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Building your website on Squarespace can cost you anything between $21 per month and $84 per month. Like the Valley of the Ten Peaks, this is quite a big gap – and it’s fair to wonder if any of these options are worth your investment.

In this breakdown of Squarespace‘s pricing, we analyze each of the provider’s plans to help you find out which – if any – suits your needs.

Backed by our independent research, we’ll go over our findings on everything from ease of use to customer support. On value for money, Squarespace scored a solid 4.2/5 – one the best grades on this category in our research. This also puts Squarespace on par with one of its biggest competitors, Wix.

Whether you’re courting Squarespace already or have just started browsing for a website builder, this is a good place to delve into what your money will buy if you go for it – plus some pros and cons for good measure. Scroll down and find it all out.

Squarespace Pricing Plans: Each Plan Explained

If you want to enter the ecommerce game, a natural concern would be how much a website would cost you. For that reason, we went ahead and created this breakdown of the Squarespace pricing plans so you can easily reach a decision on whether any of them work for you or not. You’ll find the hard cost numbers on the table below – and if you want to know more about what these numbers will get you, just read ahead.

Overall, Squarespace offers plenty of features for business owners who really want to take care of their processes end-to-end in a full sweep. It combines great website design with solid marketing tools and multichannel integration. No wonder it’s one of the top scorers on both website features – 4.2/5 – and design functionalities – 3.9/5 – in our research into the best ecommerce platforms in Canada.

For clarity, the amounts shown here are conversions from American dollars correct as of the last upate, but subject to change.

Squarespace Personal – $21 per month or $30 per month

Squarespace (Up Close and) Personal is, as the name suggests, very much tailored to personal websites. The platform’s cheapest tier offers a somewhat limited range of services when compared to the others, but if your goal is to showcase your work and publicize your contacts, it does the job.

• Paying monthly: $30 per month
• Paying annually: $21 per month

Like all Squarespace’s plans, this one comes with unlimited bandwidth, SEO features, mobile optimization, a free custom domain (for the first year) and an array of gorgeous templates to choose from. Overall, blogs, portfolios, showreels, and all sorts of personal projects fit this pricing tier like a glove.

But beware: Squarespace Personal does not support any fully-integrated ecommerce – nor does it allow you to accept donations, for that matter – so it’s definitely not the option if you plan on generating direct income from what’s on display on the website.

With that and the price tag in mind, we don’t think Squarespace’s Personal plan cuts it. Small projects will benefit from cheaper options, like Weebly (whose basic plan, Connect, starts at $7 per month in a yearly contract) and GoDaddy (whose cheapest plan costs $12 per month in the first year, and $15 afterwards). And if ecommerce is (or will be) the name of your game, then Squarespace’s other plans are better equipped to serve you. Of course, if you’d like to try this plan just to see how it looks like, head over to Squarespace and get cracking.

Squarespace Business – $30 per month or $43 per month

Squarespace’s second tier provides great value for money and the best of both worlds in the sense that, even without shelling out for a full-on ecommerce plan, you get many of the perks that would come with one.

• Paying monthly: $43 per month
• Paying annually: $30 per month (for us, a bargain)

Along with all the features of the Personal plan, Squarespace’s Business plan also includes a free Gmail and Google Workspace account (for the first year), complete customization with CSS and JavaScript (in English: you can add elements to make your website look super slick), and ecommerce integration. Plus, it works alongside various payment platforms: Amazon, Apple Pay, PayPal, Square, and Stripe. If reading that makes you hear those cha-chings already, you can go ahead and fetch this plan on Squarespace‘s website.

However, depending on the size of your business, you should watch out for a very important detail: this plan comes with a 3% transaction fee on every online sale you make. If your sales are or will be occasional, that won’t pose a problem, but if you deal (or plan on dealing) with a high volume of sales, this isn’t the option for you. Instead, one of Squarespace’s Commerce tiers will suit you better.

Squarespace Basic Commerce – $35 per month or $47 per month

Big league time. Moving into the platform’s ecommerce arena, Squarespace Basic Commerce is geared towards online sales. For the amount of features it packs, it’s the Squarespace plan that gives you better value for money.

• Paying monthly: $47 per month
• Paying annually: $35 per month

For starters, Squarespace Basic Commerce does away with the transaction fee. Besides the ecommerce integration included in the Business plan, the Basic Commerce packs a punch when it comes to making your website look primed for sales. It allows your customers to create their own accounts, and to check out while still on your domain. They also get to see stock availability, other customers’ reviews, and related products.

On that note, Squarespace gives you several tools here through which you can monitor your best-selling items and sales trends, and bulk-manage inventory. You also get to check your visit-to-sale conversion rate and, through an in-built Facebook link, you’re able to sell your products directly on Instagram as well.

Considering the amount of features on this tier, it’s excellent for existing businesses that are keen on making the jump into online sales, or new businesses that have been based in the digital realm from the get-go. If your business ticks any of those boxes, just head to Squarespace and get started.

Squarespace Basic Commerce misses a few of the tools in the platform’s full arsenal – such as the ability to sell subscriptions – but these features are designed for more established online merchants anyway (we’ll get to them in a second, when we analyze Squarespace’s Advanced Commerce plan). If you’re just entering this arena, however, Basic Commerce should be your weapon of choice.

Squarespace Advanced Commerce – $64 per month or $84 per month

This one does what it says on the tin, really: Squarespace Advanced Commerce is the platform’s top tier, and comes with all the perks mentioned so far, plus some extras to really make your business zing.

• Paying monthly: $84 per month
• Paying annually: $64 per month

Among the specialized tools at your disposal, this plan allows you to sell subscriptions, set up email reminders for customers who left your website without purchasing, and automate discount offers at checkout. In Canada, it even calculates real-time shipping rates with selected couriers.

For all its features, Squarespace Advanced Commerce is very much aimed at businesses that already have an online presence and are looking to expand. If yours is one of them, by all means visit Squarespace and sign up. Considering the cost, however, if you’re starting out in digital sales, you’re better off with the lower tiers, which will give you a good taste of the action but involve less bank-breaking.

Does Squarespace Have a Free Plan?

Speaking of bank-breaking, let’s tackle one hard money-related truth straight on: Squarespace doesn’t have a free plan, so you will need to shell out to get your hands on it. That said, you can trial any of its plans for free for 14 days. After that time expires, you can even request a one-time seven-day extension if you contact Squarespace’s customer service team.

The trial is a good opportunity for you to try the plan that looks like the best fit for your business, and then grow or scale down accordingly when it comes to actually buying. Because of this, and the fact that it allows you to sample most of Squarespace’s features without having to commit, we recommend doing a trial.

Squarespace Fees and Costs: Billing Cycles, Ongoing Costs, and Hidden Fees

Squarespace is pretty clear about what it charges, so for the most part, you’re not in for any surprises. You can choose between paying monthly or yearly, and the discounts if you choose the latter are quite substantial. Note that your subscription will renew automatically.

You should, however, watch out for the fees charged by the payment platform you choose to integrate, whether that’s Amazon, Apple Pay, PayPal, Square, or Stripe. Squarespace nabs 3% of your sale on its Business plan, but otherwise, it either doesn’t allow for payments (as on the Personal plan) or doesn’t charge a transaction fee (as on the Commerce plans).

However, in any plan in which ecommerce integration is possible, the payment platform you use will take a bite – usually a percentage of the sale, plus a fixed fee. It varies from platform to platform – hence us not going into further detail here – but in any case, it’s worth checking out your payment platform’s fees so you don’t buy a specific Squarespace plan (especially the Commerce ones) thinking absolutely no fees are due.

Squarespace Scheduling Pricing: Should You Go for It?

Squarespace Scheduling is an extra service provided by the platform. It’s tailor-made for businesses that work with appointments. Clinical consultations, space rental, classes of any kind – it doesn’t matter: if a date and time needs to be booked, Squarespace Scheduling does the trick.

The thing to pay attention to is that this handy tool doesn’t come within Squarespace’s main pricing plans, so you would have to shell out a bit more to get it. Like those plans, however, you do get a discount (albeit not as big) if you bite the bullet and go with a yearly plan.

With Scheduling, you can choose between three tiers: Emerging, Growing and Powerhouse.

Emerging is perfect for small, personal businesses that don’t have various calendars or several team members inputting data. It allows calendar syncing with selected email providers, has ecommerce integration, and automates email reminders. It costs $20 month-to-month or $19 per month in a yearly plan.

Growing is geared towards businesses with more employees and locations. You can create and sync six calendars, handle bundled and recurring bookings, and send reminders via SMS as well as email. This one comes at $39 month-to-month or $33 per month in a yearly plan.

Finally, Powerhouse ups the ante when it comes to sheer volume of calendars: you can create a maximum of 36 (and sync them)! Plus, you have more room to personalize the scheduler with custom CSS. For this, you would pay $65 month-to-month or $58 per month if you go annually.

As far as value for money goes, Growing is the best plan. You get access to almost all of the tool’s features for about half the price of the costliest version. Powerhouse only makes sense if your business is a multi-location megachain, with all your locations taking appointments – in which case, congratulations!

Squarespace vs the Competition: Which Stands Out?

If you want to build a simple yet functional website without the need for it to look fresh off the runway, there are better options than Squarespace considering the investment involved. Its lowest price tag of $21 per month puts it at a disadvantage against cheaper competitors like Weebly or GoDaddy, which allow you to become a website owner without spending as much.

However, when ecommerce integration is thrown into the mix, Squarespace’s pricing really shines. It occupies a solid middle ground, which means it’s all out to satisfy most business-owners without costing a fortune – the 4.2/5 score it received on value for money from our customer surveys sums it up nicely.

Its pricing range of $21 to $84 offers a plethora of features that are aimed primarily at online growth. Because of this, and Squarespace’s limited stock monitoring functions, large online retailers will be better served by the highest pricing tiers of platforms such as BigCommerce or Shopify, as they’re designed for large retailers. However, our research shows that Squarespace is one of the best platforms for small businesses in Canada.

We asked small business owners if they have a website – and 98% said they do. If you’re interested in hearing how American small business owners use their websites, read on for the full results of our research.

A previous study found 71% of small businesses had a website in 2021, compared with just 50% in 2018. Given the upheaval of commerce over the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no surprise that American entrepreneurs have made inroads online.

Small business owners are using their websites to facilitate services, handle customer care, explain their credentials, and showcase their successes. And more than that – to tell their stories. If you’re thinking of creating a website for your business, check out our definitive guide to know how much it will cost.

In our research, the same four themes kept coming up. Without prompting, respondents named the following main reasons for having a website:

1. To broaden my brand’s visibility: 41%
2. To appear in search engine results: 40%
3. To convince others that my business is credible/trustworthy/authentic: 38%
4. To convert sales: 33%

These are the major reasons that small business owners choose to invest in creating and maintaining a website today. And they’re compelling too.

Why Do Small Businesses Have Websites?

A major reason is to prove credibility: over a third (38%) of small business leaders who spoke to us mentioned a need to demonstrate their authenticity or trustworthiness.

The quality of your website is a key way in which customers learn whether or not to trust your business. And even more is at stake when you’re a relatively unknown business, a sole trader or a local tradesman.

“Our customers are looking to spend $10,000 or more on projects. They want to hire a professional – not some random schmoe with a tool belt!” explains Joseph Berman of Clear Choice Contractors in Plymouth, Michigan. “Having a cheap website – or worse, not having one at all – reeks of ‘amateur hour’. Would you spend $100,000 on a new custom swimming pool and outdoor living area built by a company that doesn’t even have a website? I wouldn’t.”

Nearly two in five (38%) small business owners told us they have a website to prove the credibility of their services. 

Wise words. An informative and professional-looking website convinces prospective customers that they can trust you with their money.

Yet website owners must be careful not to unsettle web visitors through poor UX (user experience). It’s not only sales conversions that small business owners use their websites to attract. For many, collecting email addresses and phone numbers can be just as highly prized. One in five (21%) Americans decided not to use a website recently because they were concerned about how much personal information would be collected.

A separate study found loyal customers will leave a brand after just three bad experiences of customer service. This applies to the digisphere too, where customers are increasingly interacting with brands. Trustworthiness, then, is inextricably linked to good UX.

Clicking onto your website might be the first interaction a new customer has with your business. A well-structured website could be the difference between a conversion and a lost lead. As online marketing guru Neil Patel reminds us, a website should help users easily find what they’re looking for. “The goal of information architecture is to create a website structure that optimizes user experience and meets business objectives,” Patel explains.

Get Your Small Business Seen on Google: Organic Search Means More Leads

As any website-maker knows, building a good looking site is only half the battle. Once you’ve built your masterpiece, then comes the challenge of getting people to land on it. A website is generally part of a business’ broader digital marketing strategy. That means your social media posts, print media, and TV and radio adverts should all be pointing back to your website as a hub of information, service details, pricing, and contact channels.

Paid marketing methods hungrily devour business budgets, yet organic search – users finding your website on search engines – cost nothing at all (bar the price of website upkeep). Indeed, enabling new customers to find their business online is a priority for nearly one in two (47%) US small business leaders, our research found.

Building a professional website is a cost-effective way to market your business to anyone who’s searching online for the products or services you offer.

“Every organization faces client churn. To ensure continuing success, you must attract new clients, and one of the most effective methods to do so is to increase your visibility on Google,” says Max Whiteside, SEO and Content Lead at Breaking Muscle, an Ohio-based fitness blog. “SEO is the key to getting your business on Google’s first page. The term search engine optimization may be scary, but the method is rather straightforward.

“You add business-related words and phrases into a keyword research tool, determine which ones receive the most traffic on Google, and then create content around those phrases. As a general guideline, each piece of content should target a distinct keyword, so that as your site’s content list increases, it can rank for more keywords.”

Google is everybody’s favorite website: Google accounted for almost a fifth of desktop web traffic in the US, according to Statista research from May 2022.

Although it takes a number of years to develop “authority” as a website and get recognition from search engines, the long-term rewards are significant. Once you budget for SEO costs and implement a steady keyword strategy, you can expect a healthy flow of visitors to your website. So, be patient! Continue to update your website with informative, high-quality content such as well-researched articles, and you’ll reap the rewards of increased online footfall.

Ecommerce Platforms Are the Beating Heart of Online Stores

Many choose to have a website because it’s integral to how their business functions. Elearning sites, jobs platforms, and people-locator search engines – none of these would work at all unless they ran on websites. A major group here is ecommerce sites, which together raked in $768bn in the US in 2021. While it’s possible to sell online through social media channels alone, ecommerce websites offer a broader range of options when it comes to browsing and buying online.

Ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Squarespace, and BigCommerce equip retailers to sell to customers through a dedicated website that displays products and processes payments. Nowadays, you can add a “buy” button to an existing website, or build a whole site from scratch using ecommerce templates and DIY builders. Or, if you think your business needs a more complex set up, you can hire a web developer to build you a custom online store.

Mobile Commerce on the Rise

Shopping and information-gathering on mobile devices is increasingly popular – particularly with Gen Z. While 15 years ago you could get away with having a website built for desktop devices only, that’s no longer the case today. It’s critical to consider how your brand’s internet presence looks, feels, and works on a smartphone.

Any web developer worth their salt today will build a website that’s mobile friendly by design. That means the page layout (including images, video and text) adapts to the smaller viewport of a smartphone screen. Google search engine actually promotes websites that are set up properly for mobile users. There are plenty of guidelines available in Google’s webmaster guidelines to get this right.

Ecommerce Statistics About SMBs During the Pandemic

We know ecommerce sales for US retailers increased by $244.2 billion, or 43%, in 2020. But how did this affect SMBs in particular?

Here are some fascinating findings on small and medium business owners moving online amidst COVID-19:

• Most growing SMBs (71%) say their business survived the pandemic because of digitization.
• 95% moved a portion of their operations online in the past year.
• 63% of SMBs have an ecommerce presence – including nearly one third (31%) who added it within the past year.
• 71% of SMB leaders say their customers expect online transactions.
• 72% of SMBs have increased their online presence (including social media, websites, email, and ads) over the past year.
• 8% of SMBs say they have no online presence at all.

Statistics from the Salesforce “Small and Medium Business Trends” Report: 2,534 SMB owners (globally) surveyed in June and July 2021.

Local Marketing Goes Hand-in-Hand With Online Retail

A website can always work in tandem with offline marketing methods. For instance, Lou Haverty of Enhanced Leisure, a hot tub retailer in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, plans to adopt just such a tactic. Haverty told Expert Market: “I live in the Philadelphia area and I have a natural market in close proximity to me that would be interested in some of the more specialized products.

“For example, a walk-in tub naturally lends itself to being professionally installed. I intend to build out a local marketing campaign using old school methods like direct mail as a supplemental marketing strategy.” Making use of local knowledge to entice customers to browse and buy online is an exceptionally smart business tactic.

