Ask how much a website costs and you will often get the slightly frustrating answer: it depends.
That answer is true, but it is not especially helpful when you are trying to set a budget. A self-built website for a new sole trader and a busy online shop are both websites, but they involve very different amounts of work.
As a broad UK guide, a small business website could cost anything from a few hundred pounds for a do-it-yourself option to £8,000 or more for a professionally planned and custom-designed site. An online shop or a website with specialist features can cost considerably more.
These figures are general budgeting estimates, not a Bear Mountain Digital price list. Your actual quote will depend on what your business needs the website to do.
Let’s look at where the money goes and how to decide what represents good value for your business.
Typical small business website costs in the UK
The following ranges provide a sensible starting point for planning your budget.
Do-it-yourself website: Up to £500, plus ongoing fees
Website builders allow you to choose a ready-made design and assemble the pages yourself. The initial cost can be low, although you will usually pay a monthly or annual subscription to keep the site running.
This route can work for a very new business that needs a simple online presence and has more time than budget. However, you will be responsible for the design, words, images, setup and ongoing updates.
The real cost is not just the subscription. It also includes the hours you spend learning the system and trying to make everything work. For a busy plumber, builder or shop owner, that time may be better spent serving customers.
Basic brochure website: Around £1,500 to £3,000
A brochure website is a straightforward site that explains your business rather than selling products online. It will often include a homepage, an about page, service pages and a contact page.
At this level, you might expect:
- A professionally assembled design
- Around five to ten pages
- A layout that works properly on phones and computers
- A contact form
- Basic help with appearing in search results
- Links to your social media profiles
The exact service varies between providers. Some quotes use a ready-made design with your colours and content added. Others include more planning and design work. Always ask what is included.
Custom business website: Around £3,000 to £8,000
A more established business may need a website built around its own brand, customers and goals. This usually involves more planning, a custom design and a clearer structure for services and content.
The budget might cover:
- A design created specifically for your business
- More detailed service pages
- Help planning or writing the content
- Case studies, testimonials or project galleries
- Stronger preparation for Google and other search engines
- Connections to booking, email or customer-management tools
- Visitor tracking, so you can see which pages people use
- Training and support after launch
The important difference is not simply how the site looks. A custom business website should make it easier for the right customers to find you, understand what you offer and get in touch.
Ecommerce website: Around £5,000 to £25,000 or more
An ecommerce website is an online shop. It needs to manage products, payments, orders and customer information safely, so there is more to plan and test than on a standard brochure site.
The cost will depend on factors such as:
- The number and type of products
- Product options such as sizes, colours or materials
- Payment methods
- Delivery, collection and stock requirements
- Connections to accounting, email or stock-management systems
- Customer accounts and memberships
- Discount codes and other sales features
Velo Bavarian is a good example. The business needed more than a simple online bike shop. Its website also had to support custom builds, workshop services, memberships and a run-and-ride community. Bear Mountain Digital created a tailored Shopify site that customers can navigate easily and owner Luke can manage himself. Read the Velo Bavarian Shopify website case study to see what went into the project.
Why do website quotes vary so much?
Two quotes can look very different because the providers may not be offering the same thing. One might cover little more than putting your content into a template. Another may include research, planning, custom design, copywriting, search preparation and support.
Here are the main factors that affect the price.
The number of pages or templates
More pages usually mean more work. Each one needs to be planned, written or edited, designed, built and checked.
Do not assume that fewer pages are always better, though. A plumber who offers boiler repairs, bathroom installations and emergency call-outs may benefit from a separate page for each service. This makes the information easier for customers to find and gives search engines a clearer understanding of what the business offers.
Ready-made or custom design
A ready-made template is a pre-designed layout. It is quicker and cheaper to set up, but it can limit how closely the site reflects your business.
A custom design starts with your brand, your customers and the actions you want visitors to take. It requires more work, but the result should feel like your business rather than a slightly altered version of somebody else’s.
Content and copywriting
The words on your website matter. They need to explain what you do, answer common questions and give people a reason to choose you.
A lower quote may require you to provide all the finished copy yourself. A higher quote may include help planning the pages, interviewing you about the business and writing or editing the content.
