- Do it yourself: Squarespace plans run $19 to $99 a month billed yearly, or $25 to $139 month to month.
- Builder-based firm or contest site: Clutch lists builder-based web design at $25 to $49 an hour. A 99designs web page design contest costs $599 to $2,499, design only.
- Agency: web design agencies "typically charge $2,000 to $100,000," and most projects reviewed on Clutch cost less than $10,000. Most video production projects there also cost less than $10,000.
- Us: Project5pi Design Studio projects start at $99, and every add-on price is on the page.
A small business can spend $19 a month or tens of thousands of dollars on a website, and both are real prices in 2026. The difference is who does the work: you, a builder-based firm or marketplace, or an agency. Here is what each route costs, with the source for every number. We also list our own prices, because a price guide that hides its author's prices is not much of a guide.
What are the three ways to pay for a website?
| Route | What you pay | What you get | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build it yourself on a builder | $19 to $99 a month billed yearly (Squarespace) | Templates, hosting and full control | You write the words, take the photos and set up booking yourself |
| Builder-based firm or contest site | $25 to $49 an hour (Clutch); $599 to $2,499 for a design contest (99designs) | Someone else does the design work | A contest buys designs, not a finished, working site |
| Agency | Usually under $10,000; range $2,000 to $100,000 (Clutch) | Custom design, larger sites, custom features | A few very large projects pull the averages up |
What does a website builder cost?
We checked Squarespace's pricing page on October 27, 2026, with both billing options. Prices are per month.
| Plan | Billed yearly | Month to month |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $19 | $25 |
| Core | $29 | $39 |
| Plus | $49 | $65 |
| Advanced | $99 | $139 |
A year on the Core plan, billed yearly, is $348. The builder is cheap. Your time is the real cost: you write the words, take the photos and set up booking or payments yourself.
What do freelancers and agencies charge for a website?
Builder-based firms. Clutch lists web design on Wix, WordPress, Squarespace, Webflow and Shopify at $25 to $49 an hour. These firms use a builder's templates, so they charge less than firms that build from scratch.
Design contests. On 99designs, a web page design contest costs $599 (Bronze), $899 (Silver), $1,599 (Gold) or $2,499 (Platinum), before sales tax. That buys designs to choose from, not a finished site that is built, connected to your domain and taking bookings.
Agencies. Clutch says web design agencies "typically charge $2,000 to $100,000," and that firms on its shortlist charge around $100 to $149 an hour. Its average project cost is $38,105, but Clutch also says most web design projects reviewed on its site cost less than $10,000. A few very large projects pull the average up, so the "under $10,000" line is the better guide for a small business.
Get the price, what is included and who owns the design and the files in writing. Ask whether you can move the site to another host later.
What does a logo cost?
We covered this in detail in How much does a logo cost for a small business? The short version: free with a template, and $249 to $1,050 for a 99designs logo contest before sales tax (checked again on October 27, 2026). Freelancers and studios price by the project. Our logo and brand kit is a $200 add-on to a Design Studio project. Whoever you hire, ask for the files: vector versions, versions for light and dark backgrounds, and a small icon.
What does a marketing video cost?
Video has the widest range. Clutch says video production projects on its site "typically cost less than $10,000," and most agencies there charge $100 to $149 an hour. Its average project is $42,281 with a typical timeline of 5 months, which tells you that list includes big productions.
For most small businesses, that is the wrong scale. What usually works is short, vertical, captioned video made for phones: a launch announcement, a customer story, an offer explainer. We make those for $25 each, or 5 for $100, as an add-on to a project. Our guide to six kinds of marketing video that work covers what to make first.
Is government pay data the price of a project?
No. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes median pay for the people who do this work. These are 2025 figures for employees:
| Job | Median pay per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Web developers and digital designers | $99,520 | $47.85 |
| Film and video editors and camera operators | $75,100 | $36.10 |
| Graphic designers | $62,960 | $30.27 |
That is what employees earn, not what a client pays. Freelancers and studios pay for their own software, insurance and unbilled hours out of their rates, so a client's price and a wage are different things. Use these numbers to understand the field, not to price a project.
