Ask five web designers what a website costs and you’ll get five answers, from “free” to “it depends” to a number that makes you close the tab. The honest answer is that a small business website in Canada can cost anywhere from nothing to well over $15,000 — and the price tag alone tells you very little about whether the site will actually bring in customers.

This guide breaks down the realistic price ranges in 2026, what you get at each level, the ongoing costs people forget to budget for, and how to decide which option makes sense for your business. All prices are in Canadian dollars and are typical ranges, not quotes.

Option 1: Do it yourself — $0 to $50 a month

Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy and Shopify let you build a site yourself from a template. The software usually costs somewhere between $20 and $50 a month on the plans most businesses need (the free plans put the builder’s branding on your site and don’t let you use your own domain).

The real cost is your time. A decent DIY site takes most owners 20 to 60 hours to build — writing copy, choosing photos, figuring out the settings, and then fixing it when it looks odd on a phone. If your time is worth $50 an hour, that “cheap” site cost you $1,000 to $3,000. DIY makes sense if you genuinely enjoy it, have more time than budget, and are willing to keep it updated.

Option 2: A freelancer — $500 to $5,000

Freelance designers and developers are the most common route for small businesses. At the lower end ($500–$1,500) you’ll usually get a template-based site with your logo, colours and content dropped in. Between $1,500 and $5,000 you can expect more custom design, more pages, better copywriting and some basic SEO setup.

The quality range is huge. Some freelancers are excellent; others disappear after launch, leaving you unable to change your own hours. Before hiring, ask who owns the domain and hosting accounts, what happens when you need edits, and to see sites they built more than a year ago that are still running well.

Option 3: An agency — $5,000 to $15,000+

Agencies bring a team: a strategist, designer, developer and copywriter. You’re paying for a process — discovery, wireframes, design rounds, testing — and usually a more polished result. For a local service business, a $10,000 site isn’t automatically ten times better at getting calls than a $1,000 one, though. Most small businesses don’t need custom animations or a 40-page site; they need a fast site that answers questions and makes it easy to call or book.

Option 4: A monthly website plan — roughly $100 to $500 a month

A growing number of Canadian agencies, including us, offer websites as part of a monthly plan. Instead of a big upfront bill, you pay monthly and the site is built, hosted, secured and updated for you. Good plans bundle the things that actually bring in leads: Google Business Profile work, review tools and lead capture.

At Aethely, a website is included in every plan from $19 a month, alongside a review link, missed-call text-back and an AI chatbot — with no contract, no setup fee and a 14-day free trial. You can compare what each plan includes on our pricing page.

The costs nobody quotes you

Whichever route you choose, budget for these ongoing costs:

  • Domain name: about $15–$40 a year for a .ca or .com.
  • Hosting: $10–$50 a month for a typical small business site, more for online stores.
  • Business email: Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 runs roughly $8–$20 per user per month.
  • Edits: changing prices, hours or photos. Freelancers often charge $50–$150 an hour.
  • Security and updates: WordPress sites in particular need regular plugin updates to stay safe.
  • Photos: professional photography is usually worth it and typically costs a few hundred dollars.

What actually makes a website worth the money

A website’s job is to turn a stranger who found you on Google into a phone call, form or booking. Price matters far less than these basics:

  • It loads fast on a phone — most local searches happen on mobile.
  • Your phone number and a call button are visible on every page.
  • It says clearly what you do and which areas you serve, in plain language.
  • It has real photos and real reviews.
  • It makes the next step obvious: call, text, book or request a quote.
  • It captures leads when you can’t answer — with a form, a chatbot or missed-call text-back.

Questions to ask before you hire anyone

  • Who owns the domain, hosting account and website files — and what happens if we stop working together?
  • What exactly is included: how many pages, who writes the content, are photos included?
  • How are changes handled after launch, how fast, and what do they cost?
  • Will the site be built for phones first, and how fast will it load?
  • What will you do to help the site show up on Google for searches in my area?
  • Can I see two or three sites you built for businesses like mine that are still live?
  • What do I pay in year two, including hosting, renewals and updates?

Clear, confident answers to these are a good sign. Vague answers about ownership or ongoing costs are a common source of regret for owners on their second or third website.

Which option is right for you?

If you’re just starting out and have more time than money, a DIY builder is fine — just keep it simple. If you want a site you own outright and don’t mind managing it, a good freelancer is often the sweet spot. If you’d rather not think about your website at all, and want it working with your Google profile and reviews to bring in calls, a monthly plan usually costs less over the first two years than a custom build plus hosting plus edits — and it includes far more.

Whatever you choose, ask one question before you sign: “How will this site help me get more calls?” If the answer is all about design and nothing about phone buttons, speed, Google and reviews, keep looking. If you’d like a second opinion on your current site, our free local SEO check includes a look at it, or you can see what’s included with a website plan.