The verdict in three sentences
The build price accounts for only 40 to 60 % of the true cost of a B2B website over three years: maintenance, changes and internal time make the difference. A freelancer is cheapest as long as they stay available, an agency gives the most predictable cost, and in-house Webflow becomes the most expensive option as soon as you count the 2 to 4 days your team spends on it each month. The right choice depends less on the initial quote than on your ability to manage the site over time.
Total cost over 36 months, line by line
We modelled a 20 to 25 page B2B website with forms, a blog and a CRM connection, for a Montreal SMB of 20 to 80 employees. Amounts are 2026 orders of magnitude in Canadian dollars, before taxes (GST and QST).
| Item over 36 months | Agency | Freelancer | In-house Webflow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial build | CA$22,000 | CA$7,500 | CA$450 template + 10 internal days (CA$4,500) |
| Subscription or hosting | CA$1,600 | CA$1,600 | CA$2,100 (about CA$58 a month) |
| Maintenance | CA$10,800 (CA$300 a month) | CA$4,500 (6 days at CA$750) | Included in internal time |
| Changes (new pages, landing pages) | CA$4,500 | CA$3,700 | Included in internal time |
| Internal management time | 3 days a year (CA$4,000) | 5 days a year (CA$6,700) | 3 days a month (CA$48,600) |
| Provision for takeover or vendor exit | Low | CA$4,500 to CA$12,000 | CA$3,000 to CA$7,500 if the employee leaves |
| Estimated total | about CA$43,000 | CA$24,000 to CA$36,000 | CA$56,000 to CA$63,000 |
Internal time is valued at CA$450 per loaded day, which matches a marketing coordinator in Montreal. This line is almost always missing from comparisons, yet it weighs the most in the Webflow scenario.
Dependency, continuity and SEO quality
Cost does not tell the whole story. The question that comes up in leadership meetings is this: what happens if my vendor disappears, or if the person running the site leaves the company? The table below compares the three options on risk and performance.
| Criterion | Agency | Freelancer | In-house Webflow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dependency on one person | Low, team of 3 to 10 | High, a single person | High, often a single trained employee |
| Takeover time after a departure | 1 to 2 weeks | 3 to 8 weeks | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Typical technical SEO quality | High if an audit is included | Varies by profile | Decent, limits on structured data |
| Performance (Core Web Vitals) | Good to excellent | Variable | Good, depends on added animations |
| Responsiveness on a simple request | 2 to 5 days | 1 to 10 days depending on workload | Immediate if the team is available |
| Ownership of code and access | Must be contracted | Must be contracted | Tied to the Webflow account |
| Reference day rate | CA$800 to CA$1,150 | CA$500 to CA$900 | Internal salary cost |
Two practical notes. First, taking over a site after a freelancer leaves costs CA$4,500 to CA$12,000 on average, because the new vendor has to understand undocumented code. Second, a Webflow site does not export cleanly with its CMS: switching platforms is almost a rebuild.
Which company profile fits which option
A freelancer suits an SMB with a simple site, an owner who follows the project and a tight budget, provided you require full documentation and access. An agency makes sense once the site drives a significant share of sales acquisition, is connected to a CRM or needs quarterly changes. In-house Webflow is relevant if you already have a marketer comfortable with the tool and many landing pages to produce, for instance for LinkedIn Ads campaigns.
Mini case study
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Marc runs a 35-employee company selling material handling equipment in Montreal. He was torn between a CA$7,500 freelancer and a CA$22,000 agency. His previous site, built by a freelancer who left in 2024, had cost him CA$9,700 in takeover work and 7 weeks without being able to edit product pages. Over 36 months, he compared about CA$34,000 for the freelancer scenario with a likely takeover, against CA$43,000 for the agency with maintenance included. With the site generating about 15 quote requests a month at an average deal size of CA$18,000, he judged that a CA$9,000 gap over three years, about CA$250 a month, was worth the service continuity.
FAQ
Is a freelancer always cheaper than an agency?
At build time, yes: CA$7,500 against CA$22,000 on average for a B2B site. Over three years, the gap narrows to CA$7,000 to CA$19,000 depending on whether you have to pay for a takeover.
What does Webflow really cost an SMB?
The subscription runs about CA$35 to CA$70 a month, but the real cost is internal time: 2 to 4 days a month, or CA$10,800 to CA$21,600 a year at a loaded cost of CA$450 a day.
How can I limit dependency on a freelancer?
Require by contract admin access, the source code, 5 to 10 pages of documentation and a full backup. These clauses cut takeover costs roughly in half.
Is an agency better for SEO?
Not automatically. Check that the SEO audit, the redirect plan and structured data markup are in the quote, which often represents CA$2,200 to CA$4,500.
Can I combine the options?
Yes, many SMBs have an agency build the foundation and then produce landing pages in-house. This hybrid model usually costs 20 to 25 % less than full agency over three years.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your scope and internal resources: we will compare the three scenarios over 36 months for you, with an indicative budget and delivery timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