Using diverse marketing tactics broadens the net to capture a wider range of potential shoppers. This works particularly well in the case of at-home installation projects such as hot tubs, where it wouldn’t work to just order a shipment from China then struggle alone with the setup instructions.

Shifting Online During the Pandemic Boosted Profitability

Bricks-and-mortar retailers certainly reaped the rewards of ecommerce when it came to pandemic closures. “Our website has been one of the best investments we have ever made,” enthuses Jeff Moriarty, marketing manager at Moriarty’s Gem Art, Indiana. “Our family’s jewellery business didn’t have an ecommerce website until the start of the pandemic. Then we had to close and the loss of sales was devastating.”

www.moregems.com invites web users to patronize their physical store since the pandemic ended. The webchat button waves a friendly hand adding to the family-feel of the brand.

Like 71% of SMBs during the pandemic, Moriarty’s Gem Art avoided bankruptcy by launching a digital avenue for sales.

“We quickly put together a website through Shopify so we could continue to sell to not only our community, but nationwide. The sales allowed us to continue to pay associates during the six months of having our retail store closed.

“It did so well, we invested more money into the website, into marketing, that we had our best year ever in 2021. We are up 15% already this year as well.”

Despite the harrowing setback of losing 100% of in-person sales, Moriarty took advantage of the boom in demand for e-retail and the business saw greater success than ever before. Although the decision to open an online store was made under pressure – the looming pandemic clouding certainty for retailers and buyers alike – it turned out to be their most profitable decision yet.

Statistics show more than half of SMBs had an ecommerce presence in 2021, as reported in the Salesforce “Small & Medium Business Trends Report” fifth edition.

Reputation Management is a Must for Any Small Business

“Businesses are in the public sphere, meaning they will be discussed whether the owners participate in that dialogue or not,” claims Anthony Puopolo MD, Chief Medical Officer at RexMD, an online telehealth service. It’s a fair point, and one of the many reasons that reputation management is a major feature of the SEO services offered by digital marketing companies today.

It’s never been easier to spread information. And a bad review online is like taking a bite out of a donut covered in sprinkles. The sprinkles get everywhere. Instantly. And they’re hard to clean up without simply spreading the mess further.

Google will actually rank your website above or below similar search results (i.e. your business competitors) based on how positively or negatively other users rate your company. You’re already well aware that customer reviews are immensely influential on human consumers. But did you know that the search engines are watching out for the quality of your client satisfaction too?

The second result for “Rex MD” on Google’s SERP is a review of the telehealth site’s reputation and credentials. Clearly web users want to know “Is REX MD a legitimate company?” because this appears immediately underneath.

“By having your own website, you can implement a great deal of control over the narrative of your business,” Puopolo says. Which is true in the case of the site he features on, because the answer to the first question on Google refers to information on Rex MD’s own website. That’s pretty robust PR right there.

Going Above and Beyond Legal Compliance to Earn Customer Trust

Few professions are as exposed to reputation risk as medical doctors. Puopolo knows this well, and features on a medicine-based ecommerce website with many “trust signals” aimed at the consumer. Featuring endorsements from numerous named medical professionals, Rex MD makes it clear to consumers and search engine bots that it’s a safe place to buy medicine and telehealth consultations from.

“In having your own website, you can input the information you wish people to know about your products, services, staff, and policies,” Puopolo reasons. All medicines advertised on Rex MD are clearly described, with safety warnings beside each one.

An FAQ section allows small business owners to address the concerns and doubts of potential customers – particularly crucial for a firm that sells medicines online.

Another way the site inspires trust is by having an FAQ section that repeatedly references the legal requirement that only US-licensed doctors can work with them. The web visitor can feel even more reassured that they’ve found an authentic source of reliable medical help.

It also helps that every page of the site features a smiling doctor. The doctors pictured look so confident you can’t help but feel relaxed. Seeing human faces taps into deep-set psychological responses and stirs a feeling of familiarity. All of these factors make a buyer more likely to convert into a sale.

Who would you rather buy medicine from, a manufacturer of unknown origin on a generic online marketplace, or a man wearing a stethoscope who has amazing teeth?

Accurate information combined with expert opinions adds up to a whole lot of credibility. As Puopolo puts it, the website is “providing the social proof that cements your brand in the public’s mind.”

Reasons Why Small Businesses Don’t Have a Website

With benefits like increased brand awareness, proof of credibility and even increased sales, why wouldn’t a small business get a website?

In our research, just two respondents said they didn’t have a website. PR agency founder Chenadra Washington held back from creating a business website in order to figure out her wider business strategy. Aware of the importance of brand consistency, Washington was careful not to create digital footprints before she was ready.

“When I initially started my business, I wasn’t sure of my full range products and services, so I didn’t rush to a website.

“I spent a lot of time learning business basics and didn’t just want a website to just say I had one. If the website is not helping with your bottom line, then what’s the point?” Washington found she converted clients without a website, so it just wasn’t a necessity for her business.

Although she’s currently in the process of connecting her blog to a new website, Washington warns other entrepreneurs to consider their motivations for creating one. “I believe that websites are a solid piece of branding but need to include strategy,” she asserts.

It’s a fair point, because a poorly-made website could cause reputational damage to your brand. Say you had little time or expertise in website creation, but decided to start one anyway in order to get something online for your business.

If your website text is riddled with spelling mistakes, images look stretched or blurry, and negative comments go unanswered online, it’s a recipe for PR disaster. Because you’d have to pay for the domain name and the hosting (unless you’re using a website builder service, which typically includes hosting), you would actually be paying to showcase an embarrassment like that!

Speaking of costs, let’s look at the affordability of a website.

How Can Small Businesses Afford a Website?

Understandably, a number of small business owners are concerned about the cost of a website. Several of our survey respondents cited expense as a reason for reluctance over creating a website. While web traffic is considered an organic (“free”) marketing channel, that doesn’t mean there aren’t overheads involved in maintaining a website.

When lockdowns limited how US businesses could operate, many took to minimizing their financial outgoings as a way to mitigate revenue losses. During the pandemic, 57% of small businesses cut their spending.

Yet a website doesn’t have to be a source of major expense for an SMB. While rising inflation may be a legitimate concern for business owners following COVID-19 closures, a website should be the last asset to cut in order to save funds.

Nowadays, you can actually use AI to build a website and save yourself a lot of money in the process. If you’re looking to cut costs, then why not try some of the free AI tools available for websites today, such as auto-generated text and image makers?

As well as serving the essential function of funneling sales leads for your particular business offering, a company website provides need-to-know information for curious would-be customers. A website can also generate business income in some unexpected ways. Let’s look at how.

Websites are a Vital Source of Revenue for Small Businesses – Not Just for Online Merchants

Selling products online is not the only way to bring in revenue with a website. In the modern world of affiliate marketing, clicks mean cash. Savvy small business owners are building partnerships with brands in their industry, and bringing in a healthy sum in return.

“I earn revenue through ads and affiliate marketing, so my website has turned into a huge part of my business, and brings in a lot of revenue,” shares Jacquelyn Kennedy of PetDT. The dog trainer couldn’t run her regular dog classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, so began a blog to deliver her expertise instead. Kennedy used Amazon affiliate links and Google ad banners to turn web traffic into extra income, proving a lifeline when she was no longer able to meet clients face-to-face.

Kennedy chose to monetize her pet care blog through Google Ads. It’s become a crucial source of income for her dog training business after pandemic restrictions limited in-person meetings.

Kennedy says her monetized website provided “an important way of earning money through a really tough period”. But the benefits continued after the pandemic came to an end: “Now, all of my training clients find me through my website,” she relates. This just goes to show the long-term benefits of a website are not always immediately obvious. Specialist blog posts addressing your target market’s questions can lead to long-term interest in your professional services.

Research Methodology

We conducted our research using HARO, an online service that connects journalists with people who’ve got insight or experiences to share. We asked to hear from owners of small businesses – defined as companies with fewer than 50 employees. We asked for their thoughts on the following question: “Do you have a website? Why or why not?”. We then analyzed the responses, and our final sample size was 106 small business owners or representatives (for example, employees) in the US. Respondents operating outside of the US or with no listed address were discounted. Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number.

All sources quoted in this article were aware they were giving their answers for publication. Nobody was paid any financial compensation for sharing their views.

Growth in Ecommerce Continues Post Pandemic

The pandemic accelerated digital transformation for all kinds of businesses. Retailers like Moriarty’s Gem Art weren’t planning to sell online at all until lockdowns gave rise to the idea. We saw the same trend in consumers, too. With more time at home, internet dwell time and overall adoption accelerated among Americans.

The experts predict the appetite for shopping via the web will only grow. Revenue from B2C ecommerce is expected to swell 81% between 2020 and 2024, according to figures from Statista. There’s a significant opportunity for retailers to reach more customers online. Perhaps that’s the most compelling reason of all for a small business to have a website.

Wix pricing in Canada ranges from $7.50 per month to $550+ per month. In this costs guide we’ll break down the pricing and features of the eight plans Wix currently offers.

Wix changes its pricing and plans from time to time, so we’ve taken the hard work off your plate and made it all simple to understand. In this guide, we’ll explain what you get for each of Wix‘s monthly price plans so you can compare them.

Expert Market readers can enjoy a great discount too: TAKE10 gives you 10% off a monthly or annual Wix plan. Just enter the code at the checkout when you’re upgrading your plan to enjoy some sweet savings.

Speaking of savings, you can save even more if you buy a longer subscription plan: one, two or three years compared with paying monthly. Still, it’s not a pricey platform overall. In our independent testing, we scored Wix 4.2/5 for value for money.

All pricing is in Canadian Dollars unless otherwise stated.

Wix Pricing: How Much Does Wix Cost?

We’ve created this side-by-side comparison of costs for Wix plans. There are eight plans available, ranging in price and scale to match the particular needs of your business.

You’ll actually pay different prices per month depending on your chosen subscription length. Wix costs less per month if you select a longer subscription length. However, for simplicity, we’ll display pricing for a one year subscription.

Click the right-hand arrow to scroll through the table and compare all the price plans.

Like most ecommerce platform providers, Wix offers a free trial with a 14-day money back guarantee on all premium plans. That means you can test out a price plan to see whether it’s the right fit, and cancel, no questions asked, if it isn’t.

Wix is much easier to use than its competitors, scoring 4/5 for “Ease of Use” in our research. Wix is targeted at owners of small and medium-sized businesses, who don’t need a complicated inventory set-up. Instead, it’s a platform that allows for fairly wide creative freedom. So you can easily create a good-looking shop front with workable sales features.

Firstly, we’ll look at Wix’s ecommerce business website price plans.

Wix Ecommerce Price Plans

Our independent testing found Wix has the fourth best sales features of major ecommerce platforms. Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce performed better in this regard because they’re aimed at larger online retailers. If you’re looking for a wide range of complex sales features, Wix may not be the platform for you.

We go through competitors and their differences more thoroughly in our complete guide to the best ecommerce platforms for small businesses.

Wix has three standard ecommerce plans plus an enterprise ecommerce plan. Non-profits can claim a 70% price reduction on a two-year Wix premium plan and students get 50% off. We’ll outline each price plan in detail now.

Wix Business Basic Pricing Plan

• What: Create an online store from a template
• Who: Rookie retail entrepreneurs
• Why: Take online payments and create an online store
• How much: $28 per month – discounts available for two years’ prepayment

Wix’s Business Basic plan costs $28 per month if you pay for one year upfront, otherwise the month-to-month cost is $36. You’ll get an easy-to-use website builder along with strong sales features such as unlimited product listings and abandoned cart recovery. These are standard features also included with Basic Shopify, for instance. Abandoned cart is a good bonus at this level, however, as neither BigCommerce Standard nor Square Online Professional (the basic ecommerce plans of each) don’t include this feature.

Wix offers a narrower range of ecommerce opportunities at this price tier. For example, you can’t sell via online marketplaces, manage multi-site inventory or even print shipping labels with the Wix Business Basic plan – unlike Basic Shopify. However, Basic Shopify is much more expensive at $37 per month.

Therefore Wix’s Business Basic plan is only really suitable for beginners in the online retail game. If your online sales ambitions are modest or you’re just starting out with ecommerce then choose this plan.

Wix websites are made from templates, which are grouped into categories such as ‘Home and decor online stores’, ‘Electronics online stores’ and so on.

Wix Prepayment Discount Savings

We’ve calculated the savings for you if you were to purchase one or two years’ subscription to Wix Business Basic in advance:

Wix Business Unlimited Pricing Plan

What: An affordable online store with solid sales features
Who: Smaller retailers looking to scale
Why: Run a smooth-flowing ecommerce operation
How much: US$36 per month – discount available for two years’ prepayment

For just $8 more per month, Wix Business Unlimited opens up a whole range of retail opportunities compared with Wix Business Basic. While the Basic plan serves as an introductory platform for merchants finding their feet online, Business Unlimited can really kick your ecommerce business into gear. This Wix price plan is our editor’s pick because of the breadth of services you get for your money.

Crucially, this subscription gives you access to end-to-end order fulfilment management so you can build a smooth workflow. This will maintain your professionalism and build credibility for your ecommerce company as you scale. Wix Business Unlimited retains a couple of benefits over competitors, for example, sending automated emails for abandoned cart recovery. BigCommerce, on the other hand, only offers this feature at its Plus tier (costing $106 per month, 65% more expensive than Wix Business Unlimited).

Wix Prepayment Discount Savings

It’s cheaper to pay upfront for one or two years of Wix Business Unlimited. Here’s a breakdown of the savings you’d make:

Wix Business VIP Pricing Plan

What: Understand your online sales with advanced analytics
Who: Online merchants with long-term goals
Why: Priority customer support
How much: $49 per month – discount available for two years’ upfront payment

The Wix Business VIP plan gives you only a handful of new features for the extra $13 a month compared with Business Unlimited. Therefore it’s not very good value for money. At this tier you’ll gain access to Wix customized reports, a feature which BigCommerce offers at its lowest priced package for $39 per month. Square Online even offers advanced analytics at their $36 tier. No surprise Wix did not score as high as Square Online in value for money, achieving 4.2/5 compared with Square Online’s 4.7/5.

You can create bespoke price quotes with custom taxes and email them directly to customers from your Wix business website.

On the plus side, you’ll be able to access priority customer care so you can resolve any business-critical website issues as soon as they arise. You can also nurture your customer base with Smile.io customer rewards such as coupons, discounts and loyalty points. This is a decent money-saving bonus because the Smile.io premium plan costs $51 per month as a standalone purchase.

With Wix Business VIP you’ll also be able to access unlimited dropshipping with Wix. That means you won’t have to worry about storing and managing inventory – saving a whole heap of stress.

Wix Prepayment Discount Savings

It works out cheaper to pay in advance for a Wix Business Unlimited subscription. Here are the savings you’d make:

Wix Website Plans Pricing

Now we’ll take a closer look at Wix’s main website builder plans. You can use these to build any type of website that doesn’t need ecommerce functions such as a ‘buy’ button or shopping cart.

Wix Connect Domain Pricing Plan

What: Basic DIY website with low storage and basic features
Who: Beginner website makers
Why: Affordable and low-effort
How much: $7.50 per month – discount available for two years’ upfront purchase

The basic Wix website plan is good for getting to grips with your DIY website design skills – and not much more. While you technically have access to 500MB of storage space and 1GB of bandwidth, your site will display adverts branded for Wix. This could be acceptable for a short-lived charity campaign or a local community group. But it’s not a good idea for a serious business because it looks amateurish.

Wix Prepayment Discount Savings

There are significant savings to be made with prepayment for Wix’s Connect Domain plan:

Wix Combo Pricing Plan

• What: Create a landing page or mini website
• Who: Micro entrepreneurs
• Why: Low-budget simplicity
• How much: $15 per month – discounts available for two years’ prepayment

Wix’s Combo plan costs $15 per month if you pay for one year upfront, otherwise the month-to-month cost is $12.50. You don’t get bells and whistles – just 2GB of bandwidth, 3GB of storage space and 30 minutes of video streaming. So this is a plan best suited to a small-town tradesperson looking for a virtual business card. That means you can display contact details, a few customer testimonials and a couple of images of your work. But not much more.

Wix Prepayment Discount Savings

You can save a few dollars with paying upfront for a Wix Combo plan:

Wix Unlimited Pricing Plan

• What: Build an attractive, reliable website
• Who: Small business marketers, community leaders, creatives and campaign managers
• Why: Unlimited bandwidth plus ad vouchers
• How much: $20 per month – discounts available for two years’ prepayment

The Wix Unlimited plan costs $20 per month for a year’s prepaid subscription. Wix does a lot to try and attract users to this plan, so wise up that free perks only last one year: namely, search engine boosting and visitor analytics. You’ll also get $100 in Bing Ads, $100 in Local Listings ad vouchers plus 100% extra free when you spend $600 on Google Ads. Use these to get a feel for using paid search marketing to advertise your website to search engine users.

