Ask three web design companies in Alberta for a quote and you’ll get three numbers that seem to have no relationship to each other. One says $800. One says $4,500. One sends a proposal for $18,000. They all say they build websites.
The confusion is real. Here’s how to make sense of it.
The actual price range, and what’s in each bucket
DIY website builders (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify for e-commerce) cost $0 to $50 a month and exactly as much time as you’re willing to put in. The result is usually functional and consistently mediocre. If you’re a solopreneur testing a concept, fine. If you’re a legitimate Alberta business trying to compete, you’ll outgrow it fast.
Freelancers range from about $800 to $4,000. The lower end often means a template installation with your logo and some text swapped in. The higher end, from an experienced freelancer, can produce genuinely good work. The risk is availability and long-term support. When something breaks or needs updating, you’re at the mercy of someone’s calendar.
Agencies start around $3,000 for small packages and can reach $20,000 or more for complex projects. The difference between a $3,500 agency build and a $15,000 one isn’t always quality. Sometimes it’s overhead, location, or scope creep. Sometimes it’s entirely justified.
What actually drives the cost
Page count is one factor. A 5-page service business site costs less to build than a 30-page site with a blog, booking system, and client portal. But page count is often overstated as a cost driver.
The bigger factors are: whether the design is truly custom or template-based, whether the copy is included or you’re providing it yourself, how much back-and-forth revision is expected, and whether the agency is building something you can maintain or something that needs them every time you want to change a photo.
Ongoing support matters too. Some Alberta businesses pay a monthly retainer to have someone handle updates, backups, and security. Some buy a site and never hear from the agency again. Know which model you’re getting before you sign.
Why cheap websites are expensive long term
A $900 website that loads slowly, isn’t optimized for mobile, and has no clear calls to action isn’t saving you money. It’s costing you leads every single month. When you finally redo it two years later, you’ve paid twice.
We’ve had clients come to us after spending years on a site that was technically live but functionally useless. The original cost was low. The opportunity cost was not.
What you should actually be paying in Alberta
For a quality small business website in Alberta, done properly with custom design (or a well-customized template), mobile optimization, page speed work, and a clear conversion strategy, expect to pay somewhere between $2,500 and $6,000. Entry-level packages, like our $497 starting option, cover simpler builds where scope is controlled and the client does some of the heavy lifting on content.
Anything under $1,500 from an agency (not a freelancer) is worth scrutinizing. Ask specifically what’s included and what isn’t.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
Can I see examples of websites you’ve built for Alberta businesses? Who owns the site when it’s done? Me or you? Will I be able to update content myself? What does ongoing support look like? What’s your process for understanding my customers before you start designing?
The answers will tell you more than the price.
Our services page breaks down what we include and why. If you want a direct conversation about what your business actually needs, reach out and we’ll give you a straight answer.