How much does a small business website cost in York?
Quotes for the same website can differ by a few thousand pounds. Here are honest UK ranges, what pushes the price up, where the monthly fees hide, and what I charge. I'm a one-person web designer, so I have a stake, and I have tried to be fair.
Typical UK prices for a small business site
These are rough ranges for a simple site of one to five pages. They are not a rule, and prices change.
- DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace and similar): roughly £10 to £35 a month for a plan that suits a business, plus the domain. Your time is the real cost.
- Freelancer: often £300 to £1,500 for a small site, depending on experience, pages and features.
- Agency: commonly £1,500 to £5,000 or more for a small business site, sometimes with a monthly retainer.
- Online shop: usually from £1,500, plus payment fees and often a monthly platform charge.
What I charge, and why it is lower
A new site is £350, half up front and half when you are happy and it is live. Refreshing an existing site is £250, and fixes start at £60. There is no monthly hosting fee, and the domain is about £10 a year, registered in your name. An optional care plan is £45 a month for backups, security updates, monitoring and help with the editor, and my first 10 clients get the first 3 months free.
It is lower because I am one person, I code by hand, and I keep the scope simple: no online shop, no customer logins. Every site works on phones and has an "open now / closed" sign that follows your hours, tap-to-call, directions and a form. If you need more, I tell you before you pay.
What drives the price
- Pages, writing and features. A form is cheap. Payments, deposits and logins are not.
- Moving from an old site, and keeping the old links working.
- Who makes changes later. If every edit needs the designer, you pay again and again.
Monthly-fee traps to watch for
- A "free" or very cheap site on a 24 or 36 month contract.
- The designer owns your domain, so leaving means starting again.
- Hosting and "maintenance" at £30 to £100 a month for a site that rarely changes.
- Paying per edit for a change of hours.
Ask four things: who owns the domain, what do I pay every month, can I edit it myself, and what happens if I leave?
DIY builder or custom?
A builder suits you if you enjoy it and your needs are simple. Custom code is fast and has no platform fee. Over three years a builder at £20 a month is about £720. A £350 site plus three years of domain is about £380. Be fair though: if you take my care plan for the full three years it costs more than a builder plan.
For a shorter version, see the short guide to website costs in York.
Related guides: Wix or Squarespace vs a local web designer, do I need a website if I have a Facebook page? and the 12-point website checklist.
Questions people ask
Why is your price lower than an agency's?
I am one person with no office or sales team, and I keep the scope simple. I do not build complex online shops.
Is £350 the final price?
For a simple site, yes. I confirm the price in writing before I start, and if something would cost more, I tell you first.
Do I need the care plan?
No. It is optional. You can edit hours, notices and photos yourself, and the care plan is there if you want backups, monitoring and help.
What do I pay each year?
Mainly the domain, about £10 a year. There is no monthly hosting fee. Business email, if you want a custom address, is extra.
If you are comparing quotes, send them to me and I will tell you honestly what looks reasonable. I cover York, Harrogate, Thirsk and the rest of North Yorkshire.
Prefer to talk? Ring or WhatsApp 07356 082474, or email [email protected].