Why Website Costs Are So Confusing
If you’ve ever Googled “how much does a website cost?”, you’ve probably ended up more confused than when you started.
One site says it’s £99.
Another promises it’s “completely free”.
Then a local agency quotes you £1,500 — just for the homepage.
So what’s going on?
The truth is, most website pricing out there is either full of hidden costs, missing features, or straight-up bait-and-switch tactics.
A lot of “free” website builders will lock basic features behind paid plans. Want a proper domain name? That’s extra. Email? Extra. Remove their branding? Extra again.
And by the time you’ve added up all the “extras”, you’re often paying more than if you just hired someone honest in the first place.
That’s where we come in. At Bliss Business Services, we’re big on no-nonsense websites.
No sneaky upsells. No missing features.
Just everything you actually need, at a price that makes sense — £299/year for a small business website!
Let’s break down what most providers don’t tell you…
The Big Myth: “From Just £99” – But What’s Missing?
We’ve all seen it — those too-good-to-be-true adverts promising a website “from £99” or “100% free”.
Sounds great on the surface.
But here’s the catch: that £99 usually covers the bare bones.
No domain name, no hosting, no business email, no support.
And “free”? That usually means you’re the product — slapped with ads, poor performance, and zero credibility for your business.
Some providers will charge extra to:
- Connect your own domain
- Remove their branding
- Add more than a few pages
- Use a booking system or shop
- Make the site mobile-friendly (yep, that’s sometimes an “upgrade”)
Before you know it, that £99 deal has crept up to £500+ — and you’re still having to do half the work yourself.
It’s a clever tactic, but it’s not how we work.
We don’t lure you in cheap and pile on charges later.
We tell you exactly what it costs up front — because that’s how it should be.
Common Hidden Fees to Watch Out For
Let’s call it what it is — a lot of website providers rely on hidden costs to make their money.
Here are the most common ones small businesses and tradespeople get stung by:
Domain & Hosting Charges
That £99 build fee? It usually doesn’t include hosting or a domain name.
So you’re paying an extra £10–£20 a month just to keep your site online.
That’s £120–£240 per year — on top of the build cost.
Email Setup Fees
Want an email like you@yourbusiness.co.uk instead of a free Gmail?
Most companies will charge you to set that up — even though it takes 5 minutes.
Plugin Licensing & Renewal Costs
You’re told your site has “premium features”.
What you’re not told: the builder used paid plugins that renew yearly.
Guess who has to pay when the licence runs out? You.
Maintenance & Security Add-ons
You’ll get a call six months in:
“Hi, just letting you know we’ve noticed your site needs updates, backups, and security protection. That’s another £25/month.”
Why wasn’t that included from the start?
Extra Charges for Revisions or Edits
Need to change your opening hours? Add a new service?
Some providers charge per edit — or worse, they say “you have to do it yourself” unless you upgrade.
At Bliss, we’ve seen these games before.
That’s why our £299/year price includes the essentials most companies sneakily hide.
Because it shouldn’t cost extra just to have a working, professional website.
What Should a Website Actually Include?
A proper small business website in 2025 should work out of the box.
No missing pieces. No nasty surprises. Just the basics done right.
Here’s what you should expect as standard — not as “optional extras”:
✅ A real domain name
yourbusiness.co.uk, not yourbusiness.freebuilder.com
✅ Fast, reliable hosting
No slow loading or downtime every other day
✅ Mobile-friendly design
Most of your customers are browsing on their phones — your site needs to look good there too
✅ Business email address
Looks professional, builds trust, and keeps your messages out of spam
✅ Contact form
So people can actually get in touch or book with you
✅ Ongoing support (basic level)
Because sometimes you just want to edit a phone number or add some photos
Anything less, and you’re being short-changed.
These aren’t premium features — they’re fundamentals.
And if a company isn’t including them, you have to ask why.
How Bliss Business Services Keeps It Simple
We’ve seen too many small businesses burned by over-promising and under-delivering.
That’s why we’ve built our service around one thing: clarity.
No tech jargon.
No upselling phoney products.
No “that’s not included” nonsense.
Just websites that work — at a fair, fixed price.
Here’s how we do it:
🔒
Transparent Pricing
£299 per year.
That’s it. Hosting, domain, business email, SSL — all included.
No surprises, no hidden renewal fees.
🤝
No Contracts, No Lock-In
You’re not tied to us. Don’t want to renew after a year? No hard feelings.
But most stay — because it just works.
🔧
Built-for-You Service
You don’t need to learn how to “drag and drop”.
We build the site, set it up, and handle the tech — so you can get on with running your business.
💼
Real Examples, Real Businesses
We’re not showing off demo sites.
We’ve built working booking websites for MOT garages.
Online shops for fishing tackle brands.
Service websites for trades and local businesses.
(And we can show you every one.)
In short: we do everything you need, and nothing you don’t.
Straightforward, affordable, and reliable.
Exactly how it should be.
Why We Charge £299/Year – And What You Get
Let’s break it down — because we’re not here to be vague.
£299 per year isn’t a teaser price.
It’s the actual cost, and it covers everything a small business needs to get online properly.
Here’s what you get for that:
✅ Custom-built 5-page website
Home, Services, Testimonials, Gallery and Contact — tailored to your business
✅ Your own domain name
.co.uk included (or we can work with one you already own)
✅ Secure UK-based hosting
Fast, stable, and protected — no cheap overseas servers
✅ SSL certificate
Your site will show the secure padlock, and Google won’t penalise it
✅ One business email address
Something professional like info@yourbusiness.co.uk
✅ Mobile responsive design
Looks good on phones, tablets, and desktops — no extra charge
✅ Contact or enquiry form
So potential customers can reach you without hassle
✅ Updates & support
Need something changing? Just ask. We don’t charge extra for small tweaks
That’s everything most businesses need to get started online — with zero stress.
You don’t have to build it yourself.
You don’t have to keep track of plugin licences.
You don’t have to worry about being locked into some 12-month contract that doubles in price after a year.
Just one price. One service. Done right.
Need a Website Without the Nonsense? Let’s Talk
If you’ve read this far, you already know what to look out for — and what to avoid.
You don’t need a £2,000 custom build with endless revisions.
You also don’t need a “free” site that ends up costing more in the long run.
You just need something that:
- Looks professional
- Works on all devices
- Shows up in search
- Builds trust with your customers
- Doesn’t come with surprise charges
That’s what we deliver — for £299/year, all in.
Whether you’re a tradesman, salon owner, shopkeeper or startup, we’ll get you online quickly and properly.
Got questions?
Want to see real examples?
Need help deciding what type of site fits you best?
Drop us a message — no pressure, no pushy sales.
We’re here to make websites simple again.
