How much does a small business website cost in the UK?

Last updated 12 October 2026 · By the XKey team

What does a DIY website builder cost?

Builders such as Wix, Squarespace and Shopify usually cost roughly £10 to £40 a month for a business plan, with online shop plans costing more, plus card fees on sales. You do the work yourself, so the real cost is your time. Read our Wix, Squarespace and Shopify SEO guides before you choose.

What does a freelance web designer cost?

A simple brochure site of five to ten pages from a UK freelancer often costs somewhere around £500 to £3,000, depending on their experience, whether they write the words and how much is custom-designed. Shops and booking systems cost more.

What does a web design agency cost?

Agencies typically charge from about £3,000 to £10,000 or more for a small business site, and much more for large shops or bespoke features. You're paying for a team: design, writing, development, SEO and project management.

What are the yearly running costs?

• Domain name: roughly £10 to £20 a year for a .co.uk or .com. See choosing a domain name.
• Hosting: included in builder plans; otherwise from a few pounds to £30 or more a month.
• Email: Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace is charged per user each month.
• Upkeep: updates, backups and security for WordPress sites, if someone else does it.
• Plugins, themes and apps that charge yearly.

What should be included in the price?

Before you pay, check the quote covers a mobile-friendly design, https, a contact form, basic SEO (page titles, descriptions, a sitemap), Google Search Console set-up, redirects if it replaces an old site, and that you'll own the domain and content. Run any designer's own site and past work through our free SEO check – a quick sign of quality.

Is a cheap website a false economy?

Not always, but watch for very cheap deals that rent you a site you can't take away, lock the domain in the designer's name or skip the SEO basics. A website that nobody finds isn't cheap at any price. If you're redesigning, read website redesign SEO first.

Frequently asked questions

Why do website quotes vary so much?

Prices depend on how much is custom design, who writes the words, the number of pages, features like booking or shops, and the designer's experience and overheads.

Do I need to pay monthly for a website?

Usually something, yes – at least hosting and the domain. Some designers bundle these into a monthly fee; ask what happens if you leave.

Is SEO included in website design?

Basic on-page SEO should be. Ongoing work such as content and links is usually a separate service – see how much SEO costs.