The cost of a website depends more on the business process it must support than on the number of pages alone. A five-page site that only explains services is simpler than a five-page site that must calculate availability, take payment and synchronise bookings.
This guide provides illustrative UK planning ranges checked on 21 July 2026. They are not quotations or guaranteed market rates. Use them to identify the likely scope and recurring commitments before approaching suppliers.
At-a-glance planning ranges
| Business website | Illustrative initial budget | Main cost drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Simple brochure or portfolio site | £300–£3,000 | DIY versus professional build, content readiness and design originality |
| Professional-services lead-generation site | £1,500–£7,500 | Service architecture, copy, evidence, forms, analytics and local search setup |
| Booking or appointment website | £1,500–£8,000 | Scheduling rules, deposits, notifications, calendars and cancellation logic |
| Small online shop | £2,000–£12,000+ | Product data, checkout, delivery, tax, returns, payment and operational testing |
| Membership or gated-content site | £3,000–£15,000+ | User roles, payments, access rules, email and ongoing support |
| Custom integration-heavy project | Quoted after discovery | Data flows, external APIs, security, testing and maintenance responsibility |
The lower end generally assumes a narrow scope, prepared content and substantial owner involvement. The upper end may include strategy, original design, professional copy, migration, integrations and more formal testing.
Simple brochure and portfolio websites
A basic site may include a home page, services, about, examples and contact details. Costs remain controlled when the business has a clear offer, usable photographs and finished text.
Budget for:
- platform or CMS setup;
- responsive page templates;
- contact form and delivery testing;
- privacy information and cookie controls appropriate to the tools used;
- domain, hosting or subscription;
- basic measurement and Search Console setup;
- handover and maintenance.
A low-cost builder template can be appropriate here, provided the owner understands the subscription, export limitations and ongoing work.
Professional-services and enquiry websites
Consultants, trades, clinics and specialist firms often need more than a digital business card. Visitors must understand which service fits, why the business is credible and what information to provide.
Additional cost commonly comes from:
- service-page planning and copywriting;
- case studies or evidence;
- qualification logic in forms;
- location or service-area structure;
- call and enquiry tracking;
- content migration and redirects from an old site.
Booking and appointment websites
The visible calendar is only part of the work. The project must define availability, buffers, staff calendars, deposits, rescheduling, cancellation, reminders and data access.
Test at least:
- a normal booking;
- a cancellation and refund where relevant;
- time-zone and daylight-saving behaviour;
- double-booking prevention;
- notifications to the customer and business;
- what happens when the external booking service is unavailable.
Small online shops
Product count is not the only driver. Variations, delivery regions, returns, tax treatment, stock, discounts and fulfilment affect the build and ongoing workload.
Allow for:
- product data preparation and image processing;
- payment configuration and test orders;
- delivery and collection rules;
- transactional email;
- customer support and returns information;
- security, backups and update testing;
- payment, platform and extension fees after launch.
Membership and gated-content websites
Membership adds account creation, access permissions, failed payments, cancellation and support. The cost of handling exceptions often exceeds the cost of designing the public pages.
Define what happens when:
- a payment fails;
- a member changes plan;
- content access expires;
- a user loses access to email;
- the business needs to export member data;
- the platform or plugin is replaced.
Recurring costs by business type
| Site type | Recurring costs to expect |
|---|---|
| Brochure | Domain, platform or hosting, email, occasional updates |
| Lead generation | Maintenance, content, form delivery, analytics and optimisation |
| Booking | Booking service, payment fees, support and operational testing |
| Online shop | Platform or hosting, extensions, payment fees, maintenance, product and support work |
| Membership | Membership software, payments, email, support, content and account administration |
What to request in a quotation
- initial deliverables and exclusions;
- content and data responsibilities;
- third-party services and current prices;
- testing scenarios;
- migration and redirects;
- training and documentation;
- monthly or annual costs;
- support response and emergency arrangements;
- ownership and exit provisions.
The next practical step is to describe the business process the website must complete from the visitor's first page to the business's final operational action. That process is the real basis of the budget.
Keep the decision under your control
Retain the relevant accounts, source material, supplier terms and recovery information. Recheck changing prices, interfaces and rules before acting.