A small business website on a DIY builder typically costs less than $30 a month, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, while a custom-built site starts around $2,000 and can run into five figures. The terms below explain why the number on a pricing page and the number actually paid can differ. ZenBusiness's website builder is $129 a year, or $15 a month, after a 30-day free trial, with hosting and SSL included, which puts it at the low end of the range. Squarespace or Wix suit better if design depth or a large app ecosystem matters more than price.

How much does a small business website cost per month?

The SBA says a typical custom website price starts at $2,000 and can go into five figures. It also says paid DIY builder plans typically run less than $30 a month, which is an order of magnitude cheaper. As of 2026-10-06, entry plans among the providers covered here run from $9.99 to $25 a month on ongoing or monthly prices.

The SBA does not declare a winner between the two methods. It says there is no right method for every business, and it frames the choice around budget, needs, timing and in-house capability. DIY gets professional designs, instant updates, and included hosting and security, at the cost of limited customisation and platform lock-in.

The glossary below defines the terms that change what a quoted price really means. Entries are in alphabetical order.

Annual billing

Annual billing means the plan is charged once a year, or committed to for a year, even when the price is shown per month. Every GoDaddy paid tier is billed annually. Squarespace's lower figures also assume an annual commitment: Basic is $25 a month, or $19 a month billed annually.

The monthly number is the annual charge divided by twelve, so a business that wants to leave after a month should not expect it. Multiplying the monthly figure by twelve gives the yearly total to compare.

Billing term

The billing term is how long the business commits to when it pays. It can be monthly, yearly or several years paid up front. The same plan often appears at different prices under different terms.

Hostinger is the extreme case. Its advertised rates apply to a 48-month term paid up front. ZenBusiness offers both options: $129 a year, or $15 a month, which is $180 over twelve months, so the yearly term saves $51.

Custom domain

A custom domain is the business's own web address, such as a name ending in .com, rather than a subdomain carrying the platform's name. Free tiers usually do not include one. GoDaddy's free tier, for example, has no custom domain.

ZenBusiness says a custom domain can be attached or bought through it. Domain prices, including renewals, should be checked on each provider's own page.

Free plan and free trial

A free plan has no time limit but comes with restrictions. A free trial lets the business use a paid plan for a set period. The SBA notes that most DIY website builder platforms have a free plan or at least a free trial.

Free tiers usually mean a platform subdomain and platform branding. GoDaddy's free tier gives 50 AI credits a month, Square Online has a free plan available, and ZenBusiness offers a 30-day free trial. A free plan is best treated as a test, not the finished site.

Hosting

Hosting is the service that stores the site and serves it to visitors. The SBA lists included hosting and security among the things DIY builders provide, which is one reason they cost far less than a custom build.

ZenBusiness states that its plan includes hosting on Amazon Web Services with a stated 99.9% uptime. For other providers, the plan page should confirm whether hosting is bundled at each tier.

Ongoing price

The ongoing price is what the business pays after any introductory discount ends. It is the figure to budget from. As of 2026-10-06, Hostinger's ongoing prices are Premium at $10.99 a month, Unlimited at $16.99 and Cloud Startup at $25.99 on renewal.

When a provider leads with a discount, the sensible order is ongoing price first and promotional price second.

Promotional rate

A promotional rate is a first-term discount, and it is not the ongoing price. Hostinger's promotional rates are $2.99, $3.99 and $7.99 a month, on a 48-month term paid up front.

That is a four-year commitment collected at the start, not a monthly bill. A business that budgets from $2.99 will face a much higher price when the term ends. The gap between the advertised rate and the renewal rate is the single most useful thing to check on a pricing page.

Renewal price

The renewal price is what a plan costs when its term ends and it renews. For some providers it matches the ongoing price, and for others it is noticeably higher than the first-term rate. Hostinger's Cloud Startup price is stated on renewal, at $25.99 a month.

Formation services work the same way. ZenBusiness's Pro and Premium renew at their annual prices, so the first-year figure is not a promotion that later jumps.

SSL

SSL is the security certificate that lets a site load over a secure connection, shown by the padlock in the browser. It is often bundled, and ZenBusiness states that SSL is included in its plan.

For other providers, the plan page should confirm whether SSL is included at each tier. A plan that bills SSL separately is not always cheaper over a year than one that includes it.

