Reference
Market context and custom code
Retail hosting and builder pricing (2026 context) plus how hand-coded Deep Sea Fauna builds compare to DIY platforms. Useful for client education and sales conversations.
Market context
What major providers charge, and what buyers actually get
Retail hosting and builder plans change by region, promo, and renewal. The table below compares typical advertised ranges (2026) so you can show clients what “cheap hosting” usually includes, and what it does not. Always verify live pricing on the provider’s site.
| Provider | Typical entry price* | What that usually covers | Support and “human” help | Trade-offs for small business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoDaddy (shared / builder) | ~$6 to $25/mo promos; renewals higher; managed WP ~$25 to $40 | Domain + hosting bundles, SSL on many plans, 1-click WP or drag-and-drop builder, email upsells | Phone/chat tiers; often scripted; premium support costs extra | Heavy upsells; performance and accessibility vary by template; you still DIY content and fixes |
| Squarespace | ~$16 to $50/mo (all-in-one) | Hosting, SSL, templates, blogging, basic commerce on higher tiers | 24/7 chat; no server-level access | Beautiful templates but limited code control; not a fit for strict custom WCAG hand-offs |
| Wix | ~$17 to $45/mo for ad-free / business features | Builder, hosting, SSL, app marketplace, some SEO tools | Callback/chat; priority on higher plans | Lock-in; performance overhead; accessibility often partial without manual work |
| Hostinger | ~$3 to $12/mo intro; renewals jump | Shared hosting, SSL, email on some plans, LiteSpeed on many boxes | 24/7 chat; variable depth for app-level issues | Ultra-low entry price; renewal shock; you still build/maintain the site yourself |
| WordPress.com | ~$4 to $45/mo by tier | Hosted WordPress; plugins only on Business+; Jetpack features | Chat/email; not full “do it for you” dev work | Plugin/theme limits on lower tiers; still need a dev for custom code or hard accessibility fixes |
| SiteGround | ~$15 to $45/mo renewals typical | Managed WordPress tooling, caching, staging, daily backups on many plans | 24/7 chat; strong reputation for hosting support | Does not replace a developer for design, content, or WCAG audits: it is infrastructure |
| Bluehost | ~$3 to $15/mo intro; higher renewal | Shared hosting, free domain year 1 on promos, WordPress installer | Chat/phone; volume support model | Affordable entry; performance and support depth vary; site quality still on you |
| Shopify | ~$39 to $105+/mo for plans that matter for retail | Store, payments, hosting, SSL, inventory basics | 24/7 merchant support; theme/app issues often third-party | Best for product-led brands; monthly + transaction fees; theme accessibility still needs review |
* Indicative USD list or promo ranges; taxes, domains, and renewals differ. “Entry price” is not the same as total cost of ownership. Deep Sea Fauna is not affiliated with these providers; this table is for client education only.
Why hand-coded
Custom code vs. DIY hosts and page builders
The clearest sales contrast for busy owners is often GoDaddy-style DIY: you get a template, little or no hand-holding, and you are on your own when something breaks. We sell the opposite: a site built for you, clear support boundaries, and someone who actually knows your files. That difference is worth real money when your time is the bottleneck.
| Feature | Deep Sea Fauna | GoDaddy Builder | Wix / Squarespace | WordPress + Theme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hands-on help when something breaks | Named developer + hosting support | Self-serve / generic queue | Limited / upsell support | Varies; often your host |
| Lighthouse performance | 95 to 100 | 50 to 80 (varies) | 50 to 75 (varies) | 40 to 80 (varies) |
| WCAG 2.1 AA compliance | Built in from day one | Template-limited | Partial, inconsistent | Depends on theme |
| Monthly platform fee | $0 (you own the code) | Bundled in hosting upsells | $17 to $65/month | $10 to $50+ hosting + plugins |
| Code you actually own | Yes: portable anywhere | No: platform lock-in | No: locked to platform | Partially |
| SEO fundamentals built in | Yes: every project | Basic / generic | Limited, requires plugins | Requires Yoast / RankMath |
| Page load (typical) | < 1.5s LCP | 2 to 6s LCP | 3 to 7s LCP | 2 to 6s LCP |
| Ranking improvement data | Provided at 90 days | Not provided | Not provided | Not provided |