What does a small
business website cost?

Start with the job your website needs to do

A website budget makes more sense when it starts with the pages and actions you need. A small brochure site explaining one service has a different scope from a site with several service pages, booking requirements and a large amount of content to organise.

Clearly Online’s Starter package is £400 for up to 4 pages. Business is £500 for up to 8 pages. Growth starts at £600, with the page count and requirements agreed in the quote. These are one-off build prices; hosting is optional and separate.

Every package covers an agreed page list, design and development, responsive layouts, two consolidated design revision rounds, basic search setup, an agreed enquiry route, launch checks and a handover guide. Read the full website package comparison before choosing.

Compare content and features separately

More pages are only one reason a quote can change. Preparing photographs, writing service descriptions and importing existing material take work. Page planning and editing guidance are included; substantial copywriting, photography and brand identity need a separate scope.

Features need their own discussion. A link to an existing booking calendar is different from building a booking system. Business includes one agreed booking tool or advanced enquiry flow. Paid subscriptions, ecommerce, customer accounts and custom software are outside the standard brochure-site packages unless specifically quoted.

For example, a trades business might need separate pages for its main services and a quote form asking for a postcode and job description. An appointment business might need clear service choices and a link to its current diary. Choose the structure that answers customers’ questions rather than adding pages for their own sake.

Allow for hosting and routine care

Optional hosting and routine website care cost £49 per month after launch. That adds £588 over 12 months or £1,176 over 24 months. You can instead choose compatible hosting elsewhere, with its own charges and support arrangements.

The totals assume care continues at the current guide rate. They are budgeting examples, not a price lock or a required 12- or 24-month commitment. Your agreement confirms the term, renewal pricing and notice.

Guide prices, subject to a written scope. All totals shown exclude third-party charges and any applicable VAT; tax treatment and the final total are confirmed before you commit. Growth prices are starting points, not fixed quotes.

The care plan covers the agreed hosting, HTTPS setup, monitoring, scheduled backups and routine technical maintenance. Content changes, extra pages and new features are separate unless a defined allowance is agreed. Check the website care inclusions for the boundaries and questions to ask.

Budget for the costs outside the build

Domain registration and renewal, business email, paid booking tools, premium licences and other third-party charges are separate unless your proposal includes them. Keep a list of who owns each account, when it renews and who pays the provider. A domain renewal and a website hosting fee pay for different things.

Basic search setup is included in the build. Ongoing local SEO support is a separate service with agreed priorities and fees. A website package does not include a promised search position or enquiry volume.

A checklist for comparing written quotes

1. Pages: Which pages are included, and who provides their words and images?
2. Features: Which forms and integrations will be delivered and tested?
3. Review: How many design rounds are included, and what counts as a change of scope?
4. Total: What is the build price, any applicable VAT, external cost and recurring fee?
5. Payment: When are payments due, and what must be ready before work starts?
6. Handover: Which files, accounts and editing instructions do you receive?
7. Support: What happens after launch, and what are the notice and migration arrangements?

Clearly Online’s proposed build payment schedule is 50% to book the project and 50% after approval, before launch and handover. The written proposal confirms the actual milestones, responsibilities and final total before you commit.

Use the website brief checklist to gather your requirements, then share your project for a written quote. An existing website address and a short list of priorities are a useful start.