That's the honest range. Below, I'll break down exactly what sits inside each option, what drives the price up or down, and the costs nobody puts on the quote. I'll also tell you plainly where City Print fits — and where it doesn't.

I'm Eric, the founder of City Print. We build websites and marketing for everyday business owners every day, so I'd rather give you the real picture than a number that looks good on an ad.

The four ways to get a website, and what each really costs

There are really only four paths. Here's the 2026 cost of each, and who each one is right for.

1. Do it yourself on a website builder — $16 to $159 a month

Builders like Wix and Squarespace are the cheapest option in dollars. Squarespace plans run about $16 to $49 a month (billed annually) and Wix runs about $17 to $159 a month depending on the plan. Call it $200 to $600 a year for most small business plans.

That price is real — but it's not the whole cost. The hidden line item is your time. You're the designer, the copywriter, the photographer, and the tech support. For an owner who enjoys that work and has the hours, it's a great deal. For an owner already working 60-hour weeks, the "cheap" option can quietly become the most expensive one, because the site never quite gets finished.

Right for: Owners who are comfortable with technology, have time to spend, and want full hands-on control.

2. Hire a freelancer — $1,500 to $8,000 to build

A freelance web designer typically charges $50 to $150 an hour, or $1,500 to $8,000 for a complete small business site. A polished build with 5-10 pages usually lands in the $3,000 to $6,000 range.

You get a professional result and a real person doing the work. The two things to plan for: freelancers vary widely in reliability, and the relationship usually ends when the site goes live. Updates, hosting, and fixes afterward are on you — or another hourly bill.

Right for: Owners who want a custom site, have a clear vision, and are comfortable managing a contractor and handling upkeep themselves.

3. Hire an agency — $3,000 to $15,000+ to build

Full-service agencies typically build small business sites for $3,000 to $15,000, with packages often starting around $6,000 and high-end builds running $35,000 and up. You're paying for a team — strategy, design, development, and project management.

For most everyday business owners, this is more website than the business needs. It makes sense when the site is genuinely complex (large catalog, custom functionality, multiple integrations) or when the website is the core of how you make money.

Right for: Established businesses with real complexity and a budget to match.

4. A managed, all-in-one plan — a flat monthly fee

The fourth path is having it handled: a flat monthly fee where the website, hosting, domain, email, and the rest of your basics are bundled and maintained for you. This is the lane City Print's Spark plan sits in, and I'll cover the exact numbers below.

Right for: Owners who don't want to build, manage a contractor, or stitch together a half-dozen separate bills — they just want to be open for business and visible.

The costs nobody puts on the quote

Whatever path you choose, a website is rarely a one-time number. The recurring costs that surprise owners add up to roughly $1,100 to $5,000 a year:

That last point matters most. A website is necessary, but a website alone is not a marketing plan. Budgeting for the site and forgetting the rest is the most common — and most expensive — mistake I see.

So what does City Print's Spark plan cost?

I'll be specific, because pricing transparency is the whole point of this article.

Spark is $298 to set up, then $99 a month. The setup includes custom design and a logo. First month is free.

For that flat fee, here's what's handled for you — not just a website:

The reason it's bundled is simple: an everyday business owner doesn't need "a website." They need to be open, findable, and reachable — online and in their neighborhood. Spark covers the whole basic kit for one predictable monthly number, with no contract to trap you and no surprise upkeep bills.

Which option is right for you?

Here's my honest take, even though I run City Print:

There's no single right answer — there's the right answer for where your business is today.

City Print handles this: Spark covers your website, domain, email, local visibility, advertising, and print for a flat $99/month — no contract, no surprise upkeep bills. If you'd rather have it handled than build it yourself, that's what it's for.