If you’re looking for a new website, one of the first questions you’re likely to ask is:
“How much is this going to cost?”
It’s a perfectly reasonable question.
The difficulty is that there isn’t one standard price for a business website.
You can find website packages for a few hundred pounds and projects costing many thousands.
So how do you know what you actually need?
The answer starts with understanding what you’re paying for.
Website cost isn’t just about the number of pages
Two websites could both have five pages and have completely different costs.
One might use a basic template with minimal customisation.
Another might involve:
- Custom design
- Brand development
- User experience planning
- Professional copywriting
- Photography
- SEO
- Bespoke functionality
- Integrations
- Booking systems
- E-commerce
- Accessibility considerations
- Ongoing support
The page count alone doesn’t tell you very much.
What affects the cost of a website?
1. Design
A website using an existing template can often be produced more quickly than one designed specifically around your brand and audience.
Custom design requires more planning and development.
2. Content
Who is writing the words?
Who is sourcing the images?
Do you already have professional photography?
Does your existing content need rewriting?
Content can make a significant difference to both the quality and workload of a project.
3. Functionality
A straightforward brochure website is very different from an online shop or booking platform.
The more functionality you need, the more planning, development and testing may be required.
4. SEO
Search engine optimisation can range from basic technical setup to an ongoing content and SEO strategy.
It’s worth understanding exactly what is included rather than assuming “SEO” automatically means your website will rank highly.
5. Integrations
Your website may need to connect to other systems.
For example:
- Email marketing
- Booking software
- Payment providers
- Customer relationship management systems
- Forms
- Accounting tools
- Membership platforms
These requirements can add complexity.
6. Ongoing support
Launching a website isn’t necessarily the end of the project.
You may need:
- Hosting
- Security updates
- Backups
- Technical support
- Content updates
- Maintenance
- SEO
- Future development
Find out what happens after launch before agreeing to a project.
Why the cheapest website isn’t always the cheapest option
A low initial price can be attractive.
But if your website doesn’t communicate clearly, doesn’t work properly on mobile, is difficult to update or doesn’t generate enquiries, you may end up paying again to fix it.
The question isn’t simply:
“How much does the website cost?”
It should also be:
“What value does the website need to create?”
For a small business, a website may be one of the most important parts of its digital presence.
It needs to earn its place.
What should you ask before accepting a quote?
Before choosing a web designer or agency, ask:
- What’s included?
- Who owns the website?
- Will I be able to update it?
- Is hosting included?
- Is SEO included?
- Who writes the content?
- Are images included?
- Is mobile optimisation included?
- What happens after launch?
- How are future changes charged?
- What happens if I want to move the website elsewhere?
A clear quote should make these things understandable.
Don’t buy more website than you need
A good website doesn’t need to be complicated.
If you’re a small service-based business, you may not need dozens of pages and expensive functionality.
You need a website that clearly communicates what you offer, establishes trust and makes it easy for the right people to contact you.
The goal isn’t to build the biggest website.
It’s to build the right website.
Looking for a website without the unnecessary complexity?
At Webllio, we take a practical approach to web design.
We start with what your business and your customers actually need, then build around that.
