"How much for a website?" is the first question most business owners ask, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you need. But vague answers don't help you budget, so here is a clear picture of what a small business website actually costs in the UK in 2026.
The three things you pay for
A website has three separate costs, and it helps to keep them apart.
- The build — a one-off cost to design and develop the site. This is the big number most people mean when they ask the price.
- The running costs — your domain name (around £10–15 a year) and hosting (roughly £60–150 a year for a small business site). These stay in your name.
- Ongoing care — optional monthly maintenance for updates, backups and small edits, so the site keeps working after launch.
What the build costs
Prices vary with the number of pages, whether you sell online, and how custom the design is. As a rough guide for a professional build:
- A one-page site or landing page: £250–£500. Good for a single product, event or campaign.
- A small business website (3–8 pages): £500–£1,500. The most common choice — home, services, about, contact, and a few more.
- An online shop: £1,500–£3,500+. More work, because of products, payments, shipping and training.
At Straitline Digital our fixed prices sit at the clear end of this range: a Starter site at £490, a Business site at £990, and an Online Store at £1,690, each with no VAT added and a written timeline.
Why the range is so wide
Two "5-page websites" can cost very differently because the work behind them differs: a custom design versus a template, proper mobile and speed work versus none, real SEO setup versus a page that simply exists. Cheaper is not always worse, but very cheap usually means a template filled in quickly, with little thought for how the site turns visitors into enquiries.
What to check before you pay
- Is the price fixed, or an hourly estimate that can grow?
- Do you own the site, domain and content afterwards?
- Is mobile handled properly? Most of your visitors are on a phone.
- What happens after launch — are changes included, or extra?
Our approach
We quote a fixed price before we start, split into a 50% deposit and 50% before launch, so there are no surprises. You own everything once it is paid.
If you'd like a straight answer for your own project, see our pricing or book a free video meeting.
