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Know what launching your site or store could really cost

Built for small businesses and creators who want clarity — not jargon. Compare Shopify, Squarespace, and WordPress hosting with honest ranges, clear tradeoffs, and assumptions you can trust.

Assumptions last reviewed: . Not financial advice — always verify live pricing before you buy.

How it works

Three simple steps — most people finish in under two minutes.

  1. 1

    Answer a few questions

    Business type, project shape, features, comfort level, and budget — no account required.

  2. 2

    See ranges, not fake precision

    Costs and scores come from documented assumptions — see Methodology for how ranges are built.

  3. 3

    Compare and verify

    Open comparison tables and provider pages, then confirm live pricing on each platform.

Three common paths

Labels depend on your answers — here is how we generally think about these platforms.

Cheapest (often)

WordPress on budget hosting can win on fixed monthly cost if you accept DIY maintenance.

See: Hostinger vs Bluehost

Easiest

Squarespace is the usual pick when you want a polished site quickly with less technical overhead.

Best for store growth

Shopify tends to fit when inventory, checkout depth, and long-term commerce scaling matter most.

Built for transparency

  • Assumptions are transparent — provider ranges and notes are documented so you can compare our thinking to real checkout pages.
  • No live price scraping — we do not call external pricing APIs; you should always verify checkout pages yourself.
  • Affiliate-ready, not spammy — partner links are labeled; disclosures are first-class.

FAQ teaser

Why ranges? How are scores calculated? Are links sponsored?

Read the FAQ →

Affiliate transparency: Some outbound links may be affiliate links. Estimates here are independent assumptions — we may earn a commission if you purchase through a partner link. See our affiliate disclosure.