When most people think about website costs, they think about the upfront bill — and those can range from a few hundred to several thousand pounds. But there's another way to look at it: what does a website actually cost per month, ongoing?
Whether you pay upfront or monthly, understanding the true total cost helps you make a better decision.
The hidden costs of a one-off website build
When you pay a web designer a one-off fee, that's not where the costs end. After launch, you're typically looking at:
- Hosting: £10–£50/month depending on your provider
- Domain renewal: around £15–£25/year
- SSL certificate: often bundled with hosting, but not always
- Maintenance: security patches, updates, fixes — £50–£200/month if you pay someone, or your own time if you handle it
- Changes and updates: most designers charge hourly for edits after launch
Add it up, and a £1,500 one-off website often costs another £100–£200/month to run properly. Over two years, you could be looking at £4,000–£5,000 all in.
What a managed monthly website costs
Our Managed Starter Website bundles everything into one fixed monthly fee from £50/month. That includes:
- A professionally built, AI-assisted website with fast turnaround
- Your own domain and hosting
- SSL, security, and daily backups
- Small changes as you need them
- Two new pages added every month — your choice of topic, or our SEO-recommended picks
No large upfront cost. No surprise bills. Everything is covered.
Is monthly or one-off better value?
It depends on your situation.
If you have the budget and need a fully bespoke design built around a specific brief or complex functionality, a custom web design project is the right call.
But for sole traders, start-ups, and small businesses that need a clean, professional website that ranks on Google and generates enquiries, the managed monthly route often makes more sense. You're not paying for complexity you don't need, and there are no surprise maintenance bills.
The two pages a month difference
One of the most underrated parts of a managed website is the content growth. Two new pages per month adds up quickly — over a year that's 24 additional pages, each one a potential ranking opportunity on Google. Most one-off builds are static for years. A website that grows consistently will outperform a static one over time.
The ROI question
For most small businesses, a single new customer is worth anywhere from £100 to several thousand pounds. If your website generates even one extra enquiry per month — which a properly set up site should do within a few months — it's already paying for itself several times over.
The question isn't whether you can afford a website. It's whether you can afford one that doesn't work.
Get a free website plan and we'll show you exactly what's included and what it would look like for your business.