What a Website Really Costs.
Real numbers for 2026: what you pay a DIY builder, a freelancer, a typical agency, or us. And what it costs to have nothing at all.
The Same Website, Four Different Bills.
A typical agency charges $3,000 or more up front and locks you into a 12-month contract. A DIY builder charges $20 to $50 a month and all of your weekends. Here is the honest comparison.
| Manta | Typical Agency | DIY Builder | Freelancer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $550 or $0 setup | $3,000+ | $0 | $500 to $2,500 |
| Monthly cost | from $77/mo | $300 to $1,000 | $20 to $50 | Varies |
| Who does the work | We do everything | Their queue does | You do, nights and weekends | Depends on the week |
| Time to launch | Days, not months | 6 to 12 weeks | Whenever you finish | 2 to 8 weeks |
| Contract | Month to month | 12-month lock-in | None | None |
| Who owns your site and domain | You do | Often them | The platform | Usually you |
| Catches your missed calls | Yes | No | No | No |
| Habla español | Sí | Rarely | No | Sometimes |
The Most Expensive Website Is No Website.
The real cost isn't what you pay. It's the jobs that go to the business your customer found instead of you.
- Industry callback studies of unanswered small-business calls.
- Small-business call-answering studies (approximate industry figure).
- Google mobile page-speed research.
- Stanford Web Credibility Research.
What We Charge, In Plain Sight.
The Launch Pad is $550 setup then $77/mo. The Growth Engine is $297/mo with no setup fee. The Empire Engine is custom, by consultation. Month to month, you own your domain, and you see your site before you pay anything.
Find Out What Yours Would Cost.
Ten minutes on the phone and you'll know exactly what your business needs and what it costs. We build the demo free either way.