The 10GB of storage space you get makes this plan highly suitable for small business leaders and entrepreneurs who need to showcase their work through lots of images and text. Software startups, designers and all kinds of consultants will benefit from the hour of available video storage space. Video marketing is key to attracting and holding the attention of would-be clients, so it’s worth setting yourself up with a website that can handle streaming.

Wix premium plans come with a handy SEO setup checklist, so you’ll remember to make the technical fixes your website needs to be seen by search engine users.

Wix Prepayment Discount Savings

Thinking long-term is always the best way to plan your investments. Here are the savings you’d make with a longer Wix Unlimited subscription:

Wix VIP Pricing Plan

• What: Make a multimedia-rich website
• Who: Design agencies, multimedia creatives, business leaders
• Why: Priority customer support
• How much: $44 per month – discounts available for two years’ prepayment

The Wix VIP plan costs more than double the Wix Unlimited price plan. The main benefit you get in return for your hard-earned dollars is priority customer support. This will really benefit website makers who are likely to face time-critical website issues such as video streaming woes, marketing management troubles or complications around automations. So if you are using your website as a central platform for your email marketing, for instance, you may well benefit from the speedier support. However, if you’re simply looking for a holding pen for some photography and text then this tier wouldn’t be worth the extra cash.

Another extra feature of this tier is a logo maker, but don’t get too excited about that. Free logo makers are easy to come across nowadays with Canva, Adobe, Looka and Hatchful from Shopify all readily available too.

Wix Prepayment Discount Savings

Thinking long-term is always the best way to plan your investments. Here are the savings you’d make with a longer Wix Unlimited subscription:

Does Wix Charge Transaction fees?

Wix’s major value advantage is not charging any transaction fees.

However, you’ll need to pay for processing fees to third-party payment gateways, as is usual throughout retail. Wix will invoice you for these at the end of the month. Here are the rates:

• Credit or debit card with Wix Payments: 2.9% + 30¢
• Apply Pay: 2.9% + 30¢
• Wix Payments Point of Sale (POS): 2.7% – available to select Canadian merchants.

Does Wix Have a Free Plan?

Yes, Wix has a free plan plus a 14-day free trial so you can test its web builder free of charge. The free plan has 500MB of storage and no set duration. That’s convenient for busy people who aren’t sure when they’ll have time to come back to work on their website.

Using the Wix free plan will reveal to you whether you can get along with its design interface. While most of the features are pretty self-explanatory, there are some users who find the web designer too clunky. That said, Wix achieved a 4/5 in our Ease of Use category of testing, well above Shopify (3.5/5) and BigCommerce (3.3/5).

However, you won’t be able to sell products or take payments using the Wix free plan. It’s technically possible to monetize the Wix free plan if you manage to drive enough traffic (website visitors) and add adverts or affiliate links. Yet that approach will take so much effort and dedication, you may as well invest some capital in a premium Wix plan. The benefits of upgrading include no Wix adverts, your own custom domain plus access to analytics and marketing tools.

Wix Fees and Costs: Billing Cycles, Ongoing Costs and Hidden Fees

Wix Billing Cycles

You can choose to pay one of three ways:

• Month-to-month (more expensive, but flexible)
• Once per year
• Once per two years (for the best discount)

Be aware that subscriptions are on auto-renew, so you should set a reminder for when your billing period is coming to an end. Annual plans are renewed 14 days prior to the plan’s expiry date.

Additional Wix website Costs:

The following additional charges may appear on your invoice from Wix:

• Custom domain name (.ca domain around $20 per year)
• Business email ($6 monthly per user)
• Paid apps (integrations)
• Third-party payment processing fees
• Mandatory taxes

Bear in mind that if you bought a subscription while it was discounted, it will renew at the regular (higher) rate. Wix accepts subscription payments via Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex, JCB and Diners.

How to get it Cheaper: Wix Deals and Discounts

Wix no longer offers 50% off deals, however, we’re pleased to offer you a discount code: TAKE10 for 10% off monthly and annually billed plans.

The second way to save is to opt for longer subscription plans. Paying month-to-month is the most expensive way to use Wix, and it’s smarter to plan website expenses over the long-term.

We’ve set out the savings you’ll get if you pay over a longer billing cycle for each Wix plan in the price plan sections above. For example, you’ll save a healthy 40% on Wix Combo if you pay for two years’ upfront rather than month-to-month. We’d advise you to opt for the two year subscription deal for whichever Wix plan you choose.

Wix Pricing Versus Competitors’ Pricing

Wix was joint third-best in the Value for Money category of our recent round of rigorous website builder testing. Scoring an impressive 4.2/5, Wix is equally as good investment compared with Squarespace. Square came out on top because it’s the only ecommerce platform that doesn’t charge a monthly subscription fee to use their online sales platform.

Here’s the Value for Money rankings:

1. Square: 4.7/5
2. Woocommerce: 4.3/5
3. Wix and Squarespace: 4.2/5
4. Shopify, Americommerce, PinnacleCart and Bigcommerce: 3.0/5

Even in light of this list, it’s worth giving Wix a second look given the website builder scored 4.6/5 overall, ranking second place among all its competitors.

If you’re looking to sell cheaply online, you’re probably wondering whether or not to choose Wix. To help solve this riddle, we’ve put together a comparison chart of Wix and its competitors’ lowest price ecommerce plans without adverts.

You can directly compare their features by clicking the left and right arrows:

Square is our highest scoring POS system with a 4.8/5. Square has free POS software, affordable hardware, and a retail-specific paid plan.

Our independent research team  has identified the best retail POS systems out of 12 different POS suppliers. We know how important it is for retail businesses to have a POS system that’s affordable, has great retail features and a great customer review score. Our researchers focused on these factors, as well as the help and support the providers offer.

While Square comes out on top in all these areas we’ve included four other POS systems that came out on top in our research, so you can find the right system for your business.

1. Square – Best Overall

Square Pricing Analysis

Whilst Square’s ‘free’ version means you don’t need to pay out a monthly fee, its transaction fees are fairly steep. On the plus side, the money won’t hit your bank account before it’s taken from each transaction, so it doesn’t feel like a huge hit.

The Zettle POS app is also free – the card reader costs $79, but aside from this there are no other monthly fees or contracts. However, Zettle’s POS system is more basic, and doesn’t have as many features as Square.

2. Clover – Best for Medium-sized Businesses

Clover Pricing Analysis

Clover’s Starter package comes with a mini 7″ touchscreen POS with an in-built receipt printer, and the other two packages come with a 14″ merchant facing POS system with a 7″ customer screen. The Advanced package also includes the Clover Flex.

As a small business, the Starter package should be fairly suited to your needs, as you typically don’t want a larger POS system and you may not need a customer facing screen. Larger businesses tend to have more space to accommodate a larger POS system.

Clover’s hardware is fairly pricey, however this hardware cost is a one-off payment – once this has been paid, the only costs for the system is the monthly fee for the software. Other POS providers such as Square and Zettle offer free POS apps, but their hardware is limited to card readers and tablet stands, which can be too simplistic for large businesses.

3. Vend – Best for Scalability

Vend Pricing Analysis

The pricing above is for one register for one location. If you want more than this, Vend’s pricing will increase. For example, for two registers at two locations, the Lean package increases to $138 per month (billed annually) and $178 per month (billed monthly).

Additional registers are priced at $59, so if you had one location but two registers, your monthly cost would be $178 (billed annually) and $208 (billed monthly).

Although you make a significant saving with annual billing, billing monthly prevents you from making a bigger monetary investment, making it easier for small businesses to opt for this system. Vend isn’t quite as expensive as Clover, and it’s not quite as inexpensive as Square, so it comfortably suits small to medium sized retailers who want a cloud-based system with retail-specific features.

4. Zettle – Best for Startups

Zettle Pricing Analysis

With a free app, and no monthly fees or contract in sight, Zettle seems like the perfect POS system. Whilst the price is great, this reflects the lack of features and, quite frankly, the lack of a POS system, as it only offers the very basics.

The only cost to your business comes in the form of the 1.75% transaction fee, although when compared to other POS systems’ transactions fees, this is still fairly low. Square also offers a free POS app, but its transactions are much higher at 2.6% and 3.5%.

5. SpotOn – Best for Small Businesses

Pricing

SpotOn’s pricing is bespoke and you’ll need to contact the provider directly to get an accurate price for your business.

Alternative Retail POS Systems

Lightspeed Retail didn’t make it to our top five best POS systems, but we think it deserves a mention. Lightspeed Retail is great for retailers with multiple stores, as it includes advanced features such as a CRM system, and its pricing is less suited to smaller businesses.

If you’re looking for a POS system that packs a punch and you don’t mind a heavier price point, Lightspeed Retail could be the right system for your business.

Our Methodology

We researched four areas to determine the best retail POS systems:

• Retail features – this area looked at the number of retail-specific features a POS system had such as inventory management, loyalty management, and delivery support
• Price – this score is based on the average price and whether it offers a free trial, demo, or plan
• Help and support and customer score – this area looks at the level of support offered, plus, the providers customer reviews and ratings.

Each area is scored out of 5 and combined to provide an overall score for each provider.

Ready to Compare Retail POS Systems?

Our free quote tool is an easy way to receive no-obligation quotes from trusted POS providers. By providing us with a few details, we can match you up with providers who will then contact you with a quote. This saves you the hassle of seeking out quotes for your business and trying to work out which providers are in your budget.

Shopify pricing in Australia starts at $7 per month going up to $2970+ per month with three other price points in between. In this costs guide we’ll break down the pricing and plans Shopify currently offers to online merchants.

Shopify regularly updates its pricing and plans, so it’s no wonder you’ve come here to get some clear answers. What’s more, the transaction fees and hidden costs can get a bit confusing so we’ll take the time to explain all of those as well.

In our independent testing, we scored Shopify 3/5 for overall value for money. This is on a par with competitors BigCommerce, Americommerce and Pinacle Cart – all of which scored the same as Shopify in terms of how their range of services compared with the prices charged.

Shopify Pricing: How Much Does Shopify Cost?

We all want to know how much a website costs. To make this easy, we’ve created this side-by-side comparison of costs for Shopify plans. There are five plans available, ranging in price and scale to match the particular needs of your business.

Subscription fees are charged in US dollars, however, we have converted the prices to Australian dollars to give you a better insight into your potential costs.

Pricing correct as of last update. Pricing does not include tax, and remember USD-AUD exchange rates will affect how much you pay.

Even though Shopify increased its prices in January this year – and scrapped the chance to save more money by paying for two or three years upfront – it remains a market-leading tool. Platform technicians at Shopify have recently improved localization by allowing upload of different images or videos to your main website pages (not product pages), depending on the location of your web visitor.

Updates to customer analytics this year mean you can now access additional metrics to give you better insight into your best-selling products and most successful marketing channels. So there is some justification for the increase in pricing.

Shopify offers a free trial of three days. Right now there’s a deal on for your first month for $1 after your free trial ends, so you can test out a price plan to see whether it’s the right fit.

Shopify Starter Pricing Plan

• What: Sell products via URLs and a simple landing page
• Who: Mobile-first merchants of handmade or lower-priced goods
• Why: Easy to sell via social media channels
• How much: US$5 (roughly A$7) per month

Shopify Starter (formerly called “Lite”) is the cheap option for online sellers to send “shoppable” product links in instant messages over WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS and email. This means your customers click a URL link and can buy your product directly or add to a cart and buy some more. It’s not a full online store and you’ll need your own social media channels or website to post the links on. It’s aimed at mobile device users because there isn’t loads of space for product specs, product videos, lengthy descriptions or customer reviews.

You’re encouraged to use Shopify’s free landing page app called Linkpop which lets you list products directly for sale. The idea is you can put this landing page link in your social media bio for users to quickly find your products for sale. It’s much simpler than a full online shop, and much less formal, hence the cheaper subscription price. For this reason you can expect to sell merchandise, homeware, handmade gifts, clothing, accessories and the like. It’s not a platform aimed at expensive or regulated items such as precious jewellery and medical supplies.

Shopify Starter Transaction Fees

Transaction fees: 5.0% for all third-party payment providers
Online credit card rates: 5% + 30¢

Shopify Starter Features

– One user
– Unlimited product pages
– Customer support inbox
– Shopping cart
– Order management
– Discounted shipping rates from Sendle

Basic Shopify Pricing Plan

• What: Build an ecommerce website where customers buy your products
• Who: Small-scale merchants, independent boutiques, startup businesses
• Why: Sell from a professional ecommerce website
• How much: US$29 (roughly A$42) per month – if paying for one year upfront (or US$39 equiv. roughly A$56 paying month-to-month)

This is the lowest price you can pay to set up your own Shopify webstore. You create your own online shop using the Shopify drag-and-drop website builder and gain access to Shopify’s ecommerce platform. This means you can display your products, take payments, manage order fulfilment and benefit from Sendle shipping discounts all from one place.

It’s not by chance we’ve named Shopify as one of our best ecommerce platforms for small businesses. The convenience of the Shopify Basic plan is the ability to streamline your order purchase and fulfilment workflow. You’ll be able to print shipping labels and track packages through Shopify and pay your shipping costs in the same monthly bill as your subscription.

Basic Shopify Transaction fees

Third-party transaction fees: 2.0%
Online Australian credit card rates: 1.75% + 30¢
Online international/Amex credit card rates: 2.9% + 30¢
Currency conversion fee: 2.0%

Basic Shopify Features

– Up to two users
– Online ecommerce website and blog
– Maximum four inventory locations
– Unlimited products
– Order management
– Sendle discounts up to 44%

Discount Shipping Rates: Basic Shopify Pricing Plan

While Shopify claims you’ll save up to 44% on Sendle rates, a saving of around 11% is more realistic. Here are the discounted rates available for a 1kg package with Basic Shopify.

Shopify Main Pricing Plan

• What: A solid ecommerce website with workflow automations
• Who: Managers of growing online stores
• Why: Save time on manual tasks with ecommerce automations
• How much: US$79 (roughly A$114) per month – if you pay for a year upfront (or US$105 equiv. roughly A$152 paying month-to-month)

Shopify’s mid-tier price plan doesn’t have a name, it’s simply called “Shopify”. But we’ve given it the nickname “Shopify main” to make things a bit clearer because all of the price plans are named “Shopify” in some form or another.

Shopify’s main plan includes all the features you get with lower-priced tiers, including an ecommerce website with social media channel integration so you can sell across several platforms. This is really handy because you save on the individual website maintenance costs such as hosting and a security certificate.

Now, the main new benefit you get with this plan compared with Basic Shopify is ecommerce automations. These features equip leaders of growing online stores to build workflows and save time on manual tasks, making it well worth the investment.

Although the price of this tier goes up significantly compared with the Shopify Basic plan, you won’t make big savings on credit card fees: the charge for online Australian credit cards is just 0.15% lower compared with the Basic plan. However, transaction fees are 1% which is a decent saving compared with 2% on the Basic plan. To save real money here you’d need to be selling in far greater quantities than you would be on the Basic plan.

Shopify Main Transaction fees

Third-party transaction fees: 1.0%
Online Australian credit card rates: 1.6% + 30¢
Online international/Amex credit card rates: 2.8% + 30¢
Currency conversion fee: 2.0%

Shopify Main Features

– Up to five users
– Ecommerce automations
– Maximum five inventory locations
– Unlimited products
– Order management
– Sendle discounts up to 44%

Discount Shipping Rates: Shopify Main Pricing Plan

You’ll save around 10% on Sendle shipping rates for a 1kg parcel with Shopify’s main pricing plan. 

Advanced Shopify Pricing Plan

• What: Ecommerce website with advanced reporting and more international options
• Who: International sellers with medium or large stores
• Why: Improved control on international selling and cost transparency for buyers
• How much: US$299 per month (roughly A$433 per month) – if paying for a year upfront (or US$399 equiv roughly A$577 if paying month-to-month)

Advanced Shopify is aimed at international sellers with medium-to-large scale ecommerce businesses. At this tier, you’ll benefit from 1.5% duties and import taxes rates (0.85% if you use Shopify’s own payment gateway) and country-specific features such as international pricing. The advantage of functions like these is greater pricing control for merchants and better cost transparency for ecommerce customers.

This is the cheapest Shopify price plan at which you can get third-party calculated shipping rates. Unlike the three cheaper Shopify price plans, Advanced Shopify lets you set specific price points for products in various international locations. Again, there are slight savings to be made on credit card fees but the currency conversion fee remains the same as the other price plans at 2%.

Advanced Shopify Transaction fees

Third-party transaction fees: 0.5%
Online Australian credit card rates: 1.4% + 30¢
Online international/Amex credit card rates: 2.7% + 30¢
Currency conversion fee: 2.0%

Advanced Shopify Features

– Up to 15 users
– Set variable international price points
– Maximum eight inventory locations
– Advanced report builder
– Sendle discounts up to 44%
– Third-party calculated shipping rates

Discount Shipping Rates: Advanced Shopify Pricing Plan

With Advanced Shopify you’ll save around 11% on Sendle shipping rates. Here is the price list for a 1kg parcel. 

