A professional website for a Dorset small business costs between £2,000 and £8,000 in 2026, depending on who builds it and what it needs to do. DIY builders start from around £150 a year, freelancers typically charge £500 to £3,000, and e-commerce builds run from £3,000 upwards. Running costs add £300 to £1,500 a year.
That's the short answer. The longer answer is why three quotes for "the same website" can come back at £600, £4,000 and £15,000, and how to work out which one is right for your business. We're a studio in Sherborne and we quote these projects every week, so this guide uses real numbers, not vague "it depends" hedging.
What are the three ways to get a website built?
There are three routes: build it yourself on a platform like Squarespace or Wix, hire a freelancer, or work with an agency. Each is legitimate. They're different products at different prices, and the right one depends on how much your website matters to how you make money.
DIY builders (£150 to £500 a year). Squarespace, Wix and similar tools let you build something presentable in a weekend or two. If you're a sole trader who just needs to be findable, this is a sensible starting point. The trade-offs are real, though: template limits, weaker SEO foundations, and 20 to 40 hours of your own time, which isn't free if you'd otherwise be earning.
Freelancers (£500 to £3,000 for a basic site). A good freelancer gives you a custom or semi-custom site without agency overheads. The risk is continuity. If they're ill, your project stops. If they move on, you may struggle to find someone willing to work on their build. For plenty of Dorset businesses this is the right call anyway.
Agencies (£2,000 to £8,000+ for most small business sites). You're paying for a team, a process, and someone who answers when things break. Large agencies start at £10,000 and climb fast. Regional studios like ours sit well below that, because we're not funding a city-centre office or three layers of account management.
What does a website actually cost from a Dorset agency?
Most small business websites from a regional agency land between £2,000 and £6,000 in 2026. That typically covers a custom-designed 5 to 10 page site with proper mobile optimisation, SEO foundations, and a content management system you can update yourself. E-commerce starts around £3,000 for a straightforward shop and rises with product count and integrations.
Being outside London helps you here. A London agency will often charge double for the same specification, and the extra rarely ends up on your homepage.
In the interest of transparency, here's what we charge at The Artist Studio:
- Landing page or single-page site: from £1,200
- Brochure site (5 to 8 pages): £1,800 to £3,000
- E-commerce (Shopify or Webflow): from £4,000
- Branding alongside a build: from £5,000
Every site is designed and built on Webflow or Shopify, and you own everything at the end. No lock-in.
What running costs should I budget for after launch?
Plan for £300 to £1,500 a year on top of the build. That covers hosting (a Webflow site runs roughly £180 to £300 a year on 2026 plans), your domain (£10 to £20), and any maintenance or content support. A cheap build with expensive upkeep often costs more over three years than a solid build with modest running costs.
This is where "cheap" websites get expensive. Always ask what the quote includes: domain, hosting, SSL, and what happens when something needs fixing six months in. The advertised price is rarely the final price, and the difference is usually hiding in year two.
Why do quotes vary so much for the same brief?
Because they're not building the same website. A £900 quote and a £6,000 quote usually differ on four things: whether the design is custom or a template with your logo dropped in, whether copywriting and SEO are included or extra, how much strategy happens before anyone opens a design tool, and what support exists after launch.
Compare what's included, not the headline number. When Shirley's Cider or Rose of Jericho came to us, the build itself was only part of the work. The part that moves the needle is understanding what the site needs to do commercially, then designing for that. A beautiful site that doesn't convert is an expensive brochure.
When is it worth paying more?
When your website directly generates enquiries or sales. If most of your new customers find you online, the gap between an adequate site and a good one shows up in revenue every month, and it compounds. A food or drink brand selling direct, a retailer with an online shop, a service business that lives on enquiry forms: these are the businesses where underspending costs more than overspending.
If your website is genuinely just a digital business card, spend less. We'll tell you that in a first conversation, because a £5,000 site you didn't need is a bad outcome for everyone, including us. Around 80% of our clients come back for a second project, and that only happens if the first one was honestly scoped.
Answered questions
How much does a basic 5-page website cost in Dorset?
From a freelancer, typically £1,000 to £3,000. From a regional agency, £2,000 to £6,000 depending on design complexity and whether copy and SEO are included. DIY builders cost £150 to £500 a year if you build it yourself.
How long does a website take to build?
Most small business websites take 4 to 8 weeks from briefing to launch. Simple brochure sites can be quicker; e-commerce and heavily custom builds take longer. The most common delay isn't design, it's waiting on content and photography.
Is a Webflow website more expensive than WordPress?
The builds cost similar amounts. The difference is what happens after. Webflow hosting is roughly £180 to £300 a year with security and updates included, while a well-maintained WordPress site typically needs paid plugins, hosting and periodic developer fixes that add up to more over time.
How much does an online shop cost?
A starter e-commerce site with a modest product range typically costs £3,000 to £8,000 in 2026. Larger shops with custom integrations range well beyond that. Factor in payment processing fees too, usually around 1.5% to 2.9% plus a small fixed fee per transaction.
Do I really need an agency, or will a freelancer do?
If the project is a straightforward brochure site and you've found a freelancer with strong live work, a freelancer can be great value. An agency earns its fee when the site matters commercially: when you need strategy, branding, SEO and design working together, and support that's still there next year.
The Artist Studio is a boutique digital agency in Sherborne, working with brands across Dorset and Somerset. If you'd like a straight answer on what your project would cost, get in touch and we'll tell you, even if the answer is "you don't need us yet".
By Chris at The Artist Studio
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