# Affordable small business websites in NZ, from $499 + GST

Most small businesses need a handful of pages that each do one job. Here's the list, and a fixed price to get it built.

**Short answer:** Most small businesses need 4 to 6 pages: Home, Services, About, Work or Reviews, and Contact. Business Plus covers that for $899 + GST, with five pages, SEO setup and Google Maps. If people already know you, a one-page Business Lite site at $499 + GST is often enough. Both include domain and hosting for year one.

## The five jobs a small business website has to do

Forget the bells and whistles. A small business site earns its keep by doing five things well. Each card has a quick way to check your own.

- **1. Be found**: Google needs to know what you do and where. That means clear page titles, headings and a sitemap. Check yours: search your business name plus your suburb. Do you show up?
- **2. Be trusted**: People want to see real reviews, real photos and a real person. Stock photos of handshakes don't help. Check yours: is there one review or real photo on your homepage?
- **3. Be clear**: Say what you do in the first line. A visitor should know in five seconds if you can help. Check yours: show your homepage to a friend for five seconds, then ask what you do.
- **4. Be easy on a phone**: Most visitors arrive on a phone, often in a hurry. Text must be readable and buttons big enough to tap. Check yours: open it on your phone, one-handed, at arm's length.
- **5. Be easy to contact**: Make getting in touch obvious on every page. A short form beats a long one. Check yours: count how many taps it takes to send you a message.

### A simple page plan

Here's what goes where, and which package covers it.

| Page | What goes on it | Business Lite | Business Plus |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Home | What you do, where, and how to get in touch | Yes (one page holds it all) | Yes |
| Services | Each service in plain words, with the areas you cover | A section | Its own page |
| About | Who you are, how long you have been at it, a real photo | A section | Its own page |
| Projects or gallery | Photos of real work, with a line on each | No | Yes |
| Contact | Form with spam protection, map and hours | A section | Its own page |

_Business Lite is $499 + GST. Business Plus is $899 + GST. Both are one-off prices._

## What an affordable website should still include

A low price shouldn't mean missing basics. Both packages include SEO setup, so Google knows what you do and where. Both include Google Maps setup through your [Google Business Profile](https://websmarthq.com/google-business-profile/).

Every site is mobile-friendly and has a contact form with spam protection. Hosting and your domain are included for the first year, and so are small updates in year one.

### DIY builder or a designer? The 3-year cost

DIY looks cheapest on day one. Over three years the gap narrows, and the hours add up. These are typical costs for a five-page site in Auckland.

| Route | 3-year cost (approx., ex GST) | What it leaves to you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DIY builder ($25 to $150 a month) | ~$1,800 plus 20 to 40 hours of your time | Everything: design, SEO, Google profile, updates |
| Freelancer | ~$3,800 | Depends on the freelancer |
| Small agency | ~$9,100 | Check what the contract covers |
| Large agency | ~$17,000 | Check what the contract covers |

_Source: our survey of 25+ published NZ prices, Oct 2026. Includes Google profile setup, SEO setup and hosting. NZD, ex GST._

For comparison, Business Plus is $899 + GST, with domain and hosting for the first year included. Our guide to [website options compared in NZ](https://websmarthq.com/guides/website-options-compared-nz/) has the full picture, builders included.

We work with small businesses all over New Zealand: see [where we work](https://websmarthq.com/areas/).

## What we need from you

Most small businesses need 4 to 6 pages. You need to send about six things.

- Your logo (no logo? tell us)
- A handful of photos: your work, your place, you. Phone photos are fine
- A list of your services
- The suburbs or towns you cover
- Your hours and contact details
- A yes when you see your homepage

> **Is $499 + GST too cheap to be any good?** Fair question. The price is low because the scope is clear. You get exactly what's listed: no online shop, no booking system, no more than five pages. Need those? That's a Business Pro build, priced first. Nothing gets added to your bill without a yes.

> "Nikhil is very helpful building my first business website. Highly recommended."
> Jhaymar Alcaraz, Google review

## Small business website FAQ

### How many pages does a small business website need?

Most need 4 to 6: Home, Services, About, Work or Reviews, and Contact. That's what Business Plus covers for $899 + GST. One page is often enough if people already know your name, or you sell one main service. Business Lite fits that at $499 + GST. You can start small and add pages later.

### What makes a good small business website? (the "5 golden rules" and "7 C's")

You'll see lists like the "5 golden rules" or the "7 C's" of web design. They boil down to the same few things. Say clearly what you do. Make contacting you obvious on every page. Work well on a phone. Show proof: reviews, photos, a real person. Mention the places you work, so Google and locals connect you to them.

### Can I get a free website for my small business instead?

Yes, free builders exist. The catches show up later. Free plans usually put the builder's ads on your site and give you their address, not your own domain. Useful features sit behind paid upgrades. Some limit what Google can see. A free site can be fine for testing an idea. Our [website options guide](https://websmarthq.com/guides/website-options-compared-nz/) compares the real costs.

### What should my home page say first?

Four things, in the first screen. What you do, in plain words. Where you do it. A reason to trust you, like a review or years in business. And one clear way to get in touch. Skip the welcome message and the mission statement. A visitor decides in seconds whether to stay, so give them the answer straight away.

### Do I still need SEO if most of my work comes from word of mouth?

Yes, a little. Word of mouth still works, but most people Google you before they get in touch. If they find a missing profile or an old site, some move on. Basic SEO makes sure your name, reviews and details show up correctly. That's why SEO setup and [Google Business Profile](https://websmarthq.com/google-business-profile/) setup come with every package.

### Should a small business website have a blog?

Usually not at the start. A blog needs regular posts to be worth it, and an empty one looks worse than none. Your services, your work and the areas you cover do more for Google early on. A blog makes sense later, if you enjoy writing and your customers ask the same questions often. Then each answer can become a post.

## Tell us what you do

A few lines is plenty. We'll suggest Lite or Plus and give you a clear price.

[Start with a quick chat](https://websmarthq.com/contact/)

## Read next

- [Do I need a website?](https://websmarthq.com/guides/do-i-need-a-website/): An honest look at when a Google profile alone is enough.
- [DIY or a web designer?](https://websmarthq.com/guides/diy-website-vs-web-designer/): What you save, what you spend, and the hours in between.
- [Websites by industry](https://websmarthq.com/industries/): What a site needs for tradies, cafés, sole traders and practices.
- [Free website check](https://websmarthq.com/free-website-check/): Already have a site? We will look at it and your Google profile.

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Source: https://websmarthq.com/small-business-websites/
Web Smart HQ · Titirangi, Auckland 0604, New Zealand · hello@websmarthq.com · Business Lite $499 + GST, Business Plus $899 + GST