What does a website cost? Anywhere between $0 and $20,000, which makes the answer useless without context. This guide breaks down the real prices per route, including the yearly costs that most quotes leave out.
The four routes and their price tags
| Route | One-time | Per year | Best for | |-------|----------|----------|----------| | DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace) | $0 | $150 to $400 | Hobby projects, sole proprietors without growth plans | | Template builder or student | $500 to $2,000 | $100 to $300 | A digital business card, minimal requirements | | Web agency (custom build) | $3,000 to $10,000 | $500 to $1,500 maintenance | Companies with specific needs | | System subscription | $0 | $1,200 to $6,000 (fixed monthly) | Companies that want jobs, not just a site |
Why the one-time price is misleading
A website isn't a product, it's a subscription obligation in disguise. After launch come hosting, domain, SSL, updates, backups, security, and the inevitable edits. For a one-time build, plan on $300 to $1,500 per year in ongoing costs, plus an hourly rate ($75 to $120) for every change.
So the real question isn't "what does the build cost", it's "what does it cost to keep the site running, secure, and up to date for three years". Over three years, a custom-built site starting at $5,000 quickly adds up to $7,000 to $9,000.
What actually determines the price?
Four factors drive the price, in this order:
- Purpose. A site built to generate jobs (forms, follow-up, tracking) costs more than a digital business card, but should pay itself back many times over.
- Content. Copy, photography, and translations are rarely included in the build price. Supply them yourself and you save money, have them written and you'll pay $50 to $150 per page.
- Customization. Every unique element (a configurator, an integration, a customer portal) costs build hours. A standard structure with your own branding is the sweet spot for most businesses.
- Maintenance model. Pay by the hour after the fact, or a fixed monthly amount. Fixed is predictable and keeps the site current. Pay-as-you-go feels cheaper until something breaks.
The math that actually matters
For a business, the relevant question isn't what the site costs, but what a customer is worth. A trade business with an average job of $3,000 only needs a handful of extra inquiries a year to earn back any of these routes. For a realistic visitor-to-inquiry percentage, see good conversion rates for a trade business website.
That's why, when comparing quotes, you should look at one thing: is there proof that previous sites actually generate inquiries? A beautiful site with no inquiries is just an expensive hobby.
A website as part of a system
At ForthScaling, the website is one of four parts of a fixed system: site, automatic follow-up, 24/7 assistant, and review funnel, starting at $200 per month with no setup fees. What's included is on the pricing page, and why a standalone site is often a bucket with a hole in it is explained in building a lead generation website.
Not sure which route fits your business? Schedule a free demo and we'll work through the numbers for your situation.