One of the biggest debates when building a business website is surprisingly simple:

Should you put your prices on your website?

Some businesses display everything clearly.

Others say:

“Contact us for a quote.”

And some avoid mentioning price altogether.

There isn't one answer that works for every business. If every project is genuinely bespoke, publishing one fixed price may be completely unrealistic.

But there is an important question worth asking:

Is hiding your prices making it harder for potential customers to take the next step?

Because before somebody contacts your business, there's a good chance they're already wondering:

“Can I actually afford this?”

💷 Why Businesses Hide Their Prices

There are plenty of legitimate reasons.

You might provide a service where every project is different.

A builder can't necessarily give one price for an extension.

A removals company may need to know the size of the property, distance and access requirements.

A marketing agency might offer different levels of service depending on what the client needs.

Or perhaps you simply want to speak to the customer before discussing cost.

That's understandable.

But there's a difference between not being able to provide an exact quote and giving potential customers no indication whatsoever.

👀 Look at Your Website Like a Customer

Imagine you've never heard of your business.

You land on the website.

The service looks good.

The reviews are positive.

The company seems trustworthy.

You're interested.

But there's one question in your head:

“Roughly how much is this going to cost?”

You search the website.

Nothing.

You visit the service page.

Nothing.

You look at the FAQs.

Nothing.

The only option is:

REQUEST A QUOTE

Now you have to decide whether it's worth filling in a form, waiting for a response and potentially having a sales conversation just to discover whether the service is anywhere near your budget.

Some people will do it.

Others may simply leave and continue researching.

💡 You Don't Always Need an Exact Price

This is the important part.

Showing pricing doesn't necessarily mean publishing one fixed figure.

There are several ways you can give customers useful pricing information without promising an exact final cost.

Starting From

For example:

Website design from £999

This immediately gives the visitor a rough idea of the level of investment required.

Typical Price Range

You could say:

Most projects cost between £1,500 and £3,000 depending on requirements.

Now the potential customer has context.

Packages

You could provide different levels:

Starter – from £499

Professional – from £999

Premium – from £1,999

This can also help customers understand how different levels of service compare.

Explain What Affects the Price

If giving even a range isn't practical, explain the variables.

For example:

“The cost depends on the size of the project, materials required, location and installation requirements.”

That's still more useful than saying nothing.

🎯 Pricing Can Help Qualify Your Enquiries

Imagine your service starts at £2,000.

Someone has a maximum budget of £200.

Would you rather discover that after:

• receiving their enquiry,
• responding to it,
• arranging a call,
• discussing their requirements,
• preparing a proposal,

or before they contact you?

Publishing some indication of pricing can help customers decide whether your business is potentially right for them.

That doesn't necessarily mean you'll receive more enquiries.

In some cases, you might actually receive fewer.

But the enquiries you do receive may be better aligned with what you offer.

And that's an important distinction.

More leads aren't automatically better leads.

🚫 Don't Automatically Assume Price Will Scare Customers Away

A common concern is:

“If competitors see our prices, they'll undercut us.”

They might.

But customers aren't necessarily choosing purely on price.

Your website should also communicate:

• Why customers choose you
• What's included
• Your experience
• Your process
• Reviews and testimonials
• Examples of your work
• Guarantees or assurances you genuinely provide
• What makes your service different

If your entire sales strategy depends on customers not knowing your price until they've spoken to you, it may be worth reviewing how you're communicating value.

📊 Price Without Context Can Also Be a Mistake

There's another side to this.

Simply putting:

£1,500

on a page may not help much either.

The visitor needs to understand what they're getting for that money.

Compare:

Social media management – £499

with:

Social media management from £499 per month, including content planning, design, caption writing and account management.

The second gives the price context.

Your website shouldn't just answer:

“How much?”

It should also help answer:

“What am I getting for that?”

🧠 Think About the Customer's Stage of Research

People don't necessarily visit your website ready to buy immediately.

They might be comparing three or four businesses.

They might be planning a project for six months from now.

They might simply be trying to understand what something normally costs.

Pricing information can help them continue their research without forcing them into a sales conversation before they're ready.

And if your website answers their questions clearly, they may remember your business when they are ready.

📱 Check Pricing on Mobile Too

There's another simple website check worth doing.

Open your website on your phone and try to find your pricing information.

Can you find it easily?

Or do you have to:

scroll…

open menus…

click multiple pages…

fill in a form…

before getting anywhere?

If pricing is an important part of the customer's decision, don't bury it unnecessarily.

Your mobile experience matters because that's how many potential customers will first encounter your business.

⚠️ When Showing Prices Might Not Make Sense

There are absolutely situations where publishing prices isn't practical.

Highly bespoke services are an obvious example.

Complex B2B projects may require discovery before a meaningful price can be calculated.

Some services may depend on measurements, specifications, materials or other information that simply isn't available until you've spoken to the customer.

That's fine.

But you can still improve the experience.

Instead of:

CONTACT US FOR A QUOTE

you might explain:

“Every project is individually priced. Cost depends on X, Y and Z. Send us these details and we'll prepare a quote.”

Now the customer understands why you haven't published a fixed price and what happens next.

🔍 Check What Customers Are Already Asking You

Here's a very simple test.

Ask your team:

“How often do potential customers ask us how much it costs?”

If price is one of the first questions in almost every enquiry, that tells you something.

Your website may not be answering one of your customers' most important questions.

Look through:

• Emails
• Contact forms
• WhatsApp enquiries
• Social media messages
• Telephone enquiries
• Sales calls

What pricing questions keep appearing?

Those questions could become content for your website.

📝 Build a Better Pricing Section

A useful pricing section doesn't need to be complicated.

Consider including:

1. A starting price or range

Give people some idea of the likely investment where possible.

2. What's included

Explain what the customer actually receives.

3. What can change the price

Be transparent about important variables.

4. Examples

Show typical packages or project scenarios where appropriate.

5. A clear next step

Tell visitors exactly what to do if they want an accurate quote.

For example:

“Tell us about your project and we'll provide a tailored quote.”

Simple.

📈 Test It Rather Than Guessing

Don't assume displaying prices will automatically increase enquiries.

And don't assume hiding them is automatically better either.

Look at your own business.

If you decide to make pricing clearer, monitor what happens.

Are you receiving more relevant enquiries?

Has the quality of leads improved?

Are fewer people contacting you with unrealistic budgets?

Are potential customers arriving at sales calls with a better understanding of your service?

That's much more useful than following a blanket rule from somebody on social media.

🚀 Your Website Should Make Decisions Easier

A good business website isn't there simply to look impressive.

It should help potential customers understand:

What do you offer?

Is it suitable for me?

Can I trust you?

Roughly what should I expect?

What should I do next?

Pricing can be an important part of that journey.

You don't necessarily need to publish every figure.

You don't necessarily need a complicated pricing table.

And you definitely shouldn't publish misleading prices just to attract enquiries.

But if customers repeatedly want to know the cost, ask yourself whether your website could give them a more useful answer.

Sometimes hiding the price creates more friction than showing it.

Need a website that makes it easier for customers to take the next step?

Page Crowd designs websites around clarity, credibility and conversion — helping businesses turn their online presence into a stronger marketing tool.

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