There are a lot of ways to create websites, but WordPress is one of the top choices for those who want a professional yet affordable website created in the UK. For small business owners, consultants or online retailers, WordPress site design and development is the most used and trusted solution.
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that enables you to build websites, blogs, or eCommerce platforms using themes and plugins, with no need for advanced coding skills.
Cost Of A WordPress Website - Hire An Expert
When it comes to building your WordPress website, the options are vast and flexible, catering to different budgets and business needs. Whether you're looking for a pre-designed theme or a fully custom solution, understanding your options can help you make an informed decision.
Here's a breakdown of what you can expect when considering WordPress web design in the UK, along with practical tips to make the most of your investment.
A) Specialist WordPress Agency
If you're looking for a bespoke website that reflects your brand identity, hiring a WordPress agency is the best option. A web development company provides end-to-end solutions, ensuring your website is visually stunning, functional, secure and optimised for search engines.
Why Choose an Agency?
- Customisation: Bespoke designs tailored to your specific business needs and goals
- WordPress Support: Ongoing maintenance if required, SEO, branding or design services, web host and more
- Advanced Features: Integration of complex functionalities eg. eCommerce, booking systems, membership portals
- Expert Team: Your work with a group of skilled team members in each field
UK Pricing of Web Design Agency:
- Custom WordPress Website: £3,000 - £5,000 [Up to 6 pages + CMS system]
- Landing Page: £1,000 - £1,500 [One page]
- eCommerce Website: £5,000 - £10,000 [WooCommerce]
- WordPress SEO: £150 - £200/page [OnPage S E O] or +£350/month [Backlink building]
- Logo Design: £300 - £500 [3x concepts]
- Digital Marketing: +£500/month
Cost per hour: £50 - £100
Recommendation: Perfect for any business interested in launching a strong, scalable online footprint. It’s the best route for those looking to invest in long-term digital growth with professional support at every stage.
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B) Freelance WordPress Developer
Freelancers offer a more cost-effective solution for businesses with smaller budgets or specific project needs. Whether you need minor updates, small theme customisation, or to build a WordPress website, freelancers provide flexibility and affordability.
Why Choose a Freelancer?
- Affordability: Low starting costs and maintenance
- Flexibility: Ideal for one-off projects or smaller tasks
- Quick Turnaround: Delivers projects faster, which is beneficial for projects with tight deadlines
UK Pricing of Freelance Designers:
- Custom WordPress Website: £1,000 - £3,000 [Up to 6 pages + CMS system]
- Landing Page: £500 - £1,000 [One page]
- eCommerce Website: £2,000 - £5,000
- Logo Design: £200 - £300 [3x concepts]
Cost per hour: £35 - £75
Recommendation: Best for small projects and companies that are taking their first steps on the market. If you prioritise quickness, cost efficiency and minimal website functionality, then hiring a freelancer is advisable. It’s a practical route to establish your online presence without long-term commitments.
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C) DIY WordPress Site
For individuals with financial constraints, there exists an alternative. With thousands of free themes, page builders, tutorials and with the ultimate website planning guide it’s possible to launch a professional-looking site without hiring a web developer.
Why Isn't Recommended?
- Time-Consuming: Building even a basic site can take 20 - 50 hours if you're unfamiliar with WordPress
- Technical Limitations: Without development skills, you may struggle with customisation, speed & mobile responsiveness
- Security Risks: Misconfigured plugins or a lack of updates can leave your site vulnerable
- Poor SEO & UX: DIY sites often lack the structure, speed and optimisation needed to rank well and convert users
- Hidden Costs: Premium themes, plugins, or mistakes that need fixing can add up quickly and significantly increase the cost of your website.
WordPress Website Pricing - Tools & Essentials
The cost to build a WordPress website, breakdown for every website owner setting up and running a WP website in the UK:
🌐 1. Domain Name
Domain cost is your unique website address (e.g. www.fitdesignldn.com)
- Overall Cost: £10 - £20/year
- Registrar Examples: 123 Reg, GoDaddy, Namecheap, Dreamhost
Recommendation: When selecting a domain name, make sure it is meaningful and easy to remember. If seeking an audience in the United Kingdom, pick a .co.uk domain to build trust.
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🖥️ 2. Website Hosting
Required to store your website files and keep your site live.
- Shared Hosting (entry-level): £5 - £10/month
- Managed WordPress Hosting (recommended): £10 - £25/month
- Popular UK Hosts: Krystal, SiteGround UK, Fasthosts
Recommendation: Choose managed WordPress hosting and avoid shared hosting to guarantee performance, built-in security and quick support.
