Updated October 2026 · 7 min read
How much does a website cost in 2026?
Short answer
In 2026 a professionally built business website typically costs $5,000–$25,000 from an agency in the US, UK or Europe, an e-commerce store $10,000–$60,000, and a custom web application $20,000–$150,000 or more. Freelancers and agencies in lower-cost markets charge noticeably less for similar scopes.
Key takeaways
- Scope, not design style, is the biggest driver of website cost.
- Integrations and custom functionality add more than extra pages.
- Budget 10–20% of the build cost each year for hosting, updates and improvements.
- Always compare fixed quotes for the same written scope.
How much does each type of website cost?
Websites fall into three broad types, and each has a very different price range. The ranges below are typical agency prices in the US, UK and Western Europe; the same scope often costs 40–70% less from studios in lower-cost markets.
| Website type | Typical agency price | Typical timeline | What's usually included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business / marketing website | $5,000 – $25,000 | 3 – 6 weeks | 5–20 pages, custom design, CMS, contact forms, basic SEO setup |
| E-commerce store | $10,000 – $60,000 | 4 – 10 weeks | Product catalogue, checkout, payments, shipping and tax rules, integrations |
| Custom web application | $20,000 – $150,000+ | 8 – 20 weeks | User accounts, dashboards, custom logic, APIs and third-party integrations |
What affects the cost of a website?
Two websites that look similar can differ in price by a factor of five. The difference almost always comes from the attributes below rather than the visual design.
- Number of unique page templates: ten pages built from three templates cost far less than ten individually designed pages.
- Custom functionality: booking systems, calculators, member areas and portals are priced as development work, not design.
- Integrations: connecting a CRM, ERP, payment provider or inventory system is often the single biggest line item.
- Content: writing, photography and migrating existing content are frequently left out of quotes and added later.
- Platform: Next.js, WordPress and Shopify have very different build and running costs (see below).
- Who builds it: freelancers, small studios and large agencies differ in rate, process and risk.
Which platform is cheapest to build and run?
The cheapest platform to build on is not always the cheapest to own. Consider who will edit the site, how often, and which systems it must connect to.
| Platform | Build cost | Running cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Low – medium | Hosting, plugin licences, regular updates | Content-heavy sites edited often by non-developers |
| Shopify | Low – medium | Monthly plan, app subscriptions, transaction fees | Online stores that want to launch quickly |
| Next.js (custom) | Medium – high | Low hosting, developer time for changes | Fast marketing sites and web apps with custom features |
| Website builders (Wix, Squarespace) | Very low | Monthly subscription | Very small sites where custom design and SEO control matter less |
What does a website cost to run each year?
The build is only part of the cost. Most businesses should budget 10–20% of the original build cost each year to keep a site secure, fast and up to date.
- Domain name: usually $10–$50 a year.
- Hosting: from under $20 a month for a small site to several hundred for high-traffic stores and apps.
- Maintenance: updates, backups and security monitoring, often $100–$600 a month on a retainer.
- Licences and subscriptions: premium plugins, Shopify apps, forms and analytics tools.
- Improvements: new pages, landing pages for campaigns and conversion work as the business grows.
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
A good freelancer can be excellent value for a small, well-defined site. The risk is concentration: if they're ill, busy or move on, the project stalls and nobody else knows the code.
An agency costs more per hour but brings design, development, testing and project management under one roof, and continuity if a team member leaves. For anything with integrations, e-commerce or ongoing marketing, a small senior agency is usually the safer choice.
How do I get an accurate website quote?
Vague briefs produce vague quotes. Before you contact anyone, write down the following, then ask every supplier for a fixed price against the same document.
- The goal of the site and the main action visitors should take.
- The pages you need and which ones share a layout.
- Every system the site must connect to.
- Who writes the content and supplies images.
- Your deadline and budget range.
- Who will edit the site after launch.
Frequently asked questions
Why do website quotes vary so much?
Suppliers interpret vague briefs differently, and rates vary widely by location and experience. Comparing fixed quotes against the same written scope removes most of the difference.
Is a cheap website a false economy?
Often. Low-cost sites tend to skip performance, SEO setup and testing, which then have to be paid for later, sometimes with a full rebuild.
How long does it take to build a website?
A business website usually takes three to six weeks, an online store four to ten weeks and a custom web app two to five months, assuming content is ready on time.
Does the price include SEO?
A good build includes technical SEO foundations such as page structure, metadata, sitemaps and redirects. Ongoing SEO to win rankings is a separate service.