"How much does a website cost?" is the question we hear most. The honest answer is that it ranges from a few hundred pounds to tens of thousands — because a five-page brochure site and a custom booking platform are completely different products. Here is a realistic 2026 breakdown for UK businesses.
What actually drives the price
Three things move the cost more than anything else:
- Number of pages and features — a contact form is cheap; user accounts, payments, bookings or dashboards are not.
- Design — a polished, custom design costs more than a lightly-customised template, but converts far better.
- Custom functionality — anything bespoke (integrations, automation, a customer portal) is where budgets grow.
Website cost ranges in the UK (2026)
| Type of website | Typical UK price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Brochure / marketing site (3–6 pages) | £900 – £2,500 | 2–4 weeks |
| Business website (custom design, 8–15 pages) | £2,500 – £6,000 | 4–7 weeks |
| E-commerce store (Shopify / WooCommerce) | £3,000 – £12,000 | 6–10 weeks |
| Custom web app / SaaS platform | £8,000 – £30,000+ | 10–20+ weeks |
These are real-world ranges for quality work. You can find cheaper — but "cheap" usually means a template, no SEO, slow load times and a rebuild within a year.
One-off vs ongoing costs
The build is a one-off; running a website is not. Budget for:
- Domain — roughly £10–£30/year.
- Hosting — £5–£50/month depending on traffic and whether it is a simple site or an app.
- Maintenance — updates, security patches, backups and small changes. Many agencies (us included) offer monthly support plans so this is predictable.
How to get the best value
- Be clear on the goal — leads, sales or credibility. It changes the whole build.
- Start lean, then grow — launch a focused version and add features once it is earning.
- Insist on speed & SEO from day one — retrofitting performance and search optimisation later costs more.
- Own your code & assets — make sure ownership transfers to you after final payment.
How we quote at AKTechForce
We quote per project after a short discovery call, so you only pay for what you actually need — no padded packages. We build fast, SEO-ready, custom websites and web applications for businesses across the UK, US and Ireland, and you own everything at the end.