Ask ten web designers what a website costs and you'll get eleven answers, plus a question about how long a piece of string is.
So here are some real ranges, the costs that tend to appear later and, most importantly, a better question to ask. It's not "how much does a website cost?" but "what will it cost over three years, and what should it bring in?"
The going rate
These are Whito's estimates for UK websites, based on publicly listed rates from freelancers and agencies. It doesn't publish sample sizes, and it sells services of its own, so treat them as a rough guide. They exclude VAT.
| Type of website | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| DIY builder such as Wix or Squarespace | £10–£50 a month |
| Freelancer, five-page brochure site | £1,500–£3,000 |
| Agency, five-page brochure site | £3,000–£5,000 |
| Custom business site, 15+ pages | £5,000–£15,000 |
| E-commerce site | £5,000–£20,000+ |
Whito also says that most UK small businesses pay £3,000 to £6,000 for a professionally built site.
What actually changes the price
The page count is the least interesting part. The things that really move the cost are:
- Design. A customised template costs less than something designed from scratch.
- Content. Is somebody writing the words and taking the photos, or are you supplying them?
- Functionality. Booking, payment, calculators and client logins all add work.
- Connections. Does the site need to talk to your CRM, stock system or fulfilment partner?
- AI features. An assistant, smart search or automated content has to be set up and maintained.
- Strategy. Is anyone researching what your customers need, or are you paying for a nice-looking guess?
That last one is why two "five-page websites" can be worth very different amounts.
The costs that turn up later
Whito puts the ongoing cost at about £500 to £2,000 a year or more, including maintenance, hosting, plugins or theme licences, your domain and security. It also lists common extras, such as copywriting at £50 to £150 a page, photography at £200 to £800 and SEO setup at £300 to £1,000, and it says these can add 30% to 50% to the quoted price. It doesn't show how it reached that percentage, so take it as a prompt to ask, rather than a rule.
Before you sign, ask whether the quote includes:
- writing and images
- hosting and your domain
- security updates and backups
- changes after launch, and how they're charged
- basic SEO and analytics
- moving your old content across
- who owns the site, and what happens if you leave
Look at three years, not day one
Take an agency-built brochure site using Whito's figures:
| Low | High | |
|---|---|---|
| Build | £3,000 | £5,000 |
| Three years of running costs | £1,500 | £6,000 |
| Three-year total | £4,500 | £11,000 |
Now compare a "cheap" site. If it can't be updated, needs fixing by someone else after a year or doesn't bring in any work, the low price didn't save you anything. Equally, an expensive site that doesn't bring in any more customers is expensive whichever way you slice it.
Now the better question: what should it earn?
A website is one of the few business costs that can pay for itself many times over, so put a target on it. Here's how, using made-up numbers for the example:
- Average profit per customer: £400
- How many enquiries you win: 1 in 4
- So each genuine enquiry is worth: £100
- Three-year cost of the site: £7,500
- Extra genuine enquiries needed to break even: 75 over three years, or about two a month
Is that realistic for your business? You now have something to judge a proposal against. And you can ask an agency how they plan to get you there.
What's possible
Be wary of promises, since results depend on your market, your starting point and your service. But it's worth knowing what a good website can do when things line up. Our UX-led redesign and rebuild for White House Dental Surgery delivered a 208% uplift in genuine enquiries in the first six months after go-live, and filtered out the bogus ones they were getting.
Which option is right for you?
DIY builder. Good if you're just starting out, your needs are simple and you have more time than money. Do it properly, keep the words clear and accept that you'll probably outgrow it.
Freelancer. Often good value for a straightforward site. Do check their portfolio and find out what happens when they're away on holiday.
Agency. Worth it when your site is a serious sales tool, or you need strategy, branding, development and marketing to work together. At Just Creative People, you get one point of contact with brand, web, marketing and AI skills behind it, which saves you managing several suppliers.
Bespoke build. Makes sense when your site or app is central to how you run the business, as with an online shop connected to fulfilment, stock and third-party systems.
How to compare quotes
Give everyone the same written brief, including what the site must do and what you'd like it to achieve. Then ask each supplier:
- What's included, and what will cost extra?
- What will it cost me each year after launch?
- How will you measure whether it's working?
- Can I update it myself?
- Can you show me examples and results?
The cheapest quote isn't always the worst. The dearest isn't always the best. The one that talks about your customers and your numbers is usually a good sign.
Want to talk through what your website should cost and what it should do? Book a free 20-minute chat.See our Websites & e-commerce service
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