How Much Does an Author Website Cost? Updated for 2026

Note: this blog post was originally published on our sister company site, Bookend Creative Studio.

As soon as authors find out they need a website, the very first questions are how much does and author websites cost? One of my goals as a web designer is to bring transparency to web design and marketing so that writers can make informed decisions. Which is why I’m bringing you a blog post to answer this question.

In updating this post for 2026, I found that many things haven’t changed. The reasons why authors need an website and the options aren’t very different than when I originally wrote this post in 2024. Some things have changed though – the cost of everything has gone up over the past year, including the cost of author websites. My web design offerings have changed to match the times, too.

This post will cover: why you need an author website, whether to DIY or hire a web designer, and what the ongoing and design costs are for a website.

Why You Need an Author Website

A well-designed author website functions as a multifaceted marketing and sales tool, that can do a number of things:

1. Digital business card: a website is like a digital business card, where people can find information about you and your work.
2. Direct line of communication: your website is often where people will contact you. 
3. Professional Showcase: Presents your work in a professional manner, highlighting your books, achievements, and reviews.
4. Marketing and Promotion: Acts as the central hub for all your marketing efforts, from book launches to author events, increasing the visibility of your work.
5. Sales Platform: Provides a space to sell books directly to readers.
6. Control: You own and control your website, unlike social media which may go eXtinct or become unusable because of time or the whims of new owners.
7. Newsletter Sign-up: A newsletter is one of the most powerful ways to connect with potential readers and buyers. Your website is the most common place for people to sign up.
8. Sell related services: If you offer services related to your writing (speaking engagements, writing courses, editing, etc.), your website is a great place to host that information and receive contacts from people who want to buy them. 
9. Content Hub: A place to publish blog posts, articles, or news, keeping your audience updated.
10. Media and Press Kit: Makes it easy for the media, bloggers, and event organizers to find and download your press kit, high-resolution images, and biographical information.

Depending on where you are in your author career, you might not need any of these yet but you will as your career grows!

Should you DIY your Author Website or Hire a Web Designer?

Both methods can give you a fantastic website but each has pros and cons. 

DIY Author Websites

Some things to consider if you want to make your own website.

Pros:

1. Learning Experience. You’ll learn all about web design and maintenance.
2. Personal Satisfaction! Wow! You made that! (Your mom will be so impressed.)
3. Less expensive

Cons:

1. Time-consuming. That’s time you’re not spending on writing, marketing, or the other myriad things on your authorial to-do list.
2. May not look as polished or function as professionally.
3. No help with technical challenges. You might encounter technical issues that are difficult to resolve without expert knowledge.
4. SEO and Optimization. Understanding and implementing effective SEO strategies can be complex for beginners.
5. Stress. Not everyone enjoys playing with new technologies like I do – for many of my clients it’s downright stressful.

Hiring a Professional Web Designer

Some thing to consider if you’re considering hiring a designer.

Pros:

1. Guidance and Expertise. You’ll have someone knowledgeable to help you make informed decisions so you get a website you love, that also best meets your goals.
2. Professional Design. You’ll get the expertise of someone who can create a custom design to meet your needs.
3. No technical challenges. We’ll handle it all!
4. Time-Saving. Spend time on your passion, not your website!
5. SEO and Performance. We have a thorough understanding of optimization and site performance, so you know the website will perform well.
6. Training. Not all web designers offer training as part of their service, but we do. We want our clients to come out of the process feeling empowered to take over as much of the ongoing website work as they want to.
7. Ongoing Support. We are happy to make updates and provide support for our clients – so you have someone ready when you need them!

Cons:

1. Cost. We do charge for our time – just as we expect you to charge for yours!
2. Finding the Right Designer. You’ll need to spend some time getting to know potential designers to make sure you’re a good fit. It’s one of the big reasons we offer a free chat – we can discuss your project and your larger goals to see if it’s something we can help you with and whether we’re a good fit. 

Ultimately, the decision between DIY and hiring a professional should be based on your budget, comfort with technology, time availability, and the level of customization and professionalism you want for your author website.

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What will you pay for an author website?

