How Much Does a Website Cost in 2024?

Whether you are starting a new business or undergoing the digital transformation of your current business, building a website plays a vital role. This may seem startling, especially if you are not into eCommerce. But losing on a website means saying goodbye to tons of business opportunities. 

Most startups and companies are already aware of the significance of having a website. But how much does a website cost? Well, for starters, the precise value depends on several factors and ranges anywhere between £1,000 and £10,000+. 

An exact quote differs for various types of projects. We aim to use our 16+ years of experience as a web design agency, to answer the question: How much does a website cost?

How Much Does it Cost to Build a Website – Based on Type

A company can choose from various types of websites. The differences lie in things like the project complexities, number of pages, use of technology stack, and size and complexity of the database.

1. Basic Website Cost

A small business website built with just a few pages and essential functionality, like a blogging site, a startup webpage, and other similar projects, costs less. The average charges for such projects range from £2,000 to £5,000+ and cover key aspects like hosting, domain, design, and development.

2. Advanced Website Cost

Advanced websites are mostly built by small and mid-sized companies like restaurants, retail stores, consultancy firms and other similar sized businesses. Such websites could have a few purposes like indicating the company’s physical location, details about the menu or the main services offered, simple booking functionality or advertising events or promotions. 

Building an advanced website in the UK can cost between £5,000 and £12,000+, depending on the functionality required. Some of the key features of advanced websites include social media integration, a CMS, Google Analytics, Google Maps, and total screen-responsiveness so they work on mobile, tablet and desktop.

3. Complex Websites Cost

Medium and large-scale businesses opt for building complex websites that can handle and automate various manual tasks and also help with team collaboration. These key functionalities often involve the use of various third-party APIs, ERP integrations, or a complex user journey. Tailoring a complex website in the UK ranges between £10,000 and £35,000+ based on key project requirements.

4. Bespoke Websites Cost

A bespoke website is built from scratch, designed for the specific requirements of the business. These websites can cater for advanced functionalities and can easily adapt to the company’s key operations. This allows a smooth digital transformation journey for the company and its employees. Multiple pages, large databases, and various detailed features are tailored to a bespoke site, which costs from £35,000 to £75,000+.

Many companies often consider creating an app for leveraging greater functionalities. The cost of creating an app is higher than the cost of a basic website and ranges from £15,000 – £40,000+.

5. eCommerce Website Cost

The cost of building an eCommerce site varies significantly depending on the inventory size and various add-ons. Moreover, the choice of eCommerce platforms, such as Magento, Shopify Plus, WooCommerce, or Adobe Commerce, also influences the end price. All in all, eCommerce web development costs in the UK start from £8,000 for a basic Shopify Plus site, and can go up to a starting price of £40,000 for an Adobe Commerce build.

6. Website Redesign or Technology Migration Cost

Various companies already have an existing website but may feel the need to upgrade their design for better aesthetics and improved performance. For example, a growing eCommerce company would need to migrate from Magento 1 to Magento 2 to cater to more customers without performance issues, as Magento 1 is now unsupported and end-of-life. 

The overall cost of website migration and platform redesign varies significantly and can be anything from £8,000 upwards. Having answered the question “How much does it cost to make a website?”, let us study some more key factors influencing the end-price.

Here are 4 Factors Influencing the Website Development Costs 

1. Domain Name and Hosting

At the starting point of the website, you need to find suitable hosting and a domain name. The right domain name and a server for hosting allows for brand identity as customers can easily identify your business niche. The cost of hosting ranges from £10 to £350 per month. The price of the domain name is:

• .co.uk domains start at £4.99 annually.
• .com domains start at £9.99 annually.

Few web hosting provider like IONOS, MyWebsite, and others offer free domains. Domain names must directly reflect your business niche as they help you gain popularity.  So, try to own a website domain name that is simple and easy to remember.

2. Agency or Website Builder

If you lack technical skills and want to try DIY, website-building sites can be your ideal friend. They come with drag-and-drop features to piece together your site, and anyone can master them in less time. Most website builders like Shopify, Wix, and others offer monthly subscription plans between £5 to £259+.

On the other hand, a web development agency can help you build a user-friendly, mobile-responsive, professional website with the right technology tools. Web designers are costlier than DIY but pays off in terms of aesthetics, usability, performance, and being able to build advanced features.

3. Key Functionalities

The number of features and web pages directly influences the answer to the question – how much does it cost to build a website? Too many features and various web pages require extensive work, leading to higher website costs. 

A website built with just a few features or a single page application tends to be cheaper. Other factors like integration of Geo-location, social media features, search engine optimisation tools, and third party integrations also influences the final cost of the website.

4. Security Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate

SSL certificates digitally authenticate a website’s identity and enable greater protection against potential cyberattacks. They are also essential for SEO purposes, as search engines tend to rank SSL-enabled sites higher in the SERPs. SSL is usually part of the web hosting, but just in case it is not there, you may have to pay up to £120 per year for it.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully that answers the question how much does a website costs in the UK. At chilliapple, a web development agency, we have helped various companies build phenomenal websites. We have worked in 30+ business industries and are proficient in building beautiful, user-friendly, high-performing sites with essential industry-standard regulations.