Skill-Based Businesses · Online Businesses · Customer-First Business Ideas
Web design for local businesses
Build and maintain simple websites for nearby restaurants, trades and shops, usually on a website builder or template. Clients pay per project and often for ongoing updates.
Cash to start (upfront + working capital)
Little or nothing down + unverified items
Ongoing costs per month
Not verified
Time
Part-time possible, ~5+ hrs/week
What it costs to start
Amounts are itemized estimates. “Not verified” means we don’t have a defensible figure; it is not $0.
| Item | Type | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name for your own portfolio site (per year)Optional Common domain endings; a free subdomain works at first. | Initial setup | $10–$25 |
| Website builder and design tools at free tiersOptional Clients usually pay for their own site plans and domains. | Initial setup | $0–$30 |
| Stock images and fonts licensed for commercial useOptional Free libraries exist; check each license allows client work. | Initial setup | $0–$50 |
| Business registration Varies by city and state; check your local requirements. | Initial setup | Not verified |
| Professional liability insuranceOptional Some clients ask for it; get a quote. | Initial setup | Not verified |
| Upfront costs (required) | Not verified | |
| Working capital | Not verified | |
| Optional extras | $10–$105 |
Ongoing costs
| Item | Per month |
|---|---|
| Software subscriptions beyond free tiersOptional | $0–$50 |
| Professional liability insuranceOptional | Not verified |
What you need
- Computer
- Reliable internet
- Website builder account
- Phone camera for client photos
Licensing: No license is needed to build websites. A general business license may apply. Make sure images, fonts and text you use are licensed for client work, and be aware that accessibility and privacy expectations apply to many business websites.
Skills that help: Web development or technology, Design, Marketing, Sales.
Time: Projects have deadlines but most work is flexible; client meetings often happen during business hours.
Typical customer: Local trades, restaurants, salons, clinics and shops with no site or an outdated one
How it makes money: Per-project fees for a new site, plus optional monthly care plans for hosting management, edits and updates
Business model: Freelance or consulting, Side hustle
Risks and downsides
- Low-cost do-it-yourself website builders compete for the simplest projects.
- Unclear scope leads to endless revision rounds and unpaid work.
- Clients delay sending content and photos, stretching projects and payments.
- Using unlicensed images or fonts can bring copyright claims against you or the client.
- Ongoing support expectations can outlast what you are being paid.
Your first step
Build one simple demo site for a type of local business you know, then show it in person to five similar businesses and ask one to commit to a paid project with a deposit.
Then
- Write a fixed-scope package with a set number of pages and revision rounds.
- Take a deposit before starting work.
- Keep site and domain accounts in the client’s name.
- Offer a clear optional monthly care plan.
Sources and review
- Web Developers and Digital Designers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Supports: Nature of web design work and that some workers are self-employed. Wage data are employee pay, not business income.
- Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) (Internal Revenue Service). Supports: Self-employed people generally owe self-employment tax on net earnings.
- Business guide (licenses and permits) (U.S. Small Business Administration). Supports: Licensing and permit requirements vary by city, county and state.
Last reviewed October 18, 2026. Method: Itemized editorial estimate built from typical starter equipment and setup items. Cited sources support the requirements and context, not each dollar figure. Items we could not price defensibly are marked "Not verified" instead of $0. Local prices vary.
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