How Much Will Your
Website Actually Cost?

Configure your needs below and get an instant cost breakdown — with specific product recommendations to save money.

What type of website?
Pick the one that best matches your project.
Blog / Personal
Business Site
Online Store
Portfolio
Web App
How will you build it?
This has the biggest impact on cost.
DIY (WordPress / Builder)
Premium Template
Hire a Freelancer
Hire an Agency
How many pages?
Approximate — you can always add more later.
1–5 pages
6–20 pages
20–50 pages
50+ pages
What features do you need?
Select all that apply — these add to your total.
✓
SSL Certificate
Security & HTTPS — included free with most hosts
Free
✓
Professional Email
[email protected] via Google Workspace
$6/mo
✓
SEO Tools
Keyword research, rank tracking, optimization
~$15/mo
✓
Email Marketing
Newsletter, automations, subscriber management
~$20/mo
✓
Analytics
Google Analytics — free, just needs setup
Free
✓
Booking / Scheduling
Calendly or similar appointment scheduling
~$15/mo
✓
CDN / Speed Optimization
Cloudflare — free tier is excellent
Free
Your Estimated Website Cost
Monthly
$0
per month
First Year
$0
one-time + recurring
Recommended Products
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you sign up through our link. This helps us keep this tool free and up-to-date. Our recommendations are based on genuine product analysis. All pricing shown reflects current publicly available rates and may vary.

How Our Website Cost Calculator Works

Our calculator estimates the real first-year cost of building a website by combining three factors: hosting costs based on your site type, build method costs (DIY vs premium themes vs developer), and add-on costs for domains, email, marketing tools, and security. All prices are based on current market rates and updated monthly.

The recommendations section suggests specific products based on your selections — if you choose e-commerce, we recommend cloud hosting optimized for online stores rather than basic shared hosting. If you toggle on email marketing, we suggest a platform that integrates well with your site type.

Average Website Costs in 2026

A basic blog or personal site costs $48-150 in the first year using DIY tools and shared hosting. A business website with a premium theme runs $200-500 for the first year. An e-commerce store with professional hosting and marketing tools costs $500-1,500 annually. Hiring a developer adds $2,000-10,000+ as a one-time cost on top of ongoing hosting and tool subscriptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to build a website in 2026?

A simple website can cost as little as $48/year (shared hosting + free WordPress theme). A professional business site typically runs $200-500/year. E-commerce sites cost $500-1,500/year for hosting and tools. The biggest variable is whether you build it yourself or hire a developer — professional development adds $2,000-10,000+ as a one-time expense.

What's the cheapest way to build a website?

The cheapest path is shared hosting (Hostinger at $2.99/mo), a free WordPress theme, and the free version of Elementor for page building. Total first-year cost: under $50. You'll get a professional-looking site with SSL, a free domain, and solid performance for up to 25,000 monthly visitors.

Do I need to pay for SSL?

No. SSL certificates are free with virtually every hosting provider in 2026. SSL is essential (browsers mark non-SSL sites as "Not Secure"), but it shouldn't add to your costs. If a host charges extra for SSL, consider it a red flag.

Should I use WordPress or a website builder?

WordPress powers 43% of all websites and offers the most flexibility and plugin ecosystem. Website builders like Wix or Squarespace are simpler but more limited and more expensive long-term. For most use cases — blogs, business sites, e-commerce — WordPress with a page builder like Elementor gives you the best combination of ease and power.

What ongoing costs should I expect?

After your first year, expect to pay hosting renewal ($48-168/yr), domain renewal ($12-15/yr), and any tool subscriptions (email marketing, SEO tools, etc.). Hosting renewal rates are typically higher than introductory prices — factor this into your decision. Total ongoing costs for a basic site run $60-200/year.