For many businesses, a 4-page website is an ideal solution for maintaining a professional online presence. It’s cost-effective but spacious enough to include all the essential information. Before choosing, it is necessary to understand the cost of a website to determine if it’s right for your business’s needs and budget.
On average, a 4-page website can cost anywhere from £200 to £3,000. The actual price depends on multiple factors, including the design style and the method of website building. In this blog, we’ll break down these factors, explain what contributes to the £3,000 figure, and more. To begin, let’s look at what pages are usually included in a standard 4-page website. This will help us define the size and scope of the website we’re discussing.
What’s Typically Included in a 4-Page Website?
A 4-page website usually covers the essential information that every credible business should display online. It includes the business’s introduction, details about its products or services, and contact information. The goal here is to pack all the necessary information for a business display within 4 pages, ensuring the size remains compact and easily readable.
Layout designs can vary with different types of websites (which we’ll discuss later in detail), but most 4-page websites have the following core pages.
1. Homepage
The homepage is the introductory page of any website, which should create a strong first impression on visitors. It has two main purposes: to feature a clear headline that sums up the key services or products of the business and to guide visitors to other pages for more details. In short, it acts both as an introduction and a navigation centre.
2. About page
Businesses use this page to tell their story, which includes details like when it was established, who the products are for, and how it operates. It’s less about the lengthy text and more about building credibility. A well-organised About page tells visitors that the company has experience and entices them to learn more.
3. Services/products page
Depending on whether the business is service- or product-based, this page features what’s being offered. It usually includes a short description of each service or product, what customers should expect, and sometimes testimonials or website ratings for added proof of quality and further established credibility.
4. Contact page
The contact page is where most businesses turn visitors into paying customers, which means it acts like a leading page for many businesses. Typically, it features a booking or enquiry form, in addition to standard contact details such as email, phone number, and office locations for relevant businesses.
Compare Quotes From Professional Web Designers
Cost Components of a 4-page website
| Component | Frequency | Cost range |
|---|---|---|
|
Building |
One time |
£200 - £2,500 |
|
Domain |
Annual |
£0.01 and £20 |
|
Content |
One time |
£200 to £1,000 + |
|
Security |
Annual |
£30-£120 + |
|
SEO |
One time or bundled |
£150 - £500+ |
|
Hosting |
Monthly |
£3 to £100 |
|
Maintenance |
Monthly or annual |
£10-£100+ |
The main cost components of building websites remain the same, even for those with fewer pages. The difference in cost is mostly due to the scale of design and content, rather than in the technical aspects. Here’s what typically makes up the cost of a 4-page website:
Website Domain
The domain name of a website is basically its address, and the charges remain the same whether you build a 4-page website or a 5-page website. For UK websites, the domain looks like business.co.uk or business.com. This is an annual expense, charged in the range of £0.01 and £20.
Website Hosting
Website hosting can be shared or dedicated, depending on its type, size, and provider. With hosting, a business rents a “place over the cloud” to store and display its website-related data to visitors. The prices generally vary from £3 to £100 per month or more for dedicated hosting options.
For a small 4-page website, shared hosting should be sufficient, starting at £3 – £25 per month. This option is also scalable, meaning that if your site grows, you can upgrade to dedicated hosting for additional resources.
Website Building
It is the main cost for building the website, which takes up the major portion of the total budget. The exact charges depend on the type of website and whether the business has employed a DIY method or hired a freelance web designer to build it. The price also depends on the size of the website; for example, a single-page website will cost less than a 4-page website because smaller websites take less development time. Later in the blog, we’ll also look at the specific cost ranges based on three types of web designs for 4-page websites.
Website Content
While building the website, filler content and images are added to create the initial design. That’s why the business must provide relevant information to replace the generic content for a responsive web design. It can either provide the content itself for a minimum price or hire a content writer for £200 to £1,000 or more. For just 4 pages, costs will usually be at the lower end of this range.
Website Security
Every website needs features like a basic firewall and SSL certificates to make sure it is secure. These usually cost the same regardless of page count and can range from £30 to £120 or more a year.
Website SEO
It is important to make sure the website is SEO friendly; only then will it rank high on search engine results pages. The focus should be on optimising the website’s landing page and one or two core product pages. SEO is typically not included in a web designer’s cost package and is charged separately. Some businesses can self-manage it for £0 if they have basic skills. Otherwise, an SEO specialist can be hired for anywhere from £150 to £500+.
