Cost · 9 minute read
How much should a small-business website cost in the UK?
A useful informational website can cost almost nothing in cash and a great deal in your time — or several thousand pounds with most of the decisions handled. The right comparison is not page count alone. It is what is solved, who owns it and what remains for you to do.
The short answer
Current public offers span roughly £200–£800 at the lowest productised end, around £1,000–£2,500 for focused freelancer or studio packages, and commonly £3,000–£10,000+ for agency work. DIY builders add a recurring platform fee and your own time. These are market observations, not official price statistics; scopes vary enough that averages can mislead.
What the cheapest options can be good for
A £200–£500 one-page or layout-led site can be sensible when the business is new, the offer is simple, the copy and photos are already strong, and the main need is a credible place to send people. Low price is not automatically poor value.
The trade-off is usually depth: fewer pages, a known layout system, less copy work, less research, limited revision and a stronger reliance on the customer supplying finished material. Read the ownership and monthly terms carefully.
What a £1,000–£2,500 package should solve
At this level, expect more than assembly. The provider should help determine page structure, clarify the offer, shape copy, create a fitting visual direction, build responsive pages, configure forms and search basics, and launch against an agreed scope. The process should state how many revisions are included and what happens after launch.
The most useful question is not “How many pages?” It is “Which decisions are you taking off my plate?”
Why agencies cost more
A good agency price pays for discovery, senior strategy, specialist design, development, copy, project management, testing and overhead. That can be appropriate for a rebrand, multiple audiences, complex integrations or a larger organisation with stakeholders. A five-page local-business site may not need that machinery.
Six questions to compare quotes
- Who decides the page structure and writes the first copy?
- Is the design individual, adapted from a system, or a named template?
- Exactly how many pages and revision rounds are included?
- Who owns the domain, site, content and accounts?
- Is hosting compulsory, and what happens if you leave?
- Which search, accessibility, performance and launch tasks are actually included?
Costs people forget
Domain renewal, professional photography, logo work, premium booking software, ongoing edits, hosting, email, analytics consent, legal review and content updates may sit outside the build price. None is necessarily unreasonable. They should be visible before you commit.
Try a clearer one-page website
Internet Office is a self-serve website redesign tool for straightforward UK service businesses. Make a free private preview, check the facts and choose a design. Previews are free. When subscriptions open, $12.99 USD/month unlocks exports. Cancel anytime and keep downloaded files; hosting and domain setup are separate.
Sources and method
Public prices checked 7 August 2026 include Tradely, TradePageUK, InveraWeb Designs, Scalesites, SteadyWeb, Sitescription, SEO Bridge and Fenti Bristol. Prices and terms change; check each provider’s current page and contract.