Website costs fall into two buckets: upfront (design, development, custom integrations) and recurring (hosting, domain, maintenance, updates, marketing). This guide breaks down each piece so you can budget with confidence.
One-off expenses like custom design, premium themes, developer time and specialised integrations. Can range from $0 (DIY) to $20,000+ for enterprise custom work.
Monthly or annual fees for hosting, domain renewals, security, backups, and updates. Expect $5–$200+/month depending on service level and extras.
SEO, paid ads, content creation, CRM integrations, and agency retainers — these often dwarf initial build costs if not planned.
Below are conservative ranges you should expect when budgeting. Real numbers depend on complexity, integrations, and whether you do it yourself or hire professionals.
Example: a typical small trades site built by an agency could cost $4,000 upfront + $100/month maintenance — that’s $8,200 over 5 years. Congero’s managed service at $49/month is $2,940 over 5 years, plus instant updates and local SEO included.
A quick feature and cost comparison to help you decide which route fits your business needs and budget.
$200–$1,200
DIY builders
$500–$3,000+
WordPress (DIY/contractor)
$2,000–$20,000+
Agency custom build
$588
Congero – $49/month (all in)
DIY and WordPress require your time for updates or a retained developer. Agency often needs change requests and billable hours. Congero handles updates instantly via text — designed for busy trades and small businesses.
$300/year average → $1,500 over 5 years
Good for hobby projects. Time cost is high and SEO results are limited unless you invest in expertise.
$6,000 upfront + $120/month maintenance → ~$13,200 over 5 years
High initial quality and custom features but expensive to iterate and update.
$49/month → $2,940 over 5 years
All-inclusive hosting, domain, SSL, local SEO and unlimited updates — designed to lower total cost while increasing leads.
For most local trades and service businesses, predictable ongoing costs plus fast updates and built-in local SEO deliver better ROI than paying a large upfront fee that requires extra monthly maintenance. Congero clients see measurable enquiry lifts within weeks thanks to local SEO and conversion-led layouts.
We’re transparent about costs — here’s every major item bundled into the single monthly price.
Secure, fast hosting with free SSL certificates and automated backups — handled for you.
Text us changes and our AI publishes updates in minutes — no extra fees, no support tickets.
Built-in local schema, meta optimisation, and monthly analytics so you can track leads and growth.
Free domain registration or transfer assistance in your plan — simple domain management included.
Continuous monitoring, software updates and security patches are included with no hidden maintenance fees.
Fast, friendly support and help with strategy, integrations and conversion improvements.
No setup fee • No lock-in • Cancel anytime
Simple steps you can take today to lower both upfront and ongoing expenses.
Clear answers to the questions we hear most from small business owners in 2025.
A basic, professional site for a local business typically ranges from $200–$2,500 first-year depending on route — DIY on the low end, small agency on the high end.
Yes — domain renewals, hosting, maintenance, and marketing are recurring. Expect $5–$200+/month depending on service level. Congero bundles most of this for $49/month.
Premium plugin licenses, developer hourly rates for edits, SEO or paid advertising budgets, and fees for integrations (booking, payments) can add up quickly.
At Congero, $49/month covers domain registration (first year or transfer support), hosting, SSL, unlimited content updates via text, local SEO, and monthly analytics — no surprise fees.
Try Congero’s 60‑second demo to see a complete, SEO-ready website for your business — then compare the real cost yourself.
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