What you actually get with a $950 one-page website

A one-page website from Papaya starts from $950 and gets you a single page custom-designed from a blank page, hand-built, fast, hosted on Cloudflare, with your own domain and files, analytics, search basics and the same 20-item launch checklist as our larger builds. What it doesn't get you is separate service pages, online sales or a booking system.

If you're shopping for an affordable small business website, Ontario has no shortage of offers, and it's worth knowing exactly what the entry level buys. Here's ours, line by line.

What's included in a $950 one-page website?

The price starts from $950 plus HST, and final pricing depends on scope. The build includes:

• Custom design from a blank page, not a template with your logo dropped in
• A single scrolling page, typically covering your services, service area, why you, and how to get in touch
• Hand-built code with no page builder, so it loads fast
• Hosting on Cloudflare, with no monthly platform fee
• Ownership: you own the domain and the files
• GA4 analytics to see visits and where they come from
• Search and AI basics: schema markup, a sitemap, llms.txt, and a robots.txt that allows AI search crawlers

What does the 20-item checklist cover?

Low-cost sites usually cut corners on the parts you can't see. Ours go through the same pre-launch checklist as every site we build:

• Privacy policy, and terms and conditions
• HTTPS enforced, with no front-end secrets left in the code
• Cookie consent banner
• Meta titles and descriptions, a social preview image and a favicon
• Sitemap and robots.txt
• Image alt text and image compression
• Page-speed check, colour-contrast fixes and mobile responsiveness
• Custom 404 page and broken-link check
• Form validation and spam protection
• Analytics setup
• One clear call to action, usually call, text or a quote form

None of it is glamorous. All of it is the difference between a site that looks finished and one that is.

What isn't included?

A one-page site is deliberately small. It isn't the right fit if you need:

• Separate pages for several services or locations
• An online store or payments
• Booking, quoting or CRM connections
• A blog you plan to post to regularly

Those needs move you to a business website (up to 10 pages, typically $3,000–$5,000), a content-rich or multi-location site (10–30 pages, $6,000–$10,000), or a custom website or online store ($5,000+, quoted per scope). The full list is on our pricing page.

Who is a one-page website right for?

It works when a customer needs answers to three questions before picking up the phone: what do you do, where, and how do I reach you. That covers a lot of businesses:

• A new business that needs to look real before the first customer calls
• A trade or service with one main offer
• A business that runs mostly on referrals and needs somewhere to send people
• A seasonal or event business with one clear message

Is a cheaper website a false economy?

Sometimes. A low build price can come bundled with a monthly platform subscription, a domain the studio registers in its own name, or a site you can't move.

A worked example: a $300 site that requires a $40-a-month platform plan costs $300 + $1,440 = $1,740 over three years, and you may not own it at the end. A $950 site with no monthly platform fee costs $950 over the same period, plus domain renewal and any upkeep you choose to pay for.

We look at websites the way an accountant would, so we always tell people to compare the 36-month total, not the sticker price.

Why $950 and not less?

Because the design is done from scratch for your business, and the checklist work above takes real time. Our prices are published and fixed. We don't discount, we re-scope: if $950 is more than you want to spend, we'll talk about what to leave out, not what to rush.

What about changes after launch?

Some owners are happy to leave a one-page site alone for long stretches. Others want regular updates as prices or services shift.

The Website Care plan, at $79/month, covers hosting, small edits, backups and speed checks. Website Self-Care is $0/month, with hosting in your name and an admin dashboard so you edit content yourself. Ongoing SEO and AI-search work is quoted per scope, and needing it is usually a sign you've outgrown a single page.

What should you prepare before ordering?

A one-page site goes faster and comes out better when you have:

• A short list of your services, in your own words
• The towns or areas you serve
• Your logo, in the best file you have
• Real photos of your work, your space or your team
• The one action you want visitors to take

If you don't have photos yet, it's fine to launch without them and add them later. Stock photos rarely help a local business.

Where Papaya fits

The one-page website is our smallest build, from $950 plus HST. We're based in Kitchener, with clients across Ontario and around the world; our Ontario web design page shows how that works. If you're not sure one page is enough, send us a note through the contact form and we'll recommend a size.

Common questions

What do you get with a $950 website from Papaya?

A one-page website from Papaya starts from $950 plus HST. It is custom-designed and hand-built, hosted on Cloudflare with no monthly platform fee, and includes GA4 analytics, schema markup, a sitemap and a 20-item pre-launch checklist. You own the domain and the files.

Is a one-page website good for SEO?

A one-page site can show up for your main service and area if it's fast, clear and properly marked up. If you want to rank for several different services, separate pages usually work better.

Can I add pages to a one-page website later?

Yes. A one-page site can be expanded into a larger site later, and the cost depends on how many pages and features you add.