How Much Does a Website Cost?

A Guide to Website Pricing in 2025

One of the most common questions business owners ask is, “How much does a website cost?“. However, the answer isn’t straightforward, as website costs can vary depending on factors like design, size, functionality, and maintenance. Let’s break down the costs involved to help you make an informed decision.

Factors That Affect Website Costs

The cost of a website depends on several key factors, including:

1. Type of Website

Different types of websites come with varying price tags. This is due to various factors such as design, development time, and so on.

Basic brochure website (£500 – £3,000)

Ideal for small businesses that need an online presence. The main goal of these websites is to generate enquiries through contact form submissions and phone calls. With these types of build, there is no real functionality built into the website, keeping the costs lower.

E-commerce website (£2,000 – £10,000+)

Requires features like a shopping cart, payment gateways, and product pages. With e-commerce websites, there are a number of things that can influence the end price of the build. With large scale stores who have a large product base, naturally, the price goes up as our development team need to handle and work with the data during the build.

Custom-built website (£5,000 – £50,000+)

Fully bespoke with unique functionalities and a tailored user experience. These websites are built from the ground up and don’t use traditional content management systems like WordPress or something similar. The huge benefit to these website is that if they are scoped and built properly, your options are endless when it comes to functionality.

2. Website Design & Development

DIY website builders (e.g., Wix, Squarespace) (£10 – £50/month)

Here at Primed Pixels, we don’t believe in cookie cutter solutions, but an affordable avenue to go down is drag and drop website builders. These are sometimes the best option for business owners who want to take it upon themselves to get started.

Pre-designed templates (£100 – £500)

Budget-friendly but may lack originality. These can be purchased directly from platforms like Wix, Shopify, and WordPress.

Custom web design (£2,000 – £20,000+)

Professionally designed, unique, and optimised for your brand. The main driver of the cost range here is the complexity and amount of the design needed.

3. Domain Name & Hosting

Domain name (£10 – £50/year)

Your website’s address (e.g., www.yourbusiness.co.uk). There are a variety of domain providers on the market and are all roughly the same price. Although, some offer additional services like domain privacy to help keep your domain secure. We’ve listed our top 5 domain providers here.

Web hosting (£5 – £500/month)

The server where your website lives. Website hosting options include shared hosting (cheaper), VPS, Cloud, and dedicated hosting (more expensive but faster and secure).

From the author:

We strongly discourage the use of shared hosting platforms. Although these platforms can be very cheap, it’s because hosting providers pack 100’s of websites on the same server. This not only poses a potential security risk to your website, they also have a tendency to lack performance which could kill conversions and additional marketing efforts.

4. Functionality & Features

The more features your website has, the higher the cost. Common functionalities include:

E-commerce integration (£500 – £5,000+)

Booking system (£200 – £5,000+)

Membership portals (£1,000 – £10,000+)

5. Additional Marketing

Websites need regular updates to stay secure and functional. Costs may include:

Search Engine Optimisation (£500 – £5000/month)

Search engine optimisation is often the driving force behind your website. A great analogy for SEO is think of it like the petrol for your car, without it, it’s going to be harder to get to your end goal.

The main factors in costs for SEO are your industry, and the current state of your marketing.

Social Media Management (£500 – £1,000/month depending on frequency)

Often to supplement your marketing and brand efforts, social media managers can plan and manage social media platforms. This can help with brand awareness, customer engagement, and social signals.

6. Ongoing Maintenance & Updates

Websites need regular updates to stay secure and functional. Costs may include:

Content updates (£50 – £1,000/month depending on frequency)

Ways to Reduce Website Costs

If you’re on a tight budget, there are ways to reduce website costs without sacrificing quality.

One approach is to start small and scale later by launching a website with essential features first and gradually adding more as your business grows.

Another cost-effective solution is to use a website builder such as Wix, Shopify, or WordPress, which offers affordable packages.

Opting for free or low-cost templates rather than custom designs can also help cut costs while still maintaining a professional look.

Learning some basic website management skills can be useful in reducing ongoing expenses, allowing you to handle small updates yourself rather than hiring a developer for minor changes.

Additionally, choosing a cost-effective hosting plan can help keep expenses manageable, as many providers offer affordable starter packages that still deliver great performance.

Is a Website Worth the Investment?

A well-designed website isn’t just an expense—it’s an investment in your business. It can:

• Increase brand visibility
• Generate more leads and sales
• Enhance customer trust and credibility

With the right approach, a website can provide long-term value far beyond its initial cost.

Our Roundup

Website costs vary significantly based on design, functionality, and ongoing maintenance. While a basic site can cost a few hundred pounds, a complex, custom-built website can run into the tens of thousands.

Before deciding, assess your business needs, budget, and long-term goals. Would you rather have a simple site to get started, or invest in a high-performance website that drives serious business growth?

No matter your budget, there’s a solution that fits. If you need help, reach out to a professional web design agency like Primed Pixels to explore your options!