I Built a $5/Year Website Builder — Here's How It Compares to Squarespace, Wix, and Carrd

Most small businesses don't need a website. They need a page. Here's why you're probably overpaying — and what to do about it.

Let me be upfront: I built 5 Dollar Website. So yes, I'm biased. But I'm also going to show you real prices from real competitors, and let you decide.

The website builder market is a $15 billion industry built on one assumption: everyone needs a full website. Drag-and-drop editors. Blog engines. E-commerce carts. Analytics dashboards. The works.

But here's the thing — if you're a food truck, a personal trainer, a photographer, or an event planner, you probably don't need any of that. You need one page with your name, what you do, and how to reach you.

That's what 5 Dollar Website does. Nothing more. And that's the point.

The Price Comparison

Here's what the major website builders charge for their cheapest plan (as of 2026):

Platform Cheapest Plan Price/Year You Save
Squarespace Personal $192
Wix Light $204
Strikingly Limited $96
Carrd Pro Lite $19
5 Dollar Website Only plan $5 $187 vs Squarespace

That's not a typo. $5 per year. Not per month. Per year.

Over 5 years, the difference is staggering. Squarespace would cost you $960. Wix, $1,020. 5 Dollar Website? $25 total.

What Do You Actually Get for $5?

A professionally designed splash page with:

You pick a template, customize it in a 7-step builder, and it's live in about 5 minutes. No coding. No design skills. No waiting for a developer.

What You DON'T Get (And Why That's the Point)

5 Dollar Website does NOT include:

Every feature you don't need is a feature you're paying for on Squarespace and Wix. Their cheapest plans are $16-17/month because they bundle everything together. No way to just buy the page.

We unbundled it. One page, one price, one year. If that's all you need, you just saved $187.

Who Is This For?

🚚

Food Trucks

Menu, location schedule, and a phone number. That's the whole website. Customers find you on Google, see what you serve, done.

💪

Personal Trainers

Bio, services, rates, contact form. Put it in your Instagram bio. That's more online presence than 90% of trainers have.

📸

Photographers

A few hero shots, your style, booking info. Not a full portfolio site — a first impression that converts to inquiries.

🎉

Event Planners

What you do, where you operate, how to book. Clean and professional. Clients know if you're the right fit in 10 seconds.

💻

Freelancers

Name, skills, past clients, email. Better than a Linktree. More professional than a Twitter bio. Costs less than a coffee.

✂️

Barbers & Stylists

Hours, location, services, photos of your work. Put it on your Google Business profile and watch the walk-ins increase.

The pattern: local service businesses that get most of their clients through word-of-mouth, Google, or social media. They don't need a 20-page website. They need a single, professional page that shows up when someone searches their name.

How Does It Compare Feature-by-Feature?

Feature Squarespace Wix Carrd 5DW
Pages Unlimited Unlimited 3 1
Drag & Drop Yes Yes Limited No
Blog Yes Yes No No
E-commerce Yes Yes No No
Custom Domain Included Included Yes Roadmap
Contact Form Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mobile Responsive Yes Yes Yes Yes
Setup Time 1-2 hours 1-2 hours 15 min 5 min
Price/Year $192 $204 $19 $5

If you need unlimited pages, a blog, e-commerce, or a custom domain — Squarespace and Wix are great products. Seriously. They're worth the money if you use those features.

But if all you need is a single page? You're paying for a Swiss Army knife when you need a butter knife.

Don't Take My Word for It

Check out real examples of pages built with 5 Dollar Website. Food trucks, trainers, photographers — real businesses, live pages, all for $5.

The Bottom Line

If you need a website, use Squarespace. If you need a page, use us. You'll save $187/year and be live in 5 minutes instead of 2 hours.

We're not trying to replace Squarespace. We're the option for the millions of small businesses that Squarespace is overkill for. The ones paying $16/month for features they'll never touch.

One page. Five dollars. One year. That's the entire pitch.

Ready to build yours?

Pick a template, add your info, pay $5. Live in 5 minutes.

Build Your $5 Website →

Already curious about pricing? See our full pricing breakdown.