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How Much Does a Website Cost in the UK? (2026 Guide)
How much does a website cost in the UK? 2026 price ranges for small business, custom, e-commerce and web app sites, plus yearly running costs.
In the UK, a website typically costs £200–£500 a year on a DIY builder, £1,000–£5,000 for a small business site, £3,000–£10,000 for a custom-designed site, £5,000–£25,000 or more for e-commerce and £15,000–£50,000+ for a bespoke web application, plus roughly £150–£3,000 a year in running costs. Figures are typical market ranges, excluding VAT.
The figures in this guide are typical UK market ranges taken from published 2025–2026 cost guides and official platform pricing pages, all listed at the end. They are not Buy Dream Web prices. Every Buy Dream Web project is quoted individually around the client's goals and budget after a free consultation.
Typical UK website costs by type of site
The biggest factor in price is what the website has to do: a five-page services site is a very different job from an online shop or a booking system with customer logins.
| Type of website | Typical UK market range (ex VAT) | Usually suits |
|---|
| DIY builder site | £10–£50 a month in subscriptions | Sole traders, simple portfolios, testing an idea |
| Template or starter site | £500–£2,500 | Small budgets that need a professional presence quickly |
| Brochure or small business site | £1,000–£5,000 | Service businesses that need a credible site and enquiry forms |
| Custom-designed site | £3,000–£10,000 (larger bespoke builds up to £20,000) | Brand-led businesses focused on generating leads |
| E-commerce site | £5,000–£25,000+ (simple Shopify stores from around £3,000) | Businesses selling products online |
| Web application or portal | £8,000–£50,000+ | Bookings, member areas, dashboards and custom workflows |
Brochure and small business websites
A brochure site presents your business, services and contact details across a handful of pages. Media Village puts freelancer-built starter sites at £1,000–£4,000 and agency-built brochure sites at £3,000–£8,000. The gap usually reflects how much design work, copywriting support, testing and SEO set-up is included.
Custom-designed websites
A custom site is designed from scratch around your brand and customer journey rather than adapted from a ready-made theme. Most UK guides place this at £3,000–£10,000 for a small business, with larger bespoke builds reaching £20,000. Authentic Style reports an average bespoke website cost of £5,250 from its January to September 2026 data.
E-commerce websites
Online shops cost more because of product catalogues, checkout, payments, delivery rules and stock management. Glide Marketing suggests a simple Shopify store starts at around £3,000, but trade pricing, stock syncing or CRM integration can push a project past £20,000. Platform fees come on top: at the time of writing (October 2026), Shopify's UK plans are £25, £65 and £344 a month on monthly billing (£19, £49 and £259 a month when billed yearly), with online card fees from 2% + 25p on the Basic plan.
Web applications
Web apps such as booking systems, client portals, membership sites and internal dashboards need user accounts, custom logic and integrations with other software. Designbox puts membership sites and portals at £8,000–£30,000, and Media Village puts bespoke platforms and web applications at £15,000–£50,000+. Here, scope and complexity matter far more than the number of pages.
DIY builder vs freelancer vs agency
Who builds your website affects both the price and what you get for it. These are typical UK market ranges for a small business site.
| Option | Typical UK cost (ex VAT) | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify) | £10–£50 a month, plus your own time | Very small budgets and simple sites | Template limits, ongoing fees and the time it takes to do well |
| Freelancer | £1,000–£4,000 for a small site; roughly £30–£80 an hour or £200–£400 a day | Straightforward sites on a tight budget | Quality varies widely; limited cover for holidays or illness |
| Small studio or agency | £3,000–£10,000 | Custom business sites and e-commerce | Check who actually does the work and what support follows launch |
| Larger agency (10+ staff) | £10,000–£50,000+ | Complex builds, integrations and larger organisations | A bigger share of the fee goes on overheads |
DIY builders are cheapest upfront, but Glide Marketing's description of the real price, "plus your evenings and weekends", is worth remembering. A freelancer can be excellent value for a defined project. An agency usually brings a team of designers, developers and a project manager, which helps with larger or ongoing work. At Buy Dream Web, every project has a dedicated project manager.
