See exactly how we stack up

Web Design Pricing Compared

Q: Is $99/month really cheaper than Wix or Squarespace?

When you factor in your time, it usually is. Wix and Squarespace charge $17–$65/month just for the platform, and you still have to design, build, and maintain the site yourself. First-timers typically spend 40–80 hours building their site. If your time is worth anything, that alone costs far more than $99. And the result is a template-based site you maintain indefinitely, vs. a custom design with someone handling everything for you.

Q: What's the real difference between CalTech Web and a freelancer?

Three main things: ongoing support, predictable pricing, and reliability. A freelancer charges $2,000–$10,000 upfront, then bills hourly for any change. When they move on or get busy, you're left managing it alone. CalTech Web is $99/month with unlimited updates, and our team handles every request, often within the hour. You're not managing a vendor relationship; you're getting a dedicated service.

Q: Can I switch to CalTech Web if I already have a Wix or Squarespace site?

Yes. Brandon will migrate your existing content (text, images, services, and any other pages) to your new site at no extra charge. You won't lose anything. Most clients are live on their new site within 5–7 business days of the switch.

Q: How is $99/month different from what a web design agency charges?

Agencies typically charge $5,000–$50,000 upfront to build the site, then $500–$2,000/month for ongoing maintenance, often locked into multi-year contracts. CalTech Web is $99/month with no setup fee, no contract, and no minimum term. For a small business, church, or non-profit, the math is straightforward: you get comparable (or better) custom work without the agency overhead.

Q: Are there hidden fees beyond $99/month?

Only one: your domain name (~$12–15/year), which you purchase and own separately. Everything else (hosting, SSL certificate, unlimited content updates, free redesigns, and priority support) is included in the $99. No surprise invoices.

Q: What happens to my website if I cancel?

You keep it. CalTech Web will hand over your website files so you're never left with nothing. There's no cancellation fee and no penalty for leaving. Brandon built the service to earn business every month, not trap clients in contracts.

Q: Do I need any technical skills to work with CalTech Web?

None. You tell Brandon what you need, in plain language, by email or text, and it gets done. No logins, no CMS training, no dealing with plugins or hosting dashboards. If something needs to change on your site, you just ask.

DIY website builders. Freelancers. Big agencies. How does $99/month with CalTech Web actually compare? Here is the honest breakdown, so you can decide with confidence.

Custom DesignHosting IncludedUnlimited Updates$99/month

See Pricing Details (559) 282-3075

800+

Websites Built

93%

Updates Done in <1 Hour

5,000+

Support Tickets Closed

5-7

Days to Launch

Honest side-by-side comparison

The Full Comparison

See exactly what you get, and what you don't, with each option. No fine print, no surprises.

Save thousands per year vs. freelancers and agencies

Agencies charge $5K-$50K+ upfront, then $500-$2,000/month for maintenance. CalTech Web: $0 upfront, $99/month, with more included.

CalTech Web

$99/mo

Upfront: $0

Best Value

Custom design

Hosting included

SSL certificate

Unlimited content updates

Free redesigns

Priority support (93% in <1 hr)

SEO basics included

Mobile responsive

Daily backups

No contracts

Dedicated account manager

5-7 day launch

DIY Builders

Wix / Squarespace

$16-50/mo

Upfront: $0

Custom design

Hosting included

SSL certificate

Unlimited content updates

self-service

Free redesigns

Priority support (93% in <1 hr)

SEO basics included

limited

Mobile responsive

template

Daily backups

varies

No contracts

Dedicated account manager

5-7 day launch

Freelancer

Typical

$50-150/mo

Upfront: $2K-10K

Custom design

Hosting included

SSL certificate

Unlimited content updates

Free redesigns

Priority support (93% in <1 hr)

SEO basics included

extra cost

Mobile responsive

Daily backups

No contracts

varies

Dedicated account manager

5-7 day launch

Agency

Traditional

$500-2,000/mo

Upfront: $5K-50K+

Custom design

Hosting included

varies

SSL certificate

varies

Unlimited content updates

Free redesigns

Priority support (93% in <1 hr)

