Article summary
- A DIY builder site costs a few hundred dollars a year; GoDaddy Canada estimates builders at $170 to $336 a year.
- A designer-built brochure site runs up to about $5,000, and custom or larger online stores reach $10,000 to $75,000+, by GoDaddy Canada's estimates.
- Running costs come on top: a domain, hosting or a builder plan, updates and security, from about $25 a month to several hundred.
- Quotes differ mostly because of what's included: pages, copy, photos, forms, tracking, SEO setup and support after launch.
- Compare quotes line by line and make sure the domain is registered in your name.
Website design cost in Canada ranges from a few hundred dollars a year for a do-it-yourself builder site to $5,000 or more for a designer-built site, and $10,000+ for custom sites and online stores. On top of the build, every website has running costs: a domain, hosting or a builder plan, and someone keeping it updated.
This guide is for owners of local service businesses in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley who need a new site, or a redo of an old one, and got quotes that seem to have nothing in common. We’ll cover what websites cost by type, what drives the price, what you’ll keep paying every year, and how to compare quotes fairly.
How much does a website cost in Canada?
There’s no standard price list, so the most useful numbers come from providers that publish ranges. GoDaddy Canada’s 2026 website cost guide gives these estimates in Canadian dollars. Keep in mind GoDaddy sells website builders and hosting, so treat these as one provider’s estimates, not a market survey.
| Type of website | Build cost (GoDaddy Canada estimate) | Hosting and domain |
|---|---|---|
| Brochure site, built with a website builder | $170 to $336 a year for most builders | Usually included in the plan |
| Brochure site, built by a web designer | $10 to $5,000 | Starting at $110 a year |
| Landing page | $250 to $1,500 | Depends on the setup |
| Small to medium online store, built by a designer | $5,000 to $10,000 | Starting at $145 a year |
| Large online store, built by a designer | $10,000 to $50,000+ | Starting at $720 a year |
| Large custom website | $10,000 to $75,000+ | $1,200+ a year |
For most service businesses (plumbers, roofers, renovation companies, clinics), the relevant rows are the first two. You don’t need an online store to book jobs. You need a site that explains what you do, where you work, and makes it easy to call or ask for a quote.
What drives website design cost
Two quotes for “a website” can describe very different amounts of work. These are the things that move the price the most.
Number of pages
A one-page site is cheaper than a site with a page for each service and each area you serve. For a contractor in Surrey who also works in Langley and White Rock, separate service and area pages help both customers and Google understand exactly what you offer and where. That’s also the foundation of local SEO, which is how a site gets found after launch.
Who writes the copy and supplies the photos
Writing is often the hidden cost. Some quotes assume you’ll hand over finished text and photos. Others include an interview and copywriting. If you’ve ever tried to write ten service pages yourself, you know why this matters to the price and to the result.
Forms, booking and call tracking
A contact form is standard. A quote form that asks the right questions, an online booking calendar, and tracking that records which calls and forms came from the site all take extra setup. They’re also what let you see whether the site, or the ads sending traffic to it, actually brings in work.
Online store or not
Selling products online raises the price fast. The Business Development Bank of Canada notes that custom e-commerce solutions carry a one-time fee of several thousand dollars, while template-based services charge a commission on each sale instead.
Custom design or a template
A template-based design costs less and can look professional. A fully custom design costs more and makes sense when you need something specific, or when the site has to stand out in a crowded market like Vancouver.
Ongoing costs: what you pay every year
The build is a one-time cost. These keep coming:
- Domain name: GoDaddy Canada estimates around $20 a year for a domain. Watch for low first-year prices that renew higher.
- Hosting or a builder plan: GoDaddy’s own shared hosting runs $5.49 to $12.99 a month, and website builders typically $170 to $336 a year, according to the same guide.
- E-commerce plans: if you do sell online, platform fees add up. Shopify’s Canadian pricing starts at $49 CAD a month on the Basic plan billed monthly, or $37 a month billed yearly.
- Updates, security and backups: someone has to keep software up to date and fix things when they break. The BDC cost checklist lists maintenance and cybersecurity as costs to plan for.
- Care plan or retainer: GoDaddy Canada puts total operating costs at $25 a month to several hundred dollars a month, and an agency retainer at several hundred to over a thousand dollars a month, depending on the site’s size.