One-off build costs vs ongoing costs
The build is a one-off cost, but every website has running costs. Budget for these from the start so there are no surprises in year two.
| Ongoing cost | Typical UK range | Notes |
|---|
| Domain name | £10–£30 a year | Check the renewal price, not just the first-year offer |
| Hosting | £60–£600 a year (managed hosting £500–£2,000+) | Busy shops and web apps need more capacity than brochure sites |
| SSL certificate | £0–£150 a year | Many hosts include a free certificate |
| Software and plugin licences | £50–£500 a year | Premium themes, plugins and apps |
| Maintenance and support | £50–£200 a month | Updates, security patches, backups and small changes |
| Content | £50–£150 a month for updates; £150–£500 a month for new content | Blog posts, new pages and product copy |
| SEO | £300–£2,000+ a month | Optional, but usually needed to grow organic traffic |
Glide Marketing estimates total ongoing costs at £150–£3,000 a year, and Media Village suggests a simple small business site may need £200–£1,000 a year for basic upkeep, while professionally managed sites typically run £1,000–£5,000+ a year. SEO and regular content sit on top if you choose them. Buy Dream Web builds every website to be responsive and SEO-optimised from day one and offers post-launch support and maintenance, so ask how upkeep would be handled when you request a quote.
What drives the cost of a website
Two quotes for "a website" can differ by thousands of pounds because they describe different projects. The main cost drivers are:
- Design approach: adapting a template is quicker than designing every page from scratch.
- Number of pages and layouts: ten pages built from two layouts cost less than ten unique designs.
- Functionality: bookings, payments, member logins, search filters and calculators all add development and testing time.
- Integrations: connecting your CRM, accounting, stock or email marketing tools adds complexity.
- Content: copywriting, photography and loading hundreds of products are often priced separately.
- E-commerce scale: product numbers, variants, delivery rules and international selling all affect the build.
- SEO and migration: moving from an old site needs redirects and care to protect existing rankings.
- Support after launch: maintenance, training and hosting may or may not be included.
Build time follows complexity too. As a guide, Buy Dream Web typically delivers a standard business website in 2–4 weeks, while complex e-commerce or custom builds take 6–12 weeks.
How to keep costs down and compare quotes
Ways to keep costs down
- Write a clear brief covering your goals, must-have pages and features, and sites you like.
- Prepare your own copy, photos and product data before the project starts.
- Launch with the essentials and add features in later phases.
- Use proven platforms and plugins rather than custom-building everything.
- Agree changes in writing to avoid scope creep.
- Compare the total cost over two to three years, not just the build fee.
How to compare website quotes
- Check VAT. Many agencies quote excluding VAT, so add 20% if the supplier is VAT-registered. Businesses only have to register once taxable turnover passes £90,000, so some freelancers will not charge it.
- Compare like for like. Line up pages, design rounds, features, content and SEO set-up side by side.
- Ask for a breakdown. A clear itemised quote shows where the money goes.
- Clarify ownership. Confirm you will own the domain, content and website, and can move them later.
- Ask what happens after launch. Check hosting, maintenance, support and training.
- Review recent work. Look at live sites the supplier has built and ask for references.
- Question very low quotes. They often leave out content, SEO or support that you will pay for later.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to build a website myself?
Upfront, yes. A DIY builder costs around £10–£50 a month, compared with £1,000 or more for a professionally built small business site. The trade-off is your time, design limits and the risk of a site that does not convert or rank well. DIY can suit a sole trader testing an idea, but a business that relies on its website for leads usually benefits from professional design and SEO set-up.
Do website quotes include VAT?
Not always. Many UK agencies quote excluding VAT, so add the standard 20% rate if the supplier is VAT-registered. Businesses must register once taxable turnover passes £90,000 in 12 months, so some freelancers do not charge VAT at all. If your own business is VAT-registered you can usually reclaim it, but always compare quotes on the same basis.
How long does it take to build a website?
It depends on scope and on how quickly content and feedback are ready. At Buy Dream Web, a standard business website typically takes 2–4 weeks, while complex e-commerce or custom builds take 6–12 weeks. Web applications with bespoke features can take longer. Having your copy, images and product information ready early helps keep any project on schedule.
How much does it cost to maintain a website each year?
For a simple small business site, expect roughly £150–£1,000 a year for the domain, hosting and basic upkeep. A professionally managed site with regular updates, security monitoring and support typically runs £1,000–£5,000 or more a year. SEO, new content and paid software add to this, so ask any supplier for an itemised list of ongoing costs before you commit.
Why do website quotes vary so much?
Quotes differ because suppliers include different things. One may price a template with your content dropped in; another may include strategy, custom design, copywriting, SEO set-up, testing and support after launch. Overheads matter too, as freelancers, small studios and large agencies run on very different costs. Comparing a written scope, not just the total, is the fairest way to judge value.
Get a website quote built around your goals
Every Buy Dream Web project is quoted individually around your goals and budget, so there is no fixed price list. Tell us what you need on a free video consultation and you will get a reply to every enquiry within 24 hours, a dedicated project manager from start to launch, and post-launch support when you need it. Get a free quote or book a free consultation.
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