How much does a website cost in Scotland in 2026?
Template-based site: £500-2,000
Custom small business site: £1,500-5,000
E-commerce site: £3,000-15,000+
Custom web application: £10,000+
Website builder (DIY): £10-30/month
But those ranges are huge. Let's break down why.
What Actually Determines Cost
Think of building a website like building a house. You can get a prefab garden shed for £500, a standard 3-bed house for £250,000, or a custom mansion for millions. They're all "buildings," but completely different in scope.
Websites are similar.
Factor #1: Complexity
Simple brochure site (up to 5 pages):
- Homepage
- About
- Services
- Portfolio
- Contact
Time: 20-40 hours Cost range: £1,000-3,000
Mid-complexity site:
- Everything above, plus:
- Blog
- Custom forms
- Email integration
- Basic animations
- Content management system
Time: 40-80 hours Cost range: £3,000-8,000
E-commerce site:
- Product catalogue
- Shopping cart
- Payment processing
- Order management
- Customer accounts
- Inventory tracking
Time: 80-200 hours Cost range: £5,000-20,000
Custom web application:
- All custom functionality
- User dashboards
- Database integration
- API connections
- Advanced features
Time: 200+ hours Cost range: £15,000+
Factor #2: Design vs Template
Using a template:
- Choose from thousands of pre-made designs
- Customise colours, fonts, images
- Quick setup (days, not weeks)
- Cost: £500-2,000
Custom design:
- Designed specifically for your brand
- Unique to you
- Requires designer + developer
- Cost: £2,000-10,000+
Which is better: a template or custom design?
Neither is "better"—it depends on your needs. A template can look fantastic if customized well. Custom design makes sense when you need specific branding or functionality.
Factor #3: Who Builds It
DIY with website builder:
- Wix, Squarespace, Shopify
- You do everything yourself
- Cost: £10-50/month (your time is "free")
Freelancer:
- One person handling everything
- More affordable, potentially slower
- Quality varies widely
- Cost: £25-100/hour
Agency:
- Team of specialists
- More expensive, usually faster
- Quality more consistent
- Cost: £75-200/hour
Why the rate difference?
A Glasgow-based freelancer charging £50/hour might seem expensive until you realise:
- 10+ years experience in the Scottish market
- They handle design, development, and SEO
- They know how to avoid costly mistakes
- They finish in 30 hours what takes you 100
That £1,500 total is cheaper than struggling for months yourself.
Breaking Down a Typical Project
Let's walk through what you're actually paying for on a £5,000 website.
Discovery & Planning (10%, £500)
- Understanding your business and goals
- Researching your competitors
- Planning site structure
- Creating wireframes
Why it matters: This prevents expensive changes later. An hour planning can save ten hours rebuilding.
Design (25%, £1,250)
- Creating homepage mockup
- Designing 2-3 key page templates
- Choosing colours, fonts, imagery
- Revisions based on feedback
What you're paying for: Visual expertise. Knowing what converts visitors into customers.
Development (40%, £2,000)
- Building the actual website
- Making it work on all devices
- Implementing content management
- Setting up forms and integrations
What you're paying for: Technical skill and problem-solving. Making it look good AND work perfectly.
Content (10%, £500)
- Writing or editing website copy
- Optimising for SEO
- Sourcing or creating images
- Creating necessary graphics
Why it costs: Good copy sells. Bad copy loses customers. Professional writers understand psychology.
Testing & Launch (10%, £500)
- Testing on different browsers and devices
- Fixing bugs
- Setting up analytics
- Configuring hosting and domain
Why it's essential: You get one chance at a first impression. Launch broken and people won't come back.
Training & Documentation (5%, £250)
- Teaching you how to update content
- Creating documentation
- Explaining maintenance needs
Why is this important: You stay in control and save on future update costs.
Hidden Costs People Forget
Ongoing Costs
Domain name: £10-15/year
Hosting: £5-50/month depending on traffic
SSL certificate: Usually free (Let's Encrypt)
Email hosting: £3-10/month per inbox
Maintenance: £20-200/month
Typical annual cost: £200-2,000 after initial build
Future Updates
Websites aren't "one and done" Budget for:
Content updates:
- New blog posts
- Updated services/products
- Seasonal promotions
Do yourself or: £50-100/hour for someone else
Technical maintenance:
- Software updates
- Security patches
- Backup monitoring
- Performance optimisation
Cost: £50-200/month
Design refreshes:
- Every 3 years
- Minor updates: £300-1,500
- Full redesign: £1,000-5,000
What You Shouldn't Pay For a Small Website
Some things sound necessary but aren't:
"Premium" plugins: Most needs have free alternatives
Excessive revisions: 2-3 rounds is standard, more costs extra
Stock photos: Many free alternatives exist (Unsplash, Pexels)
Bloated hosting: Don't pay for 100,000 monthly visitors if you have 500
Annual website "maintenance" contracts: Often unnecessary for simple sites
How to Save Money (Without Compromising Quality)
Start Smaller
Launch with 3+ essential pages. Add features later as you grow and can afford them.
