A custom website in Canada runs anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000+ depending on scope, functionality, and the team you hire. A basic 5–10 page brochure site with custom design, mobile responsiveness, and a CMS like WordPress usually starts around $5,000–$10,000. Mid-tier sites with custom post types, integrations (CRM, email marketing, booking systems), and more complex UX design typically land in the $12,000–$25,000 range. Full custom builds—e-commerce platforms, membership sites, or web applications with advanced features—regularly exceed $25,000 and can stretch past $50,000 for enterprise-level projects. The wide range exists because "custom" means different things. A freelancer might charge $3,000–$8,000 for a template-based WordPress site with light customization, which some clients call custom. An agency charging $15,000+ is usually doing original design, custom theme development, performance optimization, schema markup, and proper SEO foundations from day one. Offshore teams can quote lower, but expect revision cycles, communication lag, and often subpar code that costs more to fix later. Key cost drivers include: - Design complexity: Stock themes are cheaper; original UI/UX design costs more. - Functionality: Contact forms are simple; booking engines, user dashboards, or API integrations add thousands. - Content: If you provide copy and images, costs drop. Agencies charging for content strategy, copywriting, and photography can add $2,000–$10,000. - Ongoing needs: Hosting, maintenance, and updates run $100–$500/month depending on site complexity and support level. At Ottawa SEO, we typically scope custom sites in the $8,000–$20,000 range for small to mid-sized businesses. We build on WordPress or headless setups, prioritize Core Web Vitals, implement proper schema, and structure sites for SEO from the ground up. The goal isn't just a website—it's a revenue-generating asset. Cheaper options exist, but you usually pay twice: once for the initial build, once to rebuild it properly when it doesn't perform.