When it’s time to replace your current website or plan for a new website, one of the first questions every school asks is: how much should a school website cost?

It’s a reasonable question, but there isn’t a single answer. The school website cost depends on many factors, from the design process and features to the type of content management system (CMS) and the level of support you’ll receive.

Some companies offer lower upfront costs but add charges later for future updates, redesigns, or extra features. Others charge more at the start but include everything in one annual fee. Choosing the better option for your school means looking past the headline prices and thinking about the long-term value, quality, and sustainability.

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The Main Pricing Models in the UK

In the UK, most providers follow one of two pricing models:

1. Low upfront fee + fixed annual fee
   Common with pre-designed templates or lighter custom design projects. The annual fee covers hosting, maintenance, and some support, but big changes or new features may cost extra.

2. High upfront fee + lower annual fee
   More common for bespoke websites with heavy design and development work at the start. The lower yearly cost may be appealing, but redesigns or upgrades later can still add up.

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Typical UK School Website Prices

Here’s a realistic breakdown of what schools can expect to pay:

Pre-Designed Templates

• One-off setup cost: Around £900–£1,000

• Annual fee: Around £295–£395

• Standard features: A fixed template design with your brand colours, logo, and images added.

• Pros: Affordable, quick to create, a good choice for small schools with limited budget.

• Cons: Less flexibility; your site may look like others; limited scope for custom functionality.

Bespoke Websites

• One-off setup cost: £1,600–£2,800 for primary schools; £2,800–£4,500 for secondary schools.

• Annual fee: Around £295–£395

• Standard features: A custom design tailored to your school’s brand, pages, and priorities.

• Pros: More flexibility to match your vision, better fit for compliance, easier to integrate digital marketing and SEO strategies.

• Cons: Higher initial investment, though often more cost effective over the long term.

Premium / Feature-Rich Sites

• One-off setup cost: £3,500–£4,500+

• Annual fee: Around £295–£395

• Standard features: All the benefits of a custom design, plus advanced tools like video backgrounds, virtual tours, or high-level custom functionality.

• Pros: Strong impact for marketing, great for attracting new students.

• Cons: May include features you don’t use, so can be harder to justify for small schools.

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Factors That Affect School Website Cost

Several factors influence the cost of your school website:

• Design type – Choosing between a pre-designed template and a custom design will be the biggest price driver.

• Content population – Will the provider transfer your content, or will you create and add it yourself?

• Functionality – From parent portals and booking forms to integrated digital marketing tools, custom functionality increases cost.

• Content management system (CMS) – Proprietary platforms often have fixed pricing and limited portability, while open source platforms like WordPress offer more flexibility but may require more project management.

• Hosting costs – Check whether hosting is included in your annual fee and if it covers SSL, security, and backups.

• Ongoing training – Does the provider offer free refresher sessions and resources to help staff maintain the site?

• Support – Understand what “unlimited” actually means and whether it includes content help, SEO advice, and future updates.

• Maintenance and updates – Some providers include regular updates to the CMS and design; others charge per change.

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Premium Positioning

Some providers focus on professional school websites with high-quality branding and custom functionality. Their approach often involves in-depth project management, high-end visuals, and a long-term strategy to maintain the site’s effectiveness.

This can be the better option for schools with a clear digital marketing plan, strong brand ambitions, and a budget to match. However, the hosting costs, maintenance, and redesigns can make the total investment higher over time.

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How Schudio’s Pricing Model Works

Schudio takes a different approach. Every school we work with gets a fully bespoke website — no templates — but without the large one-off setup cost. Instead, we use a flat annual fee that covers:

• Custom design, build, and launch

• Hosting, security, and regular updates

• Unlimited support

• Ongoing training and resources

• DfE compliance monitoring

• All standard tools and features needed for a modern school website

This means predictable budgeting, no surprise bills, and a site that stays fresh year after year.

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UK School Website Pricing Models Compared

Feature / Approach	Schudio	Greenhouse School Websites	Juniper (PrimarySite / e4education)	Cleverbox
Design type	Fully bespoke, included	Template or bespoke	Template or bespoke	Bespoke as standard
Setup cost	£0 – no large one-off fee	Templates from £945; bespoke primary from £1,695; bespoke secondary from £2,795	Templates from ~£995; bespoke £2,000–£3,000+	Bespoke from ~£2,000+, depending on requirements
Annual fee	Flat yearly fee covering all essentials	£295–£395	£300–£500+	£300–£500+, varies by scope
Support	Unlimited, no extra charges	Unlimited	Variable by package	Unlimited, scope varies
Compliance support	Included in annual fee	Not standard	Not standard	Not listed as standard
Training	Included, with ongoing training resources	Included	Varies by plan	Included
Ongoing redesign	Included in annual model	Paid refresh after a few years	Paid redesign	Paid redesign
Key difference	Predictable cost with all core services included	Lower setup for templates, higher for custom	Setup + annual model, higher over time	Premium bespoke, higher total investment

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Why Price Isn’t the Only Deciding Factor

Choosing a school website provider shouldn’t come down to cost alone. You also need to think about:

• How well the content management system (CMS) fits your needs.

• Whether ongoing training is included to help staff maintain the site.

• If future updates and regular updates are part of the annual fee.

• How easily you can add pages, news, and links without technical skills.

• Whether the provider supports your digital marketing and SEO goals.

Sometimes a slightly higher investment in a professional provider with custom design, a clear long-term strategy, and strong support will save time, reduce stress, and deliver better results for students, parents, and staff.

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Final Thoughts

So, how much should a school website cost? For most UK schools, you’re looking at:

• Pre-designed templates: £900–£1,000 setup + £295–£395 annual fee

• Bespoke websites: £1,600–£4,500 setup + £295–£395 annual fee

• Premium builds: £3,500+ setup + £295–£500 annual fee

The better option depends on your budget, long-term strategy, and whether you want lower upfront costs or a predictable all-in-one annual fee.

With Schudio, you get a fully bespoke website with custom design, unlimited support, ongoing training, and all standard features included in a single, predictable annual fee. That means your school website stays up to date, cost effective, and ready to help you attract new students and serve your current website users — without surprise bills.

Contact us to discuss your project and explore a solution that works for your school, your budget, and your long-term strategy.