Ask ten agencies what a website costs and you'll get ten different answers, most of them starting with "it depends". That's true, but it isn't much help when you're trying to set a budget. This guide explains what actually drives the price of a business website in the UK, where the money goes once the site is live, and how to compare quotes without getting caught out.
We'll use our own pricing where it helps, because it's published and you can check it: a custom website from Foundry starts from £2k, at a fixed price agreed before we start.
What you're actually paying for
A website quote is mostly paying for people's time. Someone has to work out what the site needs to say and who it's for, someone designs it, someone builds it, and someone gets the words and images into place. On a template site, much of the design and build is already done, which is why it's cheaper. On a custom site, it's done for your business specifically.
The other thing you're paying for is judgement. A good agency will push back on pages nobody needs, tell you when a feature is going to cost more than it earns, and set the site up so Google can read it from day one. That's harder to see on a quote, but it's often the difference between a site that brings in enquiries and one that just sits there.
What pushes the price up
The biggest factor is how much the site has to do. A brochure site that explains your services and gets people to call or fill in a form is the simplest job. Add online booking, a customer login, an online shop or a link into your CRM and the build gets bigger, because each of those has to be designed, built and tested.
The number of unique page layouts matters more than the number of pages. Fifty service pages that share one layout can be quicker to build than ten pages that each look different. When you're comparing quotes, ask how many templates the agency is designing, not just how many pages you'll get.
Content is the cost people most often forget. If you're supplying the copy and photos, the price stays lower, but the project usually waits on you. If the agency is writing the copy, sourcing images or organising a photo shoot, that's extra work and it should be on the quote.
Integrations are the last big variable. Connecting the site to tools you already use, such as a booking system, an email platform or stock control, can be simple or fiddly depending on the tool. If you need it, mention it at the start rather than halfway through the build.
The costs after launch
The build is a one-off cost, but a website also has running costs, and they're easy to leave out of the budget.
You'll need a domain name, which is a small yearly fee. You'll need hosting, which is where the site actually lives. Cheap shared hosting exists, but it tends to be slower, and a slow site loses visitors. Then there's maintenance. Software needs updating, backups need taking, and someone should notice if the site goes down. Some businesses do this themselves. Most find it easier to pay for a care plan so it happens without them thinking about it. Our website care plans cover updates, backups, monitoring, a monthly health and speed check and small changes, and we also offer managed hosting on its own.
There may also be legal and compliance costs. If the site uses analytics or marketing cookies, UK law requires you to get consent for the non-essential ones, and the ICO's guidance on cookies explains what that means in practice. A proper consent banner is part of doing the job right, so check it's included.
Template, builder or custom build
Website builders are the cheapest way to get online and they're fine for some businesses. The trade-off is that you're working within someone else's design and someone else's platform, and you'll be doing the work yourself.
A template site built by a freelancer or agency sits in the middle. It's quicker and cheaper than a custom build, but it can be harder to make it look like your business rather than everyone else's using the same theme.
A custom build is designed around what you sell and who buys it. Every site we build is hand-built in modern code, typically Next.js or clean HTML, which keeps it fast and makes it easy for search engines and AI assistants to read. If your website is how most customers find you, that's usually where the extra spend pays for itself. You can see how we approach it on our web design page.
How long it takes, and why that affects cost
Time and cost are linked. A project that drags on for months costs more in meetings, rounds of feedback and changes of direction, and your old site is still underperforming while you wait. Our average from kick-off to live is eight days, which we can do because senior people do the work and decisions get made quickly. Whoever you use, ask for a timeline in writing and find out what happens to the price if it slips.
How to compare website quotes
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest website. Put quotes side by side and check they're quoting for the same thing. Look for the number of page templates, who writes the content, whether basic SEO setup is included, whether the site will be built so you can edit it, and what the ongoing costs will be.
Ask who owns the site when it's finished. You should own your domain and be able to move the site if you ever leave. Ask what's fixed and what's estimated. A fixed price agreed before work starts protects you from surprise invoices. And ask to see live sites the agency has built, not just screenshots.
If the site needs to rank, it's worth reading our guide to on-page SEO before you sign, so you know what to ask for. And if conversions are the priority, our post on how to increase website conversions covers what to build in from the start.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business website cost in the UK?
It depends on what the site has to do, who supplies the content and whether it's custom or template-based. Builders are the cheapest route if you're doing the work yourself. Foundry's custom websites start from £2k at a fixed price agreed before we start.
Are there monthly costs for a website?
Yes. Expect to pay for a domain name, hosting and maintenance at the very least. Maintenance can be done in-house or through a care plan.
Is a cheaper website a false economy?
Not always. If the site is a simple online business card, a builder may be all you need. If it's how most customers find and judge you, a site that loads slowly or doesn't rank costs more in lost enquiries than you saved on the build.
Can I update the website myself?
You should be able to, and it's worth confirming before you sign. Ask the agency to show you how editing works on a site they've already built.
If you'd like a fixed price for your own site, get in touch and we'll reply within the hour in working hours.