Ask who is responsible for the words, images and project information before accepting a quote. Delays often happen when this is not agreed at the start.
Features and connections
A contact form is relatively simple. A booking system that checks availability, takes payment and sends reminders involves more work.
Other features that can increase the cost include:
- Online payments
- Appointment booking
- Customer logins
- Members-only content
- Live stock information
- Quote calculators
- Connections to your email, accounts or customer records
You may hear these connections described as integrations. In plain English, an integration simply allows your website and another piece of software to share information, saving you from entering it twice.
Search Engine Optimisation
Search engine optimisation, usually shortened to SEO, is the work involved in helping your website appear when potential customers search online.
At a basic level, this includes giving pages clear titles, organising the content sensibly and making sure search engines can read the site. A more detailed SEO service may include research into what customers search for, improving existing content and creating a longer-term plan to build visibility.
Ask exactly what the quote means by “SEO included”. The phrase can describe anything from a basic setup to months of ongoing work.
Who builds the website
A freelancer or small specialist studio will often have lower overheads than a large agency. A larger team may offer more services in-house, but that can come with a higher price.
Neither option is automatically better. Look for relevant experience, clear communication, examples of previous work and a process you understand. You should know who will be doing the work and who you will speak to when you have a question.
What ongoing website costs should you expect?
The build is not the only cost. A website also needs a few things to stay online and work properly.
Domain Name
Your domain name is your website address, such as bearmountain.digital. It normally needs to be renewed each year.
Hosting
Hosting is the service that stores your website and makes it available online. The price depends on the provider, the size of the site and the level of support included.
Maintenance and updates
Website software needs to be kept up to date, just like the software on a phone or computer. Regular maintenance can include updates, security checks, backups and help if something goes wrong.
Paid tools
Some websites use paid tools for bookings, payments, email marketing or other features. These may charge monthly or annual fees.
Ask for a list of ongoing costs before the project begins. A good quote should separate the one-off build from the services you will continue paying for after launch.
Is a cheap website good value?
Sometimes. A simple, low-cost website may be exactly what a new business needs. Spending more does not automatically guarantee a better result.
Problems arise when the website is cheap because important work has been left out. You might receive a site that looks acceptable but loads slowly, is difficult to update, does not explain your services clearly or fails to generate enquiries.
The better question is not “What is the cheapest website I can buy?” It is “What does my business need the website to achieve?”
For a local tradesperson, one extra good-quality enquiry each month could make a professional website worthwhile. For an online retailer, small improvements to the buying process could affect hundreds of sales. Value depends on the job the website needs to do.
Questions to ask before accepting a website quote
Make sure you understand the offer before comparing prices. Ask:
- How many pages are included?
- Is the design custom or based on a ready-made template?
- Who will write and provide the content?
- Will the website work properly on mobile phones?
- What preparation for search engines is included?
- Can I edit the website myself?
- Will I receive training?
- Who owns the website, domain and content?
- Are hosting, maintenance or paid tools included?
- What happens if I need help after launch?
- How will extra work be priced?
Clear answers make it much easier to compare like with like.
How should you set your website budget?
Start with your business goals rather than a list of fashionable features.
Decide what customers must be able to do. That might be requesting a quote, calling you, booking an appointment, viewing past projects or buying a product. Then identify the information they need before they will feel comfortable taking that step.
It also helps to separate essentials from features that could be added later. A well-built website should give you room to grow without forcing you to pay for everything on day one.
Finally, be open about your budget. A straightforward web partner can explain what is realistic, where the money will make the biggest difference and which ideas can wait.
Get a straightforward website quote
There is no universal price for a small business website because there is no universal small business. A five-page site for a local service company is a different project from an online shop with hundreds of products.
Bear Mountain Digital creates user-friendly websites for small businesses and startups in Derbyshire and beyond. Every project starts with understanding the business, the customers and what success should look like. You get thoughtful digital work without the faff, fluff or agency-sized price tag.
If you are planning a new website and want an honest conversation about the likely cost, get in touch with Bear Mountain Digital. We will help you work out what you genuinely need and what you do not.