Website Maintenance
Website maintenance factor for ongoing updates, fixing bugs, monthly plugin checks, and monthly or biannual backups. A 4-page website is slightly easier to manage, which can save on long-term maintenance costs. The fee varies from £10 to £100 a month or more, depending on the services availed of each time.
4-page website cost comparison: static vs dynamic vs eCommerce
| Website Type | Who is it for? | Cost for a 4-page website |
|---|---|---|
|
Static Website |
|
£500 – £1,500. |
|
Dynamic Website |
|
£1,000 – £2,500. |
|
E-commerce Website |
|
£1,000 – £3,000. |
For a 4-page website, the type of web design you choose has the biggest impact on cost. Here’s a cost breakdown of the three types of web design: static, dynamic, and eCommerce.
Static Website
A static website is built with fixed content, usually coded by developers using HTML and CSS languages (sometimes with JavaScript for added functionality). The viewers of a static website see the same content every time they visit it, unless it is manually changed from the backend. One of the biggest advantages of static websites is their fast-loading speeds. The reason for the high performance of static websites is that they do not need to generate the content from a web server in real time. Instead, it is already stored on the server and presented on the website in a short time. It’s important to first explore these technical details so we can fully understand the cost implications.
- Who is it for? A static website is ideal for businesses that primarily need to present information rather than engage in user interactions. Such business industries include restaurants that only want to display their locations and menu, service providers sharing informational content, and educational websites publishing resources.
- Cost for a 4-page static website: The cost ranges from £500 to £1500 or more, depending on the complexity of the website you opt for. Two websites with the same number of pages can have completely unique quotes if one requires advanced buttons, animations, or extra features while the other is kept simple.
Dynamic Website
Dynamic websites are built using content management systems or website builders that allow each visitor to view different content. Unlike static websites, where the data is preloaded, dynamic websites fetch and generate user-relevant content in real time according to specific requests. This provides personalised experiences for users; hence, the continuous data generation requires more resources than other types of websites.
Because of their complexity, dynamic websites also require stronger security measures, hosting, and maintenance to ensure smooth performance. A 4-page dynamic site can be highly flexible and rich in features, but the added functionality comes with higher costs.
- Who is it for? A dynamic website is best suited for businesses that need a flexible website with interactive features and the ability to change or customise the content easily without coding. Examples include booking platforms, organisational and work applications, or social media websites.
- Cost for a 4-page dynamic website: Typically ranges from £1,000 to £2,500, depending on scope, level of complexity, interactivity and development time required.
E-commerce Website
An e-commerce website provides a platform for online businesses to sell products or services. Visitors can browse through a list of products, add them to a digital shopping cart, and buy them directly using a card or other payment methods. A 4-page e-commerce website requires setup for product listings, shopping carts, checkout systems, payment gateways, and security features to sell products via the internet.
- Who is it for? E-commerce websites are best for small online retailers, shops, online grocery stores, boutiques and event-specific businesses.
- Cost for a 4-page eCommerce site: Typically ranges from £1,000 to £3,000 depending on the complexity of the shopping system. From a cost perspective, e-commerce websites are more expensive to build and maintain because they demand both front-end design and back-end functionality.
ComparedBusiness UK Can Help You Build A 4-Page Website According to Your Business
If you’re not sure where to start, ComparedBusiness UK helps you compare website design quotes from trusted UK providers, whether you need a custom WordPress build or only want to test a builder platform. Just submit your requirements in less than 2 minutes, and we will get back to you with quotes from top web design service providers in the UK. You can pick and choose the best option.
FAQs
Yes. A 4-page website is only the starting structure, and more pages can be added if your business grows or requires additional content. The cost will increase depending on how many extra pages you add and the complexity of the design or features required.
Yes, if your business model depends on online sales. Even with just 4 pages, an e-commerce website can include product listings, a shopping cart, a checkout system, and secure payment gateways. From a cost perspective, it is more expensive to build and maintain compared to static or dynamic websites, but it is essential for businesses that rely on digital sales.
A static website is generally the cheapest option. Prices for a 4-page static website usually start at £500, making it the most budget-friendly choice. It is best suited for businesses that mainly need to provide information rather than offer interactive features or online sales.