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🔒 3. SSL Certificate
Encrypts your site (https://) for security and trust, which is an essential aspect of website design costs.
- Cost: Often included with hosting
- Premium SSL: £30 - £50/year if purchased separately
Recommendation: To manage admin credentials securely, especially on multi-user sites, we highly recommend using an enterprise password manager to ensure protection and reduce unauthorised logins.
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🧩 4. Premium Plugins & Extensions
Add-ons for SEO, backups, security, speed optimisation, etc.
- SEO (e.g. Yoast Premium / Rank Math Pro): £90 - £100/year
- Backup & Security Plugins (e.g. UpdraftPlus, Wordfence Pro): £50 - £120/year
- Performance/Caching (e.g. WP Rocket): £40 - £60/year
- Optional WooCommerce Add-ons: £50 - £300+ depending on features
Recommendation: If you want an optimised and secure website, especially for a large website, consider premium / paid plugins that improve performance, security and SEO. Avoid adding too many plugins that will bloat your site.
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📊 5. Analytics & Tracking Tools
For performance insights, user behaviour and tracking.
- Google Analytics & Search Console: Free
- Premium tools (optional): SE Ranking, Screaming Frog, SEObility: £20 - £60/month
Recommendation: Start using Google Analytics and Search Console from day one, then move up to more advanced tools.
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🧱 6. Website Builders
You have several drag-and-drop options to design and build a page.
Elementor Pro: A popular website builder that enables you to create custom websites without having to code.
- Essential Plan: £48/year
- Advanced Solo Plan: £72/year
Oxygen Builder: One of the best WordPress design tools available if you want to build a website that attracts customer attention and boosts conversions.
- Lifetime Plan: $199.50
Divi Builder: Gives you complete control of your website's design and lets users edit in real-time, with tons of options for custom CSS.
- Divi Pro: $89/year or $249/lifetime
Recommendation: If you opt for a DIY website, choose a template over site builders. Alternatively, use Elementor for ease of use and user friendliness.
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⚙️ 7. Website Maintenance Costs
Running a WordPress website doesn’t end after launch - ongoing maintenance is essential to keep your site secure, fast and up to date.
- DIY Maintenance: No charge (but very time-consuming and requires technical know-how)
- Freelancer: £100 – £250 per month, depending on the scope
- Web Design Companies: £250 – £500 per month for ongoing support, updates, security checks, performance optimisations
Recommendation: Don't forget about maintenance, even if you begin with doing everything by yourself. Sign up for a retainer plan or reach out to an expert to audit your site before and after launch.
Benefits of WordPress Websites
1. User-Friendly: Easy to operate and manage, no coding experience required
2. Fully Responsive: The website looks stylish and works smoothly on all devices, including mobiles and tablets
3. SEO-Friendly: Easy to rank utilising various paid plugins
4. Secure: With additional plugins, you can keep your site safe from threats
5. Widely Supported: Most popular CMS platforms in the world come with a huge WordPress community & lots of resources
6. Flexible & Scalable: Supporting everything from simple blogs to full-scale eCom stores
7. Low Entry Cost: WordPress is free to start with, but web hosting and a domain are necessary to create a fully functional site.
Drawbacks of WordPress Websites
1. Performance Can Suffer: Poor hosting or too many plugins can slow down your site
2. Premium Features Often Paid: Many advanced themes, plugins, and tools come with additional costs
3. Steeper Learning Curve for Customisation: Truly bespoke changes may require some coding or developer support
4. Ongoing Maintenance Required: Regular updates, backups, and security checks are essential for stability and protection
Custom WordPress Development Process
Creating a WordPress website from scratch means no templates or readymade themes. The website built is specifically designed and coded to accommodate your business objectives, needs & vision.
