Short answer: a small business website in the UK costs anywhere from nothing (a DIY builder) to £12,000 or more (an agency custom build). Most small businesses pay between £500 and £4,000 for a professionally built site, plus running costs each year. At Cervo Studio a custom one-page site is £500 and a WordPress site of up to three pages is £999.
Website cost by type of site
| Type of site | Typical UK price | Cervo Studio |
|---|---|---|
| One-page site | £500 to £1,000 | £500 |
| Brochure site, 5 to 10 pages | £1,000 to £3,000 | £999 for up to 3 pages, then £300 a page |
| Custom small business site | £1,500 to £5,000+ | Fixed quote |
| Online shop | £2,500 to £10,000+ | Fixed quote |
DIY builder vs freelancer vs agency
| Route | Upfront | Running cost a year |
|---|---|---|
| DIY on a theme or builder | £0 to £500 | £150 to £400 |
| Freelancer | £700 to £4,000 | £250 to £800 |
| Agency custom build | £3,500 to £12,000 | £600 to £3,000 |
A DIY website builder is cheapest at the start, but you rent the platform and your own time becomes the cost. An agency costs more because a team plans, writes and builds the site. A small studio sits in between: custom work at a fixed price, with one person you email.
What a website costs each year to run
- Domain name: renewed yearly with your registrar.
- Hosting: free if you host the site yourself, or from £39 a month on our Host plan with SSL and daily backups.
- Care: updates, security and small changes, from £110 a month with us. Optional.
What’s included in a £500 one-page website
A bespoke design of up to seven sections, your domain connected, an enquiry form, a map, two rounds of changes, search basics and consent-ready analytics. The code is handed over at launch, so you can host it anywhere.
When a cheaper site costs you more
The real cost of a website is the customers it loses. A site that is slow on phones, hides its prices or has a form that goes nowhere can cost more in missed enquiries than the build ever saved.
How to get a fixed price in writing
Send a free website audit or tell us what you need. Within two working days you get a fixed price in writing, by email or a short call, whichever you prefer. Or see all small business website prices.
FAQs
Can I build a website for free?
Yes, with a free builder plan, but you will usually pay for a custom domain, remove adverts and spend your own time on it.
Do I own the website?
With Cervo Studio, yes. Your domain, content and data are always yours, and the one-page site includes the code.