Ask five web developers what a business website costs and you'll hear five answers, from $300 to $30,000. The range is real, because "a website" can mean a single landing page or a full web application. This guide breaks down typical 2026 prices, what drives them, and how to avoid paying for the wrong thing.
Typical 2026 price ranges
- Landing page (one page, one goal): a few hundred to around $1,500
- Small business website (5–8 pages): roughly $800–3,000 from experienced freelancers and smaller studios
- Corporate site with a CMS: roughly $2,500–8,000
- Online store: roughly $2,000–15,000
- Custom web application (portals, dashboards, booking tools): from about $8,000 to $40,000+
Who you hire matters as much as what you build. Freelancers commonly charge around $30–80 an hour, while agencies often charge $150–250, and developers in lower-cost countries can deliver similar quality for considerably less.
What actually drives the price
- Number of pages and templates: ten unique page designs cost more than ten pages using one template.
- Custom design vs a template: bespoke design takes longer than adapting an existing one.
- Features: booking, payments, member areas, calculators or integrations add development time.
- Content: whether you supply the text and photos or they need writing and sourcing.
- SEO setup: page structure, structured data, speed work and a sitemap done properly.
- CRM connection: forms and bookings that feed your CRM and trigger follow-up.
Builder, template or custom code?
- Website builders (including GoHighLevel's): cheapest and fastest, and good for funnels and simple sites, with some limits on speed, SEO control and features.
- Templates and themes: a middle ground. Quick to launch, but they can be slow and look like everyone else's.
- Custom-coded (for example with Next.js): the most control over speed, SEO and features, and you own the code. It takes more time up front.
I compare these in detail in GoHighLevel website builder vs a custom website.
Costs people forget
- Domain: usually a small yearly fee
- Hosting: from free for static sites to monthly fees for heavier ones
- Maintenance: updates, fixes and small changes after launch
- Paid tools: booking, forms, email or analytics subscriptions
- Your time: writing content and giving feedback often takes longer than the build
How to avoid overpaying (or underpaying)
- Start with the goal. More calls? More bookings? A landing page might beat a ten-page site.
- Get a fixed quote for a clear scope, with what's included written down.
- Check the developer's real work, including how fast their own site loads on a phone.
- Make sure you'll own the domain and the code.
- Plan how leads will be followed up, or the site will collect enquiries nobody answers in time.
What I charge
I build custom-coded websites with Next.js, connected to your CRM so every enquiry gets an instant follow-up. I'm based in Lahore, Pakistan, working with businesses in the US, UK, Europe and Australia, so my prices sit well below typical agency rates:
- Landing page: from $299
- Business website (5–8 pages): from $799
- Custom web app: from $2,500
- Website care plan: $79/month
This site is an example of my work: custom Next.js, a blog, case studies, structured data and a fast static build. See web development, my developer portfolio and pricing.
Market ranges are typical 2026 figures and vary by provider and scope. Always get a written quote.