If you’re asking “how much does a website cost in the UK?”, you’re already doing the right thing: the biggest budget mistakes usually happen when the scope is vague.
In this guide, you’ll get realistic UK price ranges for common website types in 2026, what actually drives the cost up (and what doesn’t), and a simple way to get an accurate quote quickly.
If you want a fast estimate based on your goals and timeline, you can request a quote here: Contact us.
Quick answer: typical UK website price ranges
Website pricing varies by scope, content, integrations, and how custom the design and build needs to be. As a rule of thumb, UK builds usually land in one of these bands:
| Website type | Typical UK price range (2026) | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Starter brochure site (3–5 pages) | £500–£2,000 | 1–3 weeks |
| Small business site (5–12 pages + lead capture) | £1,500–£6,000 | 2–6 weeks |
| Ecommerce website | £3,000–£20,000+ | 3–10+ weeks |
| Custom web app (accounts, dashboards, workflows) | £8,000–£60,000+ | 6–16+ weeks |
These ranges assume a professional build (proper performance, mobile design, analytics, security basics, and a clean handover). If you’re comparing quotes, always ask what’s included in:
- design and content
- SEO setup
- hosting and maintenance
- integrations (payments, CRM, email marketing)
For a breakdown of what we deliver, see Services.
What drives cost (and what doesn’t)
1) Design: template vs custom UX
- Template-based sites are often quicker and cheaper, especially for straightforward service businesses.
- Custom design makes sense when conversion matters (e.g., high-value leads), your offer is complex, or you need a unique brand presence.
What increases cost here is not “prettiness”, but the number of unique layouts and the amount of iteration.
2) Content: writing and images are real budget items
Many projects underestimate content. If you need:
- service pages written from scratch
- case studies created
- professional photography or custom graphics
…your budget should reflect it. Content is what your customers read and what Google indexes.
3) Features and integrations
The cost jump usually comes from features that require data, logic, or third-party services:
- forms that sync to a CRM
- booking systems
- payment processing (Stripe/PayPal)
- customer accounts and permissions
- email automations
- analytics + conversion tracking
Even “simple” integrations can take time because they need testing and edge-case handling.
4) Ecommerce complexity (the biggest variable)
Ecommerce pricing depends on:
- number of products and variants
- shipping rules (UK/international)
- promotions, bundles, subscriptions
- inventory, returns, and fulfilment workflow
- integrations (accounting, email, marketplaces)
A clean Shopify build can be excellent value for many businesses. A bespoke ecommerce build becomes worthwhile when you need custom logic or unique user journeys.
5) SEO setup (often forgotten)
A good baseline includes:
- clean page titles and meta descriptions
- proper headings (H1/H2)
- sitemap/robots
- fast performance and mobile UX
- internal linking strategy
If you’re serious about enquiries, SEO is not an “extra”—it’s part of making the website work.
6) What doesn’t usually add much cost
- adding a couple of static pages
- changing colours and typography
- swapping images
Most cost comes from custom logic and integrations, not from basic content updates.
Timeline vs price: what you get in 2, 4, and 8+ weeks
A 2-week timeline often means
- using an established layout system
- limited pages (or pages built from provided content)
- one feedback round
- minimal integrations
A 4–6 week timeline often means
- stronger UX and messaging
- more pages and better structure
- basic automation (forms → email/CRM)
- more QA and polish
An 8–12+ week timeline often means
- ecommerce or web app functionality
- multiple user roles and admin tools
- advanced integrations
- more stakeholder reviews and iterations
If your deadline is tight, the best way to hit it is usually phasing: launch a strong v1, then add features in planned sprints.
How to get an accurate quote in 15 minutes
A good quote needs clarity. If you can answer these, you’ll get far more accurate pricing:
- Goal: what should the website achieve?
- enquiries?
- bookings?
- ecommerce sales?
- customer onboarding?
- Audience: who is it for?
- UK-wide? Leicester/local? a niche industry?
- Pages/features: what’s essential for v1?
- number of pages
- forms and lead capture
- blog/news
- ecommerce catalogue and checkout
- accounts (login) and dashboards
- Integrations: what must connect?
- CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, etc.)
- email marketing
- payments
- analytics
-
Examples: share 2–3 websites you like
-
Constraints: timeline, budget range, and who provides content
You can send these details directly here: Contact us.
Common UK cost mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Mistake 1: Paying for features you don’t need yet
Start with what proves value. Many websites can launch with:
- clear service pages
- strong CTA
- a lead form
- analytics
Then add extras once you see what users do.
Mistake 2: “Unlimited revisions” without a scope
It sounds helpful, but unlimited revisions often means slow delivery and unclear responsibility. A better approach is:
- a fixed scope
- structured feedback rounds
- a clear acceptance checklist
Mistake 3: No plan for maintenance
Websites are software. Budget for at least:
- security updates
- backups
- small content edits
- performance checks
Mistake 4: Ignoring conversion and tracking
A site can look great and still underperform if you don’t measure:
- which pages drive enquiries
- what users click
- where users drop off
Even lightweight tracking helps you improve the site over time.
FAQ
How long does it take to build a website in the UK?
Typically 1–3 weeks for a small brochure site, 2–6 weeks for a small business site, and 6–16+ weeks for ecommerce or custom web apps. Timelines vary by content readiness and integrations.
What’s the difference between a website and a web app (cost-wise)?
Web apps usually cost more because they involve accounts, data storage, permissions, dashboards, and more testing. If you only need marketing pages and lead capture, a website is usually enough.
Is Shopify cheaper than a custom ecommerce website?
Often, yes—Shopify can reduce build and maintenance effort for standard ecommerce needs. Custom ecommerce becomes worthwhile when you need unique workflows or complex logic.
Should I budget for ongoing maintenance?
Yes. Even a simple site benefits from updates, backups, monitoring, and periodic improvements.
Next step: get a clear estimate
If you want a realistic price and timeline (based on your goals, pages, and integrations), contact Splendid Technology and share:
- what you’re building
- your deadline
- any examples you like
- whether you need ecommerce, automation, or AI integrations
Request a quote here: Contact us.