One of the most frustrating answers a business owner can hear when asking about price is, "It depends." Unfortunately, in the world of web development, it is also the most honest one. Asking how much a website costs is a lot like asking how much a house costs in London. Are you buying a studio flat in Croydon or a four-story townhouse in Kensington? The price reflects the value, location, and materials used.
As we move into 2026, website pricing has stabilised into distinct tiers. While AI and template builders have made "cheap" websites more accessible, the cost of high-performance, custom-coded solutions has risen to reflect the expertise required to build them. Below, we break down what you should realistically expect to pay for a professional website in the UK market this year.
1. The Brochure Website
Goal: To establish an online presence, display services, and capture inquiries.
These are typically 5–10 page websites (Home, About, Services, Contact, Blog). They are the digital equivalent of a high-quality printed brochure.
- DIY / Template (Wix/Squarespace): £20 - £50 per month (forever). While the upfront cost is low, you are renting your site. You don't own the code, and customisation is strictly limited to what the platform allows.
- Freelancer (WordPress Template): £1,500 - £4,000. A freelancer will usually install a pre-bought theme and tweak the colours. It gets you online, but performance is often average.
- Professional Custom Build: £4,000 - £8,000. At this level, you are paying for a bespoke design and clean code (HTML/CSS) with no bloat. The site will be lightning-fast, mobile-perfect, and optimised for local London SEO.
2. The Custom CMS (Content Management System)
Goal: To publish regular content, news, or case studies with a bespoke design.
If you are a marketing agency, a consultancy, or a news outlet, you need a backend that is easy to use but a frontend that looks unique.
- Agency WordPress Build: £6,000 - £12,000. Most agencies will build a custom theme on top of WordPress. It is a solid middle-ground option, though it still carries the security risks inherent to WordPress.
- Custom Django/Python CMS: £8,000 - £15,000. This is where Custom Coded Websites specialises. We build a dashboard tailored exactly to your workflow. If you don't need a "comments" section, we don't build it. The result is a highly secure, streamlined administration panel that is impossible to "break" by accident.
3. E-commerce Platforms
Goal: To sell products and process payments securely.
Pricing here varies wildly based on complexity. Are you selling 10 T-shirts, or do you have a catalogue of 10,000 automotive parts with dynamic pricing tiers?
- Shopify / WooCommerce Setup: £5,000 - £10,000. Great for getting started. You pay monthly fees to Shopify or deal with plugin maintenance on WooCommerce. Transaction fees can be high.
- Custom E-commerce Solution: £15,000 - £40,000+. For serious retailers. This includes custom checkout flows, inventory syncing with your warehouse, and customer loyalty portals. When we built the platform for Anime Weebs, the investment allowed for specific features like "limited edition drops" that generic platforms simply couldn't handle without crashing.
4. Web Applications & SaaS
Goal: To solve a complex problem, process data, or provide a service.
This is software development, not just web design. Think of portals like Airbnb, booking systems, or the automated deed poll service we created for UK Name Change.
- Entry Level MVP (Minimum Viable Product): £15,000 - £30,000. Getting the core functionality live to test the market.
- Full-Scale Custom Application: £40,000 - £100,000+. This involves database architecture, user authentication, API integrations, and rigorous security testing. This is an asset that adds significant valuation to your company.
Don't Forget the "Hidden" Costs
When budgeting for 2026, ensure you account for the running costs. A car needs petrol and insurance; a website is no different.
- Hosting: Cheap shared hosting costs £10/month, but high-performance Django hosting (like we provide) ensures 99.9% uptime and speed, typically costing £50–£150/month depending on traffic.
- Maintenance: Software degrades if left unattended. Security patches and updates are vital. Expect to pay £100–£500/month for a maintenance retainer that keeps your site secure and functional.
Summary: You Get What You Pay For
In 2026, you can certainly get a website for £500. But if your website is your primary shop window in a competitive city like London, a "cheap" site can cost you thousands in lost business.
A custom-coded website is an investment. It loads faster, ranks better, and converts more visitors into paying clients. If you are serious about growth, budget for quality.
Unsure where your project fits? Contact us for a transparent, itemised quote today.