How much does a small-business website cost in 2026?

By Mintinaj team · Updated October 11, 2026 · 4 min read

What you actually pay for

Whoever builds your site, the bill is made of the same parts. Once you know them, quotes become easy to compare.

• Setup or design. Planning the pages, writing and laying out the content, adding photos and connecting the domain. Usually paid once.
• Hosting and maintenance. The server, the SSL certificate (the padlock in the browser), backups, security updates and fixes. Usually paid monthly or yearly.
• Domain name. Your address, such as yourbusiness.com. Registrars charge a yearly fee that depends on the ending (.com, .co.uk, .de and so on).
• Content. Texts, photos and translations. Writing them yourself costs time; having them written costs money.
• Features. Online booking, a menu with orders, a store, tickets or property listings add work at setup and often a higher monthly fee.
• Marketing. Search engine optimisation (SEO), Google Business Profile work, ads and, more recently, visibility in AI answers. Optional and usually monthly.

The four common ways to get a site

• Do it yourself with a website builder. A low monthly fee, but you design, write and maintain everything. The real cost is your time, and the result depends on your skills.
• A freelancer. A one-off project fee, often with hosting and later changes billed separately. Quality and availability vary a lot from person to person.
• An agency. More people and processes, a higher price and usually a longer timeline. Worth it for complex or custom projects.
• A managed website service. A set price per type of site, with hosting and support included and a back office for everyday edits. This is how Mintinaj works.

Mintinaj prices, as a concrete example

All prices are in US dollars, ex-VAT, with a 24-month minimum term:

• Landing page (one page for any business): $49 setup, $9 a month.
• Brochure site (5–7 pages) or Portfolio: $149 setup, $15 a month.
• Appointment booking (salons, clinics, garages, trainers): $149 setup, $25 a month.
• Quotes and leads (trades, lawyers, accountants): $149 setup, $15 a month.
• Menu and orders, or Events and tickets: $199 setup, $25 a month.
• Stays and rentals, Property and vehicle listings, or Courses and memberships: $249 setup, $29 a month.
• Professional store: $299 setup, $29 a month.
• Construction project sites: from $490 setup and $39 a month.

Each extra language is $29, once. The domain is charged at cost, with no markup. The full table is in our prices section.

Compare offers over two years, not by the first invoice

A low setup fee with a high monthly fee can end up costing more than the other way round. Add the setup fee to 24 monthly fees, then add the domain and any extras.

• Landing page at Mintinaj: $49 + 24 × $9 = $265 over two years.
• Brochure site: $149 + 24 × $15 = $509.
• Appointment booking: $149 + 24 × $25 = $749.

Do the same sum for every offer you receive, for the same features, and the comparison becomes fair.

Costs people forget

• Domain renewals, which some providers mark up.
• Changes after launch: is editing included, or billed by the hour?
• Extra languages and translations.
• Payment provider fees for bookings or online sales.
• Leaving: can you take your site with you? At Mintinaj, after the 24-month minimum term you receive the site as a ZIP and the domain is transferred to you.

How to get a fair quote

1. Write down what the site must do: show information, take bookings, take orders or sell products.
2. List your languages and decide whether you will write the texts yourself.
3. Ask every provider for the setup fee, the monthly fee, the minimum term and what happens when you cancel.
4. Ask who owns the domain. It should be registered in your name.
5. Prefer offers where you see and approve the site before you pay.

Frequently asked questions