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The Trading Online Voucher Has Closed: What Replaced It and How to Fund a Website in 2026

If you searched for “trading online voucher”, you were probably hoping a grant would pay for half of your new website. That scheme is gone. This article explains what closed, what took its place, what the new scheme does and does not pay for, and what a small business can sensibly do instead if the website is the thing you need.

What closed

The Trading Online Voucher (TOV) stopped accepting applications at 5pm on Friday 13 December 2024. The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) notices say so plainly (Cork North and West LEO (opens in a new tab), Westmeath LEO (opens in a new tab)).

At its peak the scheme offered up to €2,500, or 50% of eligible spend excluding VAT, whichever was lower. It was aimed at businesses with up to 10 employees and a limited e‑commerce presence.

We found no evidence of a relaunch in 2026. Plenty of commercial blogs still describe the voucher as open. Treat those as out of date and check the official LEO pages instead.

The grant that paid for half a website has closed. The question that matters has not changed: will the site earn its cost back?

What replaced it: the Grow Digital Voucher

The Department of Enterprise announced in September 2024 that the Grow Digital Voucher “replaces the previous Trading Online Voucher”. It opened on 4 September 2024 through the LEOs (Department of Enterprise (opens in a new tab)).

According to the department, the main terms are:

50% of eligible costs;
a minimum of €500 and a maximum of €5,000 per application;
businesses with up to 50 employees;
all businesses eligible regardless of export status.

The Waterford LEO page adds detail (Grow Digital, Waterford LEO (opens in a new tab)):

1 to 50 paid employees, counting linked or partner enterprises;
a completed Digital for Business project within the previous two years;
up to two vouchers, with a combined cap of €5,000; the second depends on the progress shown in your Digital for Business report;
current tax clearance;
you must apply before incurring any spend.

That is a bigger ceiling than the old voucher, with a very different purpose. The old scheme was about getting a small business trading online. Grow Digital is aimed at businesses that have already taken a first digital step and want to go further.

What Grow Digital covers, and what it does not

This is the part that matters if you are planning a website.

It can cover:

software subscriptions that are new to your business, for up to one year (expanding an existing licence does not count);
training and/or IT configuration, combined up to 50% of the project cost.

It does not cover:

custom or bespoke software;
regulatory‑compliance systems;
bespoke website development. The Waterford page states this is not supported, and says a website can be eligible only as a new software subscription.

In plain terms, if you want a booking platform, an online shop platform or another off‑the‑shelf tool that you pay for monthly, plus training or setup so you can use it, the voucher may help. If you want a website designed and built for your business, the voucher will not pay for the build.

We have not been able to confirm several practical details: how supplier requirements work, how claims are paid, whether the budget is currently open or exhausted, and whether a platform subscription plus a website around it would be treated as eligible. Check with your LEO before you assume anything. You can find yours at localenterprise.ie (opens in a new tab).

Why we are telling you this

A web studio saying its own service is not covered by the grant is unusual, but a wrong assumption costs you more than a straight answer. Owners who expect a voucher to pay for half the build, and pay a deposit on that basis, can lose the grant or end up with a budget they cannot carry. Under both schemes the rule is the same: apply first, spend after.

If you do want to use Grow Digital for a software subscription or training, do it properly, with the LEO’s confirmation in writing, and keep that spend separate from the website build.

What a business can do instead

Without a grant for the build, the question becomes how to make the site a sound investment. These are the things that work.

Plan the website as an investment, not an expense

Before you ask what a site costs, ask what it needs to do. Take more bookings? Sell a product line online? Replace a directory listing you pay for every month? If you can name one number the site should move, you can judge the price against it. If you cannot, the project is not ready, and a cheaper site will not fix that.

Start with the smallest site that does the job

Many small businesses do not need a large build. A focused site with the right pages, fast on phones and clear about what you do and how to book or buy, often does most of the work. You can add to it later, once it is earning.

Split the cost into stages

A project does not have to be paid for in one go. We can agree stage payments in the written quote, tied to clear milestones, so you are not carrying the whole amount on day one. If you want this, tell us at the start and we will set it out in the quote.

Choose a plan that spreads the cost

Our prices are public on the pricing page. In short:

From €1,500, paid once. A complete website with nothing further to pay unless you ask for it.
€350/mo with 12‑month care, and €150 off the site. A lower build price, with a monthly plan that covers looking after the site, so the cost is spread across the year.
€700/mo with SEO. The care plan with monthly search work included, for businesses that want the site to bring in new customers steadily, not just exist.
Larger projects from €3,000. For richer builds: shops, many pages, custom features.

These are the starting figures. What the site needs decides which one fits, and we will tell you if a smaller option is enough.

Ask your LEO what else is available

LEOs offer more than vouchers: mentoring, training and other supports. The programme list changes, and we cannot see yours from here. A short email to your LEO asking what applies to a business like yours, and whether a website could be part of a funded plan, costs nothing. Anything not listed here, such as other grants, loans or tax treatment of the cost, you should check with your LEO or your accountant.

Next step

Write down in one sentence what the website must do for your business, and email your LEO about Grow Digital before you spend anything. Then tell us what you need the site to do. We reply with a plain written quote, and if a grant will not cover it, we will say so.

Official sources

Scheme terms change. This article was checked against the pages above on 25 October 2026; confirm current terms with your LEO before you act.

Questions, answered

Is the Trading Online Voucher still open?

No. It closed to applications at 5pm on 13 December 2024 and no applications are accepted now. The Grow Digital Voucher replaced it. We found no sign of a relaunch, and some websites still describe the old scheme as open because they have not been updated.

Can the Grow Digital Voucher pay for my new website?

Not for a bespoke website build. The Local Enterprise Office page says bespoke website development is not supported. A website can only be eligible as a new software subscription, for example a platform subscription, with training or IT configuration alongside. Check with your LEO how your case would be treated.

Can I start the work before I apply?

No. Both the old and the new voucher require you to apply before you spend anything. If you plan to apply for any LEO support, hold off on paying for the related items until you have an answer in writing.

Can a web designer apply for the voucher on my behalf?

The business has to apply itself. The LEO page for the old scheme says applications made by a third party for a client were not accepted. For Grow Digital, check with your LEO.

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