A website package is a fixed price for a set amount of work, usually a number of pages, a design and some setup. In the UK, the cheapest website packages give you a finished design and expect you to write the words, whilst dearer ones add copywriting, search setup and more pages. The design itself is rarely what the extra money pays for.
What does a website package usually include?
Whatever the price, a decent package should give you the following.
- a layout designed for phones first, then scaled up for desktop
- a stated number of pages, written into the quote
- a contact form that sends enquiries straight to your inbox
- basic SEO foundations, such as page titles, meta descriptions and a sitemap Google can read
- a launch on your own domain, not a subdomain of the builder’s
Those SEO foundations matter because search is where a lot of your customers will look first. Google Search is used by 82% of UK adults, according to Ofcom. Skip the basics and a well-designed site can sit there unseen.
What do you get at each price point?
Prices vary between providers, but the inclusions tend to step up in a similar order. If you want typical spend figures, our guide to how much a small business website costs covers those. Here’s what changes as the price rises.
Entry level means a template or ready-made site
You’re buying a finished design with your details added. Expect a fixed layout, and expect to supply your own copy. The difference between a good one and a poor one is underneath. A properly built ready-made site loads quickly and works on a phone, whilst a cheap one can be a theme with the demo text swapped out.
Mid range means a small bespoke site
The layout is planned around your business, usually across a handful of pages with one for each main service. Some include copywriting and some don’t, so check before you compare quotes.
Upper range means a larger site with copy and integrations
A bigger site, copy written for search, and tools like online booking, WhatsApp and a reviews feed. Google Business Profile setup is more likely to be included at this level rather than charged as an extra.
Enterprise and custom platforms
Large sites, complex features or a platform other than WordPress. These are normally scoped on a call and quoted for the project, not sold off a price list.
What’s often left out of a website package?
- Copywriting. Many packages assume you’ll supply the words. Writing five good pages of copy takes longer than most owners expect, and the words decide whether a visitor gets in touch.
- Hosting. Some prices include a year, some include none. Ask what it costs once any first-year deal ends, and what it covers.
- Email on your domain. An address like you@yourbusiness.co.uk is rarely part of a package. Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which includes custom-domain email, is listed at £5.40 per user a month plus VAT on a yearly plan.
- Google Business Profile. The profile is free from Google, but setting it up properly, with the right categories, services and photos, is often left to you.
- Edits after launch. Changing a price or adding a new team photo may be billed by the hour. Check whether any monthly edits are included.
- Images. Custom images usually cost extra, and your own photos may need cropping and resizing.
What does our own package ladder look like?
Here’s how we price ours, as one worked example. Every package below Enterprise is built on WordPress, designed mobile-first and set up with basic SEO foundations.
| Package | Price | What you get | Time to launch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ready-made, site only | £795 +VAT | One of five finished styles, branded with your name, words and images | Within 14 working days of us having your details |
| Ready-made, done for you | £995 +VAT | The same, plus copywriting, SEO setup and five custom images | Within 14 working days of us having your details |
| Standard | £1,495 +VAT | A bespoke site of up to five pages with copy written for search, for a business with more than one service to explain | 14 working days |
| Plus | £2,995 +VAT | Up to nine pages, copy written for search, a booking widget, WhatsApp, Google Reviews and Google Business Profile setup | 30 to 45 working days |
| Enterprise | Quoted after a discovery call | More than nine pages, or a platform beyond WordPress | Depends on the project |
The 14 working days only count time the work is with us. If we’re waiting on your words or photos, the clock stops until they arrive.
Hosting is a separate monthly cost. Ready-made sites launch on Foundation hosting at £89 a month +VAT for 12 months, which covers managed hosting, daily backups, updates and a contact form, but not content edits. If you’d like edits done for you, our hosting and support plans go up to Growth at £119 a month +VAT, with up to an hour of edits a month, and Hands-Off at £169 a month +VAT, with up to two hours. Extra work is £100 an hour +VAT. You can compare every tier side by side on our website packages page.
What should you ask before buying a website package?
- How many pages are included, and what does an extra one cost?
- Who writes the words, and if it’s you, when are they due?
- When does the launch clock start, and does it pause whilst they wait for your content?
- What does hosting cost after the first year, and what’s covered?
- Who owns the domain, and can you take the site elsewhere if you leave?
- Can you add pages later, or would that mean a rebuild?
- Is Google Business Profile setup part of the price?
A good provider will answer every one of these in writing. If you can’t get clear answers, expect extra costs later.
When is a bigger website package worth it?
Paying for the next level up makes sense when it takes on work you’d otherwise do badly or not at all. That tends to mean one of these.
- You’ve put off writing your own copy for months. A package with copywriting gets you live.
- Each of your services has different buyers, so one page can’t speak to all of them.
- You want people to book or message you from the site without picking up the phone.
- Most of your work comes from people nearby, so Google Business Profile setup and reviews on the site matter.
It isn’t worth it if you’re paying for pages you won’t fill. A tidy five-page site does more for you than a nine-page one padded out with thin content. If you’re unsure, start smaller. It’s easier to add to a site that works than to fix one that’s half empty. You can see where each tier starts and stops on our website packages page.
If you’re deciding between a finished design and a bespoke build, see ready-made or custom build. For online shops, Shopify or WordPress compares the running costs.
Common questions about what’s in a website package
Is a website package better than an hourly quote?
For most small business sites, yes. A package fixes the price and the scope before work starts. Hourly quotes suit large or unusual projects where nobody can pin the scope down yet.
Can I spread the cost of a website package?
Yes. Our Standard and Plus builds can be paid in three monthly payments direct with us. That’s £498.33 +VAT a month for Standard and £998.33 +VAT a month for Plus.
Can I upgrade my package later?
Yes. A ready-made site can grow into a Standard or Plus build when the business needs more. Because our packages run on WordPress, new pages slot in without starting again.
Will a cheaper package hurt my chances in Google?
Not on its own. What counts is whether the basics are done, such as clear page titles, a sitemap, quick loading on a phone and words that match what people search for. A modest site with those in place can do more for you than an expensive one without them.
