Short answer: In 2026 a small-shop website runs from about $125 a year on a do-it-yourself builder to around $7,000 for a custom build, the median among US firms that print prices. A September 2026 benchmark of 50 price pages put managed websites at a median of $150 a month. AP Visible charges $450 to start plus $199 a month.
Why the quotes you get are all over the place
If you've asked around Aurora, Naperville or Oswego, you've probably heard numbers that don't line up. Most web design firms don't print their prices. An August 2026 study checked 42 agency websites taken from four directory lists and found that 33 of them (78.6%) publish no prices at all.
Prices also cover different jobs. "A website" can mean software you build yourself, a one-time build you then look after, or a monthly service where someone else handles everything. Compare like with like. Our agency vs. DIY builder vs. freelancer comparison goes through each option.
The three ways small shops pay for a website
1. Do it yourself on a website builder
You pay for the software and do the work yourself.
- Squarespace's Basic plan is $25 a month, or $19 a month billed yearly. Its Core plan is $39 a month, or $29 billed yearly (US prices on Squarespace's pricing page, checked October 27, 2026).
- A September 2026 benchmark of 20 do-it-yourself platforms found a median of $123 a year.
- The August 2026 study put year one at $125 to $360 for a business-capable site on six platforms, before transaction fees and your own time.
Good for: owners who like to tinker and have evenings free. Watch for: the hours. Writing, photos, mobile layout, and connecting your Google Business Profile all fall on you.
2. Pay once for a build
Someone builds the site and you own it. Updates and hosting are usually extra.
- Among US providers that print prices, the median basic brochure site was $799 (three providers, $799 to $2,500), and the median custom small-business site was $7,000 (six providers, $4,000 to $18,000).
- The September 2026 benchmark found a median entry fixed-price project of $1,950 (four providers).
Good for: shops that want to own the site from day one and have someone to handle updates. Watch for: what happens after launch. Ask who fixes things, what edits cost, and who renews the domain.
3. Pay monthly for a managed website
A provider builds, hosts and maintains the site for a monthly fee, often with a setup fee and a minimum term.
- Across 26 managed plans with printed prices, the median was $150 a month, or $1,800 over 12 months including setup fees (benchmark checked September 1, 2026).
Good for: owners who want it handled. Watch for: contracts that make leaving hard, and whether you own your domain and Google listing.
A note on these numbers
These are national samples, not Aurora-only figures. No reliable public dataset covers Aurora or Chicagoland alone. The samples are also small, and both studies were published by companies that sell websites. Treat them as a range, not a rule.
Costs people forget
- Your domain name renews every year.
- Hosting and security are included in builders and most monthly plans, but are often extra after a one-time build.
- Edits. Ask whether changing your hours or adding a photo costs anything.
- Your time, the biggest cost of doing it yourself.
- Your Google Business Profile is free from Google. You only pay if someone manages it for you.
What AP Visible charges (printed, not negotiated)
AP Visible publishes its prices on apvisible.com:
- The Twelve-Month Partnership: $450 to start plus $199 a month, then month-to-month. It covers the website, hosting, security, edits, and a managed Google Business Profile, with a plain-English monthly report and a review at month six.
- Your first year costs $450 + (12 × $199) = $2,838.
- Own it outright: $1,250, printed in the agreement. Your $450 counts as credit from the six-month review on.
- Leaving: your Google listing stays in your name from day one. If you walk away without buying the site, taking your domain costs $25 at most.
That's more than a do-it-yourself builder and close to the monthly-plan median above. The difference is what's included: the managed Google profile, edits, and a free audit plus a demo site you approve before paying anything. Whether that's worth it depends on your time. For a rough number for your own shop, try the calculator. To weigh paying monthly against owning your site, read monthly website plan vs. one-time build.
Five questions to ask any web designer
- What is the total for the first year, including setup, hosting and the domain?
- Who owns the domain and the Google Business Profile, and what does it cost to leave?
- What do small edits cost, and how fast are they done?
- Can I see the site before I pay?
- Do you promise rankings? If they say yes, keep looking. Nobody can promise that.
Frequently asked questions
Is a cheap website builder enough for my shop?
It can be, if you have time to build and update it yourself. The software is cheap. The work of writing, photos, mobile layout and keeping your hours current is what you pay for with a designer.
Do I have to pay for a Google Business Profile?
No. Google Business Profile is free from Google. You only pay if you hire someone to set it up or manage it.
What does AP Visible's first year cost?
$2,838: the $450 start fee plus 12 monthly payments of $199. That covers the website, hosting, security, edits and a managed Google Business Profile.
Why don't more web designers publish prices?
In one August 2026 sample, 78.6% of agencies checked didn't publish any price. Many quote after a call. AP Visible prints its prices so you can compare before talking to anyone.
Sources
- 99creatix, "Web Design Pricing Transparency in 2026" (data collected Aug 30, 2026; published by a web design agency): https://99creatix.com/wp-content/uploads/research/web-design-prices-study-2026.pdf
- Squarespace pricing (US), checked Oct 27, 2026: https://www.squarespace.com/pricing
- Teqri, "Small Business Website Pricing Benchmark 2026" (50 official price pages, checked Sept 1, 2026): https://teqri.com/research/small-business-website-pricing-benchmark-2026
- Google, "Stand out on Google with a free Business Profile": https://www.google.com/business/