What does a website actually cost?

The design is free — but a website isn't like a flyer you print and hand out. There are a few ongoing costs every site owner needs to know about. This page breaks it all down, plainly and honestly.

The basics Cost breakdown Provider picks Common questions

A website is like renting a (digital) storefront.

🏗️
The Build
Designing and constructing the space — the layout, the look, the structure. This is the one-time work.
Free with Dakode
🏠
The Hosting
The physical space your store lives in. Someone has to keep the lights on and the doors open — that's your hosting provider.
~$5–$20/month
🪧
The Domain
Your street address — the name people type to find you. You rent it once a year so it stays yours.
~$10–$20/year
Cost Breakdown

The real numbers,
no surprises.

These are the costs you'll encounter as a website owner — none of them are paid to me. These go directly to the service providers you choose, and I can help you set them all up.

🌐
Domain Name Annual
Your web address — like yourbusiness.com. You register it through a domain registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, etc.) and renew it every year. Common extensions like .com and .net are the most recognizable and trusted. Some registrars provide a free domain name for the first year with the purchase of a hosting package.
$10–$20
per year
🖥️
Website Hosting Monthly
This is the service that keeps your website live and accessible on the internet, 24/7. Think of it like renting a digital "room" for all your website files to live. For most small business sites, shared hosting is all you'll ever need — it's affordable and reliable. Often times you can get a free domain name with the purchase of a hosting package.
$5–$20
per month
🔒
SSL Certificate Usually Free
This is what puts the padlock icon in your visitor's browser and enables https:// on your site. It tells people your site is secure. The good news: most reputable hosting providers include a free SSL certificate for the first year.
Free
for the first year
📧
Professional Email Optional
Want an email like you@yourbusiness.com instead of a Gmail address? That's a branded email, and it adds a lot of credibility. Some hosts include it, others don't. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are the most popular paid options.
$6–$12
per month
🛠️
Ongoing Maintenance Optional
Keeping your site updated, adding new content, fixing issues, and making sure everything runs smoothly is an ongoing – sometimes time-consuming – process. This is where I come in. I'll handle the grunt work. You focus on running your business.
$99+
per month
Estimated Annual Total
Domain + hosting (no email, no maintenance) — the bare minimum to keep a site live.
$70 – $260
per year, roughly
Provider Picks

Where to actually
set this stuff up.

Here are a few providers to help you get started. I've worked with both GoDaddy and Bluehost in the past and can vouch for them. But the choice is ultimately yours. I'll help you get set up with whichever you choose.

🌐 Domain Registrars
Provider Est. Cost/yr
GoDaddy ~20
Bluehost ~$12
Namecheap ~$7
🖥️ Hosting Providers
Provider Est. Cost/mo
GoDaddy ~$7–$15
Bluehost ~$6–$14
Hostinger ~$3–$8

Many hosting providers will offer a free domain name for the first year with the purchase of a hosting package.

Common Questions

Still have
questions?

These are the things I get asked the most. If you don't see yours here, just reach out — I'm happy to walk you through anything.

Yes — the design and development work is free, but hosting and your domain name are your ongoing costs. These costs go directly to the providers you sign up with, not to me. I help you get set up, but you own and control everything.
Your site will go offline — visitors won't be able to reach it. Most hosts will send you reminder emails before they take anything down, and you can usually reactivate by paying the overdue balance. Your files and content typically stay on their servers for 30–60 days before being permanently deleted, so there's usually time to act.
Free hosting exists, but it almost always comes with trade-offs: slow load times, forced ads on your site, unreliable uptime, or a clunky subdomain like yourbusiness.freehost123.com. For a business website, I strongly recommend paid hosting — even at $5/month it makes a massive difference in professionalism and reliability.
Not right away. I'll build and show you the site first. Once you're happy with it, we'll set up your hosting and domain together and get everything live. You won't be spending money on hosting while we're still building.
Great — you're one step ahead. As long as you have access to your domain's DNS settings (usually through whoever you registered it with), we can point it to your new hosting without any problem. You won't need to buy a new domain.
Even better. I can deploy your new site to your existing host in most cases. If your current host is too outdated or limited, I'll let you know and we can discuss options — but I'll never push you toward unnecessary expenses.
For most small business sites, no. But depending on your specific needs, there are optional add-ons: a professional email address (~$6–12/month via Google Workspace or Microsoft 365), a custom form service if your site collects a lot of leads, or third-party tools for things like booking or e-commerce.

Ready to get your site live?

I'll walk you through every step — from picking a host to flipping the switch.

Let's get started