Hosting
Every website needs somewhere to live online. Managed hosting for a small business site typically costs £15 to £60 a month if it isn't included. It's included in our £49.
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An honest guide for small businesses · Updated October 2026
How much does a website cost in the UK?
The short answer
For a small business in the UK, a website usually costs £9 to £29 a month if you build it yourself on a website builder, £1,500 to £3,500 up front from a freelancer or small agency, or £3,500 to £8,000 for a bigger agency build. Hosting is usually extra on top. A pay monthly website, like ours, costs £49 a month with the build, hosting and updates included.
Below is what you get for each, the costs people forget about, and how it all adds up over a few years. We sell pay monthly websites, so we've tried to be straight about when another option makes more sense.
Your options
Four ways to get a small business website.
| Option | Typical cost | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build it yourself (Wix, Squarespace and similar) | About £9 to £29 a month | People who enjoy doing it and have the time | It takes evenings to build and keep up to date, and fixing problems is down to you |
| Freelancer or small agency | £1,500 to £3,500 up front, plus hosting | A site designed to your exact brief | A big bill before you see any return, and changes are often charged extra |
| Larger agency | £3,500 to £8,000+ up front, plus hosting | Bigger firms, online shops and complex sites | Far more than most sole traders and small firms need |
| Pay monthly (Now Print) | £49 a month, all in | Small businesses that want a proper site without the upfront bill | You're paying monthly for as long as you have the site |
Typical UK prices as of October 2026. Website builder prices are Wix's UK plans on annual billing; monthly billing costs a little more. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
Over a few years
Pay monthly vs paying up front: the honest maths.
Pay monthly costs £588 a year. A £1,500 to £3,500 freelancer build plus £15 to £60 a month hosting costs about £1,680 to £4,220 in the first year, then £180 to £720 a year after that.
| Total spent by the end of | Pay monthly at £49 | Freelancer build + hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £588 | £1,680 to £4,220 |
| Year 2 | £1,176 | £1,860 to £4,940 |
| Year 3 | £1,764 | £2,040 to £5,660 |
| Year 5 | £2,940 | £2,400 to £7,100 |
Pay monthly wins early on and keeps your money in the business while the website starts bringing in work.
Over five years or more, a cheaper freelancer build with cheap hosting can work out about the same or less, if you don't need many changes. That's the honest trade-off.
Websites need keeping up to date as your prices, services and photos change. With pay monthly, small updates are our job, not an extra bill.
Freelancer figures use the £1,500 to £3,500 build range and £15 to £60 a month hosting above, and leave out changes and updates, which can add more.
Which is right for you?
A quick guide.
Build it yourself if…
you enjoy it, have the evenings free, and don't mind sorting problems yourself.
Pay up front if…
you need something bigger or very specific, have the money ready, and want to own the site from day one.
Pay monthly if…
you want a proper site without a big bill, don't want to touch the technical side, and want changes done for you.
Our pay monthly websites
£49 / month
Build, hosting and updates included
No upfront fee, no VAT to add, no contract. See a free preview before you pay anything.
Get my free preview →Want one for £49 a month?
See what's included and examples of what we build on our pay monthly website design page.
Professional design that works on phonesWebsite hostingEnquiry form and click-to-callSmall updates when you need them
Running a trade? See our websites for tradesmen.
Questions
Website costs: common questions
How much does a small business website cost in the UK?
Usually £9 to £29 a month to build it yourself on a website builder, £1,500 to £3,500 up front from a freelancer or small agency, or £3,500 to £8,000 or more from a larger agency, with hosting on top. A pay monthly website from Now Print is £49 a month with the build, hosting and updates included.
How much is website hosting a month?
Managed hosting for a small business website typically costs £15 to £60 a month if it isn't included in your package. Our £49 a month includes hosting.
How much does a domain name cost?
Usually £10 to £20 a year for a .co.uk or .com address. Make sure it's registered in your name, so it belongs to you whoever builds your website.
Is a pay monthly website cheaper?
In the first few years, usually yes: £49 a month is £588 a year, against £1,680 to £4,220 in the first year for a typical freelancer build plus hosting. Over five years or more, a cheaper up-front build can work out about the same, if you don't need many changes.
Why do some websites cost thousands of pounds?
Bigger sites take longer to plan, design and build: lots of pages, online shops, booking systems, custom features or a full brand. Most sole traders and small businesses don't need that, which is why a simpler site can cost much less.
Are there any hidden costs with a Now Print website?
No. £49 a month covers the build, hosting and small updates, with no VAT to add. The only extras are your domain name, which you pay for yourself so it stays yours, and email on your own domain if you want it. Bigger changes or features are quoted before you decide.
Sources
- MoneyMagpie: How much should a small business pay for a website in 2026 (build, hosting and domain costs)
- ExpertSure: Wix pricing UK (website builder plans)
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