People ask “how much for a website?” as if there is one product. There isn’t. A five-page brochure, a WooCommerce shop and a client portal are different jobs. This is how I price them in 2026, as a solo Essex designer-developer — guide bands, not a mystery day-rate.
The guide bands I publish
- From £500 — basic. About five core pages, mobile layout, a contact form, basic SEO, SSL and launch help. Fine when you need to look like a real business quickly.
- From £1,200 — business. Around 10–12 pages, a proper design direction, WordPress with training, SEO foundations, a short support window after launch.
- From £2,400 — shop. WooCommerce (or a lean storefront for a small range): products, payments, shipping, order emails, mobile checkout, training.
- From £3,000+ — custom. Logins, portals, integrations. Written architecture after a short chat.
Those are starting points. Your quote is the number that matters, and it is fixed for the agreed work.
What actually moves the price
- Content readiness. No copy, no photos, no idea of pages = time. Either you supply it or we budget for help.
- How many products / locations / services. Ten products is not two hundred.
- Payments and mail. Stripe is normal. Fragile SMTP and “we never got the order email” is extra work if the current setup is a mess.
- Logins. The moment staff or customers sign in, you have left brochure-land.
- Migrations. Old URLs must redirect or you donate your Google traffic to a 404.
What is usually included vs not
Usually in a package quote: design and build for the agreed pages, mobile layout, forms, basic SEO, SSL/launch help, WordPress training when WordPress is the stack.
Usually separate: monthly hosting/care, deep SEO campaigns, huge product imports, a brand-new logo system, unlimited revisions after sign-off.
How to get a number that does not move
- List the pages (or features) you need live in phase one.
- Say who edits the site after launch.
- Say whether anyone pays online.
- Send the current URL if you have one.
- Name a deadline if it is real.
I will reply within a working day with fit, a band, and any risks. If we proceed you get a written scope. That is the contract, not a homepage price tile.
VAT, deposits, retainers
VAT status is confirmed on the formal quote. A deposit usually books the schedule. Hosting and care are monthly guides (from about £20 for hosting-only, more if I am updating WordPress for you) — see the care page.
Cheap is expensive when the form never arrives and the shop cannot take a payment on a phone.
Want a number for your brief? Send it →
