How Much Does a Website Cost? 2026 UK Guide
How much does it cost to build a website in the UK? Real pricing for DIY, freelancers, and agencies — plus hidden costs to watch for.
A professional website in the UK costs £1,000-£5,000 one-off or £100-£250/month on subscription. DIY builders run £0-£30/month plus 20-40 hours of your time. The right option depends on your budget, technical skills, and business goals.
If you’ve been researching how much it costs to build a website, you’ve probably seen prices ranging from “free” to £20,000+. It’s confusing — and most pricing pages don’t tell the full story.
I’ve been building websites for over 10 years, working with small businesses across Kent and the wider UK. In this guide, I’ll break down exactly what websites cost in 2026, what affects the price, and how to avoid the expensive mistakes I see businesses make every week.
Table of Contents
- The Real Cost of Building a Website in 2026
- What Affects the Price
- Website Cost Per Month vs One-Off Payment
- DIY Website Builders: The Real Cost
- Hiring a Freelancer or Agency
- Hidden Costs Most People Miss
- How to Save Money on Your Website
- Is a Professional Website Worth It?
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Real Cost of Building a Website in 2026
Let’s cut straight to the numbers. Here’s what you’ll actually pay in the UK as of 2026:
| Route | One-Off Cost | Monthly Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY Builder (Wix, Squarespace) | £0 | £15-£30/month | Tight budget, tech-comfortable |
| Google Sites | £0 | £0 | Very basic, temporary sites |
| Freelancer | £500-£3,000 | — | Simple sites, flexible budget |
| Specialist Agency | £2,000-£10,000 | £100-£250/month | Professional results, ongoing support |
| Large Agency | £10,000-£50,000+ | — | Enterprise, complex systems |
The bottom line: Most small businesses in the UK spend between £1,500 and £5,000 on a website, or £100-£200/month on a subscription model that includes everything. Below £1,000, you’re usually getting a template with your logo on it.
The subscription model is worth understanding — instead of a large upfront payment, you pay monthly and get design, hosting, updates, and support all included. It’s becoming the preferred option for businesses that don’t want surprise bills.
📖 Related: Website Monthly vs One-Off Payment: Which Is Better? — detailed comparison of both pricing models with real cost calculations.
What Affects the Price
Not all websites are equal. Here’s what moves the needle on cost:
1. Design Complexity
A customised template costs far less than a fully bespoke design. For most small businesses, a well-customised template looks just as professional — and your customers won’t know the difference.
Cost impact: Custom design adds £1,000-£5,000 to the base price.
2. Number of Pages
A simple 5-page site (Home, About, Services, Contact, Blog) costs less than a 15-page site with portfolios, case studies, team profiles, and resource pages.
Cost impact: Each additional page adds £50-£200.
3. E-Commerce & Online Payments
If you need to sell products or take payments online, expect to pay significantly more. Payment gateway integration, product catalogues, and checkout flows all add complexity.
Cost impact: Basic e-commerce adds £500-£3,000. Complex stores with inventory management can reach £10,000+.
4. Content & Copywriting
Will you write the website copy yourself, or do you need it written for you? Good copywriting that converts visitors into customers takes expertise and time.
Cost impact: Professional copywriting adds £200-£800.
5. SEO Setup
Basic SEO (page titles, meta descriptions, heading structure) should be included in any professional build. Advanced SEO — keyword research, content strategy, technical optimisation — is a separate investment.
Cost impact: Advanced SEO setup adds £300-£1,000.
6. Ongoing Maintenance
Websites need updates, security patches, content changes, and occasional fixes. This is where one-off projects get expensive over time — every small change becomes a billable task.
Cost impact: Maintenance costs £30-£100/month or £300-£1,200/year.
Website Cost Per Month vs One-Off Payment
This is the decision most businesses wrestle with, so let me lay it out clearly.
One-off payment: You pay £2,000-£5,000 upfront and own the website. You’re responsible for hosting, maintenance, security updates, and any future changes. If something breaks at 2am, it’s your problem.
Monthly subscription: You pay £100-£250/month and everything is included — design, hosting, updates, support, and maintenance. If something breaks at 2am, it’s your provider’s problem.
Over 3 years, the total cost is often similar. The difference is what’s included:
| One-Off (3-year total) | Monthly (3-year total) | |
|---|---|---|
| Build cost | £3,000 | Included |
| Hosting | £300 (£100/year) | Included |
| Maintenance | £1,500 (£500/year) | Included |
| Content updates | £900 (£300/year) | Included |
| Total | £5,700 | £5,400-£9,000 |
The subscription model works out better if you need regular changes and don’t have in-house technical skills. The one-off model works if you’re technically capable and your site rarely changes.
Want a professional website without a big upfront cost? I build websites for small businesses in Kent — everything included, transparent pricing. See our web design plans →
DIY Website Builders: The Real Cost
Wix & Squarespace
Both start at around £13-£17/month for basic plans, but the business plans you actually need (custom domain, no ads, e-commerce) cost £22-£33/month.
What you get: Drag-and-drop editor, templates, basic hosting, SSL certificate.
