How much does it cost to make changes or updates to my website?
There's no single price — it depends on how your site was built and who maintains it. On a DIY builder like Wix or Squarespace, edits are free but you do the work yourself; a freelancer or agency usually charges per change or by the hour (often your biggest ongoing cost); and some managed plans include unlimited edits in a flat fee. Before paying anyone, check whether it's a five-minute change you can do yourself, or something a free Google Business Profile update already covers.
Why there's no single price
"Updating a website" covers everything from changing your opening hours to swapping a photo, editing a paragraph, adding a page, or building a booking form. What it costs has less to do with the change itself and more to do with how your site was set up and who is allowed to touch it.
In practice there are three billing models, and knowing which one you're in tells you most of what an edit will cost.
- Do-it-yourself: you edit the site yourself inside a builder. No per-edit fee — you pay with your time.
- Pay per change: a freelancer or agency makes the change and bills you hourly or per request.
- Included / unlimited edits: a managed provider makes changes for you as part of a flat monthly or annual fee.
What each option typically costs
The rough shape of each model, so you can tell where you sit before anyone quotes you:
- DIY builders (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy): a fixed monthly or annual subscription. Text, photo and hours changes cost nothing extra because you make them yourself — the real cost is the time it takes to learn the editor and do the work.
- Freelancer: usually billed by the hour or per change. Rates vary widely by developer, location and complexity, and many set a minimum charge, so a one-line text tweak can still trigger a call-out fee. Get the rate and an estimate in writing first.
- Agency: often a monthly retainer or a per-request ticket. More predictable than a freelancer, but you pay for availability whether or not you use it that month.
- Managed / unlimited-edit providers: a flat fee that bundles hosting, support and content changes. You send the change; they make it. Predictable, but you depend on their turnaround.
- Free tools (Google Business Profile, Instagram, a Facebook Page): updating hours, photos and posts costs nothing. Limited to what those platforms allow, but genuinely free.
"Per edit" vs "unlimited edits" — the comparison that matters
If your site rarely changes, per-edit or hourly billing is usually cheapest — you only pay when something actually needs doing. If you change your site often (new prices, seasonal photos, a menu, staff, promotions), the pricing model matters more than the sticker price: per-edit billing quietly adds up, and minimum charges make small tweaks disproportionately expensive.
Flat-fee "unlimited edits" plans reverse that trade-off — the cost is predictable no matter how many changes you send, but you're tied to one provider's turnaround and quality. Providers in this group include some managed website services; for example, fivedaylaunch includes unlimited edits and hosting in its monthly price, where you email the change and they make it. Whichever model you pick, confirm two things in writing: what counts as one "edit," and whether you own the site and domain so you can leave without rebuilding from scratch.
When you might not need to pay anyone
It's worth being honest that a lot of "website updates" don't require paying anyone.
If you only need to change your hours, add photos, or post an announcement, a free Google Business Profile often does the job and shows up directly in Google Search and Maps — for many local businesses that's the update customers actually see. If your site is on a DIY builder, small text and image changes are already included in your subscription; you just have to make them. You'd only reach for a paid service when a change needs design work, new functionality, or you simply don't want to do it yourself.
Questions to ask before approving a paid change
A few minutes of questions can save you an avoidable bill or a surprise on the invoice:
- Is this a five-minute change I could make myself in the editor?
- Does my current plan or retainer already include edits, or is this billed separately?
- Is there a minimum charge or minimum billable time for a small request?
- What's the turnaround — hours, days, or "when they get to it"?
- Do I own the site files and domain, so I could move to someone else without rebuilding?
Frequently asked
Is it cheaper to update a website myself?
In cash terms, usually yes — if your site is on a DIY builder like Wix, Squarespace or GoDaddy, small text, photo and hours changes are already covered by your subscription. The catch is your time and comfort with the editor. If the change needs design or code you don't know, hiring someone can be faster and cheaper overall than hours of trial and error.
How much do freelancers charge to update a website?
It varies widely by developer, location and how complex the change is, and it's typically billed hourly or per change, often with a minimum charge for small jobs. There's no reliable flat number, so ask for the hourly rate, the minimum, and a written estimate before you approve the work — and confirm whether small future tweaks will each be billed separately.
What does "unlimited edits" actually include?
Usually content changes — text, images, hours, prices, adding or swapping pages — rather than full redesigns, new custom features, or third-party integrations. "Unlimited" refers to how many requests you can send, not to unlimited scope. Ask any provider exactly what's excluded and what the typical turnaround is before you rely on it.
Can I update parts of my online presence for free?
Some, yes. A Google Business Profile lets you change hours, photos and posts for free, and social profiles are free to update. What you usually can't update for free is a website a freelancer built in a system you don't have access to — for that you either need your own login or you go back through them, which is where per-change fees come in.
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