"How much does a website cost?" is like asking "how much does a vehicle cost?" — it depends entirely on what you need it to do. But you deserve real numbers, so let's break it down for the Nova Scotia market.
The three common price tiers
DIY template builders — $0 to ~$50/month
Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy let you build it yourself. The sticker price is low, but the real cost shows up later: slower sites, weaker SEO, generic templates your competitors also use, and dozens of your own hours. Fine for a hobby; risky if the site needs to bring in customers.
Freelance / custom build — ~$1,500 to $6,000+
A dedicated designer builds a site around your business and your customers. This is the sweet spot for most Halifax small businesses: fast, mobile-first, SEO-ready, and designed to convert visitors into leads. Price scales with the number of pages, custom features, copywriting, and integrations.
Agency build — $8,000 to $30,000+
Larger agencies bring bigger teams and bigger overhead. Great for enterprises; usually overkill (and over-budget) for a local trades, clinic, or restaurant business.
What actually moves the price
- Number of pages — a 5-page site costs less than a 20-page one
- Custom design vs. template — bespoke work takes more time
- Copywriting — do you have the words, or do you need them written?
- Features — booking, e-commerce, memberships, integrations
- SEO depth — basic setup vs. a full local SEO foundation
One-time vs. monthly
A one-time project is best if you can pay upfront and want to own everything outright. A monthly plan spreads the cost and bundles hosting, security, updates, and ongoing SEO so the site keeps improving after launch. There's no universally "right" answer — it comes down to cash flow and whether you want a set-and-forget site or a growth partner. See the packages page for how I structure both.
The hidden cost most people miss
A cheap site that doesn't rank or convert isn't cheap — it's the most expensive option, because it quietly costs you customers every month. The right question isn't "what's the lowest price?" but "what will this site earn me?" A site that brings in two extra clients a month pays for itself many times over.
What you actually own
Always confirm you own your domain, your hosting, and your code — with no proprietary lock-in. If a provider holds your site hostage, that's a future cost waiting to happen. Everything I build, you own outright.