Small Business Websites
How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost?
Real numbers for DIY builders, one-time builds, and monthly website plans, plus what each one costs over three years.
October 29, 2026
By Ashley Carre | November 5, 2026 | 4 min read
The short answer
Before you hire a web designer, gather six things: your logo, a list of your services, a few real photos, three to five customer reviews, the login for your domain, and two or three websites you like. With those ready, a good designer can move fast. I can usually finish a site in about a week.
Most website projects slow down for one reason: the designer is waiting on content from the owner. Photos sit on someone’s phone. The service list lives in someone’s head. Nobody remembers who bought the domain.
This checklist takes about an hour to get through, and it can save you weeks.
Here’s the short version. Gather these six things:
Below is what each one means and how to get it.
Your logo shows up on every page, so it needs to look sharp at any size. The best files are an SVG, a PNG with a clear background, or the original file from whoever designed it.
A small JPG saved from Facebook will look blurry on a big screen. If you can’t find the original, ask the person who made it. If you don’t have a logo at all, say so. Many designers can start you with a clean text logo.
Write a simple list. For each service, add one or two lines on:
Use the words your customers use. Don’t worry about making it sound polished. Your designer can clean up the wording. They can’t guess what you do.
Real photos win. Customers want to see you, your team, and your work. Phone photos are fine if they’re bright and in focus.
Good photos to gather:
Take them in daylight and hold your phone sideways. Send the original files. Screenshots and photos saved from social media lose quality.
Reviews are the proof that you do good work. A site with real reviews on the home page gets more calls than one without.
Copy three to five of your best reviews from Google, Facebook, or past emails. Include the customer’s first name and town if they’re OK with it.
Your domain is your web address, like yourbusiness.com. You bought it from a company like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Squarespace, and you’ll need to log in so your new site can go live on it.
Find that account now. If a past developer bought the domain under their own name, ask them to move it into yours. Your designer can walk you through connecting it without you emailing your password.
Two or three examples tell a designer more than a page of notes. Send the links and one line on what you like about each. “The menu is simple” or “I like the big photos” is plenty.
If there’s a site you can’t stand, send that too. It helps just as much.
Don’t wait for a perfect set. Send what you have. When I build a site and something is missing, I use placeholder text or photos and swap in the real content when you send it. Your site still launches on time.
Still planning? Read what pages a small business website needs and how much a small business website costs.
Once your content is ready, I usually finish a site in about 7 business days. Bigger sites, or content that arrives late, can take longer.
You need to share the facts about your business. Ask your designer what help with writing is included. Many will shape your notes into clear website copy.
No. Most photos online belong to someone, and using them without permission can get you a takedown notice or a bill. Use your own photos or free stock sites like Unsplash.
Yes. Buy it in your name with your own account. That way you always control it, even if you change designers later.
Start your 15-day free trial, fill out a short form about your business, and see your finished site in about a week.
Want to see what you get first? Read the services page or the FAQ.
Real numbers for DIY builders, one-time builds, and monthly website plans, plus what each one costs over three years.
Monthly plan or one-time payment? A plain look at ownership, upkeep, and risk so you can pick the right fit for your business.
The five pages every small business website needs, what to put on each one, and when it makes sense to add more.