What the tiers actually get you
- DIY ($15 to $50/mo): you design, write, and maintain it. Fine for a placeholder; rarely converts or ranks well.
- Freelancer ($1,500 to $5,000): one person, variable quality, limited support after launch.
- Agency (from ~$3,500): strategy, custom design, copy, SEO foundation, and a team that’s still there when something breaks.
What makes a site cost more
Custom design (vs a template), the number of unique page templates, e-commerce or membership functionality, third-party integrations (CRM, booking, payments), copywriting, and ongoing support all move the number. A brochure site is fast; a store or a lead-gen machine takes more.
Why we do not quote by the page
Almost everyone in this industry quotes per page, because it is easy to put in a proposal. We do it differently, and it is worth explaining why.
Page count tells you very little about the work. A five-page site where every page is a long, bespoke layout with twenty distinct content blocks takes more design than a forty-page site that repeats one template forty times. The second is mostly data entry. The first is forty design decisions.
What actually drives the hours is how much content each page has to carry. Content volume decides how many layouts are needed, how many sections and modules have to be designed, and how many assets, photography, icons, diagrams and illustrations, have to be made or sourced to keep it readable. A page with three sentences needs one design element. A page with two thousand words, a comparison table, a process diagram and six proof points needs a dozen.
So we work through the content first, then quote what actually has to be designed and built. The alternative is quoting a number per page and discovering halfway through that the pages are three times heavier than the template assumed, which is exactly where per-page quotes turn into change orders.
Common questions
How much does Fivenson Studios charge for a website?
Most projects start at $3,500 and are quoted to scope after a quick discovery call. You get a fixed price up front, no hourly surprises.
Is a cheap website worth it?
A $500 template site usually costs more later in lost leads, slow load times, and a rebuild. A site that ranks and converts pays for itself; a cheap one quietly costs you customers.
Are there ongoing costs?
Yes, hosting and a domain (roughly $10 to $40/month combined), plus optional maintenance or SEO. A one-time build is not a monthly subscription unless you choose a care plan.