Tier

A tier is one level within a provider's range of plans. Moving from an entry tier to a higher one can multiply the monthly cost. GoDaddy Starter is $9.99 a month and Ultimate is $99.99. Wix Light is $17.77 and Business Elite is $159.77.

Before committing, it helps to price the tier the business is likely to need in a year, not only the entry plan. Square Online is a different case: Square publishes paid software pricing through an industry selector rather than a flat tier table, so the paid cost depends on the plan and industry selected.

Yearly-subscription rate

A yearly-subscription rate is the monthly price shown when the plan is paid for a year. Wix publishes its plans this way: Light at $17.77 a month, Core at $29.77, Business at $39.77, and Business Elite at $159.77. Light comes to $213.24 over twelve months.

How do the providers compare?

The providers below are listed alphabetically, and the order is not a ranking. Prices are as of 2026-10-06, and each provider's own pricing page is the final word.

GoDaddy has a free tier and three paid tiers: Starter at $9.99 a month, Professional at $24.99, and Ultimate at $99.99. Every paid tier is billed annually. Best for: a business that wants a low paid entry price and can commit to a year.

Hostinger lists Premium at $10.99 a month, Unlimited at $16.99, and Cloud Startup at $25.99 on renewal. Its promotional rates apply to a 48-month term paid up front. Best for: a business willing to prepay a long term and budget for the renewal price.

Square Online has a free plan available, with paid pricing that depends on the plan and industry selected. Best for: a business that already takes payments through Square.

Squarespace lists Basic at $25 a month, or $19 a month billed annually, up to Advanced at $139 or $99. Best for: a business where design is a selling point, such as a studio or boutique.

Wix lists Light at $17.77 a month up to Business Elite at $159.77, all at the yearly-subscription rate. Best for: a business that expects to add apps and templates over time.

ZenBusiness sells a website builder at $129 a year, or $15 a month, after a 30-day free trial. It is AI-assisted, ships industry templates and is mobile responsive. Hosting runs on Amazon Web Services with a stated 99.9% uptime, and SSL is included. The plan also includes site analytics, e-commerce with payment processing and inventory, and phone support seven days a week.

Paid yearly, ZenBusiness is $10.75 a month. It does not win everywhere. Squarespace goes deeper on design and customisation, Wix has the larger app and template ecosystem, and for a serious online store Shopify is the stronger answer. Best for: a small business that wants a credible site quickly at a predictable price, and does not need a high design ceiling.

What if the business has not been formed yet?

For a business that is still being set up, the website is one cost among several. Someone forming a company needs the entity, an EIN and a separate business account, and then books. The site sits downstream of those steps.

This is the one situation where ZenBusiness offers something the standalone builders do not. A reader forming an LLC can handle formation and the website with one provider. Starter formation is $0 plus state fees, Pro is $199 and Premium is $299. The state fee is set by the state, is not ZenBusiness's price, and varies, so it should be kept apart from those figures.

The EIN and operating agreement are included from Pro up and are $99 each on Starter. Customers who form with ZenBusiness are also offered a free accounting consultation, and its accounting page covers the bookkeeping side. A business that is already formed gets none of this and should simply compare the website prices above.

Does a higher plan price improve local search?

A pricier plan does not buy a better ranking. Google's own documentation says local results are based on relevance, distance and prominence. None of those is something a website builder controls or can promise.

Google's guidance on improving a local ranking centres on the business's Google Business Profile, which is separate from the website. Its Business Profile Help pages explain how to claim and manage a profile. A site that carries the same business name, address and phone number as the profile is a sensible foundation, and any builder that promises a ranking should be treated with caution.

What is the short version?

Most pricing confusion comes from billing term, promotional rates, and what a plan bundles. Converting every quote to a yearly total, budgeting from the ongoing price, and adding the domain and email separately removes most of it. The SBA's under-$30-a-month benchmark for paid DIY plans, against $2,000 and up for custom work, is the useful anchor.

For a small business that wants a credible site with hosting, SSL and phone support at a predictable yearly price, ZenBusiness at $129 a year is a reasonable place to start. For one where design or apps matter more, Squarespace or Wix is the better fit at a higher budget. Each provider's own pricing page should be checked before buying.

Sources

This is general information rather than legal, tax or accounting advice, and requirements vary and change.