# Website Cost Calculator: Pay Monthly vs One-Off vs DIY | WebProjectUK > Compare what a small business website costs over one to five years: pay monthly, a one-off build or a DIY website builder, with VAT, hosting and your own time included. Canonical URL: https://webprojectuk.com/website-cost-calculator/ Last updated: 2026-09-30 --- Free tool # Website cost calculator Compare the total cost of a small business website over time: paying monthly, paying for a one-off build, or building it yourself. Enter the quotes you have been given; the example figures are placeholders, not market prices. ## Work out your costs ### Total cost at the end of each year Worked out from the figures above: before VAT if you are VAT registered, including VAT at 20% if you are not. | After | A: pay monthly | B: one-off build | C: DIY builder | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Year 1 | £1,200 | £2,135 | £255 | | Year 2 | £2,400 | £2,270 | £510 | | Year 3 | £3,600 | £2,405 | £765 | ## What the numbers do not show - **Ownership.** Ask any provider who owns the website and the domain name, and what you can take with you if you leave. Get the answer in writing before you sign. - **After the minimum term.** Ask what happens when a monthly contract ends: whether the fee continues, changes or stops, and what happens to the website. - **Who fixes things.** Monthly plans usually include hosting and some maintenance; with a one-off build or a DIY builder, check who you would call when something breaks and what that costs. - **Your time.** A DIY builder is usually the cheapest option in cash, but set-up and updates take your own hours. More detail on each option is in our guide to [what a small business website costs](https://webprojectuk.com/website-cost/). See our published [pay-monthly packages](https://webprojectuk.com/pay-monthly-websites/#packages), or [ask us](https://webprojectuk.com/contact/) to go through a quote with you.