How Much Does a Website Cost?

The Short Answer

There is no single “normal” price for a website, because the range of what counts as a website is so wide. A simple one-page template site and a custom-built ecommerce platform with hundreds of products are both a website, but they take wildly different amounts of time to design and build — and cost accordingly.

As a rough guide, a straightforward template-based brochure site typically starts from around a few hundred pounds. A bespoke multi-page business site is more often quoted from around one to several thousand pounds, and a custom ecommerce build or web application can cost considerably more depending on functionality. These are broad ranges, not fixed prices — get written quotes for your specific requirements before budgeting around any figure you read online.

What Actually Drives the Price

Scope is the biggest factor: the number of pages, the amount of custom design work, and any functionality beyond standard content — bookings, logins, ecommerce, integrations with other software. Each of these adds design and development time, which is reflected in the price.

Who builds it matters too. See our guide to choosing a web designer for more on freelancers versus agencies, and how that affects both price and process.

One-Off vs Ongoing Costs

The build itself is rarely the only cost. Most sites need a domain name and hosting, both billed on an ongoing basis, and many benefit from a maintenance plan covering updates, security and backups. When you compare quotes, ask what is included in the headline figure and what gets billed separately afterwards — otherwise you are not comparing like for like.

Template vs custom design is another lever on price. A well-built template can look genuinely polished and costs less than a fully bespoke design, which requires more design time to create something built specifically around your brand.

Getting a Fair Price

• Get more than one quote. Prices for a similar brief vary a lot between providers — comparing is the simplest way to know you are paying fairly.
• Ask for a written specification. A quote should say exactly what is included: number of pages, revisions, training and support.
• Clarify ongoing costs upfront. Hosting, maintenance and domain renewal all add up over a year.
• Be wary of prices that seem too good. A very low quote may exclude things you will need later, such as support after launch.