How much does a website cost?

The price of a website is not «pages × euros». It is time, decisions, and responsibility.

When someone asks «how much does a website cost?», the honest answer is: it depends what you are buying. Two sites with the same number of pages can cost £300 or £3,000 — and both can be legitimate.

This article explains what the money actually buys, what is usually included (and what is not), and how to evaluate a quote without being misled.

What you are actually paying for

A professional website is not just code and design. It is a sequence of work:

Phase	What happens	Typical time
Discovery	Understand the business, audience, goals, competition	1–3 h
Structure	Decide pages, sections, visitor flow	1–2 h
Copy	Write or edit content that converts	3–10 h
Design	Layout, typography, colours, mobile	4–12 h
Development	Build, test, optimise speed	4–15 h
Launch	Domain, basic SEO, forms, privacy compliance	1–3 h

Realistic total for a simple professional site: 15–40 hours of specialised work.

If someone quotes £200 for a «full website», they are either using templates with no customisation, not counting their time — or planning extras later.

Three project levels (and what to expect)

Level 1 — Landing page (£250–£550+)

One page, one goal. Bookings, email capture, present one service, ad campaign.

Usually includes: responsive design, contact form, basic technical SEO, 3–5 sections.

Does not include: blog, complex multi-service structure, online shop, advanced integrations.

For: professionals with a clear offer who want focused online presence.

Level 2 — Professional website (£550–£1,300+)

Several pages with coherent narrative: services, about, contact, FAQ, testimonials.

Usually includes: copywriting (or heavy editing of your drafts), custom design, basic SEO, forms, GDPR compliance.

For: therapists, lawyers, clinics, consultants, guest houses — businesses where trust and clarity convert.

Level 3 — Custom (£850–£4,500+)

Specific functionality: online shop, client area, complex booking, content migration, integrations (CRM, payments, calendars).

For: projects with technical requirements or large content volume.

What is almost never included

Always read a proposal with these in mind:

• Domain — ~£10–15/year
• Hosting — ~£40–120/year (or included on platforms like Webflow/Squarespace)
• Photography / video — £0 (your photos) to £400+ (professional session)
• Logo — budget separately if you do not have one
• Maintenance — updates, backups, fixes: £0 (DIY) to £40–180/month
• Copy — incomplete drafts mean extra copywriting time
• Translations — each language is an additional project
• Google/Meta ads — paid traffic is a separate budget

Practical rule: ask «what do I need to buy or do myself after launch?» before signing.

Honest comparison: free vs. paid vs. DIY

	Wix / WordPress.com free	DIY (self-hosted WordPress)	Professional
Initial cost	£0	£40–120/year (hosting)	£250–1,300+
Your time	High (learn platform)	Very high	Low
Message / copy	You	You	Included or supported
Speed / SEO	Medium	Depends on you	Optimised
Support	Forums	You	Direct
Typical result	Generic template	Variable	Focused on business

DIY makes sense if: you enjoy learning, have time, the site is secondary, and you know what to say.

Professional makes sense if: the site is a client channel, your time is worth more than money, or you tried DIY and ended up with something «done but dead».

Why two quotes can differ 3×

Two professionals may respond to the same brief with very different prices. Questions that explain the gap:

1. Who writes the copy? Copywriting can be half the project.
2. How many revision rounds? «Unlimited» vs. «2 rounds» changes hours.
3. Template or original design? Templates lower cost and personality.
4. What happens after launch? 30 days support vs. deliver and goodbye.
5. Sector experience? Someone who has built 20 therapist sites works faster and more accurately.

How to evaluate a quote (checklist)

Before saying yes, confirm:

• You know how many pages and which sections each has
• You know who writes — you, them, or collaboration
• You know how many revisions are included
• You know a realistic timeline (professional site: 2–6 weeks, not 2 days)
• You know what is not included (domain, photos, maintenance)
• You have seen examples of previous work at a similar level
• You have a written proposal before paying

Be wary of: prices far below market, impossible deadlines, «we do everything», or pressure to pay before understanding scope.

My prices (transparency)

I publish prices because I think it helps — but they are starting points:

• Landing Page — from €297 + VAT
• Website — from €1,250 + VAT
• Website Pro — from €1,750 + VAT
• Custom — from €980 + VAT

Final proposal depends on scope, copy, and features. The 2-minute qualification exists exactly for that: understand your case before sending a concrete number.

If budget is tight

1. Start with a landing page — one page done well beats a mediocre five-page site.
2. Write the copy yourself — saves copywriting hours (but invest time clarifying the message).
3. Use your own photos — authentic and well lit; avoid generic stock.
4. Postpone non-essentials — blog, client area, chatbot can wait.
5. Google Business first — if local, free and often more urgent than a site.

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Want to know what your specific case would involve? 2-minute qualification — personalised proposal within 48 hours, no obligation.