Key takeaways
- UK freelancers typically charge £1,500–£3,000 for a five-page brochure site; agencies £3,000–£5,000 (Whito, 2026).
- Sell first websites for small local businesses as fixed packages, so a smaller scope sets the price rather than a lower rate.
- Three packages plus an optional monthly care plan is the easiest offer to explain and choose from.
- Take a deposit, limit revisions and put ownership of the domain and content in writing.
- You only have to register for VAT above £90,000 of taxable turnover a year; say clearly whether prices include it.
What UK websites cost in 2026
Prices vary widely, so it helps to know where the market sits. These ranges come from Whito's 2026 study of UK website pricing, which aggregates published prices and quotes from UK freelancers and agencies. They exclude VAT.
- Freelancer, 5-page brochure site
- £1,500–£3,000
- Agency, 5-page brochure site
- £3,000–£5,000
- Custom site, 15+ pages
- £5,000–£15,000
- E-commerce site
- £5,000–£20,000+
Source: Whito, UK website pricing research (2026). Excludes VAT.
| Item | Typical UK range |
|---|---|
| Freelancer hourly rate | £40–£70 (£35–£55 outside major cities) |
| Agency hourly rate | £60–£150 |
| Copywriting | £50–£150 per page, usually extra |
| DIY website builders | £10–£50 a month |
| Running costs (hosting, domain, upkeep) | £500–£2,000+ a year |
The DIY figure matters: it's what a business owner compares you with. Your price has to buy something a £20-a-month builder doesn't, such as their time back, better results in local search, or a site that actually gets finished.
Pricing a first website for a small local business
A barber, café or dog groomer with no website rarely needs a five-page brochure site on day one. They need a fast, clear page that answers what their customers ask: prices, opening hours, location and how to book or order. That's a smaller job, and pricing it as a defined package lets you charge fairly without undercutting your rate.
The packages below show one way to structure an offer. The prices are illustrative, chosen to sit at or below the freelancer range above because the scope is smaller. Set your own from your costs and the time each package takes you.
| Package | What's included | Example price |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | One page: services and prices, opening hours, map, contact details and a button to their existing booking app or phone number. Domain set-up. | £400–£800 |
| Standard | Up to five pages, a contact or quote form, a photo gallery, Google Business Profile tidy-up and basic local search set-up. | £900–£1,800 |
| Plus | Standard, plus online ordering, gift vouchers or a booking system, copywriting and a photography session. | £2,000 and up |
| Care plan (monthly) | Hosting, security updates, backups and a set amount of content changes each month. | £25–£75 a month |
Three packages make the decision easier for the client: most people avoid the cheapest and the most expensive, and the middle option becomes the obvious choice. The industry guides list the features each trade cares about, which tells you what to put in each package.
Fixed price, hourly or monthly?
| Model | How it works | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed package | One price for a defined scope | Small business sites; clients who want certainty | Scope creep: list what's included and what isn't |
| Hourly or day rate | You bill the time spent | Ongoing changes, unclear projects | Clients hesitate when they can't see a total |
| Monthly subscription | Little or nothing upfront, then a monthly fee over a minimum term | Owners who can't pay a lump sum | Who owns the site and content if they leave |
| Build plus care plan | A fixed build price, then a monthly fee for hosting and changes | Recurring income with clear ownership | Spelling out what the monthly fee covers |
For most local businesses, a fixed build price plus an optional care plan is the simplest to explain and the fairest to both sides. A monthly-only subscription can open the door to owners who can't pay upfront, but agree in writing who owns the domain, design and content if they cancel.
How to work out your price
- Estimate the hours for a typical project in each package, including calls, revisions and launch. Add a buffer of about a fifth.
- Multiply by your rate. If you're starting out, use the regional freelancer range above as a guide rather than the lowest figure you can find.
- Add direct costs: themes, plugins, stock photos, a booking or ordering system, and the first year's domain and hosting if you include them.
- Sanity-check against value. A site that brings a barber two extra regular customers, or a café one catering order a month, pays for itself quickly. Point to that, not to your hours.
For example, a Standard package that takes 20 hours at £45 an hour is £900, plus about £100 of costs, so £1,000 is a sensible price. Two rounds of revisions are included; anything more is billed at your hourly rate.
VAT, deposits and payment terms
VAT
You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period, or you expect it to within the next 30 days, according to GOV.UK. Most new freelancers are well under it. If you are registered, say clearly whether prices include VAT: many small businesses aren't VAT-registered and can't reclaim it, so 20% on top is a real cost to them.
Deposits
Ask for part of the price upfront before you start: half is common for small projects, with the balance due before the site goes live. For bigger projects, split payments by milestone. A deposit also confirms the client is committed, and it pays for your time if they disappear halfway through.
Late payment
Between businesses, UK law lets you claim statutory interest on late invoices at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus a fixed sum of £40 to £100 depending on the size of the debt, under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. Mention it in your payment terms. You may never use it, but it signals that you expect to be paid on time.
The web design proposal template includes a payment-terms section you can copy.
Common mistakes
Cutting your rate to win the first client
A low price becomes the price every referral expects, and it's hard to raise with the same client later.
Solution: Offer a smaller package at your normal rate instead of a big site at a discount.
Unlimited revisions
Without a limit, a fixed-price project can quietly double in time.
Solution: Include two rounds of revisions and charge for further rounds at your hourly rate.
Forgetting copy and photos
Waiting for a client's content is the most common reason small sites stall.
Solution: Say who supplies the words and pictures, and by when. Offer copywriting and photography as paid extras.
Keeping the domain in your name without saying so
Disputes over who owns the domain are the ugliest way for a client relationship to end.
Solution: Register the domain in the client's name, or agree in writing how and when it transfers.
Quick reference
| Decide | A sensible default |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed packages plus an optional monthly care plan |
| Number of packages | Three, with the middle one as the obvious choice |
| Revisions | Two rounds included |
| Deposit | Half upfront, the balance before launch |
| VAT | State “plus VAT” or “no VAT charged” on every quote |
| Ownership | The client owns the domain and content once paid in full |
Common questions
How much should I charge for my first website?
Price a small, clearly defined package at a normal freelancer rate rather than discounting a bigger site. A one-page site for a local business might be a few hundred pounds; a five-page site from a freelancer typically costs £1,500 to £3,000 in the UK.
Should I charge clients monthly for a website?
A monthly care plan for hosting, updates and small changes works well alongside a one-off build price. A monthly-only subscription can suit owners who can't pay upfront, but agree in writing who owns the site and domain if they cancel.
Do I need to charge VAT on web design?
Only if you're VAT-registered. Registration is compulsory when your taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in a rolling 12 months. If you're registered, show whether your prices include VAT, because many small business clients can't reclaim it.
Should web designers show prices on their website?
Showing “from” prices for each package saves time on both sides: it filters out people with a much smaller budget and shows the rest roughly what to expect before you talk.