Many small businesses in Canada still do not have a website, or have one that has not been touched in years. The two questions we hear most are “what does a website cost?” and “what should I ask a web designer?”. Here are straight answers.
What a small business website costs in Canada
Prices vary a lot, but most projects fall into three groups:
- Do it yourself: a website builder or WordPress on your own. Low cost, but it takes your time, and the result depends on your design skills.
- A simple professional site (about 5 pages): typically $1,000 to $4,000 from a freelancer or agency. Home, services, about, contact, and maybe a gallery.
- A larger site or online store: often $3,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on pages, features and the number of products.
On top of that you pay for hosting and a domain every year. Ask whether these are included in the first year, and what they cost after.
What a good small business site needs
- A clear message on the first screen: what you do, where, and how to contact you.
- It works well on phones. Most local searches happen on a phone.
- A simple way to get in touch: a form, click-to-email, a booking button or a map.
- Basic SEO: page titles, descriptions, fast loading, and a Google Business Profile.
- Security and backups, so a hacked plugin does not take your business offline.
Questions to ask a web designer
- Who owns the site? You should own the domain, the content and the design files.
- What is included? Number of pages, revisions, training, and whether hosting and a domain are part of the price.
- How long will it take? A simple site should take two to four weeks once you have your text and photos.
- What happens after launch? Who updates the site, and what does help cost?
- Can I update it myself? A short training session saves you money later.
Our website packages
WebClub builds websites for small businesses at clear prices, with the first year of Canadian hosting and a domain included. Our Launch package is $999 for up to five pages, and Growth is $1,999 for up to ten pages with a blog or booking form. See the packages or ask us for a free quote.