A custom business website costs $2,500 to $15,000 for most small and mid-sized US companies in 2026. A five-page marketing site sits at $2,500 to $6,000; a larger site with a CMS, blog and integrations runs $6,000 to $15,000; and web applications with custom functionality start around $15,000. Page count matters far less than the number of unique components and integrations.
Most cost guides give you a range so wide it is useless. Here are the actual numbers, what moves them, and how to tell whether a quote is reasonable.
Most business sites
The real cost driver
Typical timeline
Priced before work starts
Usually 25–35% of the budget. Custom design per page costs more than a component system reused across pages.
Typically 40–50%. Driven by unique component count, responsive complexity and interaction work.
Often forgotten. Writing 10 pages of real copy is $1,500–$4,000 if you are not writing it yourself.
$300–$2,500 each depending on the API. CRM, payments, booking and ERP all differ wildly.
$1,500–$4,000 to model content properly and give your team editing without a developer.
$350–$900 per month for maintenance. Hosting is usually $0–$50 for a site this size.
| Type | Cost | Timeline | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landing page | $900 – $2,000 | 1–2 weeks | One page, one goal, tracked |
| Small business site | $2,500 – $6,000 | 3–5 weeks | 5–8 custom pages, forms |
| Growth site | $6,000 – $15,000 | 6–9 weeks | 10–25 pages, CMS, blog, integrations |
| Ecommerce store | $4,000 – $35,000 | 4–14 weeks | Theme build through headless |
| Web application | $12,000 – $50,000 | 6–16 weeks | Auth, dashboards, custom logic |
| SaaS MVP | $15,000 – $45,000 | 8–14 weeks | Multi-tenant, billing, marketing site |
These are ranges for a competent custom build. A US agency will typically quote two to four times these figures for the same scope; a $500 marketplace gig will not deliver any of it.
Unique component count, integration complexity, content readiness, revision rounds and how many people must approve.
| Variable | Cheap | Expensive |
|---|---|---|
| Page structure | 8 components reused across 20 pages | Every page structurally unique |
| Design source | You supply finished designs | Design from scratch with research |
| Content | Ready before build starts | Written during, or late |
| Integrations | Standard forms, one CRM | ERP, legacy systems, custom auth |
| Animation | Consistent, systemised | Bespoke effect per section |
| Approvals | One decision-maker | Committee with rounds of feedback |
A quote that is dramatically lower than others is usually missing scope that will reappear as change requests once you are committed. Ask what happens when the estimate is wrong — the answer tells you most of what you need to know.
Because 'website' covers a five-page brochure and a multi-tenant application. Beyond that, location dominates: the same build quoted at $40,000 in New York is $12,000 from a remote studio. Compare scope line by line, not headline prices.
A well-configured template on Squarespace or Shopify is genuinely fine for a business at an early stage, and costs a few hundred dollars. The mistake is paying $3,000 for a custom-looking site that is a template with the colours changed.
Hosting $0–$50/month for a marketing site, domain around $15/year, and maintenance $350–$900/month if you want someone patching, monitoring and making changes. A CMS may add $0–$100/month.
Fixed price for defined scope, which is most marketing sites. Hourly or retainer for genuinely exploratory work. Either is fine with a clear scope document; neither survives without one.
For a US small business wanting a credible custom site: $3,000 to $8,000, plus $350–$600 a month for maintenance. Below that you are choosing a template, which is a legitimate option we will tell you about.
Indicative ranges in USD. Every engagement is quoted to a written scope before work starts, so the number you approve is the number you pay.
$2,500 – $6,000
3–5 weeks
Best for: Established businesses replacing a dated site
$6,000 – $15,000
6–9 weeks
Best for: Sites that drive real pipeline
$15,000+
10+ weeks
Best for: Applications and multi-region sites
How we think about this work, in more depth.
Cost guide
A 30-minute call, then a written proposal with scope, price and timeline within two to three working days. No retainer required to get a real number, and no obligation if the answer is that we are not the right fit.