Website pricing in the UK can be confusing, especially when ranges vary so much between sources. Here\u2019s a breakdown of typical costs based on common routes: building your own site on Wix<\/a> or Squarespace<\/a>, what a freelancer charges, what an agency charges, and what a done-for-you option costs. By the end, you\u2019ll have a clear answer, and probably a clear decision.<\/p>\n A DIY website on Wix or Squarespace typically costs between \u00a3240 and \u00a3360 a year \u2014 once you include a domain and a business email address.<\/strong><\/p>\n One detail that often gets overlooked is what\u2019s included in those base plans. Wix\u2019s Core plan<\/a> starts at \u00a313\/month (\u00a3156\/year). The Business plan is \u00a322\/month (\u00a3264\/year). Neither basic plan includes a custom domain, and neither includes a business email address; you get a Wix subdomain and a free Gmail. A domain costs another \u00a310\u201320\/year. A business email through Google Workspace<\/a> or Microsoft 365<\/a> adds \u00a33\u201310\/month on top of that.<\/p>\n Then there are the premium apps. Booking systems, advanced contact forms, and proper analytics integrations often require paid upgrades on both platforms. It\u2019s common to end up adding extra features like booking tools or upgraded forms, which can increase the total cost.<\/p>\n Along side the physical cost, none of this accounts for your time. Most small business owners spend two to four weekends building their first DIY site. It\u2019s also worth factoring in the time it takes to build and manage the site.<\/p>\n A UK freelance web designer typically charges between \u00a3800 and \u00a33,000 for a simple small business site, with most straightforward 4\u20135 page builds landing around \u00a31,200\u2013\u00a32,000.<\/strong><\/p>\n Prices vary by location, experience, and complexity. A London-based freelancer will generally charge more than a regional one. Most freelancers charge separately for domain registration, hosting, and annual maintenance. Budget an extra \u00a3100\u2013\u00a3300 a year on top of the build cost. The timeline is typically two to six weeks from briefing to launch.<\/p>\n A freelancer is the right option if you need something custom: a specific booking system, a portfolio gallery with filtering, or industry-specific functionality that a template builder can\u2019t easily replicate.<\/p>\n A UK web design agency typically charges \u00a32,500\u2013\u00a310,000 for a standard small business website, with London agencies sometimes charging significantly more for the same specification.<\/strong><\/p>\n That price often reflects additional overheads like project management and team involvement, which may or may not translate into a better outcome depending on the project. For a standard small business site (home, services, about, contact, maybe a blog), an agency build is usually more than most sole traders and small businesses need. The output can be excellent. The cost is hard to justify when you\u2019re at the stage of just getting your first customers.<\/p>\n Duport\u2019s website build<\/a> costs \u00a3360 as a one-off, with a \u00a394\/year renewal covering ongoing hosting, maintenance, and security updates.<\/strong><\/p>\n That gets you a mobile-friendly, professionally built site with home, services, about, and contact sections. Typically live within 72 hours of you providing your content. You don\u2019t need to deal with technical setup like DNS configuration or domain propagation. You provide the basics: what your business does, your contact details, your preferences, and Duport handles everything else.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need a domain if you don\u2019t already have one. Duport offers domain registration from \u00a320.99\/year. That brings your first-year total to around \u00a3380, and your annual renewal to \u00a394 thereafter.<\/p>\n A done-for-you website at \u00a3360 is better value than DIY for most small business owners, once you account for the time, the hidden costs, and the frustration of building it yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n DIY makes sense if you genuinely enjoy the technical side and have the time to invest in doing it properly. A freelancer makes sense if you need something custom. An agency makes sense for large-scale, complex projects. If you\u2019re a sole trader or small business owner who wants a professional site that works, looks right on mobile, and doesn\u2019t require a weekend to build, then a done-for-you option is often the best option for small businesses.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve also looked in detail at why the \u2018free\u2019 and cheap DIY builders aren\u2019t really free in Why DIY Website Builders Don\u2019t Work for Small Businesses<\/a> That article covers the hidden limitations most users only discover after they\u2019ve already spent a weekend building. And if you\u2019re still weighing up whether it\u2019s time to stop doing it yourself, Should I Hire Someone to Build My Website?<\/a> answers exactly that question.<\/p>\n One thing most builders won’t remind you about: legal compliance.<\/strong><\/p>\n Whether you build it yourself or have it done for you, your website needs to meet UK legal requirements; a privacy policy, cookie notice, terms and conditions, and the right business information in your footer. Most DIY builders don’t flag when something is missing. Duport build websites check for legal compliance.<\/p>\n Already have a website? Run it through our free compliance checker to see what’s there and what isn’t.<\/p>\n Check your website now<\/a><\/p>\n Duport’s website build is \u00a3360, done for you, and live within 72 hours.<\/strong> You provide the content: Duport handles the rest. See what\u2019s included at duport.co.uk\/related-services\/website-design<\/a>. If you need a domain, register one at duport.co.uk \u2014 it takes five minutes and there\u2019s no technical setup required on your end.<\/p>\n Expect to pay \u00a3240\u2013\u00a3360\/year for a DIY site once you add a domain and business email, \u00a3100\u2013\u00a3300\/year ongoing after a freelancer build, or around \u00a394\/year with Duport\u2019s done-for-you service.<\/p>\n No. Wix\u2019s standard plans do not include a custom domain or a business email address; both require additional paid subscriptions on top of your monthly plan.<\/p>\n Duport\u2019s done-for-you website build at \u00a3360 is one of the most cost-effective options: cheaper than most freelancers, significantly less time than DIY, and professionally built rather than template-assembled.<\/p>\n Hosting, maintenance, and security updates are covered by the \u00a394\/year renewal. You only need to add domain registration separately, from \u00a320.99\/year.<\/p>\nWhat does a DIY website cost per year?<\/h2>\n
What does a freelance web designer charge in the UK?<\/h2>\n
What does a web design agency charge?<\/h2>\n
What does Duport\u2019s done-for-you website cost?<\/h2>\n
Which option is right for my business?<\/h2>\n
Will my website be legally compliant?<\/h2>\n
\nFAQs<\/h2>\n
\n
How much does a small business website cost per year in the UK?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n
Does Wix include a domain and business email?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n
What is the cheapest way to get a professional website for my business?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n
Does the \u00a3360 Duport website include hosting?<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n