Does Shopify Have a Free Plan?

Shopify doesn’t have a free plan but it does offer a 3-day free trial so you can test its ecommerce services free of charge. This is on par with its competitors, most of whom also offer a two-week trial period at no cost. To make it easier to start using Shopify’s features without commitment, Shopify won’t ask for your payment details until the end of the two-week period at which point you can simply walk away if you’re not comfortable signing up.

This is really convenient for those looking to set up an online store and try out the best ecommerce platforms without committing financially at first. You can save your dollars until you’re absolutely sure which ecommerce provider is best for your particular business.

Shopify Fees and Costs: Billing Cycles, Ongoing Costs and Hidden Fees

Lots of services are included in all Shopify pricing plans including the following:

• Website builder
• Web hosting
• SSL certificate
• Unlimited products
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Discounted Sendle shipping rates

Shopify Billing Cycles

• Shopify subscriptions are charged month to month unless you pay in advance for a whole year
• Cancel your Shopify subscription at any time (however, you won’t be refunded that month’s fee)
• You can downgrade or upgrade your Shopify plan at any time

Additional Shopify Costs:

• Domain name that isn’t myshopify.com
• Third-party transaction fees of 2%, 1% or 0.5% with the Basic Shopify, Shopify and Advanced Shopify plans respectively
• Currency conversion fees of 2%
• Credit and debit card fees (these vary depending on price plan)
• Mandatory taxes such as GST
• Duties and import taxes rates of 1.5% (applicable for Advanced Shopify)

However, you can avoid transaction fees by signing up for and using Shopify Payments, the company’s proprietary payment gateway. With Shopify Payments the duties and import taxes rates decreases to 0.85%.

Shopify Pricing Versus Competitors’ Pricing

According to our independent research, Shopify is middle-of-the-road when it comes to Value For Money, scoring 3 out of a possible 5. This puts it on exactly the same level as BigCommerce, Americommerce and Pinacle Cart.

Competitors Which Scored Higher than Shopify in Value for Money:

Shopify was not the top-scoring ecommerce platform provider when our researchers looked into its value for money. The following providers are better value for money, according to our in-depth testing:

1. Square: 4.7/5
2. WooCommerce: 4.3/5
3. Squarespace: 4.2/5
4. Wix: 4.2/5

When you’re working out which ecommerce platform provider is best for your particular business needs, you should be aware that BigCommerce, unlike Shopify, doesn’t charge any transaction fees. Feel free to check out our complete guide to the best ecommerce platforms for small businesses if Shopify looks like the wrong fit for your strategic goals.

We’ve researched the best SEO companies, ranking them according to their customer satisfaction and range of services. Shoreline Digital Marketing is the best SEO agency – stick around to hear about the four other best SEO services companies, including the best local SEO agency.

You want customers to find you online and convert at an acceptable rate – you’re going to need the help of an SEO agency. But you don’t want just any old internet hack, oh no. You want the best. 

We care about equipping business leaders for these dicey post-pandemic times, that’s why we put the top SEO agencies through their paces. We scored each company based on aggregate customer reviews, the services they offer and the number of trusted partnerships they have.

You can read more about our methodology below, get straight to the supplier reviews or make your life easier and have SEO agencies get in touch with you directly to offer their best deals. If you let us know what you’re looking for SEO-wise, we’ll match you with our trusted experts. Easy peasy SEO-squeezy.

1. Best SEO Agency for Franchise SEO: Shoreline Digital Marketing

Core services offered: SEO content creation, link building, on-site (technical) SEO, local SEO, analytics and reporting, SEO site audits, reputation management, keyword management.

Shoreline Digital Marketing is transparent about its range of SEO services but reluctant to offer set price packages. You’ll have to contact them directly for SEO pricing.

2. Best SEO Agency for Ecommerce SEO: WTM Digital

Core services offered: Keyword analysis, competitor analysis, onsite SEO optimization, offsite SEO (backlinking), targeted SEO campaigns, SEO copywriting in-house, local SEO and Google Tag Manager.

WTM Digital SEO Services Pricing:

Unlike many SEO companies, WTM Digital offers transparent pricing guidance. According to the agency, you can expect to invest between $2,000 to more than $10,000 per month.

Their Google Tag Manager services start at $2,000, though some clients spend $5,000 plus.

Amazon SEO services begin at $2,000 monthly and can exceed $10,000 per month, while copywriting services start at $2,000 and go up to $30,000.

3. Best SEO Agency for Reputation Management: Hibu

Core services:  Local SEO, reputation management, website audit, content review and optimization, voice-optimized FAQs, offsite SEO (backlinks), social media post creation, website creation.

From law firms to small retail – all businesses can benefit from reputation management – it’s basically a PR service which, among other things, corrects the record when unhappy customers leave negative feedback online. Such a service is invaluable for B2C businesses who face strong competition in retail industries and personal services, for instance.

4. Best SEO Agency for Local SEO: Wiideman

Core services: Local SEO, off-site SEO (linkbuilding), on-site SEO, SEO consultation and training, SEO audits, SEO strategy and roadmapping, SEO staff procurement.

Here’s a snippet from Wiideman’s in-depth research on how to rank higher for local SEO.

Wiideman SEO Services Pricing:

While Wiideman is not forthcoming with SEO pricing information, they do state on their website that their SEO monitoring service starts at $99 per month. Services you’ll receive for this include Google Search Console reporting, notification of recent inbound links and risks to your rankings.

• Basic monthly SEO monitoring: $99 per month
• Basic weekly SEO monitoring: $199 per month
• Premium monthly SEO monitoring: $199 per month
• Premium weekly SEO monitoring: $299 per month

We’d recommend choosing a plan based on how much time you have on a regular basis to read through the reports and implement changes accordingly. If you really have the spare capacity to make SEO updates on a weekly basis, then you could benefit from the weekly reporting. Otherwise, if you’re realistically only going to get around to this once per month, then the monthly SEO reporting price package is best for you.

Here’s a list of what you’ll get in the monthly report if you purchase Wiideman’s SEO monitoring services.

Moreover, Wiideman offers a refund guarantee for clients who implement SEO recommendations and fail to see improvements in organic traffic after three months. There’s some peace of mind for your finance manager! We’ve not seen an offer like that anywhere else, which speaks to the confidence of the firm in the quality of their consulting services.

5. Best SEO Agency for Multichannel SEO: Volume Nine Digital

Volume Nine Digital takes a six-stage approach to sharpening your business’ SEO, from establishing initial goals and KPI targets to strategy execution and performance review.

Volume Nine SEO Services Pricing:

Volume Nine’s monthly SEO services retainer prices are set between $2,000 and $10,000 per month. This is within the typical price range for the types of SEO services on offer. Broadly speaking, Volume Nine doesn’t offer fixed price packages but the team prefers to work out a tailored set of services and a bespoke price point on a per-client basis.

They also offer a number of free resources online such as this handy social media engagement checklist which reminds you of how exactly to engage with your customers online. While social media is not a ranking factor for Google’s algorithms, it’s still an important strategy to broaden your online presence.

What Does an SEO Company or Agency do?

The best SEO companies will leverage industry expertise and software tools to increase the competitiveness of your business by boosting it higher up on search engine results rankings. Search engines such as Google use algorithms that rank websites shown to users after typing in certain phrases. It’s the SEO agency’s job to get the website of your business to appear over and above the competition because that way you’ll get more clicks through to your company’s web pages, leading to more conversions. 

In effect, SEO agencies can increase the profitability of your website by attracting targeted web users who are already looking to buy what you’re selling. When you’re scaling up a large business, you need to outshine the competition on search engine results pages – only the best enterprise SEO agencies will get you there.

This “pull-em-in” type of marketing is known as “organic search” stemming from the idea of customers naturally flocking over to you using search engines. It’s a “free” kind of marketing because you can’t pay to appear higher on Google search results pages (SERPs). It’s therefore distinctly different from paid advertising, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads.

Now you may think it’s perfectly possible to undertake your own SEO for your company web presence. While it’s possible to do it yourself, it’s most likely a waste of your time unless you’re extremely knowledgeable and have access to some high-level analytics tools. 

That’s the broad outline, so now let’s look in depth at exactly what SEO services agencies provide.

On-Site SEO

The best SEO services company will suggest and implement changes to your website to make it appear more attractive to your target audience and to search engine bots. It’s called “on-site” because it relates to tinkering with your actual website. Agencies will do this in a whole multitude of ways, but here are the main features of on-site SEO:

• The site is indexable and properly tagged in the back-end.
• The sitemap is logically organized with any broken links appropriately redirected.
• Content on the front-end has a clear layout, divided into headings and subheadings.
• Web pages are optimized for keywords, meaning key search phrases feature prominently in headlines and in deep-dive blog posts.
• Long blocks of text are broken up by relevant images with alt text and keyword-optimized descriptions.
• Content is high quality, accurate and genuinely valuable to the web user.
• Web pages should be logically linked together across the website.
• Web pages are easy to read on a variety of devices, respond to different browser window sizes and meet accessibility guidelines.

Your SEO agency team will analyze on-site SEO opportunities during a site audit, after which they’ll typically suggest a series of strategic changes. During their audit, they’ll use a number of software tools to view your website from a machine’s point of view, revealing areas for change which can’t be seen with the human eye (no matter how great an expert that human is!).

Consumer buying habits have changed – perhaps forever – thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Research collated by Wiideman details what ecommerce business leaders need to know about changing customer purchase habits.

Off-Site SEO

In order to be seen favorably by Google, other websites must include hyperlinks that lead back to your website. This is known as “backlinking” and it’s the main activity of building off-site SEO. Off-site SEO is the harder nut to crack compared with on-site SEO because it typically relies on external relationships with other website editors. 

There are a few different ways to convince other website editors to include links back to your website:

1. You can pay them.
2. You can beg them.
3. You can suggest it nicely.
4. You can offer to do something in return. 
5. You can own lots of websites and insert backlinks yourself.
6. You can spam websites with blog comments that include backlinks. 
7. You can create genuinely high-quality content that others independently link to.

Some of these are good ideas (numbers three and seven), some are bad ideas (number two), and some are terrible (numbers five and six).

Now backlinking is a tricky game and you really need to get it right. Unfortunately, not all agencies are equally ethical in their approaches here. Search engines such as Google will issue harsh penalties to domains (a.k.a. websites) that gather too many low-quality backlinks. If you opt for a cheap, unreliable or otherwise disreputable SEO agency you may end up paying for services such as “black hat” backlinking which actually harm your SEO in the long-run.

How Do I Choose an SEO Company?

Now that you understand some of the risks of choosing the wrong SEO agency – such as a penalty from the mighty wizard of search engines, Google itself – you want to know how to choose the right SEO company for your business. We’ll examine this important process in three easy steps, followed by a quick summary.

1. Decide on the SEO Services You Do and Don’t Need: Worked Example

Make a detailed list of business aims and match each one up with the individual SEO services you’d need to get there. You can also make a note of service you definitely DON’T need, so you can reject any upselling the agency may try to dazzle you with later down the road.

Example: Janice wants to expand her wholesale beauty supplies ecommerce business, but is a bit clueless when it comes to SEO services. However, she starts by making a list of things she knows very well: her current business needs. Then, Janice brainstorms ideas on how to achieve these aims using her real-world experience. Next, thanks to her having read Expert Market’s guidance on SEO services, she’s in a better position identify what her business needs.

Her notebook ends up looking like this:

Janice brings her notebook to the planning meetings she’s arranged with several SEO agencies. At first she’s a bit worried that some of her boxes don’t have many good ideas at all.

However, Janice is pleasantly surprised to learn of the best SEO agencies for small businesses that achieve a variety of business goals with organic search optimization services.

She requests a callback from multiple SEO agencies. Janice then collects ideas from each meeting and expands upon each of the answers in the third and final column. She’s now in a much better position to narrow down her shortlist of agencies and make a final choice.

2. Identify Evidence of Tangible Results on a Comparable Project

The key things to look out for are signals that it’s a reputable agency that delivers quality work. Since it’s harder to review the results of search engine optimization compared with, say, web design, you should spend time reading recent customer reviews. Sometimes SEO agencies even name their current and former clients on their website, so you can feel free to reach out to those clients individually and ask a few questions about the SEO work done for them.

3. Set SEO Targets Clearly Before Handing Over Any Money

Of course, SEO agencies will always showcase their most successful case studies with incredible return on investment figures. Although it’s tempting to believe you’ll definitely get similar results, you should ask prospective SEO agencies probing questions about what ROI you can expect for your particular project. Setting a goal at the start of proceedings – such as a minimum web traffic increase – is a good way to remain in control of the expected outcomes in light of the financial investment your business is making.

Quick Summary: How to Choose the Best SEO Agency

• Check out our unique research
• Identify SEO companies based on expertise and services
• Look for evidence of similar work to your project or business’ needs
• Read customer reviews of SEO companies
• Contact current and former clients of SEO company to ask questions
• Confirm realistic targets with the SEO agency before you agree payment

Now you may be wondering how exactly we chose our best SEO agencies for the purposes of this article. Well, all shall become clear after you’ve read the next section.

Methodology: How We Rate and Rank the Best SEO Companies

For the purposes of this research, we searched ranked listings of SEO companies and hand-picked the best based on a number of criteria (detailed below). It’s important we remain as objective as possible, so our reviews are informed by this objective evidence.

Firstly, we selected the highest-rated SEO agencies according to verified customer reviews.

Once we had a shortlist, we scored each agency individually, assigning points for the following categories:

• Customer reviews (mean average across six platforms)
• Range of SEO services offered
• Number of trusted partnerships indicated on their website

To assign points in the final criteria, we scoured the companies’ credentials and counted the total number of branded partnerships with major platforms such as Meta, Microsoft, and Google. In order to gain these accolades, companies have to pass the vetting standards of the platform in question, so it is another mark of service quality.

Adding up the scores, we converted final totals into a five-star rating system.

The best SEO company for small businesses in the US is Devenup, scoring 4.8/5 thanks to its wide range of services at a competitive price. 

We’ve compared top search engine optimization agencies to save you from endless research. We scored companies based on: number of SEO service types, average online review rating, and range of customer support options.

With rocketing inflation since the pandemic, competition for search engine space is out of this world. Without a reliable agency, you’re just floating around without aim.

Read on to find out which SEO agencies will funnel more visitors towards your business websites from internet search engines. Or you can 🎁use our free SEO expert matching service where you let us know your business needs and we’ll put you in touch with the right supplier.

Easy Comparison: Small Business SEO Services

If you don’t know who to choose, let us match you with an SEO marketing specialist who’ll give you a price directly. Simply let us know how to get in touch and we’ll ask a trusted SEO guru to lend you a hand.

1. Best for All-Round SEO: Devenup

Devenup offers the widest range of SEO services compared with any other provider on this list. That includes multilingual SEO, which Direction local and Townsquare Interactive don’t do. The Ukraine-based agency also had the highest customer review score: an average of 5/5 stars, compared with Webspero’s 4.9/5.

We were impressed by Devenup’s rapid and polite response to questions sent via email. This is a good sign that their client care is reliably responsive. Devenup has four options for customer care: email, webchat, phone, and knowledge base – that’s more than Direction Local and Townsquare interactive.

Our concern is that the agency secures paid links for clients, which is a backlinking service we generally advise against. However, Devenup also use organic link-building, the industry standard for gaining website authority.

On top of that, costs are much lower than US-based agencies, as Devenup is based in the Ukraine. Their international offices appeared to be at co-working spaces, so we couldn’t find a fixed US outpost where you’d be able to meet the team regularly. If you’re hoping to work with a stateside agency, this one isn’t for you.

Devenup Pricing

Devenup offers three price packages, which determine how many hours of staff time you’ll get each month. The options are aimed at growing businesses, with the main difference being the amount of content writing you get.

2. Best for Ecommerce SEO: Webspero

Webspero just missed out on winning the top spot, scoring 19.9/24 points total compared with Devenup’s 20/24. The advantage of Webspero over Devenup is the former offers web development on many frameworks, while the latter can only fix up existing websites’ issues. If you need a new website or mobile app, this is the agency of choice.

Their customers love them, with an impressive 4.9/5 average online review score. We’ve marked Webspero as best for ecommerce, reflecting recent portfolio work (and delighted client testimonials). The team will do SEO specifically for Bigcommerce, Shopify and Woocommerce platforms, helping your online store get seen on search engines.

Their main business is based in India, which could mean a delay in messaging communication due to time zones.

Webspero pricing

Their SEO pricing varies widely but Webspero hires Indian staff so you can expect to pay less than high-end US agencies. The hourly rate is $8-$30 on Upwork, which is far lower than the industry average of $100-$150.

