Guide · Website costs
How much does a website cost in the UK?
A small business website in the UK usually costs between £500 and £5,000 to build, plus about £100–£600 a year to keep it online, or £500–£2,000 a year if someone looks after it for you. A do-it-yourself builder costs less in money and more in your time. Here's where the money goes, what pushes the price up, and what to ask before you pay anyone.
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The short answer: typical UK prices
The price depends mostly on who builds it and how much it has to do. These are the ranges UK small businesses are usually quoted in 2026:
Option Typical cost to build Good for DIY website builder £0 to build, about £10–£40 a month A simple site you're happy to set up and update yourself Freelancer, small site £500–£2,500 5–10 pages from a template or light custom design Small agency £2,000–£6,000 A custom design, words written for you, more pages Large or bespoke site £6,000–£20,000+ Complex features, many pages, custom systems Online shop £2,000–£15,000+ Products, payments and delivery, plus a monthly platform fee Rough ranges for small businesses, not quotes.
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The running costs people forget
The build is only part of the cost. Every website also has yearly costs:
- Domain name: about £10–£20 a year for a .co.uk or .com.
- Hosting: from about £5 a month for a basic plan to £30–£50 a month for managed hosting with backups and support.
- Security certificate (the padlock): often included with hosting now.
- Updates and maintenance: £30–£150 a month if someone else keeps the site updated, backed up and secure.
- Business email: about £6–£7 a month per person for a professional address.
- Online shop platforms: from about £20 a month, plus card fees on each sale.
When you compare quotes, add up the build price and two years of running costs. A cheap build with expensive hosting can cost more than it looks.
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What pushes the price up
These are the things that turn a £500 website into a £5,000 one:
- Number of pages. A page for each service and each town you cover means more design, more writing and more checking.
- Words. Writing your pages for you, and writing them to be found on Google, is skilled work. If you supply finished words, it costs less.
- Photos. Stock photos are cheap; a photographer for your own place and team costs more but looks far better.
- Custom design. Starting from a well-made template is much cheaper than designing every page from scratch.
- Features. Online booking, an online shop, members' areas or links to other systems all add cost.
- SEO. Basic set-up (page titles, fast loading, your address) should be included. Full keyword research and pages written to rank is a bigger job.
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DIY builder, freelancer or agency?
A DIY builder (such as Wix, Squarespace or Shopify) suits you if you have time, a good eye and a simple business. You pay monthly, you're in control, but the design, words and Google set-up are all on you.
A freelancer suits most small businesses that want a professional site at a fair price. Check examples of their work, and who will host and update the site after launch.
An agency suits you if you want design, words, photos and ongoing help from one team, or if you need a bigger site. Ask who owns the site and the domain, and what happens if you want to leave.
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Examples from Dorset
Three made-up local businesses, and what a sensible budget looks like:
- A mobile dog groomer in Ferndown: five pages, prices, a contact form and a link to book. £500–£1,000 to build, or a DIY builder if they're confident.
- An electrician covering Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch: a page for each service and town so people find them on Google. £1,500–£3,000.
- A restaurant in Swanage: menus, opening hours, table booking and good photos of the food and view. £1,000–£2,500, plus a photographer.
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Questions to ask before you pay
- Who owns the domain, the website and the words? It should be you.
- What's the monthly cost after launch, and what does it cover?
- How many rounds of changes are included?
- Will it work well on phones? Most of your visitors will use one.
- Is Google set-up included: page titles, descriptions, your address and fast loading?
- Can I update it myself, or do I pay for every change?
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Our prices
We build websites for Dorset businesses, no VAT to add:
- Simple: free to build, then £30 a month. Up to 5 pages from our ready-made designs, and you change it yourself.
- Small: from £500 for 5+ pages, designed for you. Medium: from £1,000 for 10+ pages with a page for each service.
- Large: from £1,500 for 15+ pages, with pages for the towns you cover. Multi-location: from £2,000 for 25+ pages.
- SEO Pro: from £3,000, with full keyword research and every page written to be found.
Hosting and management are quoted with your site, only if you need them. To compare every plan side by side, see our website prices and plans. If you only need something quick, start with a simple website; if you want words that win customers, add website copywriting.
Want a price for your website? Book a free 20-minute call.
Book my free callGood questions
How much does a basic website cost in the UK?
A basic five-page website from a freelancer usually costs £500–£1,500. A DIY builder costs about £10–£40 a month if you build it yourself.
How much does a website cost per month?
Expect £10–£50 a month for hosting, plus £30–£150 a month if someone else keeps it updated and secure. Some providers combine both in one monthly fee.
Why are some websites so cheap?
Very cheap sites often reuse the same template for everyone, skip the words and Google set-up, or lock you into expensive hosting. Check what's included and who owns the site.
How long does it take to build a website?
A small business site usually takes one to four weeks, depending on how quickly the words and photos are ready.