Your Website Is Costing You More Than You Think

Let's talk about the Wix trap.

You signed up because it was cheap and fast. Somewhere around month six, you realized you couldn't change the nav without breaking three other things. Now you're paying for add-ons you don't use, your mobile layout looks like a hostage situation, and you're locked into a platform that was built for easy setup — not for your customers.

You're not alone. But staying stuck is getting expensive.

The real cost of "cheap"

DIY website builders like Wix or Squarespace look affordable upfront — typically $19 to $159/month before add-ons. But here's what that pricing doesn't tell you.

According to industry research published in January 2026, small businesses that invest in a professionally built site often see significant improvement in lead flow — in some cases doubling their conversion rate compared to a $500 DIY template.

Source: business.com, January 2026

And there's the mobile problem. Nearly 57% of internet users say they won't recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site. Meanwhile, 17% of small business websites still don't meet Google's mobile-friendly standard.

That's not a small thing. That's your first impression walking out the door.

What agencies actually charge (and why most people are overpaying)

Here's what the market looks like right now for a professionally built small business website:

Most professional small business builds in 2026 land between $3,000 and $15,000. Industry pricing guides show 5–12 page WordPress builds from managed agencies starting at $6,000–$8,000, with complex builds pushing $15,000–$25,000+.

Source: jim.com, March 2026 · fourthcoastweb.com, December 2025

That's a lot of budget for an organization running on thin margins. Especially when what you actually need is a clean, fast, custom site that works — not a six-month agency engagement with a $10K price tag.

There's a better option. We built it.

Banyan Labs just launched our web modernization service — and it's specifically designed for organizations that are tired of the template trap but aren't ready to write a five-figure check.

Here's what you get:

Up to 10 pages, hand-coded from scratch — no templates, no drag-and-drop builders
Mobile optimization and SEO built in from the start, not bolted on later
Basic accessibility checks and content management so you can actually update your own site
A business goal consultation — because your website should be working toward something, not just sitting there

Projects start at $999. Full builds top out at $2,500.

Compare that to the $6,000+ market rate for a comparable custom build. Or the ongoing frustration tax of staying on a platform that was never built for your goals.

We show you before you commit

Here's where it gets interesting. Before you sign anything, we build you a free prototype.

Not a mood board. Not a Figma wireframe with your logo dropped in. An actual visual mockup of what your new site looks like — built around your specific goals and audience.

You see it. You approve it. Then we build it.

It's the thing that removes the biggest hesitation most clients have: "What if I pay for something I hate?"

That question doesn't exist here.

Who this is for

We built this service with specific organizations in mind: nonprofits, transitional housing organizations, small businesses, and institutions that are stuck on expensive or restrictive platforms and need a better path forward.

If you're already frustrated with your current site, this is the conversation you've been putting off having. Have it now — before another quarter goes by on a platform that's holding you back.

See what your next site could look like -- before you commit to anything.

Visit us at banyanlabs.io