However, that’s still a pretty wide bracket. Client project costs vary widely, so it seems there’s no simple price formula we can share with you.

Prices accurate as of January 2023

3. Best for SEO Content: Boostability

Boostability will only produce content written by SEO specialists, which is a marker of quality we didn’t see from Webspero. This means you can be confident the text across your website will be ideal for search engines while showcasing your business at its best.

That said, the agency’s expertise in ecommerce platforms is not as extensive as Webspero’s. So if you’re running an online store, you’d be better off with Webspero than Boostability.

Overall, Boostability didn’t have the highest customer review scores, hence why it’s lower on the list than Devenup and Webspero. But it still achieved an average of 4.1/5 in Google reviews which is respectable.

We found it really hard to find information about their B2B SEO services, as their website is geared entirely towards reselling SEO. The agency actually offers both kinds of services, but you’d never know it from their current website. Because this slanted marketing makes their business model unclear, we’ve marked this as a weakness.

Boostability pricing

We don’t have exact pricing for Boostability because the agency only quotes clients according to their particular needs. However, we understand their prices are competitive compared with larger agencies such as Major Tom.

4. Best for Healthcare SEO: Direction Local

Direction Local is an industry leader at gaining search engine exposure for healthcare businesses.

Last year Direction Inc (the parent of Direction Local) topped our list of the best SEO companies for small businesses. However, its local SEO division is ranked a whole star lower, owing to the relative stronger performance of competitors. As the SEO industry grows, service providers are offering a wider range of services for lower prices, with US-based businesses sometimes unable to outprice international competition.

That said, Direction Local provides a solid set of SEO services including reputation management, link building and content development. Their local SEO packages are priced extremely competitively, as you’ll see in the next section. We were particularly impressed that agency staff will get your business listed on car manufacturers’ GPS software too.

We have some reservations about the social media services listed under the SEO packages. While social media is an important form of marketing, it shouldn’t be seen as an SEO service. Google’s said social media doesn’t affect SEO.

Direction Local pricing

The below price packages seem very similar, with the main distinction being the types of directories you’ll get listed on. That’s the only reason we can detect for the price difference, so it may be worth pressing the agency for a better deal if you feel you’re possibly being overcharged.

Prices accurate as of January 2023

5. Best Local SEO: Townsquare Interactive

Some SEO agencies try to capture the spectrum of business websites (such as Webspero), but Townsquare Interactive is geared toward a specific clientele: small businesses only.

Parent company Townsquare Media owns a network of radio stations across the US (they’re the third largest radio station owner in the country) plus 400 local website brands. That heritage is why we trust the company to reach and effectively engage local populations. We’ve seen some decent localized SEO advice on their online blog, too.

When it comes to online reviews, voices are unhelpfully split. Either clients felt Townsquare Interactive produced great work or their service delivery could use some serious improvement – we found many reviews reflecting both sides. This wasn’t the case with Devenup, about whom nobody had a bad word to say.

From what we’ve read, the main issues seem to be around losing your website after you stop paying Townsquare Interactive. And some clients struggled to get refunded after they cancelled their contracts but payments kept going out.

For that reason, we advise going for local SEO services with Townsquare Interactive. Until customer reviews stop mentioning difficulties with website ownership, we’d say steer clear of web build services here.

Townsquare Interactive pricing

Townsquare keeps their pricing off their website, preferring interested parties approach directly for a quote. However, a client said in a September 2022 online review that they paid $329 monthly for a website and SEO services. Another client’s review from the same time stated they paid $700 for a new website build with SEO optimizations.

Pricing therefore seems to be in the $300 per month region (as of the latter half of 2022).

Prices accurate as of January 2023

How We Reached These Results: Methodology

To get to these results we looked for SEO companies who specifically cater to small businesses with annual turnover of less than $10 million. We were keen to consider SEO firms that would be most useful to our Expert Market readers, so we looked mainly at SEO services that delivered projects at the lower end of the pricing scale.

We gave each company points for:

• Range of SEO services offered
• Extra marketing services such as web design
• Customer review scores across five platforms 
• Customer support options

We then converted each company’s total points into a five star rating system.

Shopify pricing in Canada starts at $7 per month going up to $2,627+ per month with three other price points in between. In this costs guide we’ll break down the pricing and plans Shopify currently offers to online merchants.

Shopify regularly updates its pricing and plans, so it’s no wonder you’ve come here to get some clear answers. What’s more, the transaction fees and hidden costs can get a bit confusing so we’ll take the time to explain all of those as well.

In our independent testing, we scored Shopify 3/5 for overall value for money. This is on a par with competitors BigCommerce, Americommerce and Pinacle Cart – all of which scored the same as Shopify in terms of how their range of services compared with the prices charged.

Read on to discover the details of each Shopify pricing plan – and how to score some discounts.

Shopify Pricing: How Much Does Shopify Cost?

We all want to know how much a website costs. To make this easy, we’ve created this side-by-side comparison of costs for Shopify plans. There are five plans available, ranging in price and scale to match the particular needs of your business.

Even though Shopify increased its prices in January this year – and scrapped the chance to save more money by paying for two or three years upfront – it remains a market-leading tool. Platform technicians at Shopify have recently improved localization by allowing upload of different images or videos to your main website pages (not product pages), depending on the location of your web visitor.

Updates to customer analytics this year mean you can now access additional metrics to give you better insight into your best-selling products and most successful marketing channels. So there is some justification for the increase in pricing.

Like most ecommerce platform providers, Shopify offers a free trial of three days then the first month for $1, so you can test out a price plan to see whether it’s the right fit.

Shopify Starter Pricing Plan

• What: Sell products via URLs and a simple landing page
• Who: Mobile-first merchants of handmade or lower-priced goods
• Why: Easy to sell via social media channels
• How much: $7 per month – no discounts available

Shopify Starter (formerly called “Lite”) is the cheap option for online sellers to send “shoppable” product links in instant messages over WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS and email. This means your customers click a URL link and can buy your product directly or add to a cart and buy some more. It’s not a full online store and you’ll need your own social media channels or website to post the links on. It’s aimed at mobile device users because there isn’t loads of space for product specs, product videos, lengthy descriptions or customer reviews.

You’re encouraged to use Shopify’s free landing page app called Linkpop which lets you list products directly for sale. The idea is you can put this landing page link in your social media bio for users to quickly find your products for sale. It’s much simpler than a full online shop, and much less formal, hence the cheaper subscription price. For this reason you can expect to sell merchandise, homeware, handmade gifts, clothing, accessories and the like. It’s not a platform aimed at expensive or regulated items such as precious jewellery and medical supplies.

Shopify Starter Transaction Fees

Transaction fees: 5.0% for all third-party payment providers
Online credit card rates: 5% + 30¢

Shopify Starter Features

– One user
– Unlimited product pages
– Customer support inbox
– Shopping cart
– Order management
– Discounted shipping rates from Canada Post

Basic Shopify Pricing Plan

• What: Build an ecommerce website where customers buy your products
• Who: Small-scale merchants, independent boutiques, startups
• Why: Sell from a professional ecommerce website
• How much: $38 per month – paying annually (or $51 month-to-month)

This is the lowest price you can pay to set up your own Shopify webstore. You create your own online shop using the Shopify drag-and-drop website builder and gain access to Shopify’s ecommerce platform. This means you can display your products, take payments, manage order fulfilment and benefit from Canada Post shipping discounts all from one place.

It’s not by chance we’ve named Shopify as one of our best ecommerce platforms for small businesses. The convenience of the Shopify Basic plan is the ability to streamline your order purchase and fulfilment workflow. You’ll be able to print shipping labels and track packages through Shopify and pay your shipping costs in the same monthly bill as your subscription.

Basic Shopify Transaction fees

Third-party transaction fees: 2.0%
Online Canadian credit card rates: 2.9% + 30¢
Online international/Amex credit card rates: 3.5% + 30¢
Currency conversion fee: 2.0%

Basic Shopify Features

– Up to two users
– Online ecommerce website and blog
– Maximum four inventory locations
– Unlimited products
– Order management
– Canada Post discounts up to 45%

Discount Shipping Rates: Basic Shopify Pricing Plan

While Shopify claims you’ll save up to 45% on Canada Post rates, a saving of around 6% is more realistic. Here are the discounted rates available for a 1kg package with Basic Shopify.

Shopify Main Pricing Plan

• What: A solid ecommerce website with workflow automations
• Who: Managers of growing online stores
• Why: Save time on manual tasks with ecommerce automations
• How much: $99 per month – paying for one year up front (or $132 month-to-month)

Shopify’s mid-tier price plan doesn’t have a name, it’s simply called “Shopify”. But we’ve given it the nickname “Shopify main” to make things a bit clearer because all of the price plans are named “Shopify” in some form or another.

Shopify’s main plan includes all the features you get with lower-priced tiers, including an ecommerce website with social media channel integration so you can sell across several platforms. This is really handy because you save on the individual costs of a website such as hosting and a security certificate.

Now, the main new benefit you get with this plan compared with Basic Shopify is ecommerce automations. These features equip leaders of growing online stores to build workflows and save time on manual tasks, making it well worth the investment.

Although the price of this tier goes up significantly compared with the Shopify Basic plan, you won’t make big savings on credit card fees: the charge for online Canadian credit cards is just 0.2% lower compared with the Basic plan. However, transaction fees are 1% which is a decent saving compared with 2% on the Basic plan. To save real money here you’d need to be selling in far greater quantities than you would be on the Basic plan.

Shopify Main Transaction fees

Third-party transaction fees: 1.0%
Online Canadian credit card rates: 2.7% + 30¢
Online international/Amex credit card rates: 3.4% + 30¢
Currency conversion fee: 2.0%

Shopify Main Features

– Up to five users
– Ecommerce automations
– Maximum five inventory locations
– Unlimited products
– Order management
– Canada Post discounts up to 50%

Discount Shipping Rates: Shopify Main Pricing Plan

You’ll save around 10% on Canada Post shipping rates for a 1kg parcel with Shopify Main Pricing Plan. The savings increase along with the distance the parcel travels.

Advanced Shopify Pricing Plan

• What: Ecommerce website with advanced reporting and more international options
• Who: International sellers with medium or large stores
• Why: Improved control on international selling and cost transparency for buyers
• How much: $389 per month – paying for one year upfront (or $517 month-to-month)

Advanced Shopify is aimed at international sellers with medium-to-large scale ecommerce businesses. At this tier, you’ll benefit from 1.5% duties and import taxes rates (0.85% if you use Shopify’s own payment gateway) and country-specific features such as international pricing. The advantage of functions like these is greater pricing control for merchants and better cost transparency for ecommerce customers.

This is the cheapest Shopify price plan at which you can get third-party calculated shipping rates. Unlike the three cheaper Shopify price plans, Advanced Shopify lets you set specific price points for products in various international locations. Again, there are slight savings to be made on credit card fees but the currency conversion fee remains the same as the other price plans at 2%.

Advanced Shopify Transaction fees

Third-party transaction fees: 0.5%
Online Canadian credit card rates: 2.4% + 30¢
Online international/Amex credit card rates: 3.3% + 30¢
Currency conversion fee: 2.0%

Advanced Shopify Features

– Up to 15 users
– Set variable international price points
– Maximum eight inventory locations
– Advanced report builder
– Canada Post discounts up to 53%
– Third-party calculated shipping rates

Discount Shipping Rates: Advanced Shopify Pricing Plan

With Advanced Shopify you’ll save around 12% on Canada Post shipping rates. Here is the price list for a 1kg parcel. The discount is even better for international post: 27% Toronto to London.

Does Shopify Have a Free Plan?

Shopify doesn’t have a free plan but it does offer a 3-day free trial so you can test its ecommerce services free of charge. This is on par with its competitors, most of whom also offer a two-week trial period at no cost. To make it easier to start using Shopify’s features without commitment, Shopify won’t ask for your payment details until the end of the two-week period at which point you can simply walk away if you’re not comfortable signing up.

This is really convenient for those looking to set up an online store and try out the best ecommerce platforms without committing financially at first. You can save your dollars until you’re absolutely sure which ecommerce provider is best for your particular business.

Shopify Fees and Costs: Billing Cycles, Ongoing Costs and Hidden Fees

Lots of services are included in all Shopify pricing plans including the following:

• Website builder
• Web hosting
• SSL certificate
• Unlimited products
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Discounted Canada Post shipping rates

Shopify Billing Cycles

• Shopify subscriptions are charged month to month unless you pay in advance for one, two or three years
• Cancel your Shopify subscription at any time (however, you won’t be refunded that month’s fee)
• You can downgrade or upgrade your Shopify plan at any time

Additional Shopify Costs:

• Domain name that isn’t myshopify.com
• Third-party transaction fees of 2%, 1% or 0.5% with the Basic Shopify, Shopify and Advanced Shopify plans respectively
• Currency conversion fees of 2%
• Credit and debit card fees (these vary depending on price plan)
• Duties and import taxes rates of 1.5% (applicable for Advanced Shopify)

However, you can avoid transaction fees by signing up for and using Shopify Payments (except on Starter plan, you’ll still pay 5% transaction fees with Shopify Payments), the company’s proprietary payment gateway. With Shopify Payments the duties and import taxes rates decreases to 0.85%.

Shopify Pricing Versus Competitors’ Pricing

According to our independent research, Shopify is middle-of-the-road when it comes to Value For Money, scoring 3 out of a possible 5. This puts it on exactly the same level as BigCommerce, Americommerce and Pinacle Cart.

Competitors Which Scored Higher than Shopify in Value for Money:

Shopify was not the top-scoring ecommerce platform provider when our researchers looked into its value for money. The following providers are better value for money, according to our in-depth testing:

1. Square: 4.7/5
2. WooCommerce: 4.3/5
3. Squarespace: 4.2/5
4. Wix: 4.2/5

When you’re working out which ecommerce platform provider is best for your particular business needs, you should be aware that BigCommerce, unlike Shopify, doesn’t charge any transaction fees. If you’re interested, we’ve done a deep-dive into the differences between Shopify compared with BigCommerce. With each provider’s features and pricing under the microscope, you’ll be able to make a final decision on the right tool for your business.

Feel free to check out our complete guide to the best ecommerce platforms for small businesses if Shopify looks like the wrong fit for your strategic goals.

How hard is it to build a website from scratch? Much easier than you might think, as it happens. You’ve got three main options: code it yourself, use a DIY website builder or run with a CMS.

Building a website from scratch can seem scary. Many questions rush to mind, such as: “Do I need a degree in computer science?”, “Will I ruin my company’s professional image?”, “Do I have to understand web hosting?”. The answers are “No”, “No” and “Yes but it’s not that bad”.

We’ll cover everything you need to know and explain how to build a website from scratch in just 11 easy steps. When it comes to website builders, Wix is our top choice followed by Shopify for building an ecommerce website from scratch. 

If even thinking about creating your own website has you sweating, there’s always the ultra convenient option of hiring a web designer from an agency.

You may find it helpful to bookmark this guide and come back to it as you complete each step.

Build a Website from Scratch: Overview

For your convenience, we’ve broken down the messy process of creating a website wonder into 11 easy steps. 

For each stage of the journey, we’ve included a focus question (who, what, when, where, why or how) to keep you on track. This means you’ll never stray off course when building your online business asset. It’s important because you’ll need to keep budget and project duration in mind. But don’t worry, we’ll get to all that in due course. 

Here are the steps to build a website from scratch: 

1. List your website aims – why do you need a site?
2. Decide your budget and time-frame – how much and how long?
3. Choose your method – how do I build my site?
4. Gather design inspo – what will your site look like?
5. Research competitors – how will you outshine the competition?
6. Wireframe and UX refinement – how will users interact with the site?
7. Register your domain name – what will your site be called?
8. Sign up for hosting – where will you host your site?
9. Build the first iteration and request feedback/user testing – how do others feel about your website?
10. Implement improvements – what did you learn from the feedback stage?
11. Agree on maintenance schedule moving forward – how will you manage upkeep?

Let’s get started, shall we?

1. List your website aims – why do you need a site?

First and foremost you should figure out exactly why you’re building a website. And, no, “Because I’m procrastinating from another important business task” is not a good reason. 

There are several reasons why you may want to create a website, and it’s perfectly fine to have more than one aim for doing so. “Because my competitors all have a website” actually is a good answer, because your company is competing for the custom of a limited target market. A website is the cornerstone of a professional digital marketing strategy and a major component of business branding. 

Begin by creating a list of distinct aims your website needs to achieve for your business. Try to make these goals as measurable as possible – for example, you may want to see more business enquiries per month after setting your website live. However, some aims may be rather more nebulous, such as improving the professional image of your company.

Say you present a weekly show on a community radio station. One aim for your website could be to open a revenue stream by selling merchandise online. This aim will lead you to research the best ecommerce web design companies on the market today. 

Start by compiling a list of clear aims for your website, followed by a suggestion for further research to support each one. However, you should ensure your website aims are realistic and achievable. 

