A friend called me last week. She'd been paying her web designer $250/month to "host and maintain" her 5-page business website. For three years. That's $9,000 for what should cost about $500 total. Let me break down what hosting actually costs, so you can spot this racket before you fall for it.
What Hosting Actually Costs
Here's the real breakdown for hosting a small business website:
- Shared hosting: $2-10/month. This is what most 5-page business sites need. It's called "shared" because you share server space with other websites. For a small site that gets a few hundred visitors a month? Plenty.
- WordPress hosting: $3-25/month. Same idea, but optimized for WordPress sites with automatic updates and security patches.
- Domain name: $10-30/year. That's your yourbusiness.com address. About $1-2/month.
- SSL certificate: Free. Any reputable host includes this. It's what makes your site show "https" instead of "http." If someone's charging you for this, that's a red flag.
Total realistic cost for a 5-page business site: $10-40/month.
That's it. Not $250. Not $150. Ten to forty bucks.
"But I Need More Than Just Hosting"
Fair point. Maybe your designer includes other stuff. Let's look at what might be bundled in:
- Backups: Should be included with decent hosting. Or use a $5/month plugin.
- Security monitoring: Good hosting includes basic security. Premium security plugins run $10-20/month.
- Email: Google Workspace is $6/user/month. Or your host might include email free.
- Minor updates: Updating plugins, making small text changes. Maybe 30 minutes a month of actual work.
Even being generous and adding everything up, you're looking at maybe $50-80/month for hosting PLUS all the extras. Where's the other $170+ going?
When Higher Hosting Actually Makes Sense
To be fair, some sites legitimately cost more to host:
- E-commerce sites: If you're selling products online with hundreds of transactions, you need more horsepower.
- High-traffic sites: Getting 50,000+ visitors a month? You might need VPS hosting ($10-100/month) or cloud hosting.
- Complex web applications: Custom software, databases, the works. Dedicated servers run $80-500/month.
But here's the thing: if you have a 5-page brochure site for your plumbing business or law firm? You don't need any of that. Shared hosting is fine. Anyone telling you otherwise is either overselling or taking a cut.
Red Flags to Watch For
Here's how to spot if you're being overcharged:
1. No itemized breakdown
Ask for a receipt that shows exactly what you're paying for. "Hosting and maintenance" isn't specific enough. What hosting provider? What maintenance?
2. Charging for SSL certificates
As of 2024, SSL certificates are free through Let's Encrypt. Every major host includes them. If someone's charging you $100+/year for an SSL certificate, they're pocketing that money.
3. You don't have access to your own hosting
If you can't log into your hosting dashboard or domain registrar, your designer controls your website completely. That's a leverage problem when you want to leave.
4. Long-term lock-in contracts
Hosting is month-to-month or annual. If someone's requiring a 3-year hosting contract, ask why.
What to Ask Your Designer
If you're currently paying someone to host your website, ask them these questions:
- "Can I have an itemized invoice that shows hosting costs separately from any maintenance work?"
- "What hosting provider are you using, and can I have login access to my account?"
- "Who owns my domain name—is it registered in my name?"
- "If I decide to move my website elsewhere, what's the process?"
A legitimate designer will answer all of these without hesitation. If you get pushback or vague answers, that tells you something.
The Math Nobody Wants You to Do
Let's say your designer charges $200/month for "hosting and maintenance."
Actual costs:
- Hosting: $15/month (being generous with a quality shared host)
- Domain: ~$1.50/month ($18/year)
- SSL: Free
- Security plugin: $10/month (optional, many are free)
Total: ~$27/month in actual costs.
That leaves $173/month—or $2,076/year—as pure margin. For a site that might need 30 minutes of attention each month.
Is that a fair trade? Maybe, if they're providing real value. Maybe not, if all they're doing is forwarding your support emails to the hosting company.
How to Take Control
If you realize you're being overcharged, here's what to do:
Option 1: Negotiate
Show your designer this breakdown. Ask for a fair rate that reflects actual costs plus reasonable compensation for their time. Many will adjust rather than lose you as a client.
Option 2: Move your site
Get your domain login credentials and hosting backup. Move to a host like SiteGround, Hostinger, or Cloudways. They all offer migration help. You'll be paying $10-30/month instead of $200+.
Option 3: Find a transparent provider
Look for someone who'll tell you exactly what hosting costs and what you're paying them for. Month-to-month, no lock-in, full access to everything.
The Bottom Line
Hosting costs range from $2 to $500/month, depending on what you need. A 5-page small business site is at the low end of that range. Period.
If you're paying $150, $200, $250+ per month to "host" a simple website, ask for a breakdown. If you can't get one, you now know what hosting actually costs. Do the math yourself.
Some designers provide real value that's worth paying for: ongoing SEO work, content updates, marketing strategy, technical support. That's different from hosting markup. Just make sure you know which one you're paying for.
How YouGrow Handles This
I built YouGrow specifically to avoid this kind of thing. $79/month includes everything—hosting, domain, SSL, unlimited reasonable edits, direct access to me. No separate hosting fees, no hidden costs, no itemized invoice that adds up to way more than it should.
You own your content. If you leave, you get your files. Month-to-month, no contracts.
If you're not sure what you're paying for with your current setup, send me a message. I'll take a look at what you're being charged and tell you if it's reasonable. Takes five minutes, costs you nothing.