What does it really cost to run a website?

The build is only half the story. Ask most business owners what their website costs and they'll tell you the one-off price they paid, then admit, a bit sheepishly, that they're not sure what it costs to run. The truth is, running a website in the UK in 2026 costs far more than most people expect, and it's almost never in the first quote.

Here's the short version: a website needs hosting, a domain, maintenance, security and regular edits. Bought separately, those add up to £100+ a month for a typical small business site. Bundled into one subscription, it's £29.99/month all-in.

The five running costs nobody mentions

Every website has five recurring costs. Here's what they really are in the UK:

Now add those up. £15/month hosting, £20/month maintenance, one £75 edit a quarter, that's over £60/month, plus a domain. Over a year that's £700+. And that's a cheap version. It's exactly why agencies make their real money here, not on the design.

The per-edit trap

The sneakiest cost of all is the per-edit fee. Websites change all the time. New phone number. New price. A gallery photo from last week's job. Updated opening hours. If each of those is a £50-£100 invoice, you'll stop asking for changes, which means your website goes stale, which means it stops ranking, which means it stops bringing enquiries. That's the whole reason small businesses never update their website, and it's a slow, silent death.

When a site is bundled with small monthly edits, you actually keep it current. Fresh content, current prices, new photos, all included, so you do it. That's a huge difference in how well the site performs long-term.

Separate vs bundled: the real comparison

Buying everything separately means juggling hosting bills, domain renewals, maintenance retainers and per-edit invoices, from different providers, with different login details. Bundling it all into one monthly price is simpler, cheaper, and means one person is actually accountable for keeping it online.

Want to see your own number? Our website running cost calculator adds up what you'd pay separately and compares it to one simple monthly price. It takes about 30 seconds.

What to watch out for

• Bundled vs itemised. Ask if hosting and maintenance are included or billed separately.
• Per-edit charges. If every small change costs money, you'll stop making changes.
• Lock-in. If you can't take your files when you leave, you're renting, not owning.
• Who answers when it breaks. Cheap hosting often means no support when it matters.

The honest bottom line

Don't judge a website by its build price. Judge it by its total cost over three years, build, hosting, maintenance and edits. A cheap build with expensive ongoing costs is the worst deal of all. A slightly higher monthly price that covers everything is usually the better one.

If you want to know what running a website would genuinely cost for your business, the honest, full figure, get in touch. We'll show you the real numbers, and if a cheaper route is better for you, we'll say so.