How Much Does a Website Cost?

Updated: 23 October, 2026

If you are planning a new site, the first question is usually how much does a website cost. The honest answer is that it depends, and anyone who quotes a single figure without asking about your business is guessing. A five-page site that explains what you do is a very different project from an online shop with payments and stock, or a site with bespoke features built around the way your business works.

This guide explains what makes up the price, which costs come after launch, and what to ask for so you can compare quotes fairly. It also lists what Outible charges for its main website packages, so you have real figures to compare against.

The two kinds of cost: building and running

A website has a one-off cost to design and build it, and running costs that carry on for as long as the site is live. Many people compare quotes on the first and forget the second.

One-off costs

• Planning and design. Deciding what the site must do, then designing how it looks and works on a phone as well as a desktop.

• Development. Turning the designs into a working site, including any features such as forms, booking or payments.

• Content. Writing, photography and product information. If you supply it, it costs you time; if someone else produces it, it costs money.

• Testing and launch. Checking the site across devices and browsers, then moving it live.

Ongoing costs

• Domain name. Your web address is renewed periodically, usually every year or two.

• Hosting. The server that makes your site available to visitors. Price depends on how much traffic and how many features it must support.

• Maintenance and support. Updates, security fixes, backups and help when something breaks.

• Third-party services. Payment providers, booking tools, email services and similar charge their own fees.

• Updates and improvements. Most sites need changes after launch, such as new pages, new products or fresh photos.

What changes the price

The factors that move a quote most are:

• Size. More pages mean more design, content and testing.

• Type of site. A simple brochure site, a site you update regularly through a content management system, an e-commerce website and a booking system website have progressively more moving parts.

• Custom or template. A bespoke design takes longer than adapting an existing layout, though it can fit your business better. Our guide to website builders explains where a builder is enough.

• Features and integrations. Payments, member areas, connections to stock or accounts software and anything else bespoke add design, build and test time.

• Content and data. Moving products or old pages from an existing site takes care.

• Speed of decisions. Late content and repeated rounds of changes add time, and time is usually what you pay for. See how long it takes to build a website.

Why very cheap and very expensive both deserve questions

A low price can be fair for a small, simple site. It is worth asking what is left out: is the design bespoke or a template, are hosting and support included, who owns the site and the content, and can you edit it yourself? A high price is not proof of quality either. Ask what you are getting for the extra, and whether each feature is something your customers will actually use.

Performance is one example of something worth agreeing at the start rather than fixing later. Google's web.dev team describes a performance budget as "a set of limits imposed on metrics that affect site performance" and recommends setting one early to guide design and technology choices. You can read more in Performance budgets 101. Asking a designer how they will keep your site quick on mobile tells you a lot about how they work.

Costs that are easy to miss

• The ICO data protection fee. The ICO says that organisations, including sole traders, that use personal information need to pay a data protection fee unless they are exempt. If your site collects customer details through a form or shop, check whether this applies to you on the ICO data protection fee page. It is not a web design cost, but it is worth knowing about before you go live. For your own situation, check with the ICO or a solicitor.

• Photography and copywriting. Good images and clear writing often make more difference than extra pages.

• Ownership and access. Ask who owns the domain, the hosting account and the design files, so you are never locked out of your own site.

• Content updates. If you will want to change text or prices yourself, ask for a system that lets you, and for training. Our comparison of headless and traditional CMS explains the options.

How to get quotes you can compare

1. Write a short brief. Say what the site is for, who it serves, which pages and features you need, and your budget range. Our guide to writing a website brief shows how.

2. Ask for a written, itemised quote. It should list what is included, what is not, what the running costs are and what happens if the scope changes.

3. Compare like with like. A quote for a template site and a quote for a bespoke design are not the same product.

4. Ask about after launch. Who fixes problems, how much does support cost and how are changes requested?

5. Look at past work and ask questions. A good agency is happy to explain its choices in plain English.

What Outible charges

Outible is a web design and app development agency based at Liverpool Science Park, 131 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool. We build bespoke, responsive, mobile-first and SEO-ready websites, and our main packages have fixed prices:

• [Simple website](/shop/simple-website/): £1,500. Up to 10 pages (£10 for each extra page), for a business that needs to explain what it does and take enquiries.

• [CMS website](/shop/cms-website/): £2,000. No limit on the number of pages, with a content management system for running a blog and managing your pages.

• [Booking system website](/shop/booking-system-website/): £2,500. A booking system designed around your business.

• [E-commerce website](/shop/ecommerce-website/): £4,000. An online shop to sell your products.

• Bespoke websites: from £4,500, quoted on your requirements.

Hosting is £25 a month for the simple and CMS websites and £30 a month for the booking system and e-commerce websites. Extra email addresses on your domain are £1 a month each. Third-party fees, such as a payment provider's charges, are separate.

You can compare the packages side by side on our web design page, read about web design in Liverpool, or send a website quote request for a bespoke project.

No agency can promise search rankings, traffic or sales, and you should be wary of any quote that does. A good website gives your business a solid foundation; what it earns depends on your market, your offer and the work you put in afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Why do website prices vary so much?

Because the scope varies so much. The number of pages, the features, the amount of content and the level of design all change the work involved. Packages with fixed prices, such as Outible's from £1,500, suit sites that fit a standard shape; anything more bespoke should be priced from your brief in a written quote.

What ongoing costs should I expect after launch?

Expect your domain name, hosting, maintenance or support and any third-party services such as payment or booking tools. Ask for these to be listed in the quote so nothing comes as a surprise. At Outible, hosting is £25 or £30 a month depending on the package.

Is a website builder cheaper than a custom website?

A builder can be a sensible choice for a small, simple site, and the monthly plan is easy to see. A custom site can suit businesses with specific needs, a distinctive brand or features a builder cannot handle. Compare what each includes and what you will need in a year or two, not only the starting cost.

Do I have to pay for the ICO data protection fee?

The ICO says organisations, including sole traders, that use personal information need to pay it unless they are exempt. Check the ICO's page for your own circumstances, or ask the ICO or a solicitor.

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