When you compare a cheap build with a higher quote, add up three years of running costs for both. A low build price with expensive add-ons can end up costing more.
DIY vs freelancer vs agency: which fits a local service business
Each option makes sense for a different owner.
DIY builder. Lowest cash cost and fine for a new business testing the waters. The real cost is your time: writing every page, taking photos, setting up forms and tracking. Every evening spent on the site is an evening not spent quoting or doing jobs.
Freelancer or small studio. A good middle ground for a simple brochure site. Ask exactly what’s included, who hosts the site, and who you call when something breaks a year from now.
Agency. Costs more, and makes most sense when the website is part of a bigger plan: ads, SEO, follow-up. At Rank My Business Today, our web design for local businesses starts with a discovery interview, and we write the copy from your business facts. Every site is mobile-friendly with an inquiry form and includes basic on-page SEO and analytics. You pay hosting and domain costs directly, so you keep control of them.
If you plan to run ads, the site matters even more. Every click you pay for lands somewhere, so a page that turns visitors into calls makes the budget go further. Our guide on what Google Ads cost in Canada explains why the landing page affects what you pay per click.
How to compare website quotes
Before you sign, put the quotes side by side and check each of these:
- Pages included: how many, and which ones (home, each service, each area, about, contact).
- Copy: do they write it, edit yours, or expect it finished?
- Photos: stock, your own, or a photo shoot?
- Mobile: tested on phones, where most local customers will see it?
- Basic SEO setup: page titles, descriptions, headings and Google Search Console connected.
- Forms and tracking: quote forms, booking, and tracking of calls and form fills.
- Revisions: how many rounds of changes to copy and design.
- Launch support: testing before launch and a period of fixes after.
- Ownership: the domain, hosting account and site files in your name.
- Ongoing fees: hosting, plugins, care plans and what happens if you leave.
A quote that’s thousands of dollars cheaper usually leaves out several of these. That might be fine, as long as you know which ones and plan for them.
Is a website still worth it in 2026?
For a local service business, yes. Your Google Business Profile, ads and social media all send people somewhere to check you out before they call. A clear website is where they confirm you do the job they need, in their area.
AI tools can now build a rough site in minutes, and that’s useful for a first draft. But the parts that make a site bring in work still take effort: accurate service and area pages, real photos of your jobs, forms that reach you, and tracking that shows what’s working.
Conclusion
Website design cost in Canada depends mostly on who builds the site and how much of the work is included. A DIY builder costs a few hundred dollars a year plus your time. A designer-built brochure site runs up to about $5,000 by GoDaddy Canada’s estimates, and custom sites and larger online stores cost $10,000 and up. Running costs come on top, so compare quotes over three years, line by line, and keep the domain in your name.
If you’re weighing a new site and want a straight opinion on what yours needs, book a free strategy call. We’ll look at your business and goals and send a clear quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business website cost in Canada?
It depends on who builds it and what it has to do. GoDaddy Canada estimates a brochure website at anywhere from $170 for an AI-built site to $5,000 for a bespoke one, while larger custom sites run $10,000 to $75,000+. Running costs such as hosting and a domain come on top.
What are the monthly costs of a website?
Expect to pay for a domain (GoDaddy Canada estimates around $20 a year), hosting or a builder plan, and any updates, security or care plan. GoDaddy Canada puts total operating costs at $25 a month to several hundred dollars a month, depending on the site.
Is a website builder like Wix or Squarespace good enough for a trades business?
It can be, if you have the time to write the pages, take good photos and set up forms and tracking yourself. The builder fee is the small part. The real cost of DIY is your time and whether the site clearly explains your services and areas so people call.
Can ChatGPT or AI build my business website?
AI tools can produce a first draft of a layout or some copy. The work that makes a local business site useful still has to be done: accurate service and area pages, real photos, working forms and call tracking, and a setup that helps Google understand what you do and where.
Should I own my domain name?
Yes. Register the domain in your own name or your company's name, with your own login, even if a designer manages the site. That way you can move the site to another provider later without losing your web address.
Written by
Murilo T. Founder, Rank My Business Today
Murilo spent 20 years in the software industry supporting the marketing departments of other companies. In 2024 he founded Rank My Business Today to help local businesses across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley become the name people find, trust and choose.
More about Murilo
