If you've searched "how much does a website cost" recently, you've probably gotten answers ranging from $0 to $100,000 — which is about as helpful as asking how much a car costs. The honest answer is: it depends. But let's break down exactly what it depends on, so you can make a smart decision for your Denton business.
The Three Tiers of Website Pricing
1. DIY Templates (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy) — $0–$50/month
Template builders are the cheapest entry point. You drag and drop, pick a theme, and you're live in a weekend. For a side hustle or a business that barely needs a web presence, this can be fine.
The downsides show up fast once you need to grow: slow load times (Google penalizes this), cookie-cutter designs that look like every other business, limited SEO control, and monthly fees that add up over time. After 3 years on Squarespace, you've paid $1,800+ for a site you don't own and can't move.
2. Freelance Developer — $500–$5,000
This is where most small businesses in Denton should be looking. A good freelancer builds you something custom — faster, cleaner, and actually designed around how your customers find and contact you.
Price within this range depends on scope: number of pages, whether you need booking functionality, e-commerce, custom forms, and how polished the design needs to be.
3. Agencies — $5,000–$50,000+
Agencies charge more because of overhead — account managers, project coordinators, multiple designers and developers. For a $100M company, that's worth it. For a local Denton business? You're paying for layers you don't need.
What Actually Drives the Price?
| Factor | Low end | High end |
|---|---|---|
| Number of pages | 1–2 pages | 10+ pages |
| Custom design | Template-based | Fully custom |
| Booking / scheduling | Not needed | Full integration |
| E-commerce | No store | Full online shop |
| SEO setup | Basic | Advanced local SEO |
| Copywriting | You write it | Developer writes it |
What Does a Good Website for a Denton Small Business Actually Cost?
For most local businesses — a landscaper, a salon, a contractor, a dog groomer — here's what's realistic:
Starter ($500 + $50/mo) — Single-page custom design, mobile-ready, contact form, basic SEO. Great for getting online fast.
Growth ($1,500 + $50/mo) — Multi-page site, advanced local SEO, booking integrations, Google reviews. Best for businesses ready to generate real leads.
The Works ($3,000 + $100/mo) — Fully custom, e-commerce, member logins, custom backend. For businesses that need their site to do heavy lifting.
The Monthly Fee Question
Most reputable developers charge a monthly retainer for hosting, updates, security patches, and support. Budget $50–$150/month for ongoing maintenance on top of your build cost.
Red Flags When Hiring a Web Developer in Denton
- They can't show you previous work
- They promise a site in 24 hours
- No contract or written scope of work
- They own the domain and hosting (you can't leave)
- Vague pricing — "it depends on a lot of factors"
Bottom Line
For a Denton small business, a quality custom website runs $500–$3,000 upfront plus a monthly maintenance fee. That's a one-time investment that pays for itself the first time a customer finds you on Google and books a job instead of your competitor.
"The best website is the one that actually shows up when your customers are searching — and makes it easy for them to call or book."
If you're in Denton and trying to figure out what makes sense for your business, reach out — I'm happy to talk through it with no pressure.