1. Discovery & Digital Strategy
- In-depth discovery session to understand your business, audience and competitors
- Defining the core structure of the website, the user flow and key objectives
- Planning the functional requirements and desired outcomes
- Sitemap design of existing pages
2. Wireframing / UI Design
- Low-fidelity wireframe design
- High-fidelity visuals using Figma
- Layout hierarchy and microinteractions design
3. Web Development
- Built from scratch
- Lightweight custom theme development
- Every line of code is tailored to your project [no pre-built frameworks, sections]
4. Advanced Functionality
- Booking systems, CRM data portals, eCommerce systems
- Interactive modules & dynamic content areas based on your workflow
- Integration of custom plug-ins or unique solutions
5. Content Population
- Uploading and styling content
- Optimising visual assets
- Assistance with content production if required
6. SEO & Technical Optimisation
- On-page SEO implementation: meta titles, descriptions, headings, image alt tags, schema markup
- Configuring SEO plugins: Rank Math, Yoast Pro
- Connecting Google Search Console, Analytics
- Optimising Page Speed & structure to comply with Core Web Vitals
7. QA Testing & Pre-Launch
- Testing responsiveness across all devices and browsers
- Run speed and performance audits: GTmetrix, Lighthouse, Pingdom
- Verifying links, forms and interaction
- Fixing any bugs or issues before the launch is scheduled
8. Launch & Post-Launch Support
- Launching the site and tracking performance
- Providing training or walkthroughs
- Offering warranty and support for 30 days
- Optional retainer plans are available on request
Examples: Affordable WordPress Templates
The following list showcases various WordPress themes in different categories for businesses on shoe string budget:
1. Restaurant
- Description: One of the most popular restaurant themes. An elegant website theme that has a gallery section and many options for fonts, icons and colors.
- Price: €95 one-time purchase
- URL: https://pixelgrade.com/themes/restaurants/rosa-lt
2. Real Estate
- Description: Various well structured themes with many unique demos to choose from that have been created for different types of websites in the real estate industry.
- Price: $129/year
- URL: https://wprealestate.com/wordpress-real-estate-themes
3. Construction
- Description: Has everything you need to launch a professional construction company site. Appealing to the eye with a modern and clean design.
- Price: $129 one-time purchase
- URL: https://shtheme.com/demosd/metallex1
4. Fitness
- Description: It comes with affordable and relevant layouts that can work in many different settings. You can use it for a fitness club, a personal trainer website or a health coach business.
- Price: $149 one-time purchase
- URL: https://kaliumtheme.com
5. Business Services
- Description: User-friendly moden themes for businesses in every niche. Build a cost effective website that looks good and attracts visitors.
- Price: $59 one-time fee
- URL: https://www.portotheme.com/wordpress/porto_landing
7. Retail/Consumer Goods
- Description: Many themes that are fully compatible with WooCommerce, so you can easily sell products from this platform right away! The homepage layout features an image slider that makes beautiful photos pop against the white background.
- Price: $79/year
- URL: https://www.cssigniter.com
8. Beauty/Spa
- Description: Iwill make your beauty spa or salon website look amazing. It comes with a clean and minimal design, as well as all the features you need to showcase your services and products.
- Price: $69
- URL: https://oaza.qodeinteractive.com
WordPress Website Design Questions
The cost of building a WordPress website for your business and design costs will vary based on the features to your website and the custom web design required.
WHAT IS WORDPRESS?
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that allows you to create and manage a website without coding. WordPress offers flexible tools for building everything from blogs to full business sites.
You can start with a free website or invest in a fully bespoke solution. There’s more than one type of WordPress - WordPress.com (hosted) and WordPress.org (self-hosted), each suited to different needs and budgets.
WHAT IS A WORDPRESS THEME?
A website theme or a template is a collection of files that determine the look and feel of a WordPress website. There are thousands of free and premium themes available in marketplaces.
Some popular WordPress template directories: Themeforest, WordPress.com, Creativemarket
WHAT IS A WORDPRESS PLUGIN?
A plug-in is a software application that adds features or functionality to WordPress sites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress.
There are over 55,000 plugins available, ranging from simple functions like contact forms to complex e-commerce solutions.
WHAT IS WOOCOMMERCE?
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that enables you to turn your WordPress website into an online shop, which may require you to pay for a WordPress website to access premium features. It's a popular option for eCommerce as the platform can be turned into a powerful shop.
The plugin is free but you will need to pay for some features and add-ons. These additional features can include advanced shipping options, payment gateways, and enhanced marketing tools, which may impact the cost of your store.
HOW MUCH DOES A WORDPRESS WEBSITE COST?
The cost of your WordPress website in the UK depends on several factors - including the level of customization, required features, and whether you hire a freelance web designer or partner with a professional web design company.
- Small business website: £3,000 - £5,000
- Self-employed web design cost: £1,500 - £3,000
- eCommerce store: £4k+
Conclusion - WordPress Website Cost
Building a WordPress website is a smart, cost-effective way to build your website for your business, without needing to code. However, with so many similar sites online, it’s easy to end up with something generic.
If you’re unsure what might affect the cost of WordPress websites, or want to understand the full cost of WordPress development, get in touch with Fit Design to create a site that truly stands out.
