If you’ve started asking around for a website, you’ve probably heard prices anywhere from £10 a month to £10,000. Both can be right, because you’re comparing very different things. This guide breaks down what a small business website costs in the UK, what drives the price, and the hidden costs to watch out for.
The short answer
Typical ways to get a small business website, and the kind of prices you’ll see quoted:
| Option | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder | Roughly £10–£40/month, plus your time | People with time and design confidence |
| Freelancer | Often £500–£2,000+ upfront | A simple site with a fixed brief |
| Agency | Often £2,000–£10,000+ upfront | Larger or more complex projects |
| Pay-monthly website | Often £50–£200/month | Small businesses that want it built and looked after |
These are typical ranges rather than fixed rules: every provider prices differently.
What affects the price?
- Number of pages. A five-page site costs less than a 30-page one.
- Features. Online booking, e-commerce, quote forms and integrations all add work.
- Design. A custom design costs more than adapting a template.
- Content. Writing your copy, sourcing photos and creating graphics takes time.
- Ongoing care. Hosting, security updates, backups and changes are either included or charged separately.
The hidden costs people forget
A cheap upfront price can hide ongoing costs. Before you commit, check who pays for:
- your domain name (usually renewed yearly);
- hosting and the SSL certificate (the padlock in the browser);
- updates and security, especially on WordPress;
- changes after launch, such as new prices, photos or pages;
- business email addresses.
Add these up over two or three years and the “cheap” option can end up costing more.
One-off price or pay monthly?
Paying upfront means a bigger bill at the start, but you may own everything outright. Paying monthly spreads the cost and usually includes hosting, maintenance and support. We compare both in detail in pay monthly vs upfront.
What a website costs with A-Squared Web
We build websites for small businesses on simple monthly plans, with no setup fee:
- Starter, £80/month: up to 5 pages, contact form, mobile-friendly design, hosting and domain included, and up to 30 minutes of updates each month.
- Professional, £130/month: up to 10 pages, SEO optimisation, blog setup, basic booking integration and priority support.
- Enterprise, £199/month: unlimited pages, custom functionality, advanced integrations and e-commerce ready.
See the full details on our pricing section.
How to choose
Work out what you need the website to do, whether that’s phone calls, bookings, quote requests or online sales, then ask each provider what’s included over the first two years, not just on day one. If you’d like a straight answer for your business, get in touch.
