One of the most common questions we get asked is: "How much should I pay for a website?" And the honest answer is: it depends. But that's not very helpful, so let's break it down properly.
The Three Tiers of Website Cost
In the UK market in 2026, website costs broadly fall into three categories:
DIY Website Builders: £0–£30/month
Tools like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress.com let you build a website yourself. They're cheap, but you'll spend hours learning the platform, and the results often look... DIY. You're also limited by templates and locked into their ecosystem.
Best for: Personal blogs, hobby projects, or businesses testing an idea before investing.
Freelancer/Small Agency: £800–£5,000
This is where most small businesses should be looking. A professional freelancer or small agency will build you a custom website that's designed for your business, optimised for search engines, and built to convert visitors into customers.
Best for: Established small businesses, professional services, local businesses ready to grow online.
Large Agency: £10,000–£50,000+
Big agencies charge big fees - and often deliver big results. But for most small and medium businesses, you're paying for overheads (fancy office, large team, account managers) that don't necessarily translate into a better website.
Best for: Large companies with complex requirements, e-commerce with thousands of products, or enterprise applications.
What Affects the Price?
Several factors push the cost up or down:
- Number of pages - a 5-page brochure site costs less than a 30-page site with a blog
- Custom design vs template - bespoke design costs more but sets you apart
- Functionality - online booking, e-commerce, member areas, and integrations add complexity
- Content - if you need copywriting, photography, or video, budget for it
- SEO setup - proper on-page SEO should be included, not an expensive add-on
- Ongoing maintenance - hosting, updates, security, and content changes
What You Should Actually Budget
For a typical UK small business - say a local tradesperson, dental practice, accountant, or consultant - here's what we'd recommend budgeting:
- Website build: £1,000–£3,000 for a professional, conversion-focused site
- Monthly maintenance: £50–£250/month for hosting, updates, and support
- SEO (optional but recommended): £300–£600/month to actually get found on Google
Our Approach at Concoct
We've designed our web design packages to give UK businesses professional results without enterprise pricing:
- Starter (£997): Perfect for new businesses needing a professional online presence
- Business (£2,497): Multi-page sites with CMS, SEO foundations, and conversion optimisation
- Full Service (£4,997+): Complex builds with custom features, e-commerce, or web applications
Every package includes mobile-responsive design, SEO setup, and a website that's built to bring in customers - not just look pretty.
Get a free website audit to see where your current site stands and what it would take to upgrade.