SEO basics included

extra cost

Mobile responsive

Daily backups

varies

No contracts

Dedicated account manager

sometimes

5-7 day launch

Feature	DIY Builders Wix / Squarespace $16-50/mo Upfront: $0	Freelancer Typical $50-150/mo Upfront: $2K-10K	Agency Traditional $500-2,000/mo Upfront: $5K-50K+
Custom design
Hosting included			varies
SSL certificate			varies
Unlimited content updates	self-service
Free redesigns
Priority support (93% in <1 hr)
SEO basics included	limited	extra cost	extra cost
Mobile responsive	template
Daily backups	varies		varies
No contracts		varies
Dedicated account manager			sometimes
5-7 day launch

Get My Website for $99/mo

No setup fee · No contracts · Cancel anytime

The Detailed Breakdown

A closer look at each option: the real pros, cons, and costs nobody else tells you about.

CalTech Web vs. DIY Builders (Wix, Squarespace)

Typical cost: $16-50/month

Their Strengths

Low monthly cost
Drag-and-drop simplicity
Hosting included

Their Weaknesses

Template-based, your site looks like thousands of others
You do all the work yourself
Limited SEO control
No dedicated support person
Redesigns mean starting from scratch

The verdict: DIY builders are cheap, but they cost you time. If your website matters to your business, you need a professional design, not a template. CalTech Web gives you a custom site for just $49-$83 more per month, and you never have to touch it.

CalTech Web vs. Freelancers

Typical cost: $2,000-10,000 upfront + $50-150/month

Their Strengths

Custom design
Personal relationship
Flexible

Their Weaknesses

Large upfront cost ($2K-$10K)
Ongoing maintenance billed hourly ($50-$150/hr)
Hosting, SSL, backups are your responsibility
Freelancers disappear: vacations, other clients, career changes
No guaranteed response times
Redesigns cost thousands more

The verdict: Freelancers deliver quality work, but they come with big upfront costs and no guarantees on availability. With CalTech Web, you get the same personal attention (Brandon is your single point of contact) at a fraction of the cost, with hosting, updates, and redesigns all included.

CalTech Web vs. Agencies

Typical cost: $5,000-50,000+ upfront + $500-2,000/month

Their Strengths

Full-service design and development
Large teams with diverse expertise
Enterprise-grade work

Their Weaknesses

Massive upfront investment
Monthly retainers of $500-$2,000+
Updates billed hourly or per-project
Long timelines (4-12 weeks typical)
Multi-year contracts are common
You are one of many clients

The verdict: Agencies make sense for Fortune 500 companies with six-figure budgets. For small businesses, churches, and non-profits, they are overkill. CalTech Web delivers the same quality result (custom design, ongoing updates, hosting, and support) at 80-95% less cost.

Real cost over 12 months

What You Actually Pay in Year One

Upfront costs plus monthly fees. The numbers speak for themselves.

CalTech WebBest Value

$1,188($0 upfront + $99/mo)

DIY Builder

$192-600($0 upfront + $16-50/mo)

Cheaper but you do all the work

Freelancer

$2,600-11,800($2K-10K upfront + $50-150/mo)

Save up to $10,612/yr with CalTech Web

Agency

$11,000-74,000+($5K-50K+ upfront + $500-2K/mo)

Save up to $72,812/yr with CalTech Web

CalTech Web

$1,188

$0 upfront + $99/mo

Best Value

DIY Builder

$192-600

$0 upfront + $16-50/mo

Freelancer

$2,600-11,800

$2K-10K upfront + $50-150/mo

Agency

$11,000-74,000+

$5K-50K+ upfront + $500-2K/mo

Note: DIY builders are cheaper but require you to design and maintain your own site. CalTech Web is fully managed.

Why 800+ Businesses Chose CalTech Web

The best of all worlds: custom quality at DIY prices, with agency-level support.

