If you’ve ever tried to get a quote for a small business website, you already know the problem: prices are all over the map. One agency quotes you $500. Another quotes $15,000. And you have no idea what you actually need.
Here’s a straight answer — no fluff, no upsell.
What a Basic Website Actually Costs
For a simple, professional small business website in Waukesha or the Milwaukee area, you’re typically looking at one of three paths:
DIY (Wix, Squarespace): $150–$400/year You build it yourself using a template. It’ll look okay, but it won’t be built for local search and you’ll spend more time fighting the platform than running your business.
Freelancer: $800–$3,000 one-time Better quality, but often no ongoing support. When something breaks or you need an update, you’re on your own or paying hourly.
Local agency: $1,500–$5,000 one-time + monthly retainer Professional-grade site built with local SEO in mind, ongoing support, hosting, and updates included. This is the route that actually gets your phone ringing.
What You’re Really Paying For
A website isn’t just a digital business card. If it’s built right, it’s your best salesperson — working 24/7, never calling in sick, never missing a follow-up.
The real value is:
- Local SEO — showing up when someone in Waukesha searches for your service
- Speed — Google penalizes slow websites. So do customers.
- Mobile design — over 70% of local searches happen on phones
- Clear calls to action — every page should be pushing the visitor toward a call or form fill
A $500 template website usually has none of this built in.
What North Star Digital Charges
We’re a local, father-son agency based in Waukesha. We build websites for contractors, plumbers, HVAC companies, and other service businesses in the Milwaukee metro area.
Our monthly plans start at $247/month and include your website, hosting, basic SEO, and ongoing support. No surprise bills. No contracts.
If you want to know what your current site is doing wrong — or if you don’t have a site at all — call us. We’ll take a look for free and give you an honest answer.
(262) 254-0128 — or fill out the form and we’ll call you.