The honest answer is "it depends" — but that's not helpful. This guide gives you actual numbers, what affects the price, and how to avoid paying for things you don't need.
What a website actually costs in 2026
- Small business website (brochure site, up to 8 pages): £799 – £2,500
- Professional services (accountants, solicitors, healthcare — with compliance elements): £999 – £3,500
- eCommerce (Shopify setup): £1,500 – £3,000
- eCommerce (custom): £4,500 – £12,000+
- Client or member portal: £3,500 – £15,000+
- Custom AI platform: £5,000 – £50,000+
What makes a website more expensive
- Number of pages and sections
- Custom design vs template
- Copy (do you provide it or does the agency write it?)
- Integrations (booking systems, CRMs, payment processing, APIs)
- Regulated sector requirements (SRA compliance for solicitors, CQC for healthcare, MTD for accountants)
- Portal functionality (logged-in user experience)
- Ongoing hosting and support
What makes a website cheaper
- Clear brief upfront — scope changes cost money
- Providing your own photography and copy
- Starting with a focused scope and adding pages later
- Choosing a studio over a large agency (overheads matter)
Where websites go wrong on cost
Scope creep. The biggest budget killer. You agree 6 pages, then add an FAQ, a team page, a resource library, and a members area. Each addition is reasonable. Together they double the project.
Template trap. A £300 WordPress site looks like a £300 WordPress site. It also tends to be slow, insecure, and hard to customise when your needs change.
Maintenance shock. A website isn't a one-off cost. Hosting, security updates, plugin maintenance, and content changes are ongoing. Build these into your budget from the start.
Agency overhead. A 40-person agency with a Mayfair office needs to charge more than a focused studio. You're paying for account managers, project managers, and people who present the work — not just the people who build it.
What you should ask any agency before signing
- Is VAT included in the price?
- What's in scope and what isn't?
- What do you need from me and by when?
- What happens if I want changes after launch?
- What does hosting and support cost?
- Who actually builds the site?
What Bloomorbit charges
We publish our prices.
- Standard business website: from £799
- Professional services site: from £999
- Portal or custom platform: from £3,500
- AI tools: price on scope
- Care plans: from £79/month
VAT is charged at 20% on top. We take 50% upfront, 50% on completion. We agree scope before work begins.
For sector-specific breakdowns of what's included and what it costs, see accountants, solicitors, or healthcare.
Book a free 10-minute call to discuss your project — Contact us.