Live in 5-7 Days

Not 4-12 weeks like agencies. Your custom website is designed, built, and launched in under a week.

Unlimited Updates

Need a change? Email support@caltechweb.com. Text edits, image swaps, new pages, all included in your $99.

93% in Under 1 Hour

5,000+ support tickets closed. When you need something, it gets done fast, not next Tuesday.

Money-Back Guarantee

Not happy? Full refund, and you keep the website files. Zero risk.

No Contracts Ever

Month-to-month. Cancel anytime. Though 93% of clients stay for over 2 years.

Free Redesigns

Want a fresh look? Brandon redesigns your site at no extra cost whenever you are ready for a change.

Clients who switched and saved

Real businesses who compared their options and chose CalTech Web.

“I spent $6,000 on a freelancer who disappeared 3 months later. Brandon built me a better site in a week, and I've been paying $99/month for 2 years. The math is obvious.”

Kevin Park

Owner, Park's Plumbing Co.

“We tried Squarespace for our church website. It looked generic and nobody could update it. CalTech Web gave us a custom site that actually represents who we are.”

Pastor Linda Reyes

Grace Fellowship Church

“Our old agency charged $1,200/month and took a week to make simple changes. CalTech Web does it in an hour for $99. I wish I'd switched years ago.”

Tom Bradley

Bradley Insurance Group

Common questions about switching

Everything you're wondering before making a decision, answered honestly.

Is $99/month really cheaper than Wix or Squarespace?

When you factor in your time, it usually is. Wix and Squarespace charge $17–$65/month just for the platform, and you still have to design, build, and maintain the site yourself. First-timers typically spend 40–80 hours building their site. If your time is worth anything, that alone costs far more than $99. And the result is a template-based site you maintain indefinitely, vs. a custom design with someone handling everything for you.

What's the real difference between CalTech Web and a freelancer?

Three main things: ongoing support, predictable pricing, and reliability. A freelancer charges $2,000–$10,000 upfront, then bills hourly for any change. When they move on or get busy, you're left managing it alone. CalTech Web is $99/month with unlimited updates, and our team handles every request, often within the hour. You're not managing a vendor relationship; you're getting a dedicated service.

Can I switch to CalTech Web if I already have a Wix or Squarespace site?

Yes. Brandon will migrate your existing content (text, images, services, and any other pages) to your new site at no extra charge. You won't lose anything. Most clients are live on their new site within 5–7 business days of the switch.

How is $99/month different from what a web design agency charges?

Agencies typically charge $5,000–$50,000 upfront to build the site, then $500–$2,000/month for ongoing maintenance, often locked into multi-year contracts. CalTech Web is $99/month with no setup fee, no contract, and no minimum term. For a small business, church, or non-profit, the math is straightforward: you get comparable (or better) custom work without the agency overhead.

Are there hidden fees beyond $99/month?

Only one: your domain name (~$12–15/year), which you purchase and own separately. Everything else (hosting, SSL certificate, unlimited content updates, free redesigns, and priority support) is included in the $99. No surprise invoices.

What happens to my website if I cancel?

You keep it. CalTech Web will hand over your website files so you're never left with nothing. There's no cancellation fee and no penalty for leaving. Brandon built the service to earn business every month, not trap clients in contracts.

Do I need any technical skills to work with CalTech Web?

None. You tell Brandon what you need, in plain language, by email or text, and it gets done. No logins, no CMS training, no dealing with plugins or hosting dashboards. If something needs to change on your site, you just ask.

Still have questions? Email support@caltechweb.com.

(559) 282-3075 Brandon@CalTechWeb.com

Ready to see what we build?

View our web design portfolioSee full pricing detailsChurch website plansSmall business web design guide

Brandon Hopkins

Founder, CalTech Web

Ready to stop overpaying for your website?

Custom design. Unlimited updates. Hosting. SSL. Priority support. All for $99/month with no contracts. See why 800+ businesses made the switch.

View Pricing (559) 282-3075