2. Decide your budget and time-frame – how much and how long will it take to build your site?

While it’s just about possible to build a website for free, this may be one of the worst decisions you could make for your business. Free website builders come with branded adverts, basic features and give an amateurish impression overall.

Instead, you’d be best off setting a reasonable budget aside for monthly website costs. If you’ve got more spare time than you do funds, then you should go with a DIY website builder because it works out far cheaper than hiring a web design agency.

On the other hand, if you lack the time or expertise to spend crafting a website, you’ll need to find a web design professional. It’s a bigger financial investment but the resulting website will meet your business’ needs to a ‘T’.

Using a website builder: Costs on average £13 to £220 per month

As you can see from this quick reference chart, a website builder is a speedy and affordable option. You can get your site up and running in just a few days if you’re determined enough. You won’t find a turnaround time anywhere close to that with any of the other methods. 

Wix is the best value for money: the cheapest plan without adverts costs just £7.50 per month. Wix’s most expensive plan is £20 per month which includes ecommerce features (unless, of course, you need an enterprise-level solution, which starts at £119 per month).

Coding yourself: Costs around £1,412 per year

Coding the website yourself from scratch will take 2-3 months minimum. The project duration depends on your skill level and desired results. It could take nine months or more to perfect the exact website you desire, so don’t expect this to happen in a week or two.Bear in mind you’ll have to spend this time away from your regular business tasks. You’ll likely need someone to cover you and that can incur costs in wages. If you don’t have any coding knowledge at all you can learn to make a website in about nine hours with Code Academy (it’s a free course).

Building with a CMS: Costs around £1,412 per year

When it comes to a CMS website build project, you should set aside 3-6 months of  dedicated time. It’s free to download and use a CMS such as WordPress but you’ll still need to pay for your domain (£1-£17 per year) and hosting (£36-£2,400 per year). Some choose to purchase templates, photography or copywriting services to enhance their website; you should expect to pay upwards of £600 for services such as content creation. 

In any case, you’ll need to consider the plug-ins that make your website perform certain functions. WordPress has over 55,000 plug-ins, and many of them you’ll have to pay for (£0-£370 per year, roughly).

Outsourcing the website build: costs around £506-£1,175 per month

Of course the option with the least investment of your time is hiring a web design agency. It’s also the easiest option in terms of technical know-how from yourself or your team.

It may seem the most expensive, but this may not be the case if you consider how much of your own or staff time you’d save if you choose to build the website from scratch by yourself. We’ll make it easy for you to find a trusted web design agency; if you let us know some basic details we’ll match you with the best website creation specialists on our books.

3. Choose your method to build a website from scratch

Now we’ll look at the three popular methods of how to build a website from scratch. These also apply if you are looking to build an ecommerce website yourself, you’ll just need to spend the time researching plug-ins for ecommerce functions.

Build a website yourself with code

This is the most involved process by far, and only for the brave and the bold. As well as coding the entire website using PHP, Java or your preferred programming language you’ll be responsible for the hosting and security elements of the website too. We’ll give you a quick tip – Bluehost is your best bet for hosting thanks to its varied and affordable price plans. 

Ideal for: Tech-minded individuals who are eager to use programming skills.

Benefits: Create exactly what you want down to the tiniest details. 

Drawbacks: Time-intensive, requires coding know-how, you’re wholly responsible for fixing all bugs, hard to outsource or hand over once you’ve started down this road.

Use a DIY website builder

These days many small business owners opt for a website builder due to the appeal of affordability and easy drag-and-drop design tools. There’s a whole range available so be sure to check out our research in order to pick the best website builder.

If you want an attractive website with ecommerce functions, we recommend Squarespace for its affordable designs with quick time-to-launch. Shopify has the best range of ecommerce functions if you’re looking to build a more complex online shop. And Wix ecommerce options are user-friendly for website building beginners.

Ideal for: Average person with a creative eye but beginner-level tech skills.

Benefits: Affordable (pricing starts at £4-£10 monthly), quick to set up, maintenance and updates automatically taken care of, easy to use, range of functions available to customise your website including ecommerce options.

Drawbacks: May end up with a generic-looking website. Not as many design and functionality options as a custom-made website. You’re at the mercy of provider price fluctuations as it can be hard to switch providers if you change your mind down the road.

Blended approach: build with a CMS such as WordPress

WordPress is one of the most widely-used content management systems (CMS) on the internet. It’s open-source, meaning you don’t have to pay to copy and edit the software to build a custom website of your own. You’ll need to head over to WordPress.org rather than WordPress.com to use this method. Fortunately, Bluehost offers WordPress-specific hosting, so that’s one concern off your mind. Once you’ve sorted hosting then it’s time to download the CMS and get creating.

Ideal for: Savvy individuals willing to put some time into learning CMS skills.

Benefits: Cost-effective and not as difficult as programming.

Drawbacks: You’re responsible for all technical aspects of your website, including hosting registration, annual domain renewal and general maintenance. 

Alternative CMS options are Drupal, Joomla, Magento and Shopify for ecommerce, specifically.

4. Gather design inspo – what will your site look like?

A website is a key brand asset, so you should carefully consider how its appearance represents your business as a whole. It may seem obvious, but your design choices will convey messages to your web visitors on a subconscious level – and could be the difference between a product purchase and clicking the ‘x’ in the corner of the screen. So you should start with ensuring all your colours and fonts match your broader business branding, such as leaflets, business cards, brochures, banners and any product packaging you already have.

Now, consider all the thoughts and feelings you want your website visitors to think and feel as they browse your website. Jot these down in a list. Let’s say Jane is designing a website for a tattoo shop. Her list may look something like this:

• Inspired – “Wow that tattoo artwork looks amazing.”
• Curious – “I wonder what other designs the artist has made?”
• Reassured – “This looks like a safe and hygienic tattoo shop.”
• Informed – “Great. Now I know where the shop is and when it opens.”
• Understood – “I was worried about getting my first tattoo but the FAQ was comprehensive.”

Now you may be thinking this seems a little abstract, and how on earth can these ideas translate into design choices? Well, it’s important that your end user is at the heart of your website design. After all, you want your website to achieve your business aims, not just impress your mates at the pub.

In fact, every one of these notes will inform your design choices. Next, assign a design feature along with the next steps for each thought you came up with.

At the end of this exercise you’ll have a good long list of web design goals and steps to achieve each one. 

Now you’re in a good position to move forward with your website design. But, of course you’re not the only business in town, so it’s time to consider the competitors’ websites too.

5. Research competitors – how will you outshine the competition?

Your website should convince customers that you’re better than the competition. You can do this with improved content (snappier text and nicer imagery) and better SEO (making sure your website is authoritative, accurate and well-structured). If you achieve the latter, you could appear above competitors’ websites on search engine results pages.

A savvy way to improve your SEO is to make a list of likely search phrases your potential customers might type into Google to find services (or products) like yours. Fred’s small business offers suit tailoring in the Marble Arch area of London. Fred imagines himself in his customers’ shoes, and notes down some of the following phrases he would use to search for a business like his.

• “Professional tailors Marble Arch”
• “Suit repairs central London”
• “Emergency suit tailor West London”

Now Fred enters each phrase into search engines such as Google (and, later, Bing, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well). He clicks on the first few websites that come up (not the paid results at the very top, which say “Ad” next to them, but the ones after that). These are Fred’s competitors.

The “Related searches” section on the Google search engine results page (SERP) will give you ideas for what kind of content to create on your website.

Run through the same steps as Fred, and check out the competition. Notice ways you can emulate and improve on what your competitors are doing. Do they have a gallery of photos? An FAQ section? A detailed ‘About us’ page? Nice, so can you. 

Fred notices another business, ‘Mark’s Dry Cleaners’ has a blog section with recent articles including tips on stain removal at home. It’s got several comments from grateful customers, revealing its popularity with the local community. Fred decides to create some blog posts for his own website more closely related to his clientele’s interests, including an article the history of men’s suit styles and the best suit to wear at a job interview.

6. Wireframe and UX refinement – how will users interact with the site?

Wireframing refers to creating a mock-up of the website’s pages with placeholders for each image, text box and feature of the page. It’s an important process to design the layout of individual pages and see how the pages look in relation to one another. 

While it can be tempting to create each web page individually and then move onto the next one, you should aim for continuity across the site so that every page looks like it belongs on the same website. You can achieve this with certain fixed features such as a navigation bar in the same place on every page.

Some website makers skip this step – but we suggest you don’t.

This stage is really crucial for the way in which web visitors will interact with the pages and navigate your website – also known as ‘User Experience’ (UX). If customers come to your website wanting to find out opening times of your shop but can’t find a clear way to navigate to that information they’ll probably just close the window and find another business to visit.

It can be tricky to get this stage right if you’ve not much experience of the process. If you’re hiring a web agency, it’s more than likely they’ll do this stage for you and show you the proofs for you to review. Otherwise you can hire a UX designer or user interface (UI) professional to help you create an accessible website.

7. Register your domain name – what will your site be called?

You’ve done all the hard parts so now it’s time for some quick wins. Your domain name is quite simply the URL or web address where your website can be found online. At the top of this page, in the URL box, you’ll see ‘ExpertMarket.co.uk’ is our domain name. 

You can choose any domain name for your website so long as it is not already owned by someone else. To register a domain name you’ll need to visit the website of a domain registrar. There are many domain registrars and some are more reliable than others, with some considered downright sketchy. 

We recommend Bluehost as a dependable resource for domain registration. Hostinger will give you a domain name and hosting plan bundled together, if that’s more convenient.

Once you’ve chosen a domain registrar, simply search for your desired domain name to find out if it’s available. If it’s already taken, you can try to buy it from the owner or the search engine will suggest a similar alternative.

Note – Domain registration is often included in DIY website builder packages as a free bonus for the first year. This is the case with Wix, for example. However, a few platforms charge you extra from the start, such as Shopify.

8. Sign up for hosting – where will you host your site?

Note – Hosting is generally already included in DIY website builder packages.

Perfect, you’ve got a website outline and given it a name. Now we need to find a physical space on a web server to house your site. Wait, what? Without getting all technical on you, we simply need to take out a rental contract on a machine that gets your website online.

Hosting must be renewed each year, though you can pay for several years in one go. You should definitely buy a multi-year subscription upfront because of the discount you’ll get (around 10%). Besides, if you forget to renew your hosting plan then, boom, your website comes offline.

Just like renting a property to live in, your website rents a physical space on a fancy computer called a ‘server’. Thanks to the free market, you can choose between any number of hosting providers to give your website a place to call home.

Now you should be aware that some hosting providers do not cater specifically for WordPress hosting, so be sure to check that if you’ve gone down the WordPress CMS route. Thankfully, providers such as Bluehost offer all-inclusive packages which combine domain registration with web hosting – including WordPress hosting – plus a free SSL certificate and there’s even a website builder to boot. 

Here are the Managed WordPress hosting price plans from Bluehost:

You can feel confident choosing BlueHost for hosting as they are recommended by WordPress themselves.

9. Build the first iteration and request user feedback – how well does your website work?

Now you’re finally ready to put your plans into action: it’s time to build the first version of your website. Don’t be dismayed if the website doesn’t entirely work exactly as you need it to straight away, this is entirely normal. At first you’ll take a look at the ‘live’ version of the website yourself, but it’s a good idea to get another pair of eyes on it as soon as you’re generally happy with what you’ve got. 

If you’re coding the website yourself, you’ll go through many stages of checking the front-end, discovering glitches and making tweaks to scripts in the back-end.

With a website builder, you’ll be switching between seeing the live version of the website and going back into the editor to make adjustments as needed.

Using the WordPress CMS, it’s a case of noting malfunctions on the front-end and logging back into the CMS in order to make edits.

Depending on your available resources, you can ask a focus group to practise using your website and deliver specific feedback based on their experiences. Most companies will outsource this stage to a specific market research company with experience in selecting test users for a particular target market. Make sure you give your market research agency as much information about your target demographic as possible.

After all, if you’re building a small business ecommerce website for a butchers, there’s no point asking vegetarians to review your material!

10. Implement improvements – what did you learn from the feedback stage?

Now it’s time to incorporate the test user feedback into your next round of website edits. It’s important to persevere through the drudgery of this stage! Remember, you’re making a long-term investment in the quality of your business, brand and overall professionalism.

This really is the most crucial stage of all. If your website doesn’t work well for your users, you’ll miss vital opportunities for conversions (sales, sign-ups, signatures or whatever else you want web visitors to do). You can have the most stylish colour scheme in your niche, but if your ‘Buy now’ buttons are broken, you may as well be tossing your investment into the nearest woodburning stove.

Yes, the hard work is now nearly almost complete so keep going because the end is in sight!

11. Design a maintenance schedule moving forward – how will you manage upkeep?

Alright we lied about the ‘end being in sight’ – truth be told, your website project is never truly ‘over’ because there are inevitable maintenance tasks to stay on top of. We’ve written an entire guide to website maintenance costs to help you budget for the future. But for now let’s look at the annual maintenance tasks you should set calendar reminders for.

• Domain name renewal – you’ll need to do this at least once a decade and at most once per year.
• Hosting plan renewal – how often you have to check on this depends on how many years of hosting you paid for at first.
• SSL certificate renewal – annually, though this may be included in a domain/hosting package.
• Website content (articles and images) – how often you update this depends on your customers’ expectations, your SEO goals and resources you have available. But we suggest a content freshness audit at least once per month. 
• Software updates – If you’ve used a website builder, this is usually taken care of automatically. However, WordPress users should keep an eye out for updates on the WordPress dashboard every three to four months.

If you’re using a website builder then the above stages are already included in your monthly payment, which is convenient for you. Web design agencies will agree a payment model with you moving forward if you decide to outsource your website build.

Otherwise the maintenance work falls to you, so it’s a case of remembering to keep on top of your website workload each month. Remember the stakes are high: should you forget to renew your hosting or domain then your website will come offline and customers won’t be able to access it at all.

Build your website from scratch – next steps

Whew, we made it! Now that we’ve gone through three different pathways on how to build a website from scratch:

1. Coding a website yourself: Time-consuming, tech-heavy and low-cost.
2. DIY website builder: Quick, easy and affordable.
3. Using a CMS like WordPress: Fairly lengthy, medium difficulty and mid-range price.

If you’re looking for a user-friendly website builder then make sure you check out the easily-edited templates from Wix. Though if you want to know how to build an ecommerce website from scratch, you’ll get there with minimal trouble using Shopify. And bear in mind you can achieve jaw-dropping results with the gorgeous designs of Squarespace templates.

Remember it’s OK to try something new and realise you’re not the right person for the job after all. We’ve a trusted database of web design agencies that we can match you with if you let us know the bare bones of your website project. Good luck!

When it comes to protecting your business’s reputation, keeping your drivers safe, and avoiding fines you don’t deserve, fleet dash cams are critical pieces of equipment. The benefits of dash cams are numerous, but there’s also a cloud of confusion surrounding their legality: where can they be placed? Under what circumstances do they flout privacy laws? And are they even legal in the first place?

Our customer reviews and guide to the best dash cams for fleets should help you find the right model for your team while adhering to the law.

As the law differs state-by-state, we take you through every state and explain what the law says about dash cams there. And keep reading for our handy summary of the US laws, and our answers to the burning questions you’re asking about using dash cams legally.

Are dash cams legal in the US?

Yes, dash cams are legal in the US. However, there are restrictions regarding installation and placement which vary from state to state. The most common restriction is that the dash cam cannot obstruct the drivers vision through the windshield.

Due to this state-by-state variation, however, it’s worth brushing up on your state’s specific rules as well as which dash cam fixtures are legal in your state. This will help you avoid any run-ins with the law.

Dash Cam Laws By State

Alabama

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio or on private property

In Alabama, it is perfectly legal to use dash cams. But there are a few rules to be aware of:

• Your dash cams must not be mounted on the driver’s windshield, as it’s illegal to block any of the view.
• You can record footage in public places, but it’s illegal to record footage while trespassing on private property. You should ask for consent before recording on private property.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Alaska

Don’t obstruct the windshield, buy devices that are the right size

It’s legal to use dash cams in Alaska, but:

• Your dash cams must be mounted in a position where they don’t obscure the view through the windshield.
• If you’re going to mount your dash cams on the driver’s side, make sure you buy devices that are no bigger than five square inches. If you’re mounting them on the passenger side, they’ve got to be seven square inches or smaller.

Arizona

Buy devices that are the right size, and mount them in the right place

It’s legal to record with dash cams in Arizona, but you need to mount them in the right place.

Arizona law controls the extent to which drivers and vehicle owners are allowed to obstruct their windshields. If you’re setting up a dash cam on the driver’s side, it must sit in the lower corner of the windshield and take up no more than five square inches. If your dash cams are going to sit on the passenger side, they must sit in the lower corner and take up no more than seven square inches.

