How much does a small business website cost in the UK in 2026?

A clear price is easier to plan around than a moving estimate.

If you run a small business in the UK, you probably want one number you can put in next month's budget. Here it is. A custom website of up to five pages from Astra Labs is $499, paid once. There is no monthly fee for the site itself.

We quote in US dollars because that is how our studio prices its work. When you pay by card, your bank or card provider converts the amount into pounds. The exact figure on your statement depends on the rate on the day, so it can shift a little from one week to the next.

On VAT, we keep things simple and confirm it by email. If you are VAT registered, mention it when you write to hello@astralabs.store and we will tell you how it shows on your invoice. That way you know your real figure before you commit to anything.

The payment is split in two. You pay $99 when you start, which opens your project. You pay the remaining $400 when you are happy with the site, before it goes live. You see the finished work first, and you only complete the payment once you like it.

Six things decide what any small business website costs.

Websites are priced in very different ways, so it helps to know what is behind a number. Whoever you ask, these six things move the total up or down. Knowing them lets you ask better questions and keep your budget under control.

• The number of pages. A home page, an about page, a services page, a gallery and a contact page already make five, which suits most small businesses well.
• Whether the design is made for you or fitted into a ready made layout. A custom design takes more care, and it shows your business as it really is.
• How ready your words and photos are. If you already have clear descriptions and real pictures, the work moves smoothly.
• What the site needs to do. An enquiry form, a booking link or a menu each add a little work.
• Where the site lives. Hosting, backups and security can be handled for you, or you can host it yourself.
• Who looks after it afterwards. Small edits such as a new opening time or a changed price are easier when someone is ready to make them.

Once you have answers to these six, any quote you receive becomes much easier to read. You can see what is included and what would be extra.

Here is what the $499 covers and what stays with you.

We like to keep this list short and honest. This is how the offer is laid out on our homepage.

Notice what is not in that table. There is no surprise add on list and no pressure to take care. Your domain and your email stay exactly where they are, so your customers notice nothing except a better looking site.

If your business needs more than five pages, or something special such as a larger catalogue, write to us and we will quote it by email. You will have the figure in writing before any work begins.

Spending well matters more than spending a lot.

Each year we look at how small business websites are doing. For the UK we reviewed 309 businesses and fully measured 204 homepages. The sample is small businesses that answered our outreach, so please read it as a helpful snapshot and not a picture of every business in the country. You can read the full findings in our 2026 study and on the UK page of the report.

What stands out is that many of the most useful improvements are simple ones, and they do not need a large budget.

• 59% of the UK homepages we measured had no enquiry or quote form. A clear form gives a visitor an easy way to reach you.
• 52% had no tap to call link. On a phone, one tap to ring you is a friendly thing to offer.
• 31% had neither a form nor a tap to call link, which leaves a visitor with fewer ways to start a conversation.
• 14% were not set up for phones, and most people now browse on one.
• 16% were over 5 MB on a phone, and the UK median homepage download was 2.1 MB. Lighter pages open sooner.
• 11% of the UK businesses we reviewed had no website of their own.

Every item on that list fits inside a five page custom site. A form, a tap to call link, a phone ready layout and sensible image sizes are part of a thoughtful build, not luxury extras. So the price you pay is mostly about getting these basics right and showing your business clearly.

Four steps you can take today.

You do not need to decide everything at once. Work through these four steps and you will know what you need and what it should cost you.

1. Look at the site you have now.

   Our free website grader gives you a quick, friendly read on a site you already own, so you can see what is working and what could be better before you spend anything.

2. List your five pages.

   Write down the pages a customer needs most. For many trades and shops that is home, about, services, gallery and contact. If your list is longer, note it down so we can quote the extras by email.

3. Collect what you already have.

   Gather real photos, a short description of each service, your opening times and your contact details. Real pictures of your own work are one of the best things a small business site can show.

4. Decide on care.

   Ask yourself whether you want someone to handle hosting, backups, security and small edits for $30 a month, or whether you would rather host the site yourself. Both choices are open to you.

If your trade has its own page in our web design by trade section, take a look. It shows how a site can be shaped around the way your customers actually choose. You can also browse our other guides for more practical steps.