Updated 31 August 2026 · Turing Websites
DTC website costs: UK 2026
How to compare DTC website costs in the UK in 2026, including platform fees, build scope, ownership and Turing Websites' published starting prices.
There is no useful single market price for a DTC website. A theme-based store combines the platform plan, theme, apps, payment charges and setup work. A custom quote depends on the catalogue, checkout, integrations, migration and content. Our own ecommerce builds start at £5,000, fixed and itemised, while a brand site without checkout starts at £2,000.
Use a written scope and a total-cost worksheet to compare the routes on the same basis.
The two routes for a product brand
- A hosted platform and theme. Check the platform's current plan, theme, app and payment prices on the day you compare. This route gives your team an established store admin and a catalogue of compatible extensions. The selected theme and apps set the boundaries of the product journey.
- A custom build. The product pages, checkout handoff and integrations are scoped around the agreed catalogue and customer journey. Our builds use Stripe under your own account, with published prices from £5,000.
Compare the same inputs
| Cost or decision | Hosted platform and theme | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Initial work | Theme, setup, configuration and any migration | Design, build, testing and any migration |
| Recurring costs | Platform plan, paid apps and support | Hosting, support and any third-party services |
| Transaction costs | Current platform and payment terms | Current payment-provider terms |
| Product journey | Configured within the chosen theme and apps | Defined in the agreed build scope |
| Performance | Test the selected theme, apps and catalogue | Test the proposed build and catalogue |
| Ownership | Confirm data exports, account access and theme licences | Confirm code, accounts, data and handover terms |
Record the date beside every third-party price. Platform and app prices can change, so use live figures in the quote comparison.
What moves a DTC website quote
- Catalogue size and structure. Five products with three variants each is different work from five hundred SKUs with sizing, stock levels and bundles.
- Payments. Subscriptions, pre-orders, multi-currency and other payment requirements add implementation and testing. Ask for each one to be itemised.
- Photography and product data. Clear images and complete product details answer buying questions. Include the photography you need and the product data you need in the scope so suppliers quote the same work.
- Integrations. Document what must pass between the store, CRM and analytics, who owns each account, and how the handoff will be tested.
- Migration. Products, redirects, customer records and order history each need an explicit migration decision. Confirm what can be exported from the current platform before treating it as included.
Build a three-year cost worksheet
For each option, list:
- the initial design, build, setup and migration quote
- platform and app subscriptions multiplied by 36 months
- payment charges calculated from your own order values and payment mix
- hosting, support and maintenance
- photography, product-data and copy work
- any integration or change-request allowance
This worksheet models costs. Keep revenue assumptions separate and compare the same scope on both sides.
What we charge, in public
- Launchpad, from £2,000. A three-page brand site that captures enquiries, with analytics included. This can fit a product brand that sells through marketplaces or wholesale and needs an owned home first.
- Growth, from £5,000. Ecommerce on Stripe, CRM integration and Google Ads.
Every quote is fixed and itemised: the number we agree is the total you pay. Our ecommerce web design page explains the product-brand scope and the migration routes we support.
FAQ
Is a Shopify theme cheaper than a custom build?
Compare live, written totals. A theme route separates the initial setup from recurring platform and app charges. A custom route puts more of the agreed work into the build quote. Use current supplier prices, the same catalogue and the same three-year period before deciding.
Does finished photography and product data change the quote?
It can change the amount of content preparation in scope. Give every supplier the same asset list and ask them to state what they will prepare, import or request from you.
Can we start on a theme and move to a custom build later?
Yes, if migration is planned against what the platform can export. Check products, variants, customers, orders, redirects and app-specific data separately, then put the accepted migration set in writing.
What does a £5,000 Turing Websites store include?
Our Growth tier includes the agreed design and build, a Stripe checkout under your own account, CRM integration, Google Ads setup and analytics. The exact catalogue, content, migration and integration scope is itemised before work starts.
When you compare quotes, put them on the same basis: the full scope, the three-year cost, the measurement plan and the ownership terms.
pricing · ecommerce