Arkansas

Don’t obstruct the windshield

In Arkansas, it’s legal to use dash cams, but it’s illegal to obstruct your windshield with any non-transparent objects (including dash cams!). You can’t mount your dash cam on the windshield, sidewings, or side or rear windows. Mounting your dash cams on dashboards or behind rear view mirrors is fine.

California

Buy cams that are the right size and mount them in the right place, get consent before recording audio

Dash cams have been legal in California since 2011. But there are some rules to comply with:

• Dash cams must take up no more than five square inches of space if mounted on the upper center of the windshield, and no more than seven square inches of space if mounted in the lower right corner.
• A dash cam used in a commercial vehicle to monitor driver behavior may be mounted no more than two inches beneath the upper edge of the area covered by the windshield wipers outside the driver’s line of vision.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices and place a sticker informing occupants of the vehicle that they are being recorded.
• In the event of an accident, the dash cam should only record footage of the incident and 30 seconds before and after it.

Colorado

Don’t obstruct the windshield, don’t distract other drivers

In Colorado, it’s perfectly legal to use dash cams. However:

• It’s illegal to mount a dash cam in any position where it would obstruct your driver’s view of the road. Behind the rear view mirror is usually a safe spot to put it.
• Your dash cams can’t cause a danger or distraction to other drivers out on the road, namely by reflecting glare. So don’t buy dash cams that are coated in metallic paint, or have mirrored surfaces.

Connecticut

Don’t obstruct the windshield

It’s legal to drive with dash cams in Connecticut. The only law here concerns dash cam placement. Dash cams in Connecticut can’t be placed in a position where they obstruct the windshield. You could either place them on the dashboard, or behind the rear view mirror.

Delaware

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio or on private property

Dash cams are legal in Delaware, but there are three dash cam laws to get familiar with:

• You can’t obstruct your windshield with any non-transparent objects (including dash cams!). You can’t mount your dash cam on the windshield, sidewings, or side or rear windows. Mounting them on dashboards or behind rear view mirrors is fine.
• You can record footage in public places, but it’s illegal to record footage while trespassing on private property. You should ask for consent before recording on private property.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Florida

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio

In Florida, it’s legal to use dash cams, but:

• It’s illegal to drive a vehicle if something’s obstructing the view of the road – in other words, your dash cams must be mounted in a position where they don’t block the view out the windshield. Either on your dashboard or behind the rear view mirror is a safe place.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Georgia

Don’t obstruct the windshield

It’s legal to use dash cams in Georgia, but you’ll need to place them correctly. Installing your dash cams on your drivers’ windshields is illegal, as it can obstruct their view of the road. Instead, mounting them on dashboards or behind rear-view mirrors is a good call. You must also get permission from all passengers before recording their voices.

Hawaii

Buy cams that are the right size and mount them in the right place

In Hawaii, dash cams are legal, as long as you fit them in the right place:

• Dash cams can be installed on the top or bottom corners of the windshield, and must not take up more than five square inches of space in those spots.
• It’s also legal to install “non-obstructive” dash cams in more discreet spots, such as on the back window or above the dashboard.

Idaho

Don’t obstruct the windshield

Dash cams are legal in Idaho, but it’s illegal to obstruct your windshield with non-transparent objects – dash cams included! You can’t mount your dash cams on windshields, sidewings, or side or rear windows. Mount them on dashboards or behind rear view mirrors instead.

Illinois

Buy cams that are the right size and mount them in the right place, get consent before recording audio, don’t record police activity

In Illinois, using dash cams is legal, but there are three key laws to stick to:

• Dash cams must be placed on the left-hand side of the vehicle dashboard, and cannot block more than five square inches of the windshield from view.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.
• Illinois has strict penalties for anyone caught recording police activity in public. This is something to be aware of when driving near police officers.

Indiana

Buy cams that are the right size and mount them in the right place

Dash cams are legal in Indiana, but they must be placed in the bottom corner of the windshield on the passenger side. They also can’t be any larger than four square inches.

Iowa

Don’t obstruct the windshield

In Iowa, it’s legal to use dash cams, but there is a (pretty vague) rule regarding where you can place them.

It’s illegal to drive a vehicle that doesn’t have “clear vision” through the windshield, side wings, or side or rear windows. While this isn’t very specific, your safest bet is to avoid mounting your dash cams on windshields in any spot where they block any of the view. We’d recommend placing them on dashboards, or behind rear view mirrors.

Kansas

Don’t obstruct the windshield

While dash cams are legal in Kansas, there’s a rule around their placement.

It’s illegal to “substantially obstruct” your windshield with non-transparent objects, such as dash cams. While it’s not clear what counts as a “substantial” obstruction, you should play it safe and avoid mounting your dash cams on windshields, sidewings, or side or rear windows. Try placing them on dashboards or behind rear view mirrors instead.

Kentucky

Don’t obstruct the windshield

It’s legal to use dash cams in Kentucky, but there is some hazy guidance around their placement.

It’s legal to install dash cams as long as they don’t obstruct your drivers’ vision through the windshield. To mitigate this risk, we recommend mounting your dash cams on the dashboard, or behind the rear view mirror, rather than on a clear part of the windshield.

Louisiana

Don’t obstruct the windshield

In Louisiana, it’s legal to use dash cams. But it’s illegal to drive a vehicle if there’s something obstructing the driver’s “clear view” through the windshield. Therefore, you shouldn’t mount your dash cams on your drivers’ windshields. Mounting them on your drivers’ dashboards or behind their rear view mirrors is a good bet.

Maine

Don’t obstruct the windshield

Dash cams are very much legal in Maine. But you’ll need to be careful where you place them:

• It’s illegal to place a dash cam in such a way that it obstructs the “clear view” through the windshield, sidewings, or side or rear windows of a vehicle. To stay on the right side of the law, mount your cams on dashboards or behind rear view mirrors instead.
• That said, this law does have an exemption for “required or provided equipment of the vehicle”, which could apply to dash cams if your vehicles are trucks. Ask your local law enforcement if you want to know whether you’re exempt from this law.

Maryland

Mount your dash cams in the right place, get consent before recording audio

In Maryland, it’s legal to use dash cams as long as you follow a couple of rules, including some very specific guidance around where you can put your dash cams:

• Dash cams must be installed above the AS-1 line of a vehicle’s windshield, or within five inches of the top of the windshield, and no lower. Alternatively, dash cams can be installed in the bottom corner of the windshield, as long as they fit within a seven-inch square.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Massachusetts

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio or on private property

Dash cams are legal in Massachusetts, but there are laws to be aware of:

• It’s illegal to place a non-transparent object on the windshield, so mount your dash cams on the dashboard or behind the rear view mirror instead. If you’d rather, you can attach a side dash cam to your side windows, as long as it doesn’t reflect more than 35% of visible light. This, of course, is super difficult to measure by sight. We’d recommend speaking with your local law enforcement to make sense of whether you’re able to comply with this.
• You can record events that take place in public places, but not those that happen on private property. You should ask for consent before recording on private property.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Michigan

Don’t obstruct the windshield (unless your vehicles are exempt), get consent before recording audio

In Michigan, dash cams are legal, but:

• It’s illegal to mount your dash cams on windshields as it can obstruct the driver’s view of the road, so fit them on dash cams or behind rear view mirrors instead.
• That said, this law doesn’t apply to buses, truck tractors, or trucks that weigh over 10,000 pounds or carry hazardous waste. If you manage these kinds of vehicles, you can place your cams wherever you like!
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Minnesota

Mount your dash cams in the right place

Dash cams are legal in Minnesota, but you don’t have much choice over where you can mount them.

You can only fit your cams immediately behind, slightly above, or slightly below rear view mirrors. A dash cam mounted in any other position, including on the dashboard (which is a good spot in most other states!), is considered illegal.

Mississippi

Don’t obstruct the windshield

In Mississippi, it’s legal to use dash cams, but they can’t obstruct the driver’s view through the windshield, and so shouldn’t be mounted on the windshield. If your team drives in this state, the safest place to mount their dash cams is on their dashboards.

Missouri

Dash cams are legal in Missouri – in fact, it’s something of a rare beast: a state in which there are no laws to regulate dash cam placement or usage.

We’d still recommend mounting them in spots where they’ll block as little of your drivers’ views as possible. Try mounting them on dashboards, or behind rearview mirrors, for safely unobstructed driving.

Montana

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio or on private property

It’s legal to use dash cams in Montana, but there are rules to comply with:

• Windshields need to stay completely unobstructed in Montana, so don’t mount your dash cams on windshields – even if your cams are transparent! On the dashboard is the safest spot for them in this state.
• You can record footage in public places, but not on private property. You should ask for consent before recording on private property.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must make sure everyone in your vehicle is aware they’re being recorded. It’s legal to record conversations without consent, as long as it’s not done covertly.

Nebraska

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio

Dash cams are legal in Nebraska, but:

• You can’t mount your dash cams directly on windshields, as this can obstruct the driver’s view of the road. Instead, the safest place to install them in Nebraska is on the dashboard.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Nevada

Mount your dash cams in the right place

In Nevada, it’s legal to use dash cams, but only if you install them in a specific spot to not obstruct the driver’s view – either the bottom corner of the windshield on the passenger side, or anywhere on your dashboard.

New Hampshire

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio

Dash cams are legal in New Hampshire, but there are a couple of regulations to know:

• It’s illegal to mount your dash cams on your vehicles’ front windshields, so opt for installing them on the dashboard instead. However, you are allowed to install rear-view and interior-facing cams. Regulation also stipulates that your driver should be able to see the dash cam’s screen.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices. Recording without consent is just considered a misdemeanour, rather than a felony, if the driver’s involved in the conversation, or you have prior consent from one of the parties from a previous trip – but it’s better to be safe than sorry and ask for consent every time.

New Jersey

Don’t obstruct the windshield

It’s legal to use dash cams in New Jersey, but they must be installed in the right place. It’s illegal for any non-transparent object to be mounted on the windshield or on the driver or passenger side window. In New Jersey, the safest place to mount your dash cams is near the windshield, on the dashboard on the passenger side.

New Mexico

Don’t obstruct the windshield or other windows

Dash cams are legal in New Mexico, but you must think carefully about where you install them. It’s illegal to mount a non-transparent object on the windshield, on the passenger and driver side windows, and on the rear window, if that’s used for driving visibility. We recommend installing your dash cams on your vehicles’ dashboards.

New York

Don’t obstruct the windshield

It’s legal to use dash cams in New York – in fact, the state actively encourages all drivers to do so.

However, you must be sure to install your cams in the right place. Obstructing your drivers’ windshields is illegal, so we recommend installing your dash cams on dashboards instead.

North Carolina

Like Missouri, North Carolina goes against the grain: dash cams are legal, but it has no laws to regulate their placement or usage.

That said, instead of sticking your dash cams front and center of your windshields, we’d recommend keeping safety in mind. Install them in spots where they won’t obstruct your driver’s view – such as on the dashboard, or behind the rear view mirror.

North Dakota

Don’t obstruct the windshield

In North Dakota, it’s legal to use dash cams, as long as you install them in a safe place.

Windshields in this state need to be kept clear of everything from stickers and posters to dash cams. So avoid mounting yours on your team’s windshields, and mount them on dashboards instead.

Ohio

Don’t obstruct the windshield

Dash cams are legal in Ohio, but it’s illegal to mount them on your drivers’ windshields. Stick to installing them on dashboards, or anywhere else in the car.

Interestingly, Ohio law states that it’s legal to record video and audio in the cab, so long as the dash cam doesn’t obscure any of the windshield.

Oklahoma

Don’t obstruct the windshield

In Oklahoma, it’s legal to use dash cams as long as they aren’t mounted on the driver’s windshield. Installing them on your drivers’ dashboards – and making sure they don’t obscure any part of the windshield – is a safe bet.

Oregon

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio

Dash cams are legal in Oregon, but there are a couple of rules to be aware of:

• It’s illegal install your dash cams up on windshields or windows, as the law prohibits “any material that prevents or impairs the ability to see into or out of the vehicle”. Mounting your cams on your drivers’ dashboards is the best thing to do in Oregon.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Pennsylvania

Don’t obstruct the windshield, don’t use distracting screens, get consent before recording audio

It’s legal for your business to use dash cams in Pennsylvania, but there are laws to get familiar with:

• It’s illegal to mount your dash cams on your drivers’ windows or windshields, so stick to installing them on dashboards.
• Dash cams screens shouldn’t distract your drivers, so invest in devices that don’t have screens, or have screens that can be put to sleep.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Rhode Island

Don’t obstruct the windshield

In Rhode Island, it’s legal to use dash cams, but it’s illegal to mount them on your drivers’ windshields, as nothing should obstruct the view through them. The dashboard is the safest place to install your dash cams in the Ocean State.

South Carolina

Don’t obstruct the windshield

Dash cams are legal in South Carolina, but they must be mounted on your drivers’ dashboards, and not their windshields or windows. South Carolina law says that drivers should be able to see out of any window “without straining”, so keep this in mind when placing your cams.

South Dakota

Don’t obstruct the windshield or other windows, get consent before recording audio

In South Dakota, it’s legal for you to use dash cams, but there are laws to know:

• It’s illegal to mount your dash cams on your drivers’ front windshields, side wings, or side or rear windows, so stick to installing them on their dashboards.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

Tennessee

Don’t obstruct the windshield

Dash cams are legal in Tennessee, but you shouldn’t install them on your drivers’ windshields, as it’s illegal to obstruct them. Mount them on your vehicles’ dashboards instead for safer driving.

Texas

Don’t obstruct the windshield or other windows, don’t impede the airbags

It’s legal to use dash cams in Texas, as long as they’re installed in the right place:

• In Texas law, it’s an offence to drive a vehicle “that has an object or material that is placed on or attached to the windshield or side or rear window and that obstructs or reduces the operator’s clear view.”
• It’s fine to mount your dash cams on your vehicles’ dashboards in Texas, as long as they don’t impede the airbags.

Utah

Buy devices that are the right size, and mount them in the right place

In Utah, dash cams are legal… depending on where you install them. Unlike many other states, in Utah it’s legal to mount your dash cams on your drivers’ windshields.

They can be installed along the top of the windshield, as long as they don’t extend down further than four inches, or in the driver’s side corner, as long as they don’t take up more than four inches here. It’s also legal to install cams on dashboards or rear windows.

Vermont

Buy devices that are the right size, and mount them in the right place

It’s legal to use dash cams in Vermont, but you must install them in the right place. You can mount them on the lower passenger side corner of your drivers’ windshields, as long as they’re no larger than four inches tall and 12 inches long.

Alternatively, you can mount them on the upper driver side corner of the windshield, as long as they’re no larger than two inches high and two and a half inches long.

Virginia

Don’t obstruct the windshield or rear window

In Virginia, dash cams are legal, but it’s illegal to mount them on your drivers’ front windshields or rear windows. Instead, you should mount them on your vehicles’ dashboards, but just make sure they don’t obstruct the driver’s view of the road at all.

Washington

Don’t obstruct the windshield, get consent before recording audio

It’s legal to use dash cams in Washington, but there are a couple of laws to get familiar with:

• It’s illegal to mount your dash cams on your drivers’ windshields as they could obstruct the view of the road, so install them on their dashboards instead.
• If your dash cams record audio, you must get consent from everyone in the vehicle (including your employees and your customers) before recording their voices.

West Virginia

Don’t obstruct the windshield

Dash cams are legal in West Virginia, but it’s illegal to have anything non-transparent mounted on your vehicles’ front windshields, dash cams included. Make sure you mount them on your vehicles’ dashboards, out of the line of sight of your drivers.

Wisconsin

Mount your dash cams in the right place

In Wisconsin it’s legal to use dash cams, but you’ve got to be careful about where you install them. It’s illegal to mount them on the windshield, unless you put them behind the rear view mirror. They also need to stay clear of the sweep of your vehicles’ windshield wipers. It’s worth considering mounting them on your vehicles’ dashboards instead, to stay on the safe side.

Wyoming

Don’t obstruct the windshield

Dash cams are legal in Wyoming, as long as they don’t obstruct your drivers’ views through their windshields. So, don’t mount your dash cams on your vehicles’ windshields: stick to installing them on dashboards instead.

Summary: Dash Cam Laws Across the US

When working out what’s legal and what isn’t in your state, you can cover all bases by asking the following questions:

1. Where am I allowed to mount my dash cams?
2. What size do my dash cams need to be?
3. Is it legal to record audio without the consent of every person present?
4. Is it legal to record footage on private property?

You’ll find that every state bar two (Missouri and North Carolina, to be precise) has some kind of law that dictates where you can mount your dash cams. It’s just a case of clarifying whether or not you’re allowed to mount them on your vehicles’ windshields.