Do Some Work Yourself
You can handle:
- Writing initial content drafts
- Gathering images
- Creating a brand mood board
- Basic content updates after launch
Leave to professionals:
- Technical development
- Complex design decisions
- SEO optimisation
- Security setup
Use Templates Wisely
A well-customised £50 template can look as good as a £3,000 custom design if done right.
Bundle Services
Many agencies offer package deals:
- Website + Logo design
- Website + SEO setup
- Website + first year hosting
These bundles often save 15-25%.
Phase Your Project
Phase 1: Essential pages only
Phase 2: Add blog
Phase 3: Add e-commerce
Phase 4: Add custom features
Spread costs over 6-12 months.
Red Flags to Watch For
"£200 complete website"
- Either terrible quality or hidden costs
- Likely uses stolen templates
- No support after launch
"£10,000 minimum, any project"
- May be overcharging small businesses
- Unless you need genuine enterprise features
No contract or scope document
- "Unlimited revisions" sounds good until it isn't
- Always get agreement in writing
Unwilling to show portfolio
- Every legitimate developer has examples
- If they won't show work, run away
Requests 100% upfront
- Standard is 30-50% deposit, rest on completion
- Full payment upfront is risky
Getting Accurate Quotes
To get meaningful quotes, developers need to know:
1. What you want to achieve
- Sell products?
- Generate leads?
- Share information?
- Build community?
2. How many pages you need
- List them out
- Include special functionality each needs
3. What features are required
- Contact forms?
- Booking system?
- Payment processing?
- User accounts?
4. What you're providing vs what they're providing
- You write copy, or they write it?
- You have images, or need photography?
- You have brand guidelines, or need design from scratch?
5. Your timeline
- "As soon as possible" costs more
- 5-12 weeks is typical for custom sites
Sample Budgets for Different Businesses
Local Service Business (Scottish Tradesperson such as Plumber, Electrician, Cleaner)
What you need:
- 5-page website
- Contact forms
- Maps integration
- Mobile-optimised
- Local SEO setup
Budget: £1,000-3,000 Ongoing: £20-50/month
Professional Services (Scottish Consultant, Accountant, Solicitor)
What you need:
- 8-10 professional pages
- Blog functionality
- Newsletter sign-up
- Case studies/testimonials
- Polished design
Budget: £2,000-6,000 Ongoing: £30-100/month
E-commerce Store (Physical Products)
What you need:
- Product catalogue (up to 100 products)
- Shopping cart and checkout
- Payment processing
- Order management
- Customer accounts
Budget: £5,000-12,000 Ongoing: £50-300/month
SaaS or Web App
What you need:
- Custom functionality
- User dashboards
- Database integration
- API connections
- Ongoing development
Budget: £15,000+ Ongoing: £100-2,000/month
Questions to Ask Before Committing
Before signing any contract:
- "What's included in that price?" (Get it itemized)
- "How many revision rounds?" (2-3 is standard)
- "What happens if we need changes after launch?" (Hourly rate? Support period?)
- "Who owns the website code?" (You should own it)
- "What's the payment schedule?" (30-50% upfront is normal)
- "What's included in ongoing maintenance?" (If applicable)
- "Can I update content myself?" (You should be able to)
- "What if I'm not happy with the result?" (Get refund policy in writing)
The Bottom Line
A good business website is an investment, not an expense.
Think of it this way: If your website brings you two extra customers per month, and each customer is worth £500 profit, that's £12,000 annually. A £3,000 website pays for itself in 3 months.
Budget based on value, not just cost.
The cheapest option often costs more in the long run when you factor in:
- Lost sales from poor design
- Time wasted fixing problems
- Having to rebuild it properly later
Typical Scottish small business budget:
- Initial build: £1,500-5,000
- Annual running costs: £200-1,000
- Refresh every 3 years: £1,000-2,000
What to Do Next
- Define what you actually need (not what would be "nice to have")
- Set a realistic budget (including ongoing costs)
- Get 3 quotes (compare apples to apples)
- Check portfolios and references
- Start with essentials (add features later)
Remember: A £500 website that brings you customers is worth more than a £5,000 website that looks pretty but doesn't convert.
Need help figuring out what you need? Contact us for a free consultation. We'll give you advice about your options.