Cost guide · 2026

How much does a therapist website actually cost?

Clients research a therapist more carefully than almost any other service. Here's what a counselling or therapy website costs in 2026 — and what it actually needs to do.

Quick answer

A therapist website costs $0 to $220/year with an AI builder, $250–$600/year with a hosted builder, or $1,000–$4,000 one-off from a designer. A private practice needs a warm bio, your modalities and specialisms, credentials and registration, fees, and a low-pressure contact route — the cheap end covers all of it.

Why the price varies so much

  • Solo practice vs group practice with multiple therapist profiles
  • Whether you take online bookings or prefer an initial contact form (many therapists deliberately choose the slower route)
  • Credential presentation: registrations (BACP, UKCP, HCPC or equivalents) need clear display
  • Content depth — specialism pages ('anxiety counselling [city]') are the local SEO lever

What each tier actually costs

From cheapest to most expensive — what you get, who it's for, and the realistic total.

AI builder (DIY)

Recommended

$0 – $216/year

Private practice counsellors and therapists

  • Free plan: bio, specialisms, fees, credentials, contact form
  • Paid ~$18/mo: custom domain (yournametherapy.com)
  • Time: 15–30 minutes
  • Warm, professional tone generated from how you describe your practice

Hosted builder (DIY)

$250 – $600/year

Therapists comfortable with editors wanting design control

  • Builder: $16–$30/mo (Wix, Squarespace)
  • Booking (optional): free–$15/mo (Cal.com, Calendly)
  • Time: 10–25 hours setup
  • Template hunting for a suitably calm design takes longer than expected

Freelance designer

$1,000 – $4,000 one-time + hosting

Established practices investing in a personal brand

  • Custom design with a therapeutic tone
  • Hosting + maintenance $15–$40/mo
  • Timeline: 4–8 weeks
  • Ask for healthcare or therapy portfolio examples specifically

Specialist agency

$3,000 – $8,000+ one-time

Group practices and clinics

  • Multi-therapist profiles, specialism pages, SEO
  • Rarely justified for a solo practice
  • Retainer $300–$1,000/mo common
  • Check they understand therapy advertising ethics

Hidden costs people forget

These line items aren't always quoted up front but they add up fast.

Directory fees

Psychology Today and Counselling Directory charge ~$30/month each. They convert well — but your own website converts the clients they send, and captures searches directories don't. Most established therapists run both.

A professional headshot

The single highest-impact asset on a therapy website ($100–$250). Clients choose a face they feel safe with before they read a word — a warm, natural photo outperforms any copy.

Privacy and compliance details

Free to include, costly to forget: your registration numbers, complaints procedure, privacy policy, and — if you record any client data through forms — appropriate data handling. Your professional body's website checklist covers it.

Domain renewal

$12–20/year. Your own name (janedoetherapy.com) is the standard and ages perfectly.

How to save money

  • 1Start free — a warm bio, specialisms, fees, and a contact form is a complete therapy website; add pages as your practice grows
  • 2Write your bio for one specific client in mind, not for colleagues — 'I help adults who wake up anxious every day' beats a paragraph of modality acronyms
  • 3State your fees openly; it filters mismatches kindly and saves painful first-call conversations
  • 4One specialism page per month ('grief counselling [city]') steadily builds the searches that directories can't capture

The cheapest option, done well

Try the free path first.

Adviita generates a complete therapy practice website from your description in seconds. Free forever — upgrade to ~$18/mo when you want a custom domain.

Build my therapy practice site free →

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Common questions

What's the cheapest way to get a therapist website?

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An AI builder's free plan: your bio, specialisms, credentials, fees, and a contact form, live in half an hour. Upgrade to ~$18/mo for a custom domain — usually your own name. First year: $0–$216.

Do therapists really need a website if directories exist?

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Yes — most clients find you on a directory, then google your name before making contact. A warm professional website converts that check into an enquiry; no website (or a dated one) quietly loses clients you never knew about.

Should a therapy website have online booking?

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It's a choice, not a requirement. Many therapists prefer an initial contact form or call to assess fit before offering a session time. If you do want booking, a free scheduling link for initial consultations works well.

What makes a therapy website convert?

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Warmth plus specificity: a natural headshot, a bio that names who you help and with what, your registration and experience, clear fees, and a low-pressure next step ('send a message', 'book a free 15-minute call'). Clinical jargon and stock imagery are the conversion killers.