Website Startup Costs

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Updated for 2022

In this article, we break down website startup costs required to build your brand and generate new leads for your business.

If you have more specific website startup cost-related questions, feel free to contact us.

This article contains affiliate links and pricing in Canadian dollars.

Why You Need a Website

Having a professionally designed business website is very important when building your company brand and getting new leads and customers. Often, the first place a potential client will look for a service your business provides is on Google or Bing on their computer or mobile device.

Showing up on the major search engines is critical in building trust between you and your potential client. At Clio, we help many clients get their Bootstrap (HTML) or WordPress website stood up and properly maintained. This article covers some common website startup costs.

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Website Features and Functionality determine Website Startup Costs

Standing up a website comes in many sizes and flavors. Pricing largely depends on which features a potential client is looking for (for example, e-commerce, blogging, or a simple informational website).

A simple informational website is great for creating an internet footprint and showing your potential clients that you are a professional company. We usually recommend a responsive HTML (Bootstrap) for a simple informational website.

If blogging and e-commerce are important features we usually recommend a platform such as WordPress.

The following articles that we previously wrote offer additional information regarding these topics:

WordPress vs Bootstrap technology overview
How much should a custom website cost
How to build a WordPress website on your own

Typical Website Startup Costs

In order to get a website launched, you will need the following three products / services:

1. Domain Name
2. Hosting Account
3. Optional – Professional web design company

Let’s break these down in more detail and go through the cost of each of these components.

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Domain Name

In order to look professional and increase confidence in your product and brand, we highly recommend purchasing a domain name for your website. A domain name is an address that is typed into the address bar of a browser (for example, www.CalgaryWebDesignFirm.com) in order to navigate to a website. You can also use a free website builder and decide not to purchase a domain but we don’t recommend this as your website will appear unprofessional.

We highly recommend purchasing a domain from a reputable company such as BlueHost, A2 hosting, or Ionos (affiliate link). A domain name will cost around $10 CAD to purchase and about $15 – $20 CAD per year to renew and keep active. In some cases, you will find a better deal or special offers when initially purchasing a domain name.

You may also receive offers to purchase similar domains at a discount (domain name companies will try to upsell you) or as a promotional offer but be careful since each domain will need to be renewed on a yearly basis.

Hosting Account

You can think of a hosting account like renting a server from a provider in order to run and store your website files and components. When someone navigates to your website the server (hosting account) delivers the files to the client so that they can view and interact with your website. Some hosting providers will offer a free domain name with a purchase of a hosting plan.

Hosting plans come in many shapes and sizes and the type of hosting you need depends on the features you plan to roll out within your website. Generally, we recommend selecting a base hosting plan for a responsive HTML informational website. You can purchase a hosting account from Ionos by following this link (affiliate link).

If you need a WordPress website, we would recommend purchasing more robust hosting. The providers we use for hosting WordPress websites include SiteGround, and Kinsta (affiliate link).

Hosting plans typically start at $5 CAD / month and go up in price based on your needs. If you have trouble deciding on the right hosting plan, you can contact Clio Websites for assistance, or check our detailed article about Calgary web hosting.

Hiring a Professional Calgary Web Design Company

This last step is optional but highly recommended. Hiring a professional Calgary web design company will increase your chances of success. You can certainly setup a WordPress website on your own but if you run into any problems, contact Clio and we will gladly assist.

If you decide to hire a professional to setup a website for you, the pricing will largely depend on what your needs are. We wrote about typical website development costs in a previous article. If you would like to get a free quote please get in touch with us.

Website Startup Costs Summary

In order to launch a professional website, you will need three things. A domain name (approximately $20 CAD/year), a hosting account (roughly $80 CAD/year), and help from a professional web design company. To get started on your own you will most likely need to spend around $100 CAD in the first year. Renewal fees might be a bit higher based on the plan and special promotions that are available when you join a provider.

If you need more information or want to hear about the benefits of hiring a Calgary web design company, contact Clio Websites and we will meet you where you are in your website project journey! Or check out our other responsive web design services.

How Much For a Professional Website

Embarking on a new website project? Ensure you’re fully informed about the financial commitment with our professional website cost calculator, designed to help you budget effectively for your brand’s online presence.

 

FAQs

To launch a professional website you need a domain and a hosting account. Prices vary based on the type of hosting and popularity of the domain, but most small businesses can get started with as little as $100/year.

Costs largely depend on the project’s needs and requirements. You can get a rough idea of website costs in Calgary by reading this article. If you have other questions, feel free to get in touch with us.

Ecommerce websites typically cost a bit more than informational websites. This is because they take more time to develop and set up. Our website pricing article has more useful information regarding eCommerce website costs.

About the author

Nat Miletic is the founder of Clio Websites, a Calgary-based web design company. Nat writes about WordPress, SEO, and responsive web design.

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