Why do website prices vary so much?

If you've Googled this question, you've probably seen answers ranging from "free" to "£50,000+". That's not helpful. The reality is that website pricing depends on three things:

  • Who builds it — a solo designer, a small studio, or a large agency
  • What you need — a 3-page brochure site or a 50-page e-commerce platform
  • How it's built — a template, a WordPress theme, or custom code

Agencies charge more because they have offices, account managers, and project managers. You're paying for their building and their staff — not just your website. A solo designer or small studio — especially one using AI to speed up the build process — gives you the same quality without the overhead.

What does a website actually cost in 2026?

Here's a realistic breakdown for a UK small business:

  • DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace): £100–£300/year. You do all the work. Limited SEO. Fine for a hobby, risky for a business.
  • Freelance designer: £300–£1,500. You get a custom design, but quality varies wildly. Always check their portfolio.
  • Small studio (like Alvex): £500–£2,000. Custom design, SEO-ready, mobile-first. Direct communication with the person building it. Studios using AI tools in their workflow can deliver faster and charge less without sacrificing quality.
  • Agency: £3,000–£15,000+. Same output as a good studio, but you're paying for the overhead. Makes sense for complex builds, not for a local business.

What should be included in the price?

At a minimum, any website build should include:

  • Custom design (not a pre-made template with your logo on it)
  • Mobile-responsive build (works on phones and tablets)
  • Basic SEO structure (meta titles, headings, clean URLs)
  • Contact form
  • At least one round of revisions
  • A clear handover or launch process

If a quote doesn't include these, ask why. If they can't answer clearly, walk away.

What about hosting?

Hosting is the cost of keeping your website online. It's separate from the build cost and is an ongoing annual or monthly fee. Expect to pay:

  • Budget hosting: £30–£60/year. Shared servers, slower, less support.
  • Managed hosting: £100–£200/year. UK servers, SSL, backups, CDN, someone looking after it.

At Alvex Studio, hosting is £120/year and includes SSL, daily backups, malware scanning, CDN, and managed updates. We handle everything.

The hidden costs nobody mentions

Watch out for these — they add up fast:

  • Domain name: £10–£25/year (you should own this, not your designer)
  • Business email: £30–£60/year
  • SSL certificate: Should be free with any decent hosting
  • Content updates: Some designers charge per change. Ask upfront.
  • "SEO packages": Be wary of vague monthly SEO retainers with no clear deliverables

How to get the best value

Three rules:

  • Get a fixed price in writing before any work starts. If someone can't quote you a clear number, they'll keep adding to the bill.
  • Ask what's NOT included. The gaps in a quote tell you more than what's in it.
  • Check their actual work. Not their portfolio page — their live client sites. Load them on your phone. Are they fast? Do they rank?
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