Running a small website business costs less than most people expect and more than the free tier suggests. The difference is usually a handful of small subscriptions that arrive one at a time.
Here is the line by line version, with typical figures.
Fixed monthly costs
A domain is roughly 1 to 2 euro a month when the annual price is spread out. Renewal prices are often higher than the first year price.
Hosting for a small site ranges from free on a static host to 5 to 20 euro a month on managed hosting. Most one person sites do not need the higher end.
An email platform is the most common real cost. Free tiers usually stop somewhere between 500 and 1,000 subscribers, after which 15 to 30 euro a month is typical.
Variable costs
Payment processing takes roughly two to five per cent plus a fixed fee per transaction. On low priced products the fixed fee matters more than the percentage.
Marketplace fees, if you sell through one, are separate and larger. Advertising, if used, is entirely discretionary and easy to overspend.
The tools people forget
A design tool subscription at around 12 euro a month. A scheduling or invoicing tool at 10 to 20. Stock images. A backup service. An analytics product if you avoid the free option for privacy reasons.
Individually each looks trivial. Together they frequently add 40 to 60 euro a month, which is often more than the hosting and domain combined.
Tax and accounting
Income tax applies to profit and the rules vary by country. Value added tax may apply to digital sales depending on where your buyers are and your registration status.
An accountant for a very small business is commonly 300 to 800 euro a year. Doing it yourself is possible and costs time instead.
A minimum viable monthly budget
Domain 1.50, static hosting 0, email platform on a free tier 0, payment fees only when you sell. That is under 5 euro a month until there is revenue.
A realistic operating budget once it works
Domain 1.50, hosting 10, email 20, design tool 12, one other tool 12. That is around 55 euro a month, plus payment fees and tax on profit.
Why this matters for the earnings question
A site earning 200 euro a month gross at 55 euro of costs keeps 145 before tax. The same site with four more subscriptions keeps under 100.
Cost control at this scale is not about being frugal for its own sake. It is that each recurring subscription raises the revenue you need before the project is worth the time.
The rule that helps
Add a paid tool only when a specific thing you already do is limited by not having it. Cancel anything you have not opened in a month.
That single habit is usually worth more than any traffic tactic at this size.