The short version
Most small businesses spend $500 to $5,000 to launch a website, then pay $30 to $150 per month to keep it running. Professional builds usually cost between $3,000 and $15,000.
This wide range exists because "a website" can mean anything from a simple five-page brochure to a booking system with user accounts. The rest of this page will help you figure out which type you need, since that determines the cost.
What each route costs
| Who builds it | Build cost | What you are actually buying |
|---|---|---|
| You, on a site builder | $0 to $500 | Your own time, a template, and a subscription that never ends |
| Mythic Works | $2,000 to $3,500 | A static site you own outright, with no monthly platform fee |
| Freelancer | $1,500 to $8,000 | Typically $3,000 to $6,000 for five to ten pages. Quality varies more than price does |
| Agency | $5,000 to $30,000+ | Process, project management, a team, and usually a retainer afterwards |
The running cost nobody quotes
People often focus on the build cost, but it usually matters less since it is a one-time expense.
| Setup | Per year |
|---|---|
| Static site, domain only | About $20 |
| Squarespace with the usual add-ons | About $816 |
| WordPress on managed hosting | About $850 |
| WordPress with a care plan | About $1,990 |
Over five years, the differences in running costs are often bigger than the differences between most build quotes. The five-year comparison explains this in detail.
What actually moves the price
There are four main factors, listed in order of impact.
- Whether users need to log in is the biggest factor. An informational site is very different from one that manages accounts, payments, or bookings. This often explains the difference between a $3,000 and a $30,000 project.
- Page count matters, but not as much as you might expect. Adding more pages mostly increases content work, not design. However, using more templates does add significant design work.
- Who writes the website copy is important. This is often underestimated. If you have not written the content, someone else will need to, which can either cost extra or delay your launch by a month.
- The number of people who need to approve the project matters. If one person decides, things move quickly. Committees add extra rounds of review, which is a hidden cost in agency quotes.
Mythic Works does not charge $10,000 for a static brochure site because that type of project does not require that much work. The price reflects a fixed scope, one person doing the work, no project management layer, and no ongoing platform costs. If your site needs logins or an online store, that is a different project at a different price. It is better to be clear about this before quoting, not after.
What the cheap end actually costs
A DIY website builder is almost free to set up and costs $200 to $600 per year to maintain. For many businesses, this is the best option, and this page does not argue against it.
There are two things to know before choosing this option. The subscription is ongoing, so over five years, the cost adds up instead of being cheap up front. Also, you cannot move your site off the platform without losing its structure, so the decision is harder to change later. The Squarespace cost page explains the math.
What the expensive end buys
Agency pricing is not just a markup for the same work. It covers a project manager, designer, developer, content specialist, and a process that continues even if someone leaves. For organizations with committees, brand guidelines, and fixed launch dates, this extra support is worth the cost.
If you are a small business with one decision-maker and a fifteen-page site, most of the agency fee goes toward coordination you probably do not need.
What to ask before accepting any quote
- What are the yearly running costs after launch? Make sure to get this in writing. These costs are often higher than expected and are rarely included in the initial proposal.
- Who will own the files and accounts when the project ends? The answer should be you, and this should be confirmed in writing, including domain, hosting, and analytics.
- What is not included in the quote? This often means copywriting, photography, stock licenses, third-party subscriptions, and anything outside the agreed scope.
- What happens if you want changes in six months? The answer could be hourly billing, a retainer, or a new project. Any of these are fine, but having no answer is not.
- Who will actually do the work? It is worth asking this question to whoever you are speaking with.
A longer version of this list is available on the consulting page, which is focused on larger technical projects.