Pricing · Small business · Sussex
How much does a small business website cost in Sussex? (2026 guide)
By Matt, Founder & developer, xex dev · · 7 min read
Quick answer
In 2026 a small business website in the UK typically costs anywhere from around £10–£30 a month on a DIY builder, to roughly £500–£3,000 for a simple site from a freelancer, £2,000–£8,000 from a regional agency, and £3,000–£20,000+ for e-commerce or custom-built sites. Budget another £50–£200 a month if you want someone to host and maintain it.
It’s the first question almost everyone asks us, and the honest answer is “it depends”. That’s not much use when you’re trying to set a budget, though, so here are the real-world ranges UK businesses are paying in 2026, what pushes a project up or down those ranges, and the costs people forget about.
Typical website prices in the UK (2026)
| Type of website | Typical cost | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder (Wix, Squarespace) | £9–£30/month, plus your time | Very early start-ups, hobby businesses, tight budgets |
| Simple brochure site from a freelancer | £500–£3,000 | Trades, salons, cafés and local services that need a credible 3–8 page site |
| Brochure site from a regional agency | £2,000–£8,000 | Businesses wanting a bigger team, strategy workshops and more design rounds |
| Custom business website or web app | £3,000–£15,000 | Sites with booking, quoting, client portals or integrations with your software |
| E-commerce website | £3,000–£20,000+ | Selling products online with stock, payments and delivery options |
| Hosting, updates and support | £50–£200/month | Keeping the site secure, backed up and up to date without doing it yourself |
Freelancers are usually cheaper than agencies for the same result because there are no account managers or office overheads — you pay for the person doing the work. Agencies make more sense for very large projects that need a whole team.
What makes a website cost more (or less)?
- Number of pages and how different they are. Ten pages built from the same layout cost far less than ten unique designs.
- Custom design vs a template. A template is quicker; a custom design fits your brand and usually performs better, but takes longer.
- Functionality. Online booking, payments, quote calculators, members’ areas and integrations with your CRM or accounting software are where most of the budget goes.
- E-commerce. Product catalogues, variants, stock, delivery rules and payment providers add a lot of work — especially if you’re moving from an old shop.
- Content. If you can supply your own text and photos, you save money. Professional copywriting and photography are often charged separately.
- SEO and speed. A site that’s properly set up to show up in local Google searches takes more care than one that just “looks nice”.
The hidden costs people forget
Most budget surprises come from the extras around the build rather than the build itself. Make sure your quote says whether these are included:
- Domain name — usually around £10–£20 a year for a .co.uk or .com.
- Hosting — anything from a few pounds a month to £50+ depending on traffic and what your site does.
- Business email — typically a few pounds per user per month.
- Copywriting and photography — often £50–£150 per page for copy, and a few hundred pounds for a photo shoot.
- Paid plugins, apps and payment fees — especially on platforms like Shopify, Wix and WordPress.
- Maintenance — updates, backups and small changes after launch.
DIY builder or a professional? A quick rule of thumb
If you’re just testing an idea, a DIY builder is fine. Once your website needs to bring in enquiries, take bookings or sell products — and you want to show up when people in Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath or Brighton search for what you do — a professionally built site usually pays for itself. We compare the options in more detail in Wix vs Squarespace vs a custom website.
How we price websites at xex dev
We’re a small studio based in Burgess Hill, so there’s no agency overhead. Every project gets a fixed, itemised quote based on what you actually need, and we’ll tell you honestly if a simpler (cheaper) option would do the job. See our complete website build, e-commerce and hosting & support services, or get a free quote.