website builder prices
How website pricing models work, how to budget, and how to choose the best option to maximise SEO and leads.
Confused by "$0" plans, monthly subscriptions, one-off quotes and hidden fees? This practical guide breaks every pricing model down, shows real cost examples, and gives a simple framework to pick the best path for your business.
Website pricing models — what they mean
Most providers fit into one of these models. Choosing the right one depends on your budget, time, technical skill, and how quickly you need results.
Often limited by branding, storage, bandwidth or no custom domain. Good to test a platform but rarely suitable as a public business site.
- Cost: $0–$10/mo (limited)
- Best for: experimenting, prototypes
- Limitations: platform ads, no SEO features, slow or blocked features
Template-based builders (Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, etc.) charge a monthly fee and provide a platform and tools.
- Cost: $15–60/mo (basic to business)
- Best for: owners willing to build and maintain
- Limitations: time cost, SEO setup often manual
Traditional agencies or freelancers charge an upfront fee to build a custom site; hosting and maintenance often billed separately.
- Cost: $2,000–15,000+ (depending on scope)
- Best for: complex, custom functionality
- Limitations: long lead times, high update costs
Monthly fee includes design, hosting, ongoing updates and local SEO. Example: Congero-style services that build fast and handle updates by text.
- Cost: $30–99/mo (all-inclusive)
- Best for: busy trades and service owners who want predictable costs
- Limitations: platform-dependant features if any)
Specialised ecommerce plans include payments, inventory, and shipping integrations — costs rise with transactions and add-ons.
- Cost: $29–300+/mo + transaction fees
- Best for: stores, membership sales
For ongoing marketing or large projects, agencies bill hourly or on retainer for changes, strategy and SEO.
- Cost: $75–250+/hr or $500–3,000+/mo retainer
- Best for: enterprise needs or integrated marketing
Real total cost examples (Year 1)
Below are realistic Year 1 totals including common extras (domain, minor updates, and time cost where relevant).
| Option | Direct Cost (Year 1) | Typical Hidden Extras | Total Year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free / Freemium | $0–120 | Paid domain, remove ads, SEO plugins ($50–200) | $100–400 |
| DIY Subscription (Wix/Squarespace) | $180–720 | Your time (40–80 hrs), premium integrations ($100–500) | $1,400–5,000 (including time valued at $50/hr) |
| One-off Custom Build | $3,000–8,000 | Hosting & maintenance ($200–1,200), updates charged hourly | $3,200–10,000+ |
| Managed Subscription (Done-for-you) | $360–1,188 | All-inclusive design, hosting, unlimited small updates | $360–1,188 |
| Ecommerce (small store) | $348–3,600 | Transaction fees, premium apps, shipping integrations | $600–10,000+ |
Quick budgeting rule
If your expected monthly revenue from a website is under $2,000, a managed subscription or a tight DIY plan is almost always the best ROI. If revenue is $10,000+/mo or you need deep custom systems, a custom build may make sense.
How to budget and choose — a simple framework
Answer these four quick questions to find the right pricing model for your business:
- How much time can you spend? If under 10 hours/month, avoid DIY.
- How quickly do you need results? Urgent leads need fast builds (managed services).
- How complex are your needs? Ecommerce, bookings, or custom integrations push toward custom or specialised plans.
- What's your revenue per customer? If one new lead is worth >$500, invest in quality design + SEO.
Practical monthly budget tiers
Maximising SEO value regardless of price
A cheap site can rank if the basics are done. Use this checklist to compare providers and boost organic results.
Technical SEO
- Fast hosting & CDN
- HTTPS / SSL included
- Mobile-first responsive design
On-page SEO
- Unique title & meta per page
- Heading hierarchy (H1, H2...)
- Schema markup for local business
Content & Local Signals
- Location pages & consistent NAP (name, address, phone)
- Service pages targeting buyer intent keywords
- Google Business Profile connected
How to evaluate a provider for SEO
- Ask for examples of clients ranking for local keywords in your industry.
- Check load time (mobile) and Core Web Vitals for their example sites.
- Confirm schema and sitemap submission are included.
- Ask how they handle ongoing content updates — are they included or charged hourly?
Decision checklist — pick the right model in 5 minutes
Frequently asked questions
Is a $0 plan ever a good long-term choice?
Will a $30/month managed plan rank on Google?
What hidden fees should I ask about?
How do I measure ROI for a site?
Choose a pricing model that earns more than it costs
If you value your time and want predictable, SEO-friendly results, a managed subscription often delivers the best ROI for small trades and service businesses.
Pro tip: Always ask for a full cost breakdown (hosting, domain, SEO, updates). The cheapest headline price rarely tells the whole story.
