If you have started asking around, you have probably had wildly different answers, from “I’ll do it for fifty quid” to “that’ll be three thousand plus VAT”. Both can be true. The price depends entirely on who builds it and who looks after it afterwards. Here is what each route actually costs a UK small business in 2026.
DIY website builders (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy)
Roughly £10–£30 a month, plus your time.
The software is cheap. The cost is the hours: choosing a template, writing every word, sizing images, fixing the bits that look wrong on a phone, and learning enough to keep it updated. For a busy tradesperson, “free to start” often becomes a half-finished site that never goes live. If you enjoy the tinkering, it is genuinely good value. If you don’t, it is a second job. We go into this in more detail in our comparison with DIY builders.
A freelancer or web agency
Typically £500–£3,000+ up front, then ongoing costs.
You get something built for you, which is the right call for a complex site. But the headline price is rarely the whole story. Hosting, the domain, an SSL certificate and, crucially, every future change are usually extra. Wanting to swap a phone number or add a new service six months later can mean an email, a wait, and an invoice. See our comparison with hiring a web designer.
Lead-generation platforms (Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Bark)
Membership or per-lead fees, often £50–£100+ a month.
These aren’t really websites, they’re directories you rent a spot in. You get enquiries while you pay, and nothing you own when you stop. They can work alongside your own site, but they are not a substitute for one. More in our look at whether Checkatrade is worth it.
A done-for-you managed service (like ReadyOnline)
A small setup fee, then one low monthly price that includes hosting, your domain connection and every change.
This is the middle ground: someone else does the work, like an agency, but you pay a predictable monthly amount instead of a big lump sum and surprise invoices. With ReadyOnline that’s £149 setup then £29/month for Essential, or £249 then £49/month for Complete, no long contract, and changes are part of the price.
The cost most people forget: not having one
A slow, dated or non-existent website costs you the jobs that go to the competitor who turned up first in the search. That cost is invisible, which is exactly why it’s the most expensive of all.
So what should you budget?
- Tight budget, plenty of time, and you enjoy tech: a DIY builder.
- Complex, bespoke needs and a one-off budget: a freelancer or agency.
- You want it done properly, kept up to date, and off your plate: a managed monthly service.
Not sure which you are? Get a free preview of what your site could look like, no card needed, or run a quick free website check on what you already have.