Website Expenses: What You Really Pay to Build and Run a Site

Thinking about launching a new site? Before you pick a theme or sign up for a hosting plan, you need to know the actual money you’ll spend. It’s easy to focus on the flashy parts—like a slick design—but the hidden fees can bite you later. Below is a no‑fluff walk‑through of the biggest costs, so you can budget with confidence.

One‑time costs: design, development, and launch

The first chunk of cash usually goes to getting the site created. If you hire a freelancer or agency, expect to pay anywhere from £500 to £5,000 depending on complexity. A simple brochure site is on the low end; a custom eCommerce platform with integrations pushes the price higher.

DIY builders such as Wix, Squarespace, or Webflow let you cut the agency fee, but you still spend on premium templates and add‑ons—typically £50‑£200. Remember to factor in any branding work: logo design, colour palette, and style guide can add another £100‑£500.

Domain registration is a tiny line item, usually £10‑£20 per year for a .co.uk address. If you want a .com or a premium name, cost can jump to £100 or more.

Ongoing costs: hosting, maintenance, and marketing

Web hosting is the biggest recurring expense. Shared hosting starts at £3‑£5 per month, but it can’t handle heavy traffic. For a growing business, VPS or managed WordPress hosting ranges from £20‑£50 monthly. Cloud solutions like Google Cloud or AWS have free tiers, but once you exceed limits the bill can climb quickly, so keep an eye on usage.

Maintenance includes SSL certificates (often free with Let’s Encrypt, but paid options cost £50‑£150 yearly), regular backups, and software updates. If you aren’t comfortable handling these yourself, a maintenance contract might run £30‑£100 per month.

Marketing and SEO are ongoing investments that directly affect revenue. A modest SEO package—keyword research, on‑page tweaks, and link building—can be £200‑£500 each month. Paid ads, email tools, and analytics add another £50‑£300 depending on scale.

For eCommerce sites, transaction fees, payment gateway costs, and inventory software add up. Expect a 2‑3% charge per sale plus a small monthly fee for the payment provider.

Finally, don’t forget hidden costs like extra plugins, premium fonts, or stock images. Those tiny buys can total £100‑£300 a year.

By breaking down each line item, you avoid surprise invoices and can plan for growth. Track your spend in a simple spreadsheet: list the one‑time items, assign a yearly cost, and add monthly recurring fees. When you see the total, you’ll know whether you need to trim a feature or upgrade a service.

Bottom line: a basic site can launch for under £1,000 if you do most of the work yourself. A professional, fully‑featured eCommerce platform usually lands between £3,000‑£8,000 upfront plus £200‑£500 monthly. Keep an eye on each category, adjust as you grow, and your website will stay on budget while delivering the results you need.