Nowadays, having an online presence is crucial for all businesses. Whether you’re a startup or a growing company, a website is your digital storefront. Before this, every one of us wants to know the cost of building a website and what options we can consider. The answer can vary greatly based on the approach you choose and the complexity of the project.

Budget-Friendly Website Builders

Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify have become increasingly popular, especially among small businesses and startups. They offer various templates and drag-and-drop features. It makes website building accessible to those with little to no coding experience.

COSTS

1. Subscription Fees

• Wix: Starts at CAD 16/month for the Light plan, going up to CAD 149/month for the Business Elite plan.
• Squarespace: Starts at CAD 30/month for the Personal plan, up to CAD 90/month for the Advanced Commerce plan.
• Shopify: Starts at CAD 51/month for the Basic plan, going up to CAD 517/month for the Advanced plan.

2. Domain Name

Usually costs around CAD 20-30/year if not included in the plan.

• GoDaddy: Offers a wide range of domain extensions and competitive pricing.
• Namecheap: Known for affordable prices and free WHOIS privacy protection.
• Bluehost: Often bundled with hosting services, offering a convenient option for those needing both domain and hosting.

3. Templates and Add-ons

While many templates are free, premium templates and add-ons can cost anywhere from CAD 20 to CAD 200.

4. Hiring a UI/UX Designer

To enhance the aesthetics and user experience of your website, you can hire a freelance UI/UX designer. Hourly rates range for freelance UI/UX designers can be from CAD 80 to CAD 150. For a basic website, the cost might range from CAD 1,000 to CAD 5,000 depending on the scope of work on web pages.

5. SSL Certificates‍

Many website builders include SSL certificates in their plans. If not, you can purchase them separately.

• Let's Encrypt: Offers free SSL certificates that are widely supported.
• Namecheap: Provides affordable SSL certificates starting around CAD 20/year.
• SSLs.com: Offers a variety of SSL certificates with competitive pricing.

6. Maintenance

The monthly subscription and any additional services or features will add to the ongoing costs.

Overall Consideration

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Hiring A Development Team

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For businesses with specific needs, hiring a software development team is often the most appropriate option. It will cost you more but meet your feature-rich project requirements with project management. Based on your needs, you may also find comprehensive services to assist your business growth in the future.

COSTS

‍1. Development and Design Fees

• Freelance Developers: Hourly rates range from CAD 75 to CAD 150. Usually, they mainly have technical skills but not management skills for a whole project. You might need to utilize project management tools to manage it well on your own.
• Development Firms/ Technology Agencies: Project rates can range from CAD 10,000 to CAD 50,000 or more, depending on complexity. These companies are also able to provide full-time product managers, full-stack developers, and graphic designers. Projects are not limited to websites but also mobile applications.
• UI/UX Designers: Hourly rates range from CAD 80 to CAD 200. However, they have the design skills required but not the technical ones.

2. Domain

‍CAD 20-30/year

• GoDaddy: Offers a wide range of domain extensions and competitive pricing.
• Namecheap: Known for affordable prices and free WHOIS privacy protection.

3. Hosting‍

CAD 100-300/year for basic plans, higher for premium services

• Bluehost: Popular for its affordable plans and good performance.
• SiteGround: Known for excellent customer support and performance.
• A2 Hosting: Offers high-speed hosting with a variety of plans.

4. SSL Certificates

SSL certificates can range from CAD 20 to CAD 200/year, depending on the level of security required.

• Let's Encrypt: Offers free SSL certificates that are widely supported.
• Namecheap: Provides affordable SSL certificates starting around CAD 20/year.
• SSLs.com: Offers a variety of SSL certificates with competitive pricing.

5. Maintenance

Ongoing costs for updates, security, and troubleshooting can range from CAD 500 to CAD 5,000 annually.

6. Additional Costs

Custom features, third-party integrations, and advanced SEO services can add to the overall cost.

Overall Consideration

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Making the Right Choice

The decision between using a website builder and outsourcing to a team depends on your business needs, budget, and long-term goals. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide:

There is also a trend of hiring external development teams instead of in-house teams due to many reasons. It includes the budget, access to expertise, flexibility, less management, and faster results.

At Designs By Kit, we understand that every business has unique needs for websites or mobile apps. Whether you’re looking for a cost-effective solution or a custom-designed website, our team is here to guide you through the process. We offer options to build a website using a website builder or by our development team. Contact us today for a FREE consultation to discuss your project and find the best solution for your business.

Conclusion

Investing in a website is a crucial step in establishing your online presence. By weighing the costs and benefits of website builders versus hiring a team, it helps you make an informed decision. As a result, you can align with your business objectives and budget easily. A well-designed website is not just an expense; it’s an investment in your brand’s future.

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