The Ultimate Website Pricing Breakdown™

The exact pricing model we give SiteSwan resellers: what to charge, what it covers, and how to say it to a client



The model in one line


$500–$1,000 setup fee + about $100/month for hosting, updates, and support.

The setup fee pays you for the build and filters out people who aren't serious. The monthly fee is the business. Every client you sign stacks on top of the ones you already have, instead of replacing them.
 


Why not a one-time fee?


Say you sell 2 websites a month for 12 months. Same work, two different pricing models:
Screenshot 2026 11 03 at 3.28.06 pm
In year one the two models look about the same. The difference is that with one-time fees you start every month at zero. With monthly fees you start every month at whatever you've already built.

(Simplified: assumes every client stays. Some will leave, which is why the setup fee and the support you provide matter.)



Picking your setup fee


Stay inside $500–$1,000. Where you land depends on how much work the site takes:
  • Around $500: a simple site for a one-person business. A few pages, and they give you the content.
  • Around $750: the typical small business. 5–8 pages, you help shape the content, you add a contact form, photos, and their Google Business info.
  • Around $1,000: more pages, multiple services or locations, or you're writing most of the copy.

If you can't decide, pick $750. It's high enough to be taken seriously and low enough that it rarely kills a deal.



What the $100/month covers


This is what the client is paying for. Make sure you can actually deliver all of it:
  • Hosting, domain connection, and SSL (the padlock)
  • Security and software updates
  • Content changes: new photos, hours, prices, staff, specials
  • A real person (you) to call or text when they need something
  • Keeping the site working well on phones

Sell it as "you never have to think about your website again," not as a technical line item.



How to say it to a client

Keep it short and say it with confidence:

"The build is $750. After that it's $100 a month, and that covers hosting, any updates you need, and support. So if you change your hours or want new photos up, you just text me and it's done."

Then stop talking. Don't apologize for the monthly fee or explain it away.




What NOT to do

  • Don't cut your setup fee to win the deal. A client who only says yes at a discount will push for more for less every month after.
  • Don't break out hosting as its own small charge (like "$15/mo hosting"). It invites them to compare you to GoDaddy. You're selling the service, not the server.
  • Don't call it a "maintenance fee." It sounds like a cost. Talk about what they get: updates, support, and not having to deal with it.
  • Don't build the site and hand over the keys. If they own it outright and you walk away, the relationship and the recurring income walk away with it.
  • Don't offer a "no monthly" option. Once a client knows you have one, most of them will pick it.




Common pushback

"Can I just pay once?" "The monthly is what keeps your site secure, updated, and backed by someone you can call. Without it you'd be on your own the first time something breaks."
"I found someone cheaper." "That makes sense to look around. Just ask them who you call when you need a change in six months, and what that costs."
"Why would I need updates every month?" "You might not, and that's fine. You're paying for the hosting, the security, and knowing that when you need something changed, it's a text away instead of a project."
 


Quick math for your goal


At $100/month per client:
  • 10 clients = $1,000/month
  • 25 clients = $2,500/month
  • 50 clients = $5,000/month

Pick the monthly number you want, divide by 100, and that's how many clients you need.

This is the same model SiteSwan is built around: you build and sell the sites under your own brand and keep the recurring revenue. Learn more at siteswan.io.
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