Website cost by type
"Website" covers everything from a one-page launch site to a full web application, so the price range is enormous. The practical way to estimate is to match your project to a type. A high-converting landing page is a few thousand dollars; a custom web application with user accounts and a backend is tens of thousands. The table below breaks down the common categories with 2026 ranges.
What drives the price
Within any category, these factors decide where you land in the range:
- Custom vs. template design — a bespoke design system costs more than a polished template.
- Number of pages and unique layouts — ten near-identical pages are cheap; ten unique ones aren't.
- Functionality — forms and content are cheap; user accounts, dashboards, and payments are not.
- Content management — a CMS so you can edit content yourself adds setup cost but saves money long-term.
- Integrations — CRMs, payment gateways, booking systems, and analytics each add scope.
- Performance & SEO — building for Core Web Vitals and search from day one is far cheaper than retrofitting.
Template vs. custom — which is cheaper?
A template-based site (think a polished theme on a website builder) is cheaper and faster to launch, and it's the right call for a simple brochure site that won't change much. The trade-off is that it gets expensive and awkward the moment you need something the template wasn't designed for.
A custom-built site costs more up front but is built around exactly what you need and extends cleanly as you grow. For anything with real functionality — accounts, dashboards, custom workflows — custom code is usually cheaper over the life of the product, because you're not fighting a template's assumptions.
Ongoing costs after launch
Beyond the build, budget for a domain (around $10–$20/year), hosting (free to ~$50/month for most sites, more for high-traffic apps), and maintenance. A simple site needs little upkeep; one with a backend, integrations, and regular content changes benefits from a maintenance retainer so updates, security patches, and performance stay handled.
2026 website cost by type
| Website type | Typical scope | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page | One page, conversion-focused, custom design | $500–$3,000 |
| Business website | 5–15 pages, CMS, contact forms, SEO setup | $3,000–$15,000 |
| E-commerce store | Catalog, cart, checkout, payments, accounts | $8,000–$40,000 |
| Custom web app | User accounts, dashboards, custom backend | $25,000+ |
Ranges assume custom, professional work. DIY website builders cost less but trade away design and flexibility.