What drives the price, whichever route you pick?
- How much is custom. A template is fast and cheap. Custom design, writing and photos take hours.
- What it has to do. A page that shows prices is simple. Online booking, deposits, instant estimates and lead alerts each add work.
- Who writes the words. If you supply the text and photos, there is less to pay for.
- What you own at the end. Ask who owns the design and the files, and whether you can move the site later.
- What happens after launch. Hosting, updates, backups and small edits cost money every month, whoever does them.
What does Project5pi Design Studio charge?
We publish our prices. Projects start at $99: you pay to start, then we talk for 30 minutes about what you need, and anything beyond the $99 is quoted after that call.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Project start (includes a 30-minute call) | From $99 |
| Logo & brand kit | $200 add-on |
| Custom marketing video | $25 each, or 5 for $100 |
| Online booking + calendar sync | $250 add-on |
| Google Business Profile setup | $150 add-on |
| Extra page for a service or town | $50 each |
| Care plan: hosting, updates, backups, security checks, up to 30 minutes of edits | $49 a month |
| Video plan: 5 custom marketing videos | $100 a month |
Our starting price sits between a builder plan and a typical agency project. You can see real sites and videos we made, and the full price list, on the Design Studio page.
How should a small business choose?
- Testing an idea with little cash: use a builder and a template. Save your files and write down your fonts and colors.
- Ready to look established and take bookings: a freelancer or a small studio, with a written list of what is included.
- Large site, many pages, custom software: an agency, and expect the bigger end of Clutch's ranges.
Whichever you pick, get the price, what is included and who owns the files in writing before you pay. If you want a website with online booking, our website and booking checklist lists what it should include.
Prices checked on the linked pages on October 27, 2026. Builder, marketplace and agency prices change often; confirm on the source before you buy.
Questions people ask
How much does a small business website cost in 2026?
If you build it yourself, Squarespace plans cost $19 to $99 a month billed yearly. Clutch says most web design projects reviewed on its site cost less than $10,000, and that agencies typically charge $2,000 to $100,000. Project5pi Design Studio projects start at $99.
Is a website builder cheaper if I pay yearly?
Yes. On October 27, 2026, Squarespace's Core plan was $29 a month billed yearly and $39 paying month to month. A year of Core billed yearly is $348.
How much does a marketing video cost?
Clutch says video production projects on its site typically cost less than $10,000, and most agencies there charge $100 to $149 an hour. Short phone videos cost far less: Project5pi Design Studio makes custom marketing videos for $25 each or 5 for $100 as an add-on to a project.
Is the government pay figure what a designer charges?
No. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics median pay figures are what employees earn. A freelancer or studio price also has to cover software, insurance and unbilled hours, so a wage is not a project price.
What does Project5pi Design Studio charge?
Projects start at $99. You pay $99 to start, then we talk for 30 minutes, and anything beyond the $99 is quoted after the call. Add-ons include a logo and brand kit for $200, custom marketing videos at $25 each or 5 for $100, online booking for $250 and extra pages for $50 each. The full list is on the Design Studio page.
Want the website, logo and video from one studio?
Projects start at $99, with every add-on price listed. From Providence, Rhode Island, or remotely.
See the Design Studio →Project5pi Design Studio · Providence, Rhode Island · hello@project5pi.com
Clutch, "How Much Does Web Design Cost?" (updated September 21, 2026), https://clutch.co/web-designers/pricing (checked October 27, 2026)
Clutch, "Video Production Pricing" (updated September 21, 2026), https://clutch.co/agencies/video-production/pricing (checked October 27, 2026)
99designs, "Web page design pricing", https://99designs.com/pricing/web-design (checked October 27, 2026)
99designs, "Pricing" (logo design contest packages), https://99designs.com/pricing (checked October 27, 2026)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Web Developers and Digital Designers", https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm (checked October 27, 2026)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators", https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/film-and-video-editors-and-camera-operators.htm (checked October 27, 2026)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Graphic Designers", https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/graphic-designers.htm (checked October 27, 2026)
Project5pi Design Studio prices: project5pi.com/design-studio (October 27, 2026).