Buying guide
How much should a business website cost in 2026?
A straight breakdown of what business websites actually cost in 2026, what drives the price up, and when the cheap option is the right one.
Kaci Cox
This is a published outline, not a finished post. The argument and structure are here so you can see what is coming. It will be written properly rather than padded out to hit a word count.
What this post will cover
An honest price breakdown, written because almost nobody publishes one.
Outline
The three price bands, and who is in each
- Under $1,000 — template shops and DIY builders. What you genuinely get, and the two situations where it is the correct choice.
- $1,500–$5,000 — independent developers and small studios. Where most business companies should land.
- $10,000+ — agencies. What the extra money buys, and when it is not worth it for a company under fifty staff.
What actually drives the price
- Page count is the smallest factor, despite being how most quotes are structured.
- Whether the site is wired to anything (forms to inbox vs. a real lead system).
- Integration with your existing business software.
- Whether anyone wrote the copy, or you are expected to.
The number nobody quotes: ongoing cost
- Hosting, domain, SSL, monitoring, and changes.
- The difference between a maintenance retainer that does something and one that does not.
- Why “free hosting” quotes usually mean you own nothing.
When the cheap option is right
- Referral-driven businesses that need credibility, not lead volume.
- Fewer than N inbound inquiries a month — the honest cutoff.
What Cox & Co charges and why
- Link to published pricing rather than restating it, so this post cannot go stale.
Notes before writing
- Use real, current market figures. Do not invent survey statistics.
- Include the case for NOT hiring me where it is true.