A useful website budget separates the build from the work required to operate it. Page count is one part of the quote. Content review, intake, migration, editing, software, and ongoing support can change the scope substantially.
Small World Marketing's published website plans provide starting prices for a straightforward build. A law firm should compare those plans against its actual services, current assets, and intake requirements before choosing one.
This guide explains our published pricing, the questions that belong in a legal website scope, and a simple first-year cost calculation. It does not claim to establish a Canadian industry average.
SWM's published website starting prices
The pricing page lists the following one-time website prices in CAD, checked October 10, 2026. Confirm the current price and written scope before committing to a project.
| Published plan | One-time starting price | Listed page scope | How to evaluate it for a law firm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landing Page | CAD 1,000 | One page, up to seven sections | A focused campaign or simple presence; assess whether separate practice pages are needed |
| Starter | CAD 2,250 | Up to ten pages | Inventory services, biographies, contact, and policy pages against the allowance |
| Pro | CAD 3,500 | Up to twenty pages | Compare the larger page allowance with actual service and supporting content needs |
These are SWM's published plans, not market benchmarks or quotes for every law firm. Custom integration, migration, review, and support requirements should be resolved in the proposal. Applicable taxes and any separately billed items need confirmation.
The published page also lists Proactive Website Support at CAD 49 per month. Ask how that support applies to the chosen website, what it covers, and what needs a separate estimate.
Count useful pages rather than filling an allowance
A page inventory can include the homepage, substantial practice areas, lawyer biographies, office information, contact, and applicable policies. Supporting guides come after the primary service coverage is clear.
For example, a two-lawyer employment firm might need distinct employee and employer service pages. A family law practice may need separate information for mediation and litigation. Those choices depend on the real practice and reader task.
Avoid counting pages solely to fit a plan. Five near-identical city pages do not become useful because a package has room for them. Equally, a single services page may be insufficient if it hides materially different services.
Our law firm website design service explains the page and intake decisions. The law firm content marketing service covers supporting content and review responsibilities.
Compare what the project actually includes
| Workstream | Question for the quote | Potential scope difference |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Are services, audience, and intake requirements documented? | Clear specification versus starting with a visual template |
| Design | Which page types and revisions are included? | Shared layouts versus custom functional requirements |
| Content | Who writes, sources, approves, and publishes it? | Existing copy reuse versus a reviewed content rewrite |
| Development | What editing and integration requirements are covered? | Standard pages versus custom tools or workflows |
| Intake | Are forms, routing, scheduling, and CRM connections tested? | A visible form versus a verified delivery chain |
| Migration | Are URLs, documents, DNS, and live data accounted for? | New site only versus replacing an operating asset |
| Handover | Which accounts, files, rights, and training are delivered? | Provider-operated site versus agreed firm access |
Ask the same questions of every provider. A less expensive headline can omit work another quote includes. An expensive platform or large page count does not establish that the important client tasks are solved.
Content and review need their own scope
Legal content should describe the firm's real services and address the appropriate jurisdiction. The proposal should identify who approves legal information, credentials, outcome statements, and professional claims.
Existing content can reduce writing work when it is accurate, useful, and owned or licensed for reuse. It still needs review if the firm has changed its lawyers, services, or intake process.
Clarify whether revisions cover factual corrections, tone changes, additional research, or new service pages. An agreed review process makes the timeline easier to operate than passing drafts between unnamed approvers.
Migration can matter more than the new layout
A replacement website needs an inventory of current URLs, documents, search data, integrations, and DNS records. Preserve working addresses where practical and specify relevant redirects when they change.
Email may be hosted separately. Changing website infrastructure should not silently remove mail records or disrupt notifications. Live form submissions and content edits also need a cutover plan.
Use the law firm website migration checklist to compare the transition scope. A rebuild estimate should say who owns that work, not leave it until launch day.
Calculate the first-year cost consistently
Use this formula:
First-year website cost = one-time project fees + 12 months of recurring care + annual subscriptions + separately scoped work + applicable taxes.
Here is a simple illustration using SWM's published Starter and support prices. It assumes support is billed for twelve months and both listed plans fit the project. It excludes taxes and any custom work.
| Illustration | Calculation | First-year amount |
|---|---|---|
| Starter website | Published one-time price | CAD 2,250 |
| Proactive Website Support | CAD 49 × 12 | CAD 588 |
| Illustrative subtotal | CAD 2,250 + CAD 588 | CAD 2,838 |
This is a worked example, not an approved quote. It does not include an SEO retainer, ad spend, or unlisted subscriptions. If the project needs a paid scheduler, custom intake integration, new legal research, or a more complex migration, add those quoted items explicitly.
Download the website scope and cost worksheet. The worksheet leaves project-specific amounts blank so they can be filled from real quotes.
Agree on ongoing operation and ownership
The domain, DNS, editing accounts, analytics, Search Console, tracking numbers, and software licences should have documented owners. Identify what the firm can export and what depends on a continuing provider relationship.
| Recurring item | Confirm before signing |
|---|---|
| Hosting and care | Scope, billing, support route, renewal, and exit |
| Domain | Registrant control and renewal responsibility |
| Paid software | Which subscriptions are included and which transfer |
| Content changes | Included revision allowance and extra-work process |
| Recovery | Backup scope, retention, and restore responsibility |
| Marketing | Separate scope and measures for SEO or advertising |
Our hosting service and hosting buyer's guide explain account control and recovery in more detail.
Common website budget questions
Does a smaller firm need the largest plan?
Choose the smallest scope that covers the actual services, client tasks, and operating needs. A larger allowance helps only when there is useful work to put in it.
Is SEO included in a website build?
Technical search foundations and an ongoing SEO program are different scopes. Confirm what the build includes, then use the law firm marketing cost guide to budget continuing work.
Can a low initial cost create higher recurring costs?
Yes. Compare subscription commitments, export options, revisions, support, and custom-work fees alongside the build. Use the same period and assumptions for every proposal.
What does SWM need to quote the project?
The current site, desired pages, intake requirements, content responsibilities, account inventory, and migration constraints. Those details let us match a starting plan or prepare a custom estimate.
Request a written law firm website scope from Small World Marketing.