If you’ve ever Googled “How much does a website cost?” you’ve probably seen the same useless answer: “It depends.”

Sure, everything depends. But small business owners deserve a clearer answer than that. So here’s the honest breakdown — based on the real work I do at Ninja Tuna Design — of what a professionally designed website actually costs, and why hiring a pro usually saves you money in the long run.

The Real Price Range

Most small business websites I build fall between:

$2,200 to $5,000

This covers a modern, lead-focused, small-business-friendly website that loads fast, looks premium, and is built to convert visitors into customers. Not agency-stupid pricing. Not “my cousin can do it for $300” pricing. The sweet spot in the middle where the site actually does its job.

What Type of Website Are We Talking About?

Most clients come to me for one thing:

A simple, clean website that showcases their business and gets leads.

Not huge e-commerce stores.
Not complex portals.
Just a strategic, trustworthy online presence that helps them look professional, get found on Google, and build credibility.

What Actually Affects the Cost?

Here are the big things that move the price up or down:

  • Size of the site (more pages = more time)
  • Custom features (booking tools, quote calculators, directories, etc.)
  • Ecommerce (products, carts, shipping, security)
  • SEO work (if you want it to rank properly)
  • Custom design and branding needs

The more custom, the more time — simple as that.

Case Study #1: The $2,200 Starter Site That Became a Lead Machine

A local handyman came to me after struggling with a DIY Squarespace site. It looked decent, but it wasn’t ranking or converting.

I rebuilt it with:

  • Proper service pages
  • Good local SEO
  • Faster load times
  • Clear calls to action

Within two months, he was booking 3–5 new leads per week. A straightforward site + proper setup = big difference.

Case Study #2: The $5,000 Rebuild That Transformed a Clinic

A wellness clinic had an outdated, painfully slow WordPress site. It wasn’t mobile-friendly, and navigating it felt like walking through a snowstorm in Winnipeg — slow, confusing, and mildly traumatic.

We rebuilt everything:

  • New custom design
  • Simplified structure
  • Integrated booking tools
  • Proper SEO foundation
  • Faster, cleaner experience

Traffic doubled in three months, and their receptionist still gives me grief because the phone won’t stop ringing.

Why DIY Costs More Than You Think

Listen, I get the appeal of DIY platforms. They look cheap. They make big promises. They offer nice templates.

But here’s the truth:

DIY sites usually don’t convert and rarely rank.

Most clients spend 20–80 hours messing around with layouts, spacing, fonts, widgets, and Google searches like “why is my website blurry?” or “why am I not showing up in Google?”

And after all that time, they still end up with:

  • Slow load times
  • Poor SEO
  • No structure
  • Accessibility issues
  • Low conversions

Then they come to me to fix it — which means paying twice.

Cheap upfront. Expensive long-term.

Why “Cheap” Websites Don’t Serve You Well

A cheap website will technically exist. It will be live. The URL will work. Brilliant.

But it won’t help your business grow.

Cheap sites usually don’t:

  • Build trust
  • Bring in leads
  • Rank on Google
  • Create a smooth user experience

A website is an investment. If the investment doesn’t return anything, it isn’t actually saving you money.

The Ongoing Costs No One Warns You About

A website isn’t a one-and-done expense. Here’s what most small businesses end up paying for long-term:

  • Hosting
  • Website care/maintenance
  • Plugin renewals
  • Domain name
  • Email hosting (if needed)

My after-care plans take care of updates, backups, security, performance checks, and general “keep the website alive and happy” duties.

Do Extras Affect Pricing?

Absolutely.

Copywriting, branding, SEO campaigns, photography — they all add to the final price. But they also tend to improve conversions and help the website actually make money.

Most people add extras when they choose an after-care plan, because that’s when we continue improving the site after launch.

The Myth That Needs to Die: “DIY Is Cheaper”

DIY sites aren’t cheaper.

They’re just cheaper today.

Google doesn’t favour websites because they’re easy to build. It favours sites that load fast, are well-structured, accessible, optimized, and provide strong user experience.

DIY builders hide all the important technical stuff behind drag-and-drop tools. Great for convenience. Terrible for ranking.

If you want a website that actually grows your business, not just decorates the internet, hire a pro.

Final Thoughts: What Should You Actually Expect to Pay?

If you want a professionally designed, small-business-focused, SEO-ready website:

Expect $2,200–$5,000.

Not bargain-basement. Not luxury-agency.
Just a solid, effective investment that actually works.

If you want a website that helps your business grow (and doesn’t take your entire weekend to build), I’m your guy.

Reach out anytime for a quote — no nonsense, no jargon, no surprises.

Curious how we could Grow your business with new website?

Book a call with Paul

or email hello@ninjatuna.ca