PixelGangsta
Guide for UK small businesses

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

Prices vary a lot, so it helps to know what you are paying for. Here is a plain English guide to the main options and the running costs that come after.

Written by PixelGangsta. Published 17th October 2026.

The short answer

One UK web designer’s 2026 guide puts a simple website from a freelancer at about £500 to £3,000, and a custom build from an agency at about £3,000 to £10,000 or more. Prices published by web designers are their own figures, so treat them as a rough guide and always ask for a fixed price.

At a glance
What you pay for, and what you can skip
What you pay forTypical rangeWhat you can skip
A simple site from a freelancer£500 to £3,000Paying extra later for words, photos or changes you assumed were included. Ask up front.
A custom build from an agency£3,000 to £10,000 or moreThe whole tier, unless you need a shop, a booking system or many pages.
A website builder you run yourself£20 to £259 a monthThe higher plans, if you only need a few pages. You keep paying for as long as the site is live.
Your website name, a .co.uk£12 to £28 a yearA very cheap first year that renews at a much higher price.
HostingVariesA separate hosting bill, if your designer already includes it. Ask what it costs after year one.
ChangesAsk firstSurprise invoices. Agree who makes changes and what each one costs before you sign up.

Ranges come from the sources listed at the end of this guide and are a rough guide only. Always ask for a fixed price.

Website builders you do yourself

Tools such as Wix and Squarespace let you build a site yourself for a monthly fee. They can be a good start if you have the time and are happy doing it yourself. The same guide puts these at about £20 to £259 a month depending on the plan. You do all the work, and you keep paying for as long as the site is live.

Freelancers

A freelancer usually builds a small site of a few pages for a one off price. Check whether writing the words, adding photos and making changes later are included, because ongoing support is often extra.

Agencies

Agencies tend to cost more and suit bigger projects, such as online shops, booking systems or sites with many pages.

Running costs every year

  • Your website name. A .co.uk name usually renews at around £12 to £28 a year including VAT, based on a price check of UK companies in April 2026. Watch out for a very cheap first year followed by a much higher renewal.
  • Hosting. This is the space your website lives on. Prices vary, and some designers include it. Ask what it costs after the first year.
  • Changes. New prices, opening hours and photos all need updating. Ask who does this and what it costs.

What makes a website cost more

  • More pages
  • An online shop or a booking system
  • Having the words written for you
  • A new logo or brand at the same time

Five questions to ask before you pay

  1. Is the price fixed, and what exactly is included?
  2. Will my website name be registered in my name?
  3. What will it cost each year after the first year?
  4. Who makes changes, and how much do they cost?
  5. Will it work properly on phones, and is it set up so Google can read it?

Ours start from £300 because we only build small sites and keep the team small. The exact price is agreed before we start.

A new website

Sources

Prices and figures were checked on 17th October 2026 and may change.