Owning a website sounds like a no-brainer for your small business, right? But, what are the disadvantages of having a website? There are real downsides: ongoing money, time, tech headaches, legal risks, speed woes, security worries, and even surprise costs from bot traffic.
What Are the Disadvantages of Having a Website?
Knowing these pitfalls helps small business owners decide if the payoff beats the pain.
Money Never Stops
Creating a website for your small business is only the first bill. A 2024 cost guide shows basic upkeep can run $50 – $3,000 every single month for hosting, updates, backups, and help desks. (HigherVisibility)
Another study warns a full build can hit “well over $100,000” when you want custom bells and whistles. (Medium)
This most likely won’t be the case for the vast majority of small business website projects. After all, we recently wrote about the cheapest website to build. But left to shops with no scruples, and plenty of SMB owners have been taken advantage of with precious little to show as a result.
Quick-hit costs
- Domain renewals
- Hosting plans
- Security scans
- Plugin/theme licenses
- Paid tech support
- The list goes on…
Time & Skill Drain
Websites need updates, fixes, fresh content and photos, ADA checks, and post edits. Every hour you tweak code is an hour you’re not selling, calling leads, or stocking shelves. Many owners skip tasks because they “lack the technical knowledge.” This is why 15% of small business owners say they’re staying offline. (Zippia, Wix).
Bullet-proof tip: If you must have a site, batch updates on a set day each week or hire a trusted helper (like Diffyweb).
Security Nightmares
Hackers love small businesses: 46% of all cyber-breaches hit firms with under 1,000 employees. (StrongDM) Phishing scams, out-of-date plugins, and weak passwords turn your storefront into an open door. One bad breach can leak customer cards, tank trust, and spark fines.
“61% of SMBs were the target of a cyberattack in a single year.” — StrongDM
Legal & Accessibility Traps
ADA lawsuits keep climbing. Mid-2024 saw 4,280 federal web-accessibility cases and experts forecast 8,500 by year-end. (Seyfarth) Nearly all target small outfits that lack million-dollar legal teams.
Fines, settlements, and re-builds cost far more than preventive accessibility work.
Hidden Traffic Bills
Bots can hammer your server. In 2023, bots made up 32% of all web traffic! (Imperva)
One indie site manager watched data spikes from AI crawlers push potential cloud fees to $850 per day. (BusinessInsider)
If traffic surges without sales, you pay but don’t profit.
Maybe You Don’t Need One (yet)
Roughly 27% of U.S. small businesses still operate without a website (Zippia, Wix).
You can get by simply using social profiles, Google Business listings, or marketplaces. If your shop lives on foot traffic or repeat local clients, a simple Google Business profile and responsive social channel might serve you better until budget and time allow a proper site.
It just so happens that Diffyweb can help you with your social media marketing, as well, if you decide to go this route.
How to Cut the Downsides
| Risk | Fix |
|---|---|
| Rising upkeep | Use a fixed cost host, or set a rate cap |
| Time suck | Use managed “done-for-you” (DFY) services — see Diffyweb’s DFY Websites service |
| Security holes | Enable 2-factor login, patch weekly, back up daily |
| Slow speed | Run Google PageSpeed tests monthly; act on alerts |
| Legal risk | Follow WCAG 2.1 AA, add alt text, provide captions |
Key Takeaways
- Websites cost real money every month.
- They steal owner time and demand tech know-how.
- Hackers, lawsuits, and slow pages create big hidden risks.
- Some local firms thrive without a site — consider your goals first.
- If you still want a site, budget for support or a DFY website model to dodge most pain points.