How Much Does a Website Cost in the UK?

It's the first question almost everyone asks, and the honest answer is: it depends. A website can cost anything from nothing to tens of thousands of pounds. That isn't a dodge. It's because a "website" can mean a free template you build yourself on a wet Sunday, or a custom-built system that quietly runs your whole business. This guide breaks down what websites actually cost in the UK in 2026, what changes the price, and what you get for your money, so you can budget with your eyes open.

The short answer

Here's roughly what you'll pay in the UK, depending on who builds it and how:

Option	Typical cost	Best for
DIY template (you build it)	£0 to £500	Hobby sites, testing an idea
Freelancer	£500 to £2,000	Simple sites, tight budgets
Small studio, custom	£2,000 to £10,000	Serious small businesses
Large agency	£10,000+	Big brands, complex builds

Most small businesses spend between £900 and £3,000 on a professional, custom website that's actually built to be found on Google. That's the range we work in, and for the vast majority of local businesses it's the sweet spot between "cheap and useless" and "expensive and over the top".

What actually affects the price

Two websites can look similar and cost wildly different amounts. Here's what moves the number:

• Number of pages. A five-page brochure site is a very different job to a 30-page site.

• Custom features. Online booking, an e-commerce shop, member logins or integrations all add work.

• Copywriting. Do you have the words ready, or do you need someone to write them?

• How custom the design is. A stock template is cheap. A site designed around your brand from scratch costs more, and looks it.

• SEO built in. A site built to rank from day one is worth more than a pretty site nobody finds.

• Timescale. A rush job costs more than a sensible timeline.

What you actually get at each level

Price isn't really the point. Value is. A cheap template site feels like a bargain until you realise it's slow, looks like a thousand others, and never shows up on Google. We've written before about why cheap templates usually cost more in the long run, because the money you save upfront you lose in customers who never found you.

A custom-built website is the opposite. It's designed around your business, loads fast, works properly on a phone, and is built to be found by the people searching for what you do. It's yours to keep, and it works for you every day.

So how much does a website cost with WebOws Design?

Our websites start from £900. You get a fixed price quote before any work begins, so there are no surprises and no hidden extras. Most projects are live within two to four weeks, and every one is custom, mobile-first and built to rank. You can see the full breakdown on our web design pricing page, exactly what's included on our web design service page, and plenty of examples in our recent work. We work with businesses right across Medway and Kent, from Gillingham to Rochester and beyond.

Don't forget the ongoing costs

The build is a one-off, but a website has small running costs too: a domain name (around £10 to £15 a year), a hosting or platform plan, and optional maintenance if you'd rather we kept it updated for you. And if you want to actually climb Google over time rather than launch and hope, that's where ongoing SEO comes in. None of it is expensive, but it's worth budgeting for.

So what should you budget?

If you're a serious small business that wants enquiries, budget somewhere between £900 and £3,000 for a proper custom site. Steer clear of the sub-£300 offers; they almost always end up costing more when you rebuild in a year. Think of it as an investment that should pay for itself in new customers, not a cost to minimise.

Is a cheap website worth it?

Rarely. A cheap site usually means a template that's slow, generic and hard to rank, so it costs you customers even while it saves you money upfront.

How much does a website cost per month?

Most small business sites have running costs of around £15 to £50 a month once you include hosting and any maintenance, on top of the one-off build.

How much should a small business spend on a website?

For a professional, custom site built to bring in enquiries, most small businesses should budget £900 to £3,000.