What Does a Custom Website Actually Cost?

You know you need a website for your business, so you start searching out website designers. Either you get hit with the dreaded “email me for pricing” (aka: probably expensive 😂), or you see the bold words “starting at” — which immediately makes you wonder... how high will the price actually go?

I totally get it, and honestly? I love being as transparent as possible. That’s why I include all my starting prices right on my website at www.kimmyaltman.com. But that “starting at” is there for a reason — because there are real variables that we need to chat through before I can give you an exact number. Let’s break it all down so you know exactly what to expect!

Variable #1: Copy (aka the Words on Your Website)

Copy is just a fancy word for the written content on your website — your headlines, your about section, your service descriptions, all of it. If you already have your copy written and ready to go? Amazing, you’re ahead of the game! But here’s the honest truth: about 80% of my clients come to me without their copy written.

I’m not a copywriter myself, but I have some amazing people I refer out to if you want the full professional experience. If budget is a concern though, I also offer AI-assisted copywriting — and I say that very loosely! I’m not a copywriter, but I do know how websites should flow. So I’ve set up an AI tool that creates copy from a questionnaire I have clients fill out beforehand. You’ll be able to tweak it until it truly sounds like YOU. It’s a great option that keeps things moving without breaking the bank.

Variable #2: Branding Elements

A lot of brand new business owners come to me without any branding in place yet — no colors, no fonts, no logo. No worries! I offer brand styling, which includes color palette creation, font selection, and a text-based logo to get you started.

If you’re wanting a full brand identity — think custom illustrated logo, brand guidelines, the whole nine yards — that’s a little outside my wheelhouse, but I have some incredible recommendations I can point you toward. You’ll be in great hands!

Variable #3: Photos

This is one of my favorite things to talk about! I utilize AI to create beautiful, “stock image”-style photos that feel cohesive and on-brand. My goal is for your entire website to feel like you had a full branding shoot done — even if you haven’t.

That said, if you’re not into AI images and you want a real, in-person branding session, that’s absolutely an option too! You’d just need to hire a photographer separately. (And yes — I have photographer recommendations depending on your location. I’ve got you covered!)

Variable #4: The Actual Website Cost

I work primarily with Squarespace, and as a Circle member, I’m able to get my clients 20% off their first year — which is a nice little bonus! Here’s a quick look at Squarespace’s current plans as of 2026 (after that 20% discount applied):

• Personal Plan: starts around $13/month (billed annually)

• Business Plan: starts around $19/month (billed annually) — great for most small businesses

• Basic Commerce: starts around $28/month (billed annually) — if you’re selling products

• Advanced Commerce: starts around $52/month (billed annually) — for more robust ecommerce needs

Squarespace also offers your first year’s domain for free, which is awesome. After that, domains typically run about $20/year — totally reasonable.

Putting it all together

When you add up all these variables — copy, branding, photos, and the actual platform — you can totally see why website pricing often shows up as a “starting at” or even a “email for a quote” situation. Every business is different, and every website is different!

A good designer will always start with a discovery call to learn about your business, find out what you already have in place, and figure out what you still need. From there, they should be able to give you a clear, exact quote.

I hope this gave you a much better idea of what to expect and what you’ll need to get started!

I’d love to learn more about your business and how I can help. To book a free discovery call you can use the link below.