Website builder vs web designer vs done-for-you: what it really costs a small business

Nov 9, 2026 · Taylor

Website builder vs web designer: which is cheaper? It depends on what you count. There are three ways to get a website. You can build it yourself with a website builder, you can hire a designer or an agency, or you can use a done-for-you service. They don't just cost different amounts of money. They cost different amounts of your time, and for most owners the time is the bigger bill.

Full disclosure: Yes Boss Websites is our own done-for-you service, so we're not neutral. We've tried to be fair to the other two options, and where we couldn't find a reliable price we've said so instead of guessing.

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Describe your business in a sentence and see a finished website in about a minute. You only pay if you love it: A$9 a month or A$89 a year, no setup fee, hosting and changes included.

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How much does a website builder cost?

Website builders are the cheapest way in, and most have a free plan. The catch, covered in our list of the 10 best free website builders, is that free plans usually put the builder's name in your web address and show their ads on your pages.

Paid plans are where you get your own web address. Here is what third-party review sites published when we checked on 9 November 2026. Some of these pages show a plain "$" without naming the currency, and two are in US dollars, so treat them as a guide and check the builder's own page before you buy:

Wix: paid plans are needed to remove ads and use your own web address; check Wix's site for current Australian prices.
WordPress.com: the Personal plan is $9 a month, according to CostBench.
Square Online: the Square Plus plan is $49 a month, billed annually, according to Website Builder Expert.
Carrd: Pro Standard is $19 a year, according to One Page Love.
Weebly: the Personal plan is US$10 a month when billed annually, according to Website Planet.
Webflow: the Basic plan is US$15 a month billed yearly, according to Superdupr.
Hostinger: it advertises $2.99 a month, but that needs a four-year contract paid upfront ($143.52), and Tech.co says the price rises to $10.99 a month after the first 48 months.

Then there's the web address itself. CRM.org says a web address bought separately costs around $10 a year. Google Sites, which is free, lets you connect one. Need one? We suggest Hover, which sells .com.au addresses too. Any seller works.

Business.gov.au, the Australian Government's small business site, puts it plainly: a cloud-based content management system (CMS) is a paid subscription service.

What the price pages don't show is your time. You choose a template, write every word, find or take the photos, check it on a phone, fix it when something breaks, and keep prices and hours up to date. If you enjoy that, it's a good deal. If you don't, the real price is the weekends you'd rather spend on the business.

How much does a web designer or agency cost?

A designer or agency can build something properly custom, and you get a person to talk to. Business.gov.au lists paying a web designer to develop a custom design as one way to set up a website.

We looked for a reliable published price and couldn't find one on a government or small business body's page, so we're not going to quote a number. In words: it's often thousands of dollars upfront, and quotes vary a lot with the number of pages, who writes the words, and what happens after launch.

Three questions are worth asking every provider:

What does the quote include, and what costs extra?
Who pays for hosting, your web address and small changes after launch, and how much?
If you leave, do you keep the website and can you take it with you?

The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman's guidance for small businesses working with digital marketing providers makes the same point from the other side: get all costs, payment timings and overall contract costs clear before you sign.

How much does a done-for-you service cost? (that's us)

You describe your business in a sentence or two, answer a few questions, and we build and write the site. You see two finished designs in about a minute and only pay if you like one.

Our prices, as published on our own pricing page: A$9 a month, or A$89 a year (2 months free). There is no setup fee. Both include hosting, a free web address (or your own domain connected free), up to 2 changes a month, and the option to download your website if you ever leave.

It isn't right for everyone. It's built for simple sites of a few pages. Bigger shops, memberships and logins aren't included (we can quote). Extras like bookings (A$49 setup plus A$5 a month) cost more.

The three options side by side

Option	Upfront cost	Ongoing cost	Your time	Who it suits
Free builder plan	A$0	A$0, but the builder's name in your address and its ads on your pages	Hours to build, then regular upkeep	Testing an idea, a hobby or a side project
Paid builder plan	Often none, but some builders bill a year or more upfront	From $19 a year (Carrd) to $49 a month (Square), depending on the builder, plus about $10 a year for your own web address	You build it and you keep it up to date	Owners who enjoy it and have the time
Designer or agency	Often thousands of dollars; quotes vary	Ask: hosting, web address and changes are sometimes separate	Briefing, feedback rounds and waiting	Bigger or more custom sites, and owners who want a person to talk to
Done-for-you (ours)	A$0 to see it; then A$9 a month or A$89 for the first year, no setup fee	A$9 a month, or A$89 a year; hosting and 2 changes a month included	A few minutes to describe your business, then chat-box requests	Owners with no time to DIY and a simple site

Which one is right for you?

Answer these honestly:

Do you enjoy building things and have a spare weekend? A builder is the cheapest route.
Do you need something unusual, like a big shop or a custom booking system? A designer or agency is probably the better fit.
Are you short of time and want a simple, phone-friendly site, without learning a tool? A done-for-you service is made for you.
Do you need to change prices and hours quickly? Check how each option handles changes: do it yourself, ask your designer, or type it into a chat box.
Whatever you choose, can you take your website with you if you leave? Ask before you sign.

There's no wrong answer. The wrong move is paying for one option and then spending your time like you picked another.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a website builder cost for a small business?

Most have a free plan, but free plans usually put the builder's name in your web address and show their ads on your pages. In the review pages we checked, paid plans that let you use your own web address ranged from $19 a year (Carrd) to $49 a month (Square), plus about $10 a year for the web address. Check each builder's own page before you buy.

How much does a web designer or agency cost?

We couldn't find a reliable published price on a government or small business body's page, so we don't quote a number. It's often thousands of dollars upfront, and quotes vary with the number of pages, who writes the words, and what happens after launch. Ask what's included, who pays for hosting and changes, and whether you can take the website with you.

What does a done-for-you website service cost?

Ours, Yes Boss Websites, is A$9 a month or A$89 a year, with no setup fee. Both include hosting, a free web address (or your own domain connected free) and up to 2 changes a month. It's our own service, so we're not neutral.

Can I take my website with me if I leave?

Ask every provider before you sign. With ours, you have the option to download your website if you ever leave.

Sources

Prices and details as published on the pages below, checked 9 November 2026. Plans change often, so check before you buy.

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