Website cost calculator
Compare four ways of getting a site, over three years of bills.
Most local business sites need 5 to 10.
For 5 pages. Rough US ranges, our own estimate of what's commonly charged. They aren't quotes, so get real ones before you decide.
The first three years, setup and upkeep
Build it yourself
$600 to $2,850
A website builder and your own hours. To start: $150 to $1,050. A year after that: $150 to $600.
A monthly website
$1,950 to $12,550
Someone builds and looks after it for a fee. To start: $150 to $1,750. A year after that: $600 to $3,600.
A freelancer
$2,700 to $12,900
One person, one project, then care on request. To start: $1,800 to $7,500. A year after that: $300 to $1,800.
An agency
$9,900 to $48,100
A team, a process and a bigger bill. To start: $6,300 to $26,500. A year after that: $1,200 to $7,200.
How to use it
Say how big it is
Most local business sites need 5 to 10 pages. More pages cost more once someone else builds them.
Pick what you need made
Words, photographs, booking, a shop or a logo: each adds to the bill, or to your own hours.
Compare three years
See setup and upkeep together, because a cheap start can cost more by year three.
How to read these figures
These are rough US ranges, our own estimate of what's commonly charged in 2026, and they're wide because the work varies. A freelancer in a small town and one in a big city can differ by a factor of three for the same site. Use them to work out which route fits your budget, then get real quotes.
The number people forget is upkeep. Hosting, a domain, tools, security updates and small changes all recur, and a site nobody looks after goes stale fast. That's why this adds up three years, instead of comparing first bills.
Your own hours are a cost too. Building it yourself is cheapest on paper, and the right choice if you enjoy it. If you bill out at $100 an hour, a weekend on your site has a price.
Common questions
Can't find your answer? Read Shingle Help or email [email protected].
Roughly $150 to $900 for the first year if you build it yourself, a few hundred to a few thousand as a monthly service, $1,500 to $6,000 from a freelancer and $6,000 or more from an agency. Those are rough US ranges, and hosting and upkeep come on top.
A domain name, hosting or a builder subscription, any paid tools, and someone's time for updates. Expect a few hundred dollars a year at the low end, and a few thousand if someone looks after it for you.
It can be if you want someone else to keep it running and don't have a lump sum to spend. Check what happens if you stop paying, whether you own the domain, and whether you can take the site with you.
They're our own rough reading of what's commonly charged in the US. Prices vary widely by place and by what's included, so use them to compare routes, then ask for real quotes.
Read next
- What a small business site costsFour routes, rough ranges, and the costs people forget.
- Best builders for small businessSeven builders, by who each suits. Dated prices inside.
- Web design pricing calculatorThe least to charge, from your hours and costs.
- Shingle vs WixWix does far more. Shingle helps you sell websites.
Build your first site
Start from a Google listing or a few notes. Demos usually take 5–15 minutes.
7 days for $1, then $49 a month. Cancel any time.
