If you're a small-business owner in Duluth, MN trying to figure out what a website should cost, you've probably gotten quotes ranging from $300 to $30,000 for what sounds like the same thing. That's not your imagination - the web industry is genuinely all over the map. Here's the honest version.
The short answer
For a typical Duluth small business (contractor, detailer, realtor, restaurant, salon, professional service), a quality custom website in 2026 runs $1,500 to $5,000. Web apps and ecommerce stores run higher - $5,000 to $25,000+.
That assumes a fixed-price quote, not hourly billing that balloons.
What drives the price
- Page count. A simple 4-page site (Home, About, Services, Contact) is the floor. A 10-page site with detailed service pages, gallery, and blog is the middle. 20+ pages or location-specific landing pages push higher.
- Custom design vs template. A custom design built around your brand and customers is what makes you stand out from the other Duluth contractors using the same Squarespace template.
- Copywriting. If we write the words, it adds 20-30%. If you write them, it stays low.
- Integrations. Booking systems, CRMs, Stripe payments, email marketing, custom calculators - each adds scope.
- SEO setup. On-page SEO, structured data, and local Google Business Profile setup is included in our builds. Some shops charge $1,000+ extra.
What you shouldn't pay for
- Monthly platform fees you don't need. Squarespace and Wix charge $20-50/month forever. A custom site has a $15/month hosting bill, period.
- "SEO packages" that are just blog spam. Real SEO is technical foundation + good content + local signals. Anyone charging $500/month for "SEO" with no specifics is selling vapor.
- Stock-photo, template-driven sites for $5,000+. That's what agencies in Minneapolis charge because they have overhead. A local Duluth developer can build you the same thing for less.
Red flags
- Quotes without a written scope
- Hourly-only billing on a small project
- "We don't share our process" - every honest builder will walk you through theirs
- No examples of local work
What we charge
We do fixed-price quotes for every Duluth web design project. Most small-business sites land at $2,000-$3,500. We'll send you a quote in 24 hours if you fill out the contact form - and we'll tell you honestly if your project is better suited to someone else.