on speed, security, and long-term cost. You can verify the speed difference yourself using Google PageSpeed Insights.

Red Flags When Hiring

🚩 “We need 2 months for discovery and strategy” - for a 5-page website? No.

🚩 Monthly fees for “website management” over $200 - unless they’re doing active SEO or content work.

🚩 You don’t own the code - always get full source code and hosting access.

🚩 No portfolio or live examples - if they can’t show you working sites, they haven’t built any.

🚩 Price is suspiciously low ($200 for a “custom” website) - you’ll get a WordPress template with your logo swapped in.

What I’d Recommend

For most small-to-medium businesses in 2026:

1. Budget $1,500 - $3,000 for a professional website
2. Choose a developer, not an agency - less overhead, more direct communication
3. Provide your own content - you know your business better than anyone
4. Insist on modern tech - fast loading, mobile-first, good SEO out of the box
5. Skip the monthly retainer unless you need ongoing content or SEO work

Your website is a tool, not a trophy. It should load fast, explain what you do, and make it easy to contact you. Everything else is optional.

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