It is one of the first questions every business owner asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on what the website has to do. A simple online brochure and a site that books appointments, takes deposits and sends every lead a text in seconds are two very different builds. Here is how to think about it so you do not overpay or end up with a site that never brings in a customer.
Your three main options
1. Do it yourself
Builders like Wix and Squarespace let you make a site yourself for a monthly subscription. It is the cheapest way to get online. The real cost is your time, and most DIY sites are not set up to rank locally or turn visitors into calls.
2. Hire a freelancer
Freelancers can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Some are great. The risk is what happens after launch: who updates the site, fixes it when something breaks, or answers the phone six months from now.
3. Hire an agency
Agencies usually cost more up front, but you should get strategy, design, copy, setup for search and tracking, plus someone accountable after launch. The key is making sure you are paying for results, not just a nice looking homepage.
What changes the price
- Number of pages. A one page site is simpler than a site with a page for every service and area you serve.
- Custom design or a template. Custom work takes longer but fits your brand and your customers.
- Copywriting. Someone has to write words that make people call. That is a skill, and it matters.
- Features. Online booking, deposits, ecommerce, memberships and quote calculators all add work.
- Integrations. Connecting your forms to a CRM, instant text back and call tracking.
- Local SEO setup. Google Business Profile, schema and location pages.
The hidden costs nobody mentions
- Domain name and hosting every year
- Paid plugins or app subscriptions
- Updates, security and backups
- Changes after launch, and how they are billed
- The biggest one: a cheap site that does not bring in leads. If your website looks fine but the phone never rings, it is costing you money every month.
What a website that pays for itself needs
- A clear offer and a call button at the top of the page
- A short quote form that is easy to fill out on a phone
- Fast load times on mobile
- Pages for your main services and the areas you serve
- Tracking so you know which calls and forms came from where
- Instant follow up, so no lead sits waiting
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
- Do I own the domain, the website and the content?
- Is there a contract, and how long is it?
- What is the monthly cost after launch, and what does it cover?
- Who makes changes, and how fast?
- Will calls and form leads be tracked?
- Can I see sites you built that are bringing in leads right now?
How we price websites
We price every website based on what it needs to do for your business. After a free 15 minute call you get a clear plan and an exact price. No long contracts, and you own everything we build. If you already have a site that is not working, our website redesign service can fix it without losing your rankings.
We build websites for businesses across St. Louis, Belleville and the Metro East and nationwide. Get a free quote or call or text (618) 593-7175.