What you don’t get: Professional design, SEO optimisation, booking system integrations, anyone to call when something goes wrong.
The hidden cost: Your time. Expect 20-40 hours to build something decent. If your time is worth £20/hour, that’s £400-£800 in labour — making the “free” option not so free.
Google Sites
Completely free, but extremely limited. No custom templates, no e-commerce, minimal SEO features, and it looks like a free website. Fine for an internal company page, but not suitable for a business trying to attract customers.
The Honest Truth About DIY
Most business owners I work with tried DIY first. They spent weeks wrestling with templates, got frustrated with the limitations, and eventually hired a professional — spending more than if they’d started there.
That said, DIY genuinely works for some people. If you’re tech-comfortable, have the time, and just need a simple online presence, Squarespace in particular produces decent results.
📖 Related: Wix vs Squarespace vs Web Designer: Which Is Best? — full comparison with pros, cons, and recommendations.
Hiring a Freelancer or Agency
What Freelancers Charge
UK freelance web designers typically charge £500-£3,000 for a small business website. The quality varies enormously — I’ve seen brilliant freelancer work and absolute disasters.
Tips for hiring a freelancer:
- Check their portfolio for work similar to yours
- Read reviews and ask for references
- Clarify what happens after launch (support? updates?)
- Get everything in writing
- Ask who owns the website and code
What Agencies Charge
Small specialist agencies charge £2,000-£10,000 for a business website. Large agencies start at £10,000 and can reach £50,000+ for complex projects.
The premium buys you a team (designer + developer + project manager), established processes, and usually better ongoing support. But not all agencies are created equal — some charge agency prices for freelancer-quality work.
How to Choose
The right choice depends on what you need:
- Simple 5-page site, tight budget: Freelancer (£800-£2,000)
- Professional site with ongoing support: Specialist or subscription (£100-£200/month)
- Complex site with e-commerce or custom features: Agency (£5,000-£15,000)
If your business serves a specific area, working with a local specialist often gives better results. They understand your market, can meet face-to-face, and are more accountable.
📖 Run a restaurant? See Restaurant Website Cost UK: 2026 Pricing Guide for hospitality-specific pricing and considerations.
Hidden Costs Most People Miss
This is where the “cheap” website becomes expensive. These costs aren’t always obvious upfront.
⚠️ Important: The advertised price is rarely the final price. Always ask about domain, hosting, SSL, maintenance, and what happens when you need changes after launch.
Domain & Hosting
Your website address (yourbusiness.co.uk) costs £5-£15/year. Hosting costs £5-£30/month depending on quality. Cheap hosting means a slow website — and slow websites lose customers.
SSL Certificate
The padlock that shows your site is secure. Most modern hosts include this free, but some budget providers still charge £50-£100/year for it.
Premium Plugins & Themes
WordPress sites often rely on premium plugins for contact forms, SEO, backups, and security. These typically cost £50-£200/year each. A site with 4-5 premium plugins adds £200-£1,000/year in renewal costs that nobody mentioned at the start.
Future Updates & Changes
“Can you just add a new page?” — with a one-off build, every change is a billable task. A simple text update might cost £30-£50. A new page, £100-£200. These add up fast.
Renewal Price Jumps
Some builders and agencies advertise low first-year prices that double or triple at renewal. Always ask about year 2+ pricing before signing up.
📖 Related: Hidden Costs of Cheap Websites: What You’ll Really Pay — real examples of how a £400 website ended up costing £11,700.
How to Save Money on Your Website
Want professional results without overspending? Here’s what I tell my clients:
1. Start Lean
You don’t need every feature on day one. Launch with a solid 5-page site and add features as your business grows. A simple site that’s live beats a perfect site that’s still “in progress” three months later.
2. Provide Your Own Content
Write your own about page, gather your service descriptions, take decent photos on your phone. The more content you provide, the less work for the developer — and the lower your bill.
3. Consider Subscription Models
Spreading the cost monthly often works better for cash flow, and maintenance is included. No surprise bills when something breaks or needs updating.
4. Avoid the Cheapest Quote
This sounds counterintuitive in a “save money” section, but the £500 website that doesn’t bring in customers costs more than the £3,000 one that does. Think return on investment, not just upfront cost.
Is a Professional Website Worth It?
Let’s do some quick maths.
If your average customer is worth £200 over their lifetime, and a professional website brings in just 2 extra enquiries per month, that’s £400/month in new business. A £3,000 website pays for itself in under 8 months.
Even on a subscription at £150/month, one extra customer per month means you’re in profit from day one.
The real question isn’t “can I afford a website?” — it’s “can I afford to lose customers to competitors who have better websites?”
Beyond direct leads, a good website saves you time:
- Fewer phone calls answering basic questions (opening hours, services, pricing)
- Credibility when potential customers Google your business
- 24/7 presence — your website works while you sleep
- Better data on where your customers come from
Next Steps
Getting a professional website doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. The key is finding someone who understands your type of business and offers transparent pricing.
If you’re a small business in Kent or the wider UK, I’d be happy to chat. I build websites that actually bring in customers — everything included, no surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
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