Is a free website builder really free?

Usually the editor is free, but a custom domain, removing the builder's branding, more pages or a contact form tend to require a paid plan. Read what the free tier leaves out before you build on it, because moving later takes time.

Do I need to pay for a website every month?

Something has to keep the site online, so yes, there is always a recurring cost for hosting and the domain, even if it is billed yearly. What you can avoid is paying for the same thing twice, like separate bills for hosting, email and SSL.

How long does it take to build a small business website?

With an AI builder, a first version can be ready in minutes and refined over a few conversations. A freelancer usually takes one to four weeks, and an agency project often takes one to three months, mostly waiting on content and approvals.

Should I own the code of my website?

If you can, yes. Owning the code, or at least being able to export it, means you can change providers without starting from zero. Ask before you sign up whether you can take the site with you.

How much does a small business website cost in 2026?

Rafaell Sousa

updated Oct 5, 2026 · 5 min

The short answer

A small business website in 2026 costs anywhere from nothing upfront (an AI builder or a DIY tool) to a few hundred dollars with a freelancer, and several thousand with an agency. The build is only half the bill: plan for the domain, hosting, email and someone to keep it updated every year. The cheapest real path is usually an AI builder plus a hosting plan that already bundles domain and email.

A small business website in 2026 can cost nothing upfront if you build it yourself with an AI builder, a few hundred dollars if you hire a freelancer for a simple site, and several thousand if an agency does strategy, design and copy for you.

But the number people forget is the yearly one. Every site needs a domain, hosting and, if you want to look professional, email on your own domain. Those bills keep coming whether you paid a lot or nothing to build.

So the real question is not "how much is a website" but "how much is a website per year, including the build and everything that keeps it online". This guide breaks both parts down so you can compare options honestly.

The four ways to get a website

Option	Upfront cost	What you get	Main risk
DIY builder (Wix, WordPress.com and similar)	Low or free	Templates you edit yourself	Your time, and sites that look like templates
AI builder	Low or free	A site written from your description	Generic copy if you give it nothing specific
Freelancer	A few hundred to a few thousand dollars	A custom site and someone to call	Quality varies a lot; who owns the files?
Agency	Several thousand dollars and up	Strategy, design, copy, project management	Paying for process a small business may not need

None of these is "the right one". A plumber who needs a page with services, a phone number and a quote form does not need an agency. A clinic with ten specialists, online booking and a blog might.

The bills that come every year

This is where small businesses get surprised. After the site is built, you pay for:

Domain name. The yourbusiness.com address. Usually billed yearly. Watch the renewal price, which is often higher than the first year.
Hosting. The server that keeps the site online. Shared hosting is the cheapest; a dedicated server or VPS only makes sense for heavier sites.
SSL certificate. The padlock in the browser. Many hosts include it for free today; if yours charges for it, that is a red flag.
Email on your domain. you@yourbusiness.com instead of a Gmail address. Often sold per mailbox.
Maintenance. Updates, small text changes, new photos, fixing a broken form. Either your time or someone else's.

A common trap: the first year looks cheap because everything is on a promotional price, then the renewal arrives with each item billed separately at full price. Before you choose, ask for the renewal price of each item, not just the welcome offer.

What makes a website more expensive

Price goes up with complexity, not with the number of pages. The things that really move the bill:

Custom design instead of a template.
Copywriting. Someone writing your texts is real work, and often the part that sells.
Integrations: online booking, payments, a members area, a CRM.
E-commerce: product catalog, checkout, shipping rules, taxes.
Multiple languages.
Ongoing changes. A site that changes every week costs more to run than one that changes twice a year.

If a quote seems high, ask which of these items it includes. If it seems very low, ask the same question, because something on that list is probably missing.

How to keep the cost down without a bad site

You do not need to spend a lot to have a site that brings customers. A few rules that work:

Start with one page that answers the basics: what you do, where, for whom, how to contact you, and proof that you are real (photos of your work, your address, reviews you actually have).
Write the content yourself first, even roughly. Whoever builds the site, person or AI, will do a better job with your real words than with nothing.
Bundle the recurring items. One plan that includes hosting, domain and email is usually cheaper and simpler than three providers.
Make sure the contact form stores the messages somewhere you can see, not just in an email that may land in spam.
Keep ownership. The domain should be in your name, and you should be able to take the site's files with you.

How to do it at Basely

I built Basely for exactly this situation: a small business that needs a good site without an agency bill, and for the web designers who build those sites for clients.

Here is how the cost works with us, without fine print:

The AI Builder writes the site from your description. You adjust it by talking to it or clicking on the page. It checks the result in a real browser before publishing, and contact forms save messages in the site's own database, visible in your panel.
Your first site is free once you confirm your email, so you can see the result before paying anything.
To keep it online, the platform plans start at $2.99/month on the Basic plan with a 48-month term. That is the first-payment promotional price; renewal is $10.99/month. I would rather you know that now than discover it in four years.
On the 12 and 24-month terms, hosting, the domain and email mailboxes come free in the first year.
The code is saved in a repository, so the site is not trapped with us.

If you prefer to hire someone, many web designers use Basely to build and host client sites, so you can also ask your freelancer about it.

A quick checklist before you pay anyone

What is the total for the first year, and what is the total for the second year?
Is the domain registered in my name?
Where do form messages go?
Who changes a text or a photo, and how much does that cost?
Can I take the site with me if I leave?

If the answers are clear, the price is probably fair. Start with your first site and see what it looks like before you decide anything.

Try it on Basely

The first AI site is free with a confirmed email.

See how it works

Questions

Is a free website builder really free?: Usually the editor is free, but a custom domain, removing the builder's branding, more pages or a contact form tend to require a paid plan. Read what the free tier leaves out before you build on it, because moving later takes time.
Do I need to pay for a website every month?: Something has to keep the site online, so yes, there is always a recurring cost for hosting and the domain, even if it is billed yearly. What you can avoid is paying for the same thing twice, like separate bills for hosting, email and SSL.
How long does it take to build a small business website?: With an AI builder, a first version can be ready in minutes and refined over a few conversations. A freelancer usually takes one to four weeks, and an agency project often takes one to three months, mostly waiting on content and approvals.
Should I own the code of my website?: If you can, yes. Owning the code, or at least being able to export it, means you can change providers without starting from zero. Ask before you sign up whether you can take the site with you.