Page updated 23 September 2026 · written by Chris Heyworth
Typical UK prices in 2026
Two published 2026 price guides, side by side. They don't agree to the pound, which is normal: prices depend on who's quoting and where. We've kept each source's own figures separate.
| Route | Typical price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace and similar) | £0 to £29 a month, or £100 to £350 a year with a domain | ExpertSure |
| Freelancer, small business site | £1,000 to £3,000 | Bark |
| Freelancer, 5 to 10 pages | £1,500 to £3,000 | ExpertSure |
| Agency, small business site | £2,000 to £7,000 | Bark |
| Regional agency | £3,000 to £8,000 | ExpertSure |
| London agency | £8,000 to £30,000 and up | ExpertSure |
Sources: ExpertSure, website design costs guide (updated 13 September 2026) and Bark, web design price guide (2026).
What pushes a quote up
- Pages. Every page needs writing, designing and setting up for Google, so more pages means a bigger quote.
- Who writes the words. If you hand over finished copy, it's cheaper. Most small businesses don't have any, so check whether writing is in the quote.
- Doing something, as well as saying something. Online booking, taking payments or a shop is a different kind of build to a brochure site.
- A template or a design made for you. A template is quicker to set up. A custom design takes longer and costs more.
- Local search set-up. Some quotes include getting you set up to show on Google for your area, and some leave it out entirely. Ask.
The costs that come after launch
The build is only the first bill. ExpertSure puts the ongoing costs (hosting, domain, security, maintenance and updates) at £50 to £300 a month all in, with the domain itself at £10 to £15 a year. Then there's the rebuild, because sites date, so budget for one at some point.
So ask every quote the same thing: what will I pay in year 2, and who makes changes when I need them? A cheap build with expensive changes can cost more than a dearer build with changes included.
Where our prices sit
We sell two ways. Pay once from £595, a fixed price for the build. Or pay monthly from £79, with nothing up front and hosting, care, small changes and a redesign every couple of years included. We're not VAT-registered, so there's no VAT to add to either.
Every price says "from" because we size it to your build on a call and put it in writing before anything starts. The full plans are on the web design page, and how the monthly option works, including the contract, is on pay monthly websites.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Whose name is the domain registered in?
- Who owns the website when the contract ends, and can I have the files?
- How long is the minimum term, and what does it cost to leave early?
- What's included each month, and what gets charged on top?
- How much is the deposit, and when would I get it back?
- Who writes the words?
- Can I see sites you've built that are live right now?
Red flags worth walking away from
- The domain goes in their name. Your web address should be registered to you, whoever builds the site.
- No written terms before you pay. If they won't send the contract first, don't send the deposit.
- A big deposit with no dates. Paying up front for a build with no timeline is how the "they took my money and went quiet" stories start.
- A promise of page one on Google. Google's own guidance says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking.
- Nothing live to show you. Anyone who builds websites should be able to send you a link to one.
What the contract should cover
Six things, in writing: who owns the domain, the content and the site; the term and the notice period; what's included and what costs extra; the deposit and when it's refunded; what happens if either side stops trading; and how you get your files if you leave.
Ours are public if you want something to compare a quote against. They're on our terms page, and the monthly plan is Schedule 4.
Want a price for your site?
A free 30-minute call. We'll ask what the site needs to do, then send you a price in writing, whichever way you'd rather pay.