A competition website costs from £49 a month plus 5p per order on a platform like Niche, or a much larger up-front sum if you build one. The platform is only part of the bill, so budget for prizes, payments, ads and legal advice too.
The short answer
You have three ways to get a competition website, and each has a different cost shape.
- Platform. A monthly fee plus a small fee per order. Low up-front cost.
- Plugin. A licence fee plus hosting and developer time. Moderate cost, more of your own upkeep.
- Custom build. A large up-front development cost, plus hosting, security and maintenance. Agency quotes vary widely, so get several in writing.
This guide uses Niche's published prices to show how a competition website cost adds up. For other suppliers, ask for the full cost in writing, including any share of sales.
Niche pricing
Niche is not VAT registered, so no VAT is added. Every plan includes every feature. What changes is the support you get. There is no percentage of your sales: Niche takes 0% of ticket sales.
- Starter: £49 a month plus 5p per paid order. No setup fee. Self-serve.
- Pro: £99 a month plus 5p per paid order. £395 setup. Managed setup and custom theming.
- Done-for-you: £399 a month plus 5p per paid order. £1,195 setup. Niche runs your competitions, draws and ads.
See the pricing page for the latest details.
Which plan fits?
Starter suits a new operator who is happy to set up the site and run competitions. Pro suits an operator who wants help getting a designed, branded site live. Done-for-you suits an operator who wants Niche to run the day-to-day.
An order is one checkout, however many tickets are in it. Free postal entries and site-credit orders are not charged. Here is the platform cost in a month with £10,000 of ticket sales in 2,000 orders (2,000 x 5p = £100):
- Starter: £49 plus £100 = £149
- Pro: £99 plus £100 = £199
- Done-for-you: £399 plus £100 = £499
Setup fees are extra on Pro and Done-for-you. Because the order fee is the same on every plan, the plan you pick depends on how much help you want, not on how much you sell. If you are moving from another platform, we migrate your competitions, customers and history for free.
Costs on top of the platform
The platform is rarely your biggest cost. Plan for these as well:
- Prizes. Often the largest cost. Buy the prize before you advertise it.
- Payment processing. Your provider charges a fee on each card payment. Ask for the full rates in writing.
- Advertising. Paid social and email lists drive most sales. Budget per entry sold.
- Legal advice. A solicitor's review of your model, questions and terms before launch.
- Accountancy. Prizes, VAT and ticket revenue need careful treatment.
- Insurance. Ask a broker what you need, especially for high-value prizes.
- ICO data protection fee. The ICO says organisations that use personal information must pay it unless exempt.
What a build costs, and why it grows
A custom build starts with the shop front and checkout. Then you need the competition-specific parts that a normal shop does not have: a skill question flow, a free postal route, a draw that can be shown to be fair, age checks, spend limits, refunds, chargeback handling and reconciliation.
Each of these takes design, build and testing. Then you pay for hosting, security updates and fixes for as long as you trade. If your developer leaves, you need another one who can read the code.
Building can still be the right choice if you have a unique model and a budget to match. For most operators, a platform gets you live sooner for less money. See competition website vs WordPress plugin for the middle option.
How to keep costs under control
- Work out break-even entries for every competition before you launch it.
- Start with one or two competitions on the lowest plan.
- Use the features you already have. Every Niche plan has every feature, so you never upgrade just to unlock a tool.
- Review your payment fees and chargeback rate every month.
- Move to a higher plan when you want more help, not to save on fees. The order fee is the same on every plan.
For prize and price examples, see choosing prizes and ticket prices. For the whole picture, read our guide to starting a competition website.
Legal advice is a cost worth paying. This is general information, not legal advice. Take advice from a solicitor before you launch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to start a competition website?
A self-serve platform. Niche Starter is £49 a month plus 5p per paid order,, with no setup fee.
Are there hidden fees?
Niche's fees are the monthly fee, 5p per paid order and any setup fee for your plan. Your payment provider charges its own fees separately, so ask them for their rates.
Do I pay a percentage of ticket sales?
Not on Niche. It takes 0% of ticket sales. You pay a monthly fee plus 5p per paid order. An order is one checkout, however many tickets are in it.
Is a custom competition website worth it?
Only if you have needs a platform cannot meet and a budget for build and upkeep. Most new operators do better on a platform.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change: check the Gambling Act 2005 and guidance from the Gambling Commission, or speak to a solicitor, before you launch.