You're a small business owner. You need a website. And you've probably been told Wix is the cheap, easy answer. But is it?
I'm going to be honest with you—not because I'm selling an alternative (okay, I am), but because I've seen too many business owners waste months building something that doesn't work for them. And I've rebuilt too many Wix sites that were supposed to be "easy."
Here's the real breakdown.
The Real Cost of Wix
Wix advertises starting prices that look attractive. But let's talk about what you'll actually pay.
According to Website Planet's 2026 pricing analysis, here's what Wix actually costs:
- Light Plan: $17/month (but no e-commerce)
- Core Plan: $29/month (minimum for most businesses)
- Business Plan: $39/month (needed for real e-commerce)
- Business Elite: $55-159/month (for serious stores)
Okay, so $29/month for most small businesses. That's not bad, right?
Except that's just the base price.
The Hidden Fees Nobody Mentions
Website Builder Expert reports that the real Wix cost is often 2-3x the advertised price:
- Domain renewal: ~$15/year after the first year's "free" domain
- Domain privacy: $10-15/year (so strangers don't see your home address)
- Premium apps: $3-100+/month each (booking, forms, live chat, email marketing—you name it)
- Payment processing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- Email marketing: Free for only 200 emails/month, then it's extra
A realistic monthly cost for a small business using Wix? $50-100/month once you add the apps and features you actually need.
That's not the $17 you saw in the ad.
The Cost Nobody Talks About: Your Time
Here's where DIY really gets expensive.
According to Bluehost, the average DIY website takes 20-40 hours to build. And that's just to get it live—not counting ongoing updates.
PixoLabo found that 64% of small business owners find updating their website a major challenge. That's nearly two out of three people struggling with something that was supposed to be "easy."
Let's do the math:
- 30 hours to build × your hourly rate = $750-3,000 of your time (assuming you bill $25-100/hour)
- Plus 2-4 hours/month maintaining it = $50-400/month in lost productive time
Suddenly that "free" DIY website is costing you thousands in time you could spend running your business.
The Maintenance Trap
Building the site is just the beginning. Then you're on the hook for everything—forever.
According to Finepoint Design's 2025 maintenance guide:
- 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses
- 88% of consumers won't return after encountering technical issues or outdated information
- Common problems include dead pages, slow loading, broken links, and security vulnerabilities
And here's the real kicker from Become Distinct: "The longer you delay maintenance, the more expensive and complex it becomes to fix problems."
When was the last time you updated your website? If you had to think about it, that's the problem.
The Accessibility Risk Most People Miss
This is the part that really worries me—especially for California businesses.
According to DarrowEverett's 2025 legal analysis, ADA website accessibility lawsuits surged 37% in 2025. Over 2,000 lawsuits were filed in just the first half of the year.
And here's the scary part: Website Planet reports that Wix doesn't guarantee accessibility compliance. In fact, Wix's own accessibility statement admits: "The part of your site that neither us nor any plugin/add-on can make accessible is your content."
Those accessibility widgets you see advertised? 456 lawsuits in 2025 targeted sites that had widgets installed. The FTC even hit one major widget company with a $1 million settlement for misleading businesses.
If your site isn't accessible and someone can't use it, you could face legal action. This isn't fearmongering—it's happening to small businesses right now.
What About Hiring an Agency?
The traditional alternative—hiring a web design agency—has its own problems.
Typical agency costs:
- $5,000-15,000 upfront for design and development
- 8-12 weeks to launch
- $100-200/hour for any changes after that
That's a massive upfront investment with no guarantee it'll work for your business. And every time you need to change your hours or add a new service? More billable hours.
For many small businesses, agencies are overkill. You don't need a $10,000 custom masterpiece. You need something professional that works.
So When Does DIY Make Sense?
I'll be honest—DIY can work. But only if:
- You genuinely enjoy building websites (not just "I want to save money")
- You have 30+ free hours for the initial build
- You're comfortable with ongoing maintenance and security
- You understand accessibility requirements (not just "install a widget")
- Your time isn't better spent on your actual business
If that's you? Go for it. Wix, Squarespace, whatever works.
But if you're reading this thinking "I don't have time for that"—then DIY probably isn't the answer.
The Real Question
Here's what it comes down to: Is your time worth more than $79/month?
Because that's roughly what you're trading when you DIY. You're exchanging dollars for hours—hours you could spend serving customers, growing your business, or just having your weekends back. (Still wondering if you even need a website? We covered that in our guide to why small businesses need websites in 2026.)
Network Solutions reports that small businesses with modern, professionally-managed websites see 15-50% revenue increases. Over 70% report increased revenue after launching a site.
The website isn't the cost. Not having the right website is the cost.
What YouGrow Does Differently
We built YouGrow for exactly this situation—business owners who want a real website without the DIY headache or the agency price tag.
$79/month. That's it. Everything included:
- Custom-branded professional website
- Unlimited reasonable updates (email or call us, we handle it)
- Hosting, security, backups, SSL
- Built accessible from day one
- No setup fee for founding members
- Month-to-month, cancel anytime
Your site goes live in days, not months. And you never log into anything—we handle everything forever.
We're based right here in Arroyo Grande. When you call 805-439-6288, you get a real person who knows your business. Not a ticket number at some call center.
Ready to stop fighting with website builders? Let's talk.