A website builder like Wix or Squarespace costs roughly €200–€600 in the first year, Shopify roughly €400–€1,200 once you add apps and fees, and a custom website built by an agency €1,500–€6,000 up front plus €0–€30 per month. The builder is cheaper on paper. Whether it is cheaper for your business depends on one thing: how many customers the site wins or loses for you.
We build on several platforms, so we have no reason to push one. Here is how the numbers compare.
The 12-month cost at a glance
Prices change often, so treat these as typical ranges at the time of writing (October 2026) and check the current plans before you decide.
| Option | Plan per month | Typical extras | First-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | about €17–€40 | Apps, premium templates, email | €200–€600 |
| Squarespace | about €16–€50 | Email, extensions | €200–€650 |
| Shopify | about €27–€90 | Apps (€10–€50 each), transaction fees | €400–€1,200+ |
| Custom website (agency) | €0–€30 hosting | Domain, optional maintenance | €1,500–€6,000 one-off |
The builder totals do not include the most expensive item: your own time. Expect 30–60 hours to plan, write, build and fix a small business site yourself.
Wix: fast to start, hard to make stand out
Wix is the easiest place to start. You pick a template, change the text and publish in a weekend. It suits a business that only needs to be findable: opening hours, a phone number, a few photos.
The limits show up later. Templates are used by thousands of businesses, so your site looks like your competitors’. The structure that brings enquiries (which question to answer first, what proof to show, where to place the button) is still up to you. And moving away from Wix later means rebuilding from scratch, because you cannot export the site.
Squarespace: beautiful templates, same trade-off
Squarespace templates look more polished out of the box, which is why photographers, studios and restaurants like it. The costs are similar to Wix. The trade-off is also similar: good-looking pages are not the same as pages that convince a visitor to call you.
Shopify: the right tool for selling products
If you sell physical products, Shopify is hard to beat for stock, payments and shipping. The plan is only part of the cost, though. Most shops add apps for reviews, filters, subscriptions or translations, and each one adds €10–€50 per month. If you do not use Shopify Payments, you also pay an extra transaction fee on every sale. A small shop that starts at €27 per month often ends up closer to €100.
A custom website: higher up front, lower cost per customer
A custom website from an agency costs more at the start. With us, a landing page starts at €1,500, a website with up to 5 pages at €2,500 and a multi-page website with SEO and booking at €3,500, all including VAT. You can see what each includes on our pricing page.
What you pay for is not the platform. It is the research and structure behind the site: an interview with you, an analysis of your competitors, and headlines and page order based on what your customers need to read. Many of our websites are still built on no-code platforms such as Duda or Webflow, so you can edit texts, prices and photos yourself after launch.
When each option makes sense
- Choose Wix or Squarespace if you are just starting, your budget is under €1,000 and you mainly need to be found.
- Choose Shopify if online sales of physical products are the core of your business.
- Choose a custom website if your website should bring enquiries every month, you compete with businesses that look similar, or your current site gets visitors but no calls.
A simple test: if one extra customer per month is worth €300 or more to you, a site that wins that customer pays for itself within the first year.
Proof from a real project
Okiem, a pianist and composer, had a dated website he could not update. We built the new site on Duda, a no-code platform, with a custom design and a setup he manages himself. It went live in six weeks and now brings eight times as many enquiries. The platform was a builder. The result came from the work done before the build.
For a full breakdown of agency prices, read how much a small business website costs.
Our opinion
Start with a builder if money is tight, and do it properly: write your own headlines, add real photos and real prices. Switch to a custom website when the site has to win customers, not just exist. The most expensive option is a cheap site that nobody contacts you from.
FAQ
How much does a Wix website cost per year?
A Wix website typically costs €200–€600 in the first year, depending on the plan and any paid apps, premium templates or email accounts you add. Check the current prices on Wix, as plans change regularly.
Is Shopify more expensive than Wix?
Usually, yes. Shopify plans start higher, and most shops add paid apps and pay transaction fees. A small Shopify shop often costs €100 per month once everything is added. For selling physical products, Shopify is still often worth it.
Which website builders offer the best pricing for startups?
For a simple presence, Wix and Squarespace offer the lowest entry prices. For an online shop, Shopify’s basic plan is a solid start. Once the website needs to bring regular enquiries, a custom site on a no-code platform is often better value per customer.
Are there free website builders?
Yes, Wix and others offer free plans, but they show the builder’s ads, use a subdomain instead of your own domain and limit SEO. They are fine for testing an idea, not for a business website.
Not sure which option fits your business? Tell us about your project and get a fixed quote, or get a free 10-minute video review of your current site.
