GUIDE2026 PRICES
How to hire someone to build a website for your business
Your options, what each one really costs in 2026, the questions to ask and the red flags to avoid.
Updated · By the Kiosko team
The short answer
You can hire a freelancer, a small web design agency, or a monthly website service, or use a service that builds the site for you. In our October 2026 check of 55 small providers, the median starting price for a complete small business website was £499 in the UK and $2,549 in the US, and monthly plans ran from about £30 to £99 a month in the UK and $150 to $175 in the US. Before you hire anyone, decide what the website needs to do, set a budget for the first two years, and make sure the domain will be registered in your name.
Who can build a website for you?
| Option | Typical starting price | Ongoing cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance marketplace (Upwork, Fiverr) | Varies widely | Usually none, changes paid separately | Small, well-defined jobs if you can judge quality |
| Local freelancer | UK from about £449; US from about $475 | Optional care plan | A custom site with one person you can call |
| Small web design agency | UK median £499; US median $2,549 | Hosting and changes, often monthly | Several pages, custom design, a team |
| Monthly website plan | About £30–£99 or $150–$175 a month | The monthly fee is the price | No upfront cost, changes included |
| Build it yourself (Wix, Squarespace) | $0 | About $17–$19/month billed yearly | People with time who like doing it themselves |
| Built for you by chat (Kiosko) | $0 | $0, or $8/month with your own domain | A simple site with products, prices and hours |
← swipe the table →
Starting prices from small providers' own pricing pages, checked October 2026 (see our web design prices 2026 report). Builder prices from Wix and Squarespace pricing pages.
Hiring on a freelance marketplace
Sites like Upwork and Fiverr let you post a job or browse sellers offering website packages. Prices range from very cheap to agency level, and quality varies just as much.
- Good fit if
- You know exactly what you want, can judge a portfolio and are happy to manage the project yourself.
- Watch out for
- Who hosts the site afterwards, who owns the domain, and what happens when you need a change in six months and the freelancer has moved on.
Hiring a local freelancer or small agency
A local web designer gives you one person or a small team to talk to, a custom design and help with the content. In our data, small UK providers started at a median of £499 for a complete site, and US agencies at a median of $2,549. Many charge a monthly fee for hosting and updates after launch, and the cheapest packages are often a single page.
- Good fit if
- You want a site designed around your brand, several pages, or features like online payments.
- Watch out for
- The price of changes after launch, and whether you can update the site yourself.
Paying monthly instead of upfront
Some providers build your site for no upfront fee and charge a monthly price instead, usually including hosting and a set amount of changes. In our check, these ran from about £30 to £99 a month in the UK, C$25 to C$150 in Canada and $150 to $175 in the US.
- Good fit if
- You'd rather not pay a lump sum and want someone else to handle changes.
- Watch out for
- Minimum terms (one UK provider we checked has a 24-month minimum) and what happens to your site and domain if you stop paying.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
Red flags when hiring someone to build your website
- 01
The domain is registered in their name. If you part ways, you could lose your web address.
- 02
No clear price for changes. "We'll quote for that" on every small update adds up fast.
- 03
No examples of real work. Ask for links to live sites, not just screenshots.
- 04
A long contract for a simple site. A 24-month minimum for a one-page site is a lot of commitment.
- 05
Everything paid upfront. Many providers split payment into a deposit and a final payment on launch.
- 06
Promises of "page one on Google". Nobody can guarantee rankings.
If you just need a simple website, made for you
If what you need is a clear page with your products or services, prices, hours and a way for customers to reach you, you may not need to hire anyone. With Kiosko you message us on WhatsApp, answer a few questions and send photos, and your website is built from the chat in about two minutes. Changes work the same way, and they're free and unlimited.
It's not a replacement for a custom-designed site or an online shop with payments. Customers order or book through WhatsApp buttons, and on paid plans you can add a booking calendar, contact form and blog. For a full comparison of the costs, see our small business website cost guide.
From the first message to a live page in about two minutes.
Start yoursKiosko plans
Annual
$96/year- Same as $8/month
- Your own domain free for the first year
- Unlimited pages and products
- No Kiosko footer
- Unlimited updates by WhatsApp
- "Order on WhatsApp" button ✓
- Cancel anytime
Monthly
$8/month- Your own domain for $19/year
- Unlimited pages and products
- No Kiosko footer
- Unlimited updates by WhatsApp
- "Order on WhatsApp" button ✓
- Cancel anytime
Free
$0- Forever
- Up to 2 pages, 10 products
- yourname.onkiosko.com
- Kiosko footer on your page
- Unlimited updates by WhatsApp
- "Order on WhatsApp" button ✓
- No email, card or sign-up
$8 a month. Or pay for the year and your domain is on us. Compare website packages.
Domain renewal from year two: $19/year, billed separately. Own domains require confirming your email within 15 days of registration, a rule set by domain registries.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost to hire someone to build a website?
In our October 2026 check of 55 small web designers, the median starting price for a complete small business website was £499 in the UK, $2,549 in the US, A$1,100 in Australia, C$999 in Canada and NZ$940 in New Zealand. Larger agencies usually charge more.
Can I pay someone to create a website for me?
Yes. You can hire a freelancer, a small agency or a monthly website service, or use a service that builds the site for you. Agree in writing on the number of pages, the ongoing costs, how changes work, and that the domain is in your name.
Who can build a website for me?
Freelancers (found locally or on marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr), small web design agencies, monthly website services, or done-for-you services like Kiosko, which builds your site from a WhatsApp chat.
How long does it take to have a website built?
A simple site from a freelancer or agency usually takes from a few days to several weeks, depending on how quickly you supply your text and photos. With Kiosko, a simple site is live in about two minutes.
Should I pay for a website upfront or monthly?
Upfront usually costs more on day one but less over several years; monthly spreads the cost and often includes changes. Compare the total cost over two years, and check for minimum terms.
SOURCES
- Kiosko, "Web design prices 2026", data collected 15 October 2026 (55 providers' published prices).
- Squarespace pricing page, checked October 2026.
- Wix plans page, checked October 2026.