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Essay · the Uplink team · 6 min read

What a website really costs,
and why we won't print a price list.

Every agency wants to give you a number. Most of them lie, either by hiding the details or by pretending one size fits every business. Here's our take — the long version — on how Uplink thinks about the cost of a website.

Chapter 1

Why price lists lie.

A fixed price list for websites is either an overpromise or an overcharge. The same "5-page business website" can mean 30 hours of work for one client and 120 for another, depending on content readiness, brand complexity, integrations, and a hundred small decisions that only surface during the project.

We used to publish one. We took it down after the third time we quoted the same number to two businesses and delivered two genuinely different things. One felt like we'd robbed ourselves. The other like we'd short-changed the client.

We've never charged a cent more than what we quoted. Not once. But the quote always comes after the conversation, not before.
— The Uplink pricing rule, since 2023

Chapter 2

What moves the number.

Five things dominate the cost of a custom-built website: how many pages you actually need, how custom the design has to be, what the site has to DO beyond showing information, whether you have content ready, and how many systems it has to talk to. Everything else is rounding.

Most clients assume "features" drives the cost. In our experience, content readiness is a bigger swing. A client with every word and image sorted is a week of our work. A client who needs us to figure out what each page should say is three.

Chapter 3

The two invoices.

Our pricing has exactly two parts. One: a one-time number to build the site. That's the big number and it's fixed before work starts. Two: an optional monthly number for hosting and maintenance. That's a smaller number and it's just as fixed.

No hourly billing. No retainer surprises. No bill for "miscellaneous". If we forgot something in the first quote, that's on us, not on you.

If we forgot something in the quote, that's on us — not on you. We eat scope misses, not pass them along.

Chapter 4

Why conversation is step one.

The reason we won't quote before a conversation isn't mystery — it's honesty. A fifteen-minute call tells us whether your project is a two-week job or a two-month one. Either answer is fine; we just want to give you the right one, not the average one.

Send us a message through the form below and we'll respond within a business day. You'll get a written, itemised, fixed quote within three.

Written by the Uplink team · updated April 2026

FAQ

Questions about pricing

The most common questions about the cost of a new website.

Why don't you have a fixed price list?+

Because every website is different. A fixed price list would either overcharge simple projects or underestimate complex ones. We prefer to give you an honest, tailored quote after a short conversation about your needs.

What's included in the build cost?+

The build cost covers everything from design to launch: custom design, development, content integration, SEO setup, testing across devices, and the go-live. You receive a complete, working website.

Is hosting a separate cost?+

Hosting and maintenance are bundled in a monthly subscription. This includes reliable hosting, security updates, backups, and minor content changes. There's no separate hosting bill to worry about.

What if I want changes after launch?+

Small text and image updates are included in your monthly maintenance. For larger changes like new pages or features, we'll provide a clear quote upfront so there are no surprises.

How do I get a quote?+

Fill in the contact form below or send us an email. After a short conversation about your goals and wishes, you'll receive a clear quote within a few business days — no obligations.

Contact

Get a transparent quote

Tell us about your project and we'll send you a clear, no-obligation quote.

Request a quote

Usually answered within one business day.