A small business website in the UK usually costs from a few hundred pounds for a simple one-page site to several thousand for a bespoke, multi-page build, plus yearly running costs for hosting, your domain and maintenance. The price depends mostly on the number of pages, custom features, who writes the content and who looks after it afterwards.
Key takeaways
It’s the first question nearly everyone asks us, and fair enough. The trouble is that ‘how much is a website?’ is a bit like ‘how much is a car?’. So rather than dodge it, here’s how the costs break down, what a fair price looks like and what to check before you sign anything.
Published ranges vary a lot. GoDaddy’s UK guide puts a simple website from around £100 a year if you build it yourself, rising to £10,000 and beyond for a large, complex site (GoDaddy UK). Agency packages sit across that whole spectrum.
As a real example, our own website design packages currently start at £599 + VAT for a one-page Lite site, £799 + VAT for a five-page Startup site and £1,199 + VAT for a ten-page Mega site. Bigger or more technical builds are quoted separately. We’re sharing these because we think prices should be visible, not because the cheapest option is right for everyone.
Two quotes for ‘a website’ can be miles apart because they’re quoting for different things. These are the big levers:
This is where budgets go wrong. A website isn’t a one-off purchase; it’s closer to a small subscription. GoDaddy’s estimates include hosting at about £110 a year and a domain at about £15 a year, with maintenance at around £600 a year if you pay a professional (GoDaddy UK). Your own numbers will differ, but the categories won’t:
Some of our packages include the first year’s hosting. Whatever you buy, ask the same question of every supplier: what will year two cost?
Over a few years it often is, and you keep more control. WordPress is used by 39.5% of all websites, according to W3Techs, which tracks content management systems across the web (W3Techs). That popularity means plenty of developers, themes and plugins, and no lock-in to one company’s platform.
Builders such as Wix and Squarespace have a lower starting cost and suit people who want to do it all themselves. The trade-off is a monthly fee for as long as the site exists, and moving away later usually means rebuilding. If you want a site that a professional builds and you can still edit, WordPress is a sensible middle ground. It’s what we build on.
Mostly because of scope, not greed. A low quote may leave out copywriting, image sourcing, SEO setup or training. A high one might include a discovery phase, custom design and months of support. Put the quotes side by side and check each of these:
That last one matters more than people think. Some ‘free website’ deals rent you the site on a long contract. If you stop paying, the site goes. Always get the domain registered in your business’s name.
Usually small, but don’t skip them. If your site uses analytics or advertising cookies, UK rules under PECR mean you must tell visitors what those cookies do and get their consent before setting the non-essential ones (ICO). That means a proper consent banner and a privacy policy that matches what the site actually does. It’s worth building in from day one, especially if you plan to run pay-per-click campaigns or paid social ads that rely on tracking.
Spend on the things that win work. A clear homepage, honest service pages, real photos, fast load times and an obvious way to get in touch beat clever animations every time. Our honest advice:
If you’re weighing up options, take a look at the digital services we offer or book a free consultation. We’ll tell you straight which package fits, or whether you need one at all yet.
For a simple brochure site from an agency or freelancer, expect anything from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand. Our own packages currently start at £599 + VAT for a one-page site. Add yearly costs for hosting, your domain and updates.
Running costs cover hosting, an SSL certificate, domain renewal, software updates, backups and small changes. GoDaddy’s UK guide estimates hosting at about £110 and a domain at about £15 a year, with professional maintenance extra.
DIY builders have the lowest upfront cost, but you pay a monthly fee indefinitely and spend your own time on design, content and fixes. A professionally built site usually costs more upfront and less in lost time.
A small site with content ready can be built in a few weeks. Projects take longer when content is late, features are complex or several people need to sign off designs.
You should. Check the contract says you own the domain, the content and the site files, and that the domain is registered in your business name. Avoid deals where the site is rented on a long contract.
Apex Infinity Digital Limited is registered in England & Wales as a Limited Company, No. 16796196.
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