If you’ve asked three web companies for a quote, you’ve probably got three completely different lists back. One includes hosting, one doesn’t mention it. One writes your copy, another expects you to email it over by Friday. So here’s the straight answer: a proper package covers the build, the words, the hosting, the security and the upkeep. Anything less isn’t a package, it’s a part.
This post is your “is my quote complete?” checklist. Print it, sit it next to whatever you’ve been sent, and tick things off.
What a website package actually is
A website package is a fixed bundle of design, content and technical services sold at one price, so you’re not buying twelve separate things from twelve separate people. That’s the whole point of it. The domain, the design, the copywriting, the hosting and the email should arrive as one working system.
The trouble is that “package” isn’t a protected word. Plenty of quotes out there are really just “we’ll design some pages”. Everything else, the stuff that keeps the site online and bringing in enquiries, turns up later as an extra invoice.
The complete checklist: 10 things a package should include
Run any quote against this table. Every row should be a clear yes, a clear no, or a clear price.
| What | Why it matters | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Design and build | The obvious bit | Templates sold as “bespoke” |
| Written copy | Blank pages help nobody | “Client to supply all text” |
| Hosting | The site has to live somewhere | Hosting billed separately later |
| SSL certificate | The padlock; Google flags sites without it | “SSL available as an add-on” |
| Professional email | you@yourbusiness.co.uk, not Gmail | No mailboxes included |
| Contact form | Turns visitors into enquiries | Forms that email nobody |
| Basic SEO setup | Titles, descriptions, Google indexing | “SEO” promised with no detail |
| Mobile responsiveness | Most local searches happen on phones | Desktop-only previews |
| Revisions | You will want changes | Unlimited-sounding but undefined |
| Ongoing edits | Prices, staff and opening hours change | £80 invoices for tiny tweaks |
If three or more rows are missing or vague, ask for the full picture before you compare prices. A low number with half the rows missing tells you nothing.
The questions that expose a thin package
Four questions do most of the work here. Ask them by email so you have the answers in writing.
“Who owns the website?” Some monthly providers keep ownership, some transfer it, some never say. Neither model is wrong, but hiding it is. To be upfront about our own model: with MarketingDone4U, the website is a managed monthly service. MarketingDone4U owns the site unless you buy it out, and buyout fees are available if you ever want to take it away. You should get the same clarity from anyone you talk to.
“What happens after launch?” A website isn’t a kitchen fitting. It needs updates, backups and small edits forever. If the answer is “we hand it over and you’re on your own”, budget for maintenance separately.
“What counts as an extra?” Every provider has a line where included work stops and billable work starts. Ours is simple: anything outside the package scope is £50 an hour, quoted before we do it. A provider who can’t tell you their line will surprise you with it later.
“When will it be live?” Vague timelines usually mean an overloaded studio. Ours is live in 7 working days once we have your completed form, content and access details. Note the second half of that sentence. Any honest timeline depends on you sending what’s needed; any timeline without a condition like that is a guess.
What this looks like in practice: our packages as the worked example
The easiest way to show a complete package is to open ours up. MarketingDone4U sells three website plans, all on a minimum 12-month term, all managed monthly services:
- Starter, £99 a month: a 5-page website with the copy written for you, a contact form, basic SEO, Google Search Console setup, one revision round, and 30 minutes of edits every month.
- Growth, £149 a month (the one most people pick): up to 8 pages including 3 service or location pages, a lead-generation layout, Google Analytics 4 set up, and 45 minutes of monthly edits.
- Pro, £249 a month: up to 12 pages, a blog, FAQs, testimonials, internal linking and 60 minutes of edits.
Every plan includes hosting, SSL and professional email, and support is by email and ticket rather than phone. That’s the full picture, conditions included, because transparent pricing means showing the conditions too.
Dan explains the packages: “If you need a simple five-page website, Starter is usually enough. If you want separate pages for each service or town you cover, Growth is the better fit, and it’s the plan most businesses choose. Pro is for businesses that want the site working harder every month, with a blog and regular reviews.”
Dan Harper is our fictional MarketingDone4U guide, created to make website and marketing advice easier to understand.
How packages fit into the wider pricing picture
A package price only makes sense against the market. If you haven’t already, read our honest breakdown of what you get at every website price point and the full guide to website costs in the UK. And if you’re wondering whether you need 5 pages or 12, we’ve written a plain guide to how many pages your website needs.
Once you know what should be in the box, comparing quotes gets much quicker. You can see exactly what each of our plans costs with nothing hidden in the small print.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a small business website package?
A complete package includes design and build, written copy, hosting, an SSL certificate, professional email, a contact form, basic SEO and a defined amount of ongoing edits. Our plans include all of these from £99 a month on a minimum 12-month term, with support by email and ticket.
How much do small business website packages cost in the UK?
Managed monthly packages typically run from around £99 to £249 a month depending on the number of pages and the level of ongoing work. One-off builds cost more upfront and usually exclude hosting, email and edits, so always compare the total cost over a year, not just the headline figure.
Do website packages include hosting and email?
They should, but many don’t, so check before you sign. Hosting and email are recurring costs; if they’re excluded, your real monthly price is higher than the quote. Every MarketingDone4U website plan includes hosting, SSL and professional email as standard, so there are no separate technical bills.
Who owns the website in a monthly package?
It depends on the provider, so always ask in writing. With MarketingDone4U, the website is a managed monthly service: we own the site unless you buy it out, and buyout fees are available. Other providers transfer ownership but charge more upfront. Neither model is wrong; hiding the answer is.
How long does it take to get a package website live?
With MarketingDone4U, your site is live in 7 working days once we have your completed form, content and access details. The condition matters: no provider can build without your business information, so the fastest launches happen when you send everything over in one go at the start.
What happens if I need changes after launch?
Every plan includes a monthly edit allowance: 30 minutes on Starter, 45 on Growth, 60 on Pro. That covers things like price updates, new photos and opening-hours changes. Anything bigger than the allowance is quoted first and charged at £50 an hour, so you’re never invoiced for surprise work.
Want this done for you? See our web design plans, or compare every service and price in one place.
