Most guides tell you what a website costs to build. Far fewer explain what it costs to keep running every month, which is the part that catches people out. A site is not a one-off purchase like a kettle. It needs hosting, security, the odd update, and ideally some ongoing work to keep bringing in customers.
This guide breaks down the realistic monthly cost of a small business website in the UK, so you can budget properly and spot when you are overpaying. For the one-off build price, see my separate guide on how much a website costs in the UK.
What you are actually paying for each month
A monthly website cost usually covers some mix of these:
- Hosting and SSL. The server your site lives on, plus the padlock that keeps it secure. Non-negotiable.
- Domain. Your
.co.ukor.com, usually billed yearly but works out to a pound or two a month. - Security and maintenance. Software and plugin updates, malware monitoring, and backups. Skip this and a site quietly breaks or gets hacked.
- Content edits. Changing prices, adding a service, swapping photos. Small jobs that add up if you pay per change.
- Local SEO. The ongoing work that keeps you visible on Google. Optional, but it is what turns a website from a brochure into a lead source.
- Support. Having someone to fix things when they go wrong, instead of a ticket queue.
Typical monthly costs in the UK
Rough market ranges, so you know what is normal:
- DIY builders (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy): around £15 to £40 a month. Cheap, but you build and maintain everything yourself, and you are renting their platform.
- Managed hosting and maintenance (a developer or small agency): roughly £20 to £50 a month for hosting, updates, security, and support handled for you.
- Ongoing local SEO: this is where prices jump. Many agencies charge £300 to £800+ a month for SEO alone, often on a contract.
- Big-agency retainers: £1,000+ a month, usually overkill for a local business.
The honest takeaway: hosting and maintenance should be cheap. The cost that varies wildly is ongoing marketing, so only pay for it if you actually want growth, not just to stay online.
What I charge, and why it is simple
I keep it to two monthly plans: a Starter plan and a Pro plan, with no contracts and no lock-in. Starter keeps your site hosted, secure, and supported. Pro adds the ongoing content and local SEO work that grows your visibility. You only pay for the level you actually need, and you can move between them any time.
What if you cannot afford the upfront build?
The other monthly cost worth knowing about is paying for the build itself monthly instead of in one lump. Rather than finding several hundred pounds up front, you can spread it: a pay monthly website is £0 upfront, a fixed monthly fee, and you own the site outright after a year. It is the cheapest way to get online properly without a big bill, and unlike most pay-monthly offers, you are not renting it forever.
So what is reasonable?
For a typical small business or trade:
- Just staying online, looked after: budget around £20 to £40 a month.
- Online and actively growing (with local SEO): more, but it should pay for itself in enquiries. If it does not, change what you are doing.
- No big upfront budget: a pay-monthly, own-it-later option keeps the monthly predictable while you build the business up.
Be wary of two things: long contracts that trap you, and “cheap” monthly deals where you never own the website. Cheap to start can be expensive over years if you can never leave.
Ready to get clear numbers?
If you want a straight answer for your specific situation, tell me about your business and I will give you a fixed quote with no jargon and no pressure. Or browse all my pricing to see exactly what everything costs.