A small business website can cost anything from a few hundred dollars a year for a do-it-yourself builder to several thousand dollars for a fully custom build, plus ongoing hosting and maintenance. At Maze, professionally built dynamic websites cost $800 for up to 3 pages, $1,500 for up to 10 pages and $2,500 for up to 20 pages, with hosting at $50 a month or included in a care plan.
“How much does a website cost?” is the first question almost every business owner asks us, and most of the answers online are frustrating. Ranges are so wide they are useless, and agencies hide their prices behind a contact form.
This guide breaks down what you will actually pay for a small business website in 2026, what pushes the price up or down, the ongoing costs people forget, and how to choose the right option for your business.
How much does a small business website cost in 2026?
Here is how the most common options compare:
| Option | Upfront cost | Ongoing cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder | Your time | A monthly subscription, often a few hundred dollars a year | Hobby projects and very early businesses with time to learn design and SEO |
| Dynamic Site X | $800, paid in full | $50/month hosting or a care plan | New and small businesses that need a professional presence fast |
| Dynamic Site Y | $1,500, or 2 payments of $750 | First month of any care plan free | Service businesses that want more calls, bookings and leads |
| Dynamic Site Z | $2,500, or 2 payments of $1,250 | First month of any care plan free | Established businesses ready for funnels, chat and automation |
| Fully custom build | Quoted after a free consultation | Depends on features | E-commerce, large sites and custom functionality |
You can see everything included in each package on our website design and development page.
What affects the cost of a website?
Number of pages
Every page needs to be planned, written, designed and optimized. A simple site with a home, about and contact page costs less than a site with a dedicated page for every service and location. Separate service pages cost more upfront, but they are also what helps you rank on Google and get recommended by AI search for each thing you sell.
Design approach
A template with your logo dropped in is the cheapest route. A conversion-focused design, where every page is planned around getting visitors to call, book or fill out a form, takes more work and usually pays for itself. Fully custom design and features sit at the top of the range.
Content and photos
Clear copy and real photos of your team and work build trust far better than stock images. Budget for copywriting and a photo shoot if you do not already have strong content.
SEO and AI search setup
A site that nobody finds is an expense, not an investment. Look for page speed optimization, clean structure, schema markup and question-and-answer content that both Google and AI tools like ChatGPT can understand. If you are new to AI search, our guide to answer engine optimization (AEO) explains why this matters.
Lead capture and integrations
Contact forms connected to a CRM, booking calendars, email notifications, chat widgets and review requests all add to the build, and they are usually what turns a website from a brochure into a lead generator.
Custom features
Online stores, member portals, custom calculators and complex integrations need to be scoped individually, which is why custom builds are priced after a consultation.
What ongoing website costs should you budget for?
- Domain name: usually a small yearly fee, often around $10 to $25.
- Hosting: where your website lives. At Maze, hosting is $50 a month if you do not choose a care plan.
- Maintenance and security: WordPress, plugin and server updates, backups and monitoring. Outdated software is one of the most common reasons small business websites get hacked.
- Ongoing SEO and AI search: fresh content, reviews and technical improvements that keep the leads coming.
- Marketing tools: a CRM, email and text follow-up, and booking tools.
Our care plans bundle these together:
| Care plan | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Care | $297/month | Secure hosting, backups, security and uptime monitoring, updates and the Streemlyne marketing platform with CRM, email, SMS and calendar |
| Growth Care | $349/month | Everything in Essential, plus monthly SEO and AI search optimization, reporting, reputation management and marketing automation |
| Authority Growth | $500/month | Everything in Growth, plus local SEO strategy, competitor monitoring, content optimization for Google and AI answers and advanced automation |
Why the cheapest website often costs the most
A website that looks fine but loads slowly, does not show up on Google or in AI search, and has no way to capture leads is not cheap. It is an expense with no return. Warning signs include:
- Very few calls or form submissions coming from the website
- Pages that are hard to use on a phone
- No clear next step, like call, book or get a quote, on every page
- Leads that sit in an inbox for hours before anyone follows up
- Software that has not been updated in months
Curious what that is costing you? Plug your numbers into our free Revenue Leak Calculator.
How do you choose the right website package?
Answer these five questions before you compare quotes:
- How many services and locations do you need pages for?
- Do you want customers to book appointments online?
- Where do your leads go today, and who follows up?
- Do you plan to run Google or Meta ads that need landing pages?
- Who will host, secure and update the website after launch?
As a rough guide, Dynamic Site X suits new businesses that need a clean, professional presence with up to 3 pages. Dynamic Site Y suits most service businesses: up to 10 pages, a page for each service, booking and lead capture connected to your CRM. Dynamic Site Z suits established businesses ready to scale with up to 20 pages, landing page funnels, chat and advanced automation.
How does payment work at Maze?
Website projects are a one-time payment, not a long-term contract. Dynamic Site X is paid in full at kickoff. Dynamic Site Y and Dynamic Site Z can be split into 2 payments, and both include your first month of any care plan free. All websites require a $50 monthly hosting fee if a care plan is not selected. Ongoing marketing is month-to-month with a 14-day cancellation notice.
Frequently asked questions about website costs
How much should a small business spend on a website?
For most small service businesses, a professionally built website with lead capture and SEO and AI search basics is the right starting point, which at Maze ranges from $800 to $2,500 one time. Spend more when you need custom features like e-commerce or complex integrations.
Is an $800 website worth it?
It is if it fits your stage. Dynamic Site X includes up to 3 professionally designed pages, mobile responsive design, contact forms, CRM lead capture, basic SEO and AI search setup, speed optimization and SSL security. If you offer several services or want online booking, Dynamic Site Y gives you room to grow.
Do I have to pay monthly for a website?
Every website needs hosting to stay online. At Maze, hosting is $50 a month if you do not choose a care plan. Care plans start at $297 a month and include hosting, security, updates and the Streemlyne marketing platform.
How long does it take to build a small business website?
It depends on the package and how quickly your content and photos come together. We map out a clear timeline with milestones on your strategy call so you know exactly when to expect each step.
Does the price include SEO and AI search optimization?
Yes. Every Maze website package is built with SEO and AI search (AEO) basics, including clean structure, speed optimization and schema markup. Dynamic Site Y and Z add on-page SEO and AI search optimization, and our care plans and SEO service keep improving your visibility after launch.
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