Website cost
How much does a website cost?
One fixed starting point, with no quote to chase: a Search-Ready Website from $1,500 USD. Competitive markets and multi-location businesses start at $3,000. Here is what changes the number, what a fixed scope buys, and what to ask before you pay anyone for a website.
A professional website from Digital Handshake Media starts at $1,500 USD. A Search-Ready Website runs to $3,000, built around search intent and architecture. Highly competitive niches and multi-location businesses start at $3,000 and are quoted after a free assessment. Four things move the number: how many pages the site truly needs, how much search research it needs, whether ecommerce is involved, and whether you add an AI Receptionist ($1,500 a month). Support after launch is $97 to $297 a month, separate from the build. Every price is in US dollars. Canadian clients may qualify for a 20% discount, so ask Omar.
What actually moves the price
| Factor | Keeps cost down | Pushes cost up |
|---|---|---|
| Page count | Up to about 8 pages, each with a real purpose | Up to about 15 pages, or a location program for a multi-location business |
| Search research | One main service area and a focused service list | Transactional keyword mapping and intent research across many services or a competitive market |
| Content | 10-minute structured intake, AI-assisted refinement | Long-form, interview-based copywriting |
| Ecommerce | None, or a lean catalogue/digital product/booking deposit | Large catalogues, inventory sync, custom checkout logic |
| Automation | Basic form/chat/CRM/calendar | An AI Receptionist and deeper lead-routing logic |
| Revisions | The included structured rounds | Open-ended, unstructured revision requests |
More pages does not automatically mean a better site. A page built without a real user or search purpose is a page that dilutes the site's architecture instead of strengthening it — see how Search-Ready architecture actually gets decided.
How the price is set
From $1,500
Foundation
Search-intent research, service architecture, CRM lead capture, technical SEO and conversion tracking. Up to about 8 pages. 10-14 business days once inputs are in.
Up to $3,000
Expanded
Deeper research, service and location structure, internal linking and full technical SEO. Up to about 15 pages. 21-30 calendar days depending on scope. Detail on the SEO web design page.
$3,000 and above
Competitive or multi-location
Highly competitive niches and multi-location businesses. We scope and quote after the free assessment. A local SEO retainer can follow. Full scope is on the web design hub.
All prices are in US dollars. Digital Handshake Media is a U.S. company, an LLC registered in Montana, and we work from Vancouver, BC. We bill every client in USD. Canadian clients may qualify for a 20% discount that covers currency-conversion fees. Eligibility is case by case, so ask Omar on the call. Two things run alongside the build: an AI Receptionist for 24/7 lead handling, $1,500/month (see what it does and doesn't do), and ongoing support after launch, $97-$297/month, for edits and active maintenance the initial build doesn't include.
Ecommerce, briefly
DHM supports ecommerce within a defined scope: lean catalogues, digital products, small inventories, subscriptions, service or booking deposits, Stripe-connected payments and Shopify-related integrations where appropriate. Large catalogues, complex inventory systems, warehouse or ERP sync and 3PL integrations are custom scope, priced separately. Detail on ecommerce web design.
What to ask before you pay anyone for a website
- What exactly is included, in writing? A price without a written scope is a quote that can grow after you've paid.
- What happens to leads after the form is submitted? A site with no CRM connection is a brochure, not a lead system.
- How many revision rounds, specifically? "Unlimited revisions" on a fixed-price build usually means the price wasn't really fixed.
- Who owns the domain, hosting and content after launch? Know this before you start, not after a dispute.
- What is the realistic delivery timeline, and what does it depend on? A firm date with no dependency on your own inputs is not a realistic date.
- What is not included? The honest answer to this question tells you more about the price than anything else on the list.
Questions we get
Frequently asked questions
Why does the price range from $1,500 to $3,000 and above?
Scope sets the price, not a discount. At about $1,500 you get up to roughly eight pages. Closer to $3,000 you get up to about fifteen pages, deeper research and more architecture. Competitive niches and multi-location businesses start at $3,000 and are quoted after the assessment, because research, pages and technical work grow with the market.
Do you offer a cheaper website?
No. We do not sell a template or a low-cost website. Below $1,500, the honest options are a DIY builder or a template with no lead capture or follow-up behind it. We set the floor at $1,500 so every site includes search architecture, technical SEO, CRM lead capture and measurement. If a DIY builder fits your budget today, use it. Come back when the website needs to work as a lead engine.
What currency are your prices in?
US dollars. Digital Handshake Media is a U.S. company, an LLC registered in Montana, and we work from Vancouver, BC. We bill every client in USD. Canadian clients may qualify for a 20% discount that covers currency-conversion fees. Eligibility is case by case, so ask Omar on the call.
Does the price include ongoing maintenance?
No. The build price covers launch, the stated revision rounds and the stated technical setup. Ongoing edits, active maintenance and further optimization are a separate service, $97-$297/month, so the two are never bundled in a way that hides what each one actually costs.
Do you charge more if my website needs SEO too?
Local SEO is a separate, ongoing service from the website build itself, priced from $1,000/month — see full pricing. Many clients run both, but a Search-Ready Website does not require an ongoing SEO retainer, and an SEO retainer does not require a new website.
Read next
Where to go from here
Next step
See what your website is costing you
A free, short review against Core Web Vitals, mobile UX, CTA visibility, lead capture and follow-up capability — or a fixed quote if you already know what you need.
Or call 778-200-8644 · No fake discounts, no fake urgency · No guaranteed rankings