Weird opening for a website, right?
For most self-employed people, a website is the most expensive solution to a problem that's already solved. You have a phone, email, and you're already on platforms where your clients live.
So what exactly is a website supposed to do for you that those things don't?
Referral. Platform. Google Maps. Social media. Perhaps advertising.
A website sits at an address that nobody knows about until you send them there — at which point you could have just sent a booking link.
"But what if someone Googles me?"
… then they will find you on Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Behance, X, etc. Word of mouth and your portfolio are more important than a website.
| If you need to… | You already have… |
|---|---|
| Be found locally | Google Business Profile |
| Show your work | YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Behance, GitHub |
| Take bookings | Calendly, Acuity, or your industry's platform |
| Take payment | Stripe, Square, Wave |
| Look credible | Reviews, responsiveness, good work |
| Rank on Google locally | A complete GBP and genuine reviews |
| Communicate with clients | WhatsApp Business, email, your phone |
Total cost: $0–$30/month
A website runs $100–$5,000 to build and $100–$300/month after that.
| You need one if… | For example… |
|---|---|
| You're competing in search nationally or internationally | A remote bookkeeper or niche consultant whose next client could be anywhere |
| Your portfolio can't live on any existing platform | An architect or UX designer whose work needs narrative, not just thumbnails |
| You sell products, not services | A ceramicist who's outgrown Etsy, a small-batch food producer |
| Enterprise clients require one before taking a meeting | An independent consultant being vetted by a procurement team |
Even then it should most often be smaller and cheaper than quoted.
If you want to show up when someone in your city searches for what you do, your Google Business Profile and your reviews are of more service to you than a website and a retainer. If you're trying to rank nationally against people with full content teams, you can't. Most self-employed people are in the first situation, but get sold the second.
We've seen small businesses being charged $500 per month for hosting. That's nearly $500 per month more than what great hosting costs.
Maybe a quote seemed high but you didn't know enough to push back. Maybe you've had a setup running for two years and genuinely can't tell if it's earning its keep.
Those are fair things to want a straight answer on.
Get a second opinion →