Website Builder Pricing Guide: What You'll Really Pay

Website builder pricing can be confusing. The advertised monthly price is rarely the full story, with domain fees, transaction charges, premium app costs, and annual billing discounts adding complexity to the real cost. This guide gives you a transparent breakdown of what you will actually pay with each major website builder in 2026, so there are no surprises after you sign up.

For an at-a-glance comparison of platform pricing and features, visit our website builder comparison page.

Understanding Website Builder Pricing Models

Most website builders use a tiered subscription model where you pay a monthly fee that unlocks different levels of features and resources. Higher tiers include more storage, bandwidth, advanced tools, and remove platform branding. Nearly all builders offer discounts for annual billing, typically saving you 20-40% compared to monthly payments.

The advertised price almost always shows the annual billing rate. If you prefer to pay month-to-month, expect to pay significantly more. Always check both options before committing.

Platform-by-Platform Pricing Breakdown

Wix Pricing

• Free: $0/month — Wix branding, subdomain, 500MB storage
• Light: $17/month — Custom domain, remove Wix ads, 2GB storage
• Core: $29/month — Online payments, 50GB storage, customer management
• Business: $36/month — Advanced e-commerce, 100GB storage, subscriptions
• Business Elite: $159/month — Unlimited storage, priority support, advanced analytics

Wix includes a free custom domain for the first year on paid plans. After that, domain renewal costs approximately $15 per year. Wix does not charge transaction fees on e-commerce sales.

Squarespace Pricing

• Personal: $16/month — Custom domain, SSL, unlimited bandwidth
• Business: $23/month — Advanced analytics, pop-ups, 3% transaction fee on sales
• Commerce Basic: $27/month — No transaction fees, point of sale, customer accounts
• Commerce Advanced: $49/month — Subscriptions, advanced shipping, commerce APIs

All Squarespace plans include a free domain for the first year and unlimited storage. Note the 3% transaction fee on the Business plan, which makes the Commerce Basic plan more cost-effective if you sell more than a few items per month.

Shopify Pricing

• Starter: $5/month — Sell through social media and messaging apps only
• Basic: $39/month — Full online store, 2 staff accounts, shipping discounts
• Shopify: $105/month — Professional reports, 5 staff accounts, lower transaction fees
• Advanced: $399/month — Custom reports, 15 staff accounts, lowest transaction fees

If you use Shopify Payments, there are no additional transaction fees. Using a third-party payment gateway adds a 2% fee on Basic, 1% on Shopify, and 0.5% on Advanced. Premium themes cost $150-$400 one-time. For a head-to-head with Wix, see our Shopify vs Wix comparison.

WordPress.com Pricing

• Free: $0/month — WordPress.com subdomain, limited themes, 1GB storage
• Personal: $4/month — Custom domain, 6GB storage, remove ads
• Premium: $8/month — Premium themes, advanced design tools, 13GB storage
• Business: $25/month — Plugins, themes, 50GB storage, SEO tools
• Commerce: $45/month — Full e-commerce, 50GB storage

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Beyond the monthly subscription, several additional expenses can impact your total cost.

• Domain renewal: Free domains included in the first year typically cost $12-20 per year to renew
• Premium templates: Shopify and some WordPress themes cost $50-$400 for a one-time purchase
• Third-party apps: Many useful features require paid apps that can add $5-$50 per month each
• Email hosting: Professional email (you@yourdomain.com) may cost $5-$12 per user per month
• Transaction fees: Some plans charge 1-3% per sale on top of payment processing fees
• Payment processing: Credit card processing fees of 2.5-3% plus $0.30 per transaction are standard across all platforms

How to Choose the Right Plan

Selecting the right pricing tier depends on your specific needs. Here is a practical framework for deciding.

• Personal website or blog: A basic plan at $4-$17 per month covers your needs
• Small business website: Mid-tier plans at $16-$36 per month provide professional features. See our small business guide for recommendations
• Online store: E-commerce plans at $27-$39 per month provide the selling tools you need. Our e-commerce builders guide compares options
• Growing business: Higher-tier plans at $49-$105 per month offer advanced analytics, lower fees, and more staff accounts

Money-Saving Tips

Here are proven strategies to reduce your website builder costs without sacrificing quality.

• Pay annually: Annual billing saves 20-40% compared to monthly payments
• Start with a lower tier: You can always upgrade later as your needs grow
• Use free apps first: Many app stores include free alternatives to paid add-ons
• Watch for promotions: Builders frequently offer discounts during holidays and special events
• Use the included domain: Take advantage of the free first-year domain instead of purchasing one separately

Still unsure which platform gives you the best value? Compare all the top website builders with transparent pricing information to find the plan that fits your budget.