Like a house, websites have two kinds of costs: the cost to build it and the cost to keep them running once you do. Let’s take those in opposite order.

Why do web Design Costs vary so Much?

Going back to our house analogy, the cost to build a house will depend on a lot of things: size, features, customization, and who does the labor.

The same applies to websites:

• How big is it? (One page? Five? Twenty-five?)
• Does it need special features? (A webstore, blog, newsletter integration, a platform for the courses you teach,…)
• How bespoke is the design? (Like a hand drawn logo.)
• Who is doing the labor? (You or a web designer.)

Ask two people what a “basic website” includes and one person will envision a single-page website with no special features, while the and the other imagines a 10 page website that will require a logo design, graphic design, and multiple integrations. 

For both those people, that’s the basic level that will meet their needs, they just have different needs! This is why this question is so hard to answer as a web designer. (We’re not cagey on purpose – I promise!)

How Author Website in A Day Makes web Design costs transparent

One of my goals when I launched Author Website In A Day in 2025 was to make the web design process and pricing more transparent for authors

Usually web design begins with a call before you even sign on. The designer asks questions to map out the rough details of your website (size, features, customization, etc.). Then they give you a total that matches what you need in an website. That’s the process that my web designer business, Bookend Studio, has used for years.

Author website in a day does it differently. While each author’s career (and website) needs are as unique as their books, we’ve built enough author websites to note general categories and patterns. So we offer packages that will fit most authors’ needs and custom websites when nothing fits quite right.

Our website packages are like genres – they help you hones in on the broad details but the content of each website is as vastly different as books. Both The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Fourth Wing are fantasy but they are very different.

Costs after the Website is Built

To have a website on the internet, you need to pay two different of fees:

• Domain registration – This is the fee you pay to use your domain name (also called a URL). As an author this will usually be the name you write under. For instance, my author website is AngelaMIsaacs.com.
• Hosting fees – This is the fee you pay to have your website on an internet-connected server.

The exact cost for these depend in part, on the website builder you use. Some website builders give you many options to choose from (WordPress) while others only let you use their service (Squarespace and Wix.)

I have a blog post with a full comparison of different author website platforms and their costs. (Look for an updated 2026 version soon!)

For a WordPress website in 2026 expect to pay:

• $15/year* for domain registration at NameCheap**
• $18/mo* for website hosting with Siteground**

* These are the year 2 costs. Most companies will give you a substantial discount to reel you in the first year, but the amount they go up can vary a lot! We usually recommend these companies because they have good quality service at a rate that won’t break the bank.

Maintenance Costs or Time

I hesitate to use the term “hidden cost” but in many senses, that’s what website maintenance is. Website needs upkeep so that it works well and isn’t at risk for hacking. That includes software updates, backups, security monitoring and more.

Some website builders bundle that with their hosting plans (Siteground and Wix) and others do not (WordPress). If you have a hosting plans that doesn’t include maintenance, you either have to pay someone to do it or take the time to do the work yourself

Our Website Care Plans Make it Easy

We’ve wrapped all your costs (other than domain names) into one easy package with our website care plans – hosting and all of maintenance included. You can learn more on our Website Care Plans page.

Just give me an answer already! 

I hear your pleas! 

I like to help authors reach their goals – including their goal for a straight answer! (But I will give them in ranged because of all the variability I’ve mentioned!)

Author websites can range from $0 for DIY sites to well over $15,000 for the kind of very large site with lots of bells and whistles you might see for a NYT best selling author, speaker, or motivational coach.

But usually a professionally designed author website will cost between $900 to $7999 depending on all the factors above.

Conclusion

Creating an author website doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Whether you’re just starting out, looking to expand your reach, or seeking to elevate your existing online presence, I can help.

I’m here to guide you through the process and create a website that truly embodies your voice and vision as an author.

About the Author

Angie Isaacs is the owner of Author Website In A Day and Bookend Studio and a published children’s book author.

On the blog, she writes about web design, branding, marketing, goal-setting, and writing.

**Affiliate link Disclosure
This post contains affiliate links and we may get a small payment for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. We only use affiliate links for services we highly recommend and have used ourselves!