I get it. When you see someone advertising a "$99 complete website" or a "$50 website special," it's tempting. Why pay $500 or $1,000 when you can get a website for less than dinner for two?
Here's why: because cheap websites almost always cost you more in the long run. And I'm not just saying that because I sell websites — I'm saying it because I've rebuilt dozens of cheap websites for business owners who learned this lesson the hard way.
The True Cost of a Cheap Website
Cost #1: Lost Customers
A cheap website typically means a generic template, slow loading, poor mobile experience, and no SEO. Every one of these issues drives away potential customers.
Let's do the math:
- Your cheap website gets 500 visitors/month
- Due to slow loading and poor design, 80% leave immediately (vs. 40% for a good site)
- That's 200 extra lost visitors per month
- Even at a modest 3% conversion rate, that's 6 lost customers per month
- At $300 average customer value, that's $1,800/month in lost revenue
Your $99 website just cost you $21,600 in its first year. Still feel like a bargain?
Cost #2: The Rebuild
Almost every client who comes to me with a cheap website ends up needing a complete rebuild. The original "developer" used a free template, didn't optimize anything, and didn't build it to grow with the business.
Now you're paying for a website twice — the cheap one that didn't work, and the professional one you should have invested in from the start.
Cost #3: Your Reputation
Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. A cheap, generic, template website says: "I don't invest in my business." That's the opposite of the message you want to send.
Cost #4: Security Vulnerabilities
Cheap websites are often built on outdated platforms with no security measures. When (not if) they get hacked, you'll spend $500-$5,000 on cleanup — plus lose business during the downtime.
Cost #5: No Support After Launch
The person who built your $99 website? Good luck getting them to answer your email when something breaks six months later. Cheap developers move on to the next quick job. You're left with a broken site and no one to fix it.
What You Actually Get for $99
Let's be honest about what a $99 website typically includes:
- A free or cheap WordPress theme installed (the same one used on 10,000 other sites)
- Your logo and content dropped in with minimal customization
- No SEO optimization
- No speed optimization
- No mobile testing beyond "it doesn't crash on a phone"
- No ongoing support
- No strategy or conversion optimization
Essentially, you get what you could do yourself with a Saturday afternoon and a YouTube tutorial.
What You Get When You Invest Properly
When you work with a professional developer (like me), you get:
- Custom design that stands out from competitors
- Strategic layout designed to convert visitors into customers
- SEO optimization so Google can find you
- Speed optimization for fast loading on all devices
- Mobile-first design that works perfectly on phones
- Security measures to protect your site and visitors
- Ongoing support when you need changes or help
- A website that grows with your business
The Smart Investment
A professional website is an investment, not an expense. It's the foundation of your online presence, your 24/7 salesperson, and often the deciding factor when customers choose between you and your competitor.
My starter websites begin at $199 — less than twice the cost of those bargain deals, but exponentially more valuable. And they actually work.
