Use a first-year worksheet
Ask every vendor to fill the same rows. Record tax separately and note whether a quoted currency is CAD or USD.
- Initial build or setup: template work, AI generation, designer or developer.
- Domain: annual registration, renewal price, privacy and transfer terms.
- Platform and hosting: monthly or annual fee, storage and traffic limits.
- Business tools: forms, booking, ecommerce, email, analytics and paid apps.
- Content: writing, photography, image licensing and translation.
- Maintenance: updates, new pages, support and staff time.
A worked comparison with stated assumptions
Example A: a service business uses Pagely Free on a pagely.ca subdomain, supplies its own photos and updates its own copy. Platform cost is CA$0 for the year. The trade-off is 1 site, a Pagely footer badge and no custom domain.
Example B: the same business already owns a domain and chooses annual Pagely Pro. Platform cost is CA$190 for the year, before tax and the registrar's domain renewal. Pro includes up to 3 sites, custom domains, no Pagely badge, 100 AI edits a month and monthly connected-review refresh. These are Pagely prices reviewed on September 14, 2026; check the live pricing page before buying.
Example C: a business hires a photographer, copywriter or developer. Those project fees belong in the worksheet even when hosting is inexpensive. Ask for a defined scope and ownership or licence terms for every deliverable.
Keep reading
Choose a Canadian website builder
Pagely's editorial team keeps this guide current for the same claim-checking process behind every page.
Questions that expose future cost
- Does the renewal price differ from the introductory price?
- Can I connect a domain registered elsewhere, and do I remain the registrant?
- Which forms, bookings, products or team seats require a higher plan?
- What happens to the site and domain if I cancel?
- Can I export content or move the domain without buying another service?
- Who handles security, backups and routine platform updates?
Keep currency and residency claims separate
Billing in Canadian dollars can reduce exchange-rate surprises. Canadian ownership can affect support context. Neither fact proves that all website data stays in Canada. Ask where each relevant category of data is processed and which infrastructure providers are involved.
A .ca domain also has eligibility rules. CIRA's Canadian Presence Requirements explain who may register and hold one.
Sources reviewed
Product features and third-party guidance can change. These primary sources were checked on September 14, 2026.