The short answer
| Option | Typical cost (UK, 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace…) | £10–£120 a month | Testing an idea, very tight budgets |
| Freelancer | £500–£3,000 for a 5–10 page site | Simple sites, if you find a good one |
| Web studio / small agency | £3,000–£12,000 (London £8,000–£25,000) | A site that needs to bring in customers |
| E-commerce (agency) | £5,000–£15,000+ | Selling products online |
| Custom web app | £15,000+ | Logins, dashboards, platforms |
What actually changes the price
Two websites can look similar and cost very different amounts. These are the things that move the number most:
- Type of site: a 5-page website for a local business is a very different job from an online shop with hundreds of products.
- Number of pages: every extra page needs its own design, copy and testing.
- Languages: a second language means translated copy and a separate version for Google.
- Features: online booking, payments, a blog you can edit, or a link to your CRM all add work.
- Brand: if you need a logo and brand identity first, that's a project of its own.
- Copy and photos: good words and real photos sell; someone has to write and produce them.
What we charge at D Sphere
We publish our prices because we think you should know them before you talk to anyone. These are our standard website prices, before the app discount:
| What you're building | Price range |
|---|---|
| A new website (up to 5 pages) | £3,000–£4,000 |
| A redesign of your current site | £3,000–£4,500 |
| An online shop | £5,000–£7,500 |
| A web app or platform | From £10,000 |
| Add-ons | Extra |
|---|---|
| 6–10 pages | +£800–£1,400 |
| 11–20 pages | +£2,000–£3,200 |
| A second language | +£400–£700 |
| Online booking | +£700–£1,300 |
| Logo & brand identity | +£1,200–£2,000 |
| A blog or news section you can edit | +£300–£600 |
| SEO content & local search | +£500–£900 |
| Google or Meta Ads setup | +£600–£1,000 |
| CRM, payments or other integrations | +£600–£1,400 |
So a typical new website for a local business, with online booking, comes to £3,700–£5,300, or about £3,150–£4,500 in the app. You get an honest range in 30 seconds with our price calculator, then a fixed quote within 24 hours. The quote doesn't change once you approve it.
The costs people forget: the yearly bill
Building the site is only part of it. Every website also has running costs:
- Domain name (.co.uk or .com): around £10–£30 a year.
- Hosting: around £5–£20 a month for a small business site.
- Maintenance: updates, backups and security, from about £25 a month up to several hundred if you want ongoing changes and SEO work.
Our care plans cover all of this in one price: Essential £49/month (hosting, SSL, daily backups, updates, monitoring), Pro £149/month (plus 2 hours of changes and a monthly SEO check) and Growth £299/month (plus ads management). The first month is free on every project, and you can also take everything over yourself.
Cheap vs expensive: what you're really paying for
A £500 website and a £5,000 website can both look fine on day one. The difference shows up later: does it load fast on a phone, does it show up on Google, and does it turn visitors into calls, bookings or sales? A website is worth what it brings in. A cheap site that brings no customers is the most expensive option of all.
5 questions to ask before you accept any quote
- Is this a fixed price, in writing? If the answer is "it depends", expect the bill to grow.
- When exactly will it be live? Ask for a date, not "a few months".
- How will I follow progress? You shouldn't have to chase emails to know what's happening.
- Who owns the website and the domain when it's finished? It should be you.
- What does it cost per year after launch? Hosting, updates and support should be clear from the start.
Get your price in 30 seconds
Answer five quick questions and see an honest range now. You get a fixed quote within 24 hours, with no call needed.
Get my priceSources
- Kwiboo: How much does a website cost in the UK? A 2026 breakdown
- Mapletree Studio: How much does a website cost in the UK in 2026?
Frequently asked questions
How much does a basic website cost in the UK?
A basic 5-page website usually costs £500–£1,500 with a freelancer and £3,000 or more with an agency. At D Sphere a new website starts at £3,000–£4,000, or about 15% less when you start the project in our app.
Is it cheaper to build a website myself?
Website builders cost around £10–£120 a month. That's cheaper at the start, but you do all the design, writing and SEO yourself, and many builder sites struggle to rank on Google or turn visitors into customers.
How much does a website cost per year to run?
Expect around £100–£600 a year for the domain, hosting and basic maintenance. Ongoing changes, SEO and ads cost more. D Sphere care plans start at £49 a month, with the first month free.
How long does it take to build a website?
Agencies often take two to six months. At D Sphere most websites go live in 30 days, with the launch date agreed before we start.