Web design and software companies in the Preston area
418 web design and software companies have a registered office in the Preston area (PR postcodes), and 180 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £11,737 in cash and owed £15,670 at year end.
The numbers
| Measure | Preston | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Registered companies | 418 | 96,921 |
| Formed in 2025 or 2026 | 180 (43%) | 42% |
| Being struck off or in liquidation | 25 (6%) | 6.4% |
| Typical cash at year end | £11,73770 accounts | £25,881 |
| Typical amount owed at year end | £15,670148 accounts | £15,248 |
| Typical number of employees | 1150 accounts | 1 |
What this means if you’re starting one
Most of your competition will be other newcomers
43% of the 418 web design and software companies in the Preston area (PR postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 20% of all companies in the Preston area (PR postcodes). Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 98% of UK industries.
New rivals are arriving faster than in most trades, so your customers already have fresh options. Being new is not a difference on its own.
the Preston area (PR postcodes) has fewer of these businesses than most places
Web design and software companies are 1% of companies registered in the Preston area (PR postcodes), against 1.8% UK-wide (0.6× the national share).
That could be a gap or a sign of weak demand. The register cannot tell which.
You can start without much equipment
The typical web design and software company in the Preston area (PR postcodes) carries £2,422 of equipment and other fixed assets after depreciation, lower than 90% of UK industries.
Most of the cost of entry is time and running costs rather than kit, so a small test is cheap.
Planning a business like this in Preston?
Answer two questions about your customer and what makes you different, and get a free three-week plan to test the idea before you spend real money. No account or card.
Check my ideaWhat these figures can’t tell you
Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.
Web design and software in other places
- Manchester2,306 companies
- Warrington746 companies
- Stockport724 companies
- Liverpool659 companies
- Chester477 companies
- London36,572 companies
- Ipswich1,881 companies
- Birmingham1,881 companies
Other businesses in Preston
- Buy-to-let landlord2,169 companies
- Business consultancy1,461 companies
- Online shop1,010 companies
- Dog grooming and other personal services975 companies
- Physiotherapy or therapy clinic747 companies
- Haulage694 companies
- IT support or consultancy672 companies
- Takeaway and street food657 companies