If you are, it’s likely there’ll be restrictions in place that dictate the size and exact placement of your cams, aiming to make sure your dash cams don’t impede your drivers’ view of the road too obtrusively. If you aren’t, you should look into getting dash cams that can be mounted on your dashboards, as they come with different fixings. Customer reviews and our own guide to the best dash cams for fleets should help you find the right model for your team.

Finally, you need to be aware of whether or not your business operates in an all-party consent state. If so, you’ll need to get consent from all the people in each vehicle before enabling your dash cams to record audio. It’s probably easier just to disable your audio recording function!

Running a business comes with lots of new learning curves, and we’re here to help you out with one of the more complex lessons: accounting.

We know accounting isn’t the most exciting of topics, so we’ve broken it down into an easy step-by-step guide to help you become an accounting expert in your own right.

However, if you’re interested in outsourcing your accounting, you can use our free quote-finding tool. Just give us a few brief details, and we’ll match you up with trusted accounting firms, who’ll be in touch with tailored, no-obligation quotes for you to compare.

How do you do accounting?

We’ve laid out a step-by-step guide covering how to do your businesses accounting. These steps are:

1. Open a business bank account
2. Track expenses
3. Set up payroll
4. Set up payment processes
5. Get tax educated
6. Outsource

1. Open a business bank account

Having a business bank account will make it easier to track your expenses, and ensure your books are accurate. Having organised financial records will also make it easier for you if you want to look for funding in the future, as you’ll be able to present your numbers clearly.

2. Track expenses

The easiest way to track your expenses is to keep hold of your receipts. Whilst paper receipts still exist, you can digitally scan and store these so you’re less likely to lose them. Some shops offer to email you the receipt – sending these to a business email address, or even an accounting-specific email, can help you stay on top of your expenses.

Alongside keeping your personal and business financial transactions separate, it’s a good idea to itemise your receipts by category so you can accurately track them:

• Business travel
• Advertising and marketing
• Meals and entertainment
• Home office

You can also keep track of your expenses through invoices, bills, and bank statements.

3. Set up payroll

Setting up payroll means you can pay yourself and your employees accurately and on time. You also need to ensure that deductions are made, such as tax and pension contributions.

This can be done using payroll software, which help calculate payroll correctly each month and can also automate payroll tasks.

4. Set up payment processes

Getting paid is one of the more exciting parts of running a business, but how you set this up depends on the nature of your business.

If you offer services, then you could take payment through PayPal or accounting software that allows you to invoice clients, such as Xero or Wave. You can also collect payments through a bank transfer.

If you’re selling goods online, you should look at an ecommerce platform that has in-built payment gateway, or a platform that allows you to integrate a third-party payment provider.

If you have a brick-and-mortar business, you should opt for an EPOS (electronic point of sale) system. An EPOS system will allow you to take payments, and includes other functions to help run your business. Lots of EPOS systems integrate third-party accounting software, making it much easier to keep an accurate record of your books.

5. Get tax educated

As one of the certainties of life, it’s important to get educated on the taxes your business needs to pay. The most straightforward way to ensure you stay compliant is by keeping an accurate record of your expenses, setting aside money to pay your taxes, and ensuring you know how and when you need to pay your tax.

Your business’s taxes depend on its legal structure, and it can be difficult to figure out what exactly your business needs to pay, and what, if any, deductions your business may be eligible for. It’s a good idea to use a professional accountant to figure out your business’s tax obligations, to prevent any errors or fines.

6. Outsource

Outsourcing some or all of your tax and accounting tasks to an accountant or accounting firm can make it a lot easier to run your business. Tax and accounting can get complex, and the more expertise you have on hand, the more accurate and efficient this aspect of your business will be.

If you don’t feel your business is quite ready or big enough to outsource everything, you can choose to outsource only the more complex jobs, such as tax or payroll. This way you don’t need to worry about getting anything wrong, especially as doing so can mean you face penalties or fines. Getting it right the first time round will prevent a ton of hassle.

A good place to start outsourcing is by taking a look at our list of the best accountants in the UK. We explore accounting firms, and who they’re best for.

Accounting 101

Accounting often includes tons of unfamiliar phrases and words that can make it a lot more confusing than it needs to be. We’ve curated everything you need to know about accounting jargon:

Accounts receivable and accounts payable

Accounts receivable is the money your business is owed for goods or services. On your balance sheet, this is considered an asset.

Accounts payable is the money you owe to other businesses or suppliers for goods or services. This is considered a liability on your balance sheet.

Accounting period

The time period in which financial statements are prepared. This period could be based on the month, quarter, or year.

Assets

Something a business owns or uses.

Balance sheet

This sheet sums up the assets, liabilities, and capital of a business at a particular point in time.

Burn rate

Your burn rate is how quickly your business spends money. It’s an important factor to measure because it helps you manage your cash flow, and business decisions.

To measure your burn rate, pick a time period, and subtract your cash at the end of that period from your cash at the beginning of the period, to be left with how much you’ve spent. Then divide this number by the number of months (or weeks, or days) in your chosen period. You’ll then be left with how much you spent each month (or week, or day) in that period.

Capital

This is the money you have to spend on or invest into your business. This money is separate to your assets and liabilities.

Cash flow statement

This shows where and how your business is receiving and spending money.

Corporation tax

The tax your company needs to pay, based on the taxable profits of the period.

Income statement

This shows how much money your business has made or lost.

Which accounting software is best?

Accounting software is used by bookkeepers, accountants, and business owners to carry out accounting tasks. Accounting firms will often use cloud-based software to manage their clients’ financial records, and tax and accountancy services.

Some business owners will use accounting software if they want to keep accounting in-house. Typically, start-ups and small businesses will use accounting software instead of outsourcing all their accounting.

If you’re looking for accounting software for your business, you want a provider that offers your business the services you need, whether this is payroll, tax, or automation. Every business has different needs, but it’s important to find software that will help your business run that much smoother.

Most accounting software will have core accounting functions, but if you’re after extra features, make sure the provider you choose has them, or at least has the option to add-on or integrate these functions from a third-party.

Another important aspect is pricing. Most software providers offer a monthly package, making it affordable even for new businesses. Shop around for a provider that offers software packages at a price suited to your budget.

Our recommended accounting software includes Quickbooks Online, which is scalable, and offers third-party integration. Meanwhile, Xero is a good choice for start-ups or small businesses that want straightforward software.

Top accounting tips

Here are our expert-approved top tips to stay on top of your accounting:

• Stick to deadlines – being aware of and sticking to tax deadlines will make things so much easier and stress-free. Missing a tax deadline can cause a major hassle, and you may face a monetary fine. We suggest looking up tax deadlines, and making a note of them in your calendar, with regular reminders.
• Stay organised – whilst this is easier said than done, the more organised you are from the outset, the easier it will be for you to complete tax and accounting tasks. Even if you’ve slacked a little on the organisation until now, it’s never too late to start.
• Track and separate expenses – as well as tracking every expense, you also want to keep your business and personal expenses separate, to save you time and effort.
• Automate – we recommend using accounting software that includes automation. This way you don’t have to spend as much time doing manual work, and the software will generally be more accurate as it won’t allow for human error.
• Dedicated accounting time – set aside a dedicated amount of time each month to go through any necessary paperwork and payroll, and avoid letting receipts and invoices pile up.
• Outsource – outsourcing some or all of your tax and accounting can free up your time and energy. It also gives you access to an accounting professional, who can offer you advice and present you with more efficient solutions.

Does your business need an accountant?

Outsourcing to an accountant means you have more time, energy, and resource to put into other aspects of your business. Tax and accountancy are complex and time-consuming – outsourcing gives you experts on hand who can make the process a lot easier.

Keeping it in-house makes sense for some businesses, for example, if you have sufficient knowledge in accounting or you want to retain more control. In this case, you can still choose to outsource a more complex task such as managing taxes, or get advice from a professional accountant to ensure you’re on the right track.

In the long run, outsourcing saves your business money, as it can be costly to hire, train, and keep an in-house accounting team. As a start-up or small business, you can choose to rely on software or DIY it, but as your business grows, it may be hard to keep the cost of this down as you’ll need to scale up.

Outsourcing is suited to most businesses, as you can never go wrong by relying on expertise – especially when it comes to confusing areas of the law.

Need a quote?

If you’re considering outsourcing your tax and accountancy services, you can use our free quote comparison tool to be matched up with the right firms for your business. Just give us a few brief details and we’ll do all the hard work. You’ll then receive tailored, no-obligation quotes from the best accounting firms for you, so you can compare and save.

For small to medium-sized businesses, hiring an accountant takes away a lot of undue hassle. In fact, 91% of SMBs rate accountants as important to their business, and half of them go to their accountant for strategic business advice. The upcoming tax year runs from April 6th 2024 to April 5th 2025, and with April coming up very soon, now is the perfect time to consider hiring an accountant or switching to a new service.

Our latest research into the market shows that business accounting services can cost anywhere from £60 to £450 a month, depending on the size of your business. Hourly rates and prices for one-off services such as VAT returns and payroll can vary.

In this article, we take a closer look at some of these costs, and recommend what to look for when shopping around for accounting services. If you’d like to find out exactly how much accounting services will cost for you, try our free quote-finding tool. Just give us a few brief details about your business, and we’ll do the rest, matching you up with trusted accounting firms that can meet your needs. You’ll then receive tailored, no-obligation quotes, so you can compare and save.

What services do accountants provide?

Accountants typically offer a range of services including:

• Annual accounts and tax return
• Director’s tax returns
• VAT returns
• General bookkeeping
• Payroll services
• Bank reconciliation
• Accounts payable/receivable
• Day to day financial and tax advice

The services a business needs will depend on its size and business structure. The above services will typically be included in most accounting packages for businesses.

The best accountants for businesses will be able to save you money, as they can give you advice about business planning and long-term plans with their insight into your business. Your accountant will also prevent your business from facing fines or penalties for misfiling or missing deadlines. The money you spend on outsourcing your accounting will often be much less than the cost of facing fines, or making mistakes on your books.

How much do accountants cost?

More comprehensive accounting can cost around £60 to £450 per month, depending on the size of your business. For large businesses, this number will be higher (around £600) as they have a higher number of employees and a bigger turnover – factors that can impact the cost of your accounting.

Accountants can be paid annually, monthly, or hourly, depending on the number and type of accounting services you need from them. If you need regular accountancy services and advice, you can opt for a package, which you pay for monthly or annually.

How much do accounting services cost?

You may opt to use an accountant for one-off services instead of paying them for a monthly package of services. In this case you will be paying the accountant by the hour. In general, one-off accounting will cost around £25 to £35 an hour, and more specialist accounting costs around £125 to £150 an hour. 

There’s a few different services small to medium size businesses usually avail of, such as self assessments, tax returns, payroll services or VAT returns. Here’s the general price of each of these services. 

• A one-off assessment or tax return can cost around £300. The more complex the tax return, the higher the accountant may charge. 

• A VAT return can cost between £100 and £300, depending on the size of the business. 

• Maintaining business accountants can set you back anywhere from £150 to £600, depending on annual turnover. 

• Payroll services for a business of 10 to 50 employees can cost £200 a month. 

• Director’s tax returns cost around £300.

All the above prices exclude VAT. 

These costs are one-off fees for businesses. However, if you opt for a package with an accountancy firm that includes all these services, it may be more beneficial.

If you run a start-up or small business, you may not need regular accountancy services. But as your business grows, your tax and accountancy needs will grow too, and become more complicated. You can then choose to scale up to a regular monthly package.

What are the factors affecting how much accountants charge?

There are a few factors that will impact how much your accounting services cost, including:

The size of your business

This is determined by your annual turnover. The higher this is, the more you can expect to pay – after all, the tax and accounting workload placed on your accountant will be higher. For example, the cost of maintaining your business accounts depends on your monthly turnover.

Being a limited company

If you’re registered as a sole trader, your accounting costs will be lower than those of a limited company. Limited companies have more complex needs and have to comply with harsher accounting rules. Bookkeeping is much more stringent and comprehensive, so the cost may be higher.

Limited companies will also need other services, such as tax accounting.

One-off or continuous service

In the long run, hiring an accountant on a monthly basis will work out cheaper and many different services will be included in the one package. Accountants working for you on a regular basis will also be able to discover areas you can save money, as opposed to a one-off basis where they won’t be able to spot these kinds of things.

Can you get accounting services for free?

The short answer is yes. You can access accounting services for free through DIY methods, or free software. Cloud-based software has evolved to produce efficient and helpful tools to assist you with services such as bookkeeping and payroll.

Free payroll software

Payroll can be complex, but software can make the process a lot easier with reporting and automations. You can access free payroll software when you have relatively few employees. However as your business grows and your employee numbers increase, there will usually be a cost attached.

Cloud-based accounting software reduces operating software by up to 50%. It’s a good idea to stick to cloud-based software as it will keep your costs down.

DIY accounting

DIY accounting can be complicated, but it’s suitable if you’re a start-up or a very small business. It’s important to open up a business bank account so you can accurately separate your personal and business records to make things easier to document.

You also want to develop a bookkeeping system – this can be done using a spreadsheet or accounting software. When doing your own books, you want to ensure you keep track of every expense, and choose the right accounting method for your business.

There are two methods you can choose from: the first is traditional accounting, which records income and expenses on the date of the invoice. The second is cash accounting, which records income and expenses on the date it’s received or the money is paid. Cash accounting is only available if your turnover is less than £83,000 per year. If this is your business, cash accounting is a better option, as it means there’s less chance your business has to pay tax on money it has not yet received.

When DIY accounting, you want to generate monthly reports that show a profit and loss statement and a balance sheet, so you can accurately track the financial health of your business.

As your business grows and develops, it may be difficult to stay on top of your accounting yourself, and outsourcing may be your best option. Staying compliant is vital, and the bigger your business is the harder it can be to manage, especially without any specialised advice.

Need Help Finding an Accountant?

Our free quote comparison tool matches you up with accounting firms that are suited to your business. Just give us a few brief details about your company, and you’ll be contacted by these trusted firms with tailored, no-obligation quotes and answers to your questions.

Accounting services help keep your business’s numbers in order, and ensure your finances are looked after by experts, saving you time, money, and resource.

We explore the different kinds of accounting services so you can decide which service is best suited to your business. With several services available, we’ve broken each one down to make them easy for you to understand.

If you want to get started with finding the right firm for your accounting needs, you can use our free quote-finding tool. Just give us a few brief details about your business, and we’ll match you up with trusted companies, who’ll be in touch with tailored, no-obligation quotes and information.

Types of accounting services explained

We break down the different types of accounting services available to help you confidently decide which services you need. These services are:

1. Bookkeeping
2. Chartered accounting
3. Tax accounting
4. Forensic accounting
5. Account auditing
6. Payable accounts
7. Payroll
8. Bank reconciliation
9. Accounts receivable

1. Bookkeeping

With a bookkeeping service, your business’s financial transactions are recorded and tracked. Bookkeepers turn these into financial reports, so you can accurately and easily monitor your business’s finances.

Every business needs bookkeeping services. Small to medium-sized businesses tend to outsource this service, whereas larger enterprises usually keep this in-house, as they have the budget and resource to hire for this role.

2. Chartered accounting

Chartered accountants are specialist accountants who deal with responsibilities such as auditing, business strategy, and taxation. Compared to regular accountants, chartered accountants have completed in-depth training and passed tough examinations.

Chartered accountants offer expert advice, and can help you navigate the more complex financial decisions your business needs to make. If you don’t have a strong grasp of a business’s various accountancy needs, a chartered accountant can carry out the more confusing tasks for you.

3. Tax accounting

Tax accounting deals with the taxes your business needs to pay. Tax accountants will work out how much tax you need to pay, as well as any deductions.

Paying the right amount of tax is crucial to staying compliant, and getting this wrong can mean having to pay a penalty. Outsourcing your tax accounting doesn’t just mean you can be certain your taxes are above board, but you also have access to expert advice.

4. Forensic accounting

Forensic accounting is a mix of accounting and investigative skills used to find financial crimes. If there are missing funds on a financial report, for example, a forensic accountant would be called on to investigate.

You can hire a forensic accountant if you believe there has been suspicious financial activity or a forensic accountant may be hired to investigate your books if it is believed a financial crime may have occurred.

Using a forensic accountant is one of the best ways to deal with a possible financial crime, as they’re well-trained in investigating these types of crimes, and have the necessary knowledge and expertise.

5. Account auditing

This service allows auditors to ensure your accounts are valid and accurate. Auditors will also be able to gather detailed financial information about your business.

You’ll need this service if you want to provide credibility to your business’s financial position. This is usually relevant when communicating with future or current shareholders, as it means you can give them confidence that your actual numbers match what’s been reported.

6. Payable accounts

Most businesses owe money to suppliers and other businesses. This is known as a ‘short-term debt’, and is treated as a liability. A payable accounts service manages these financial transactions, and ensures the accounts you owe are paid correctly and on time.

This service is relevant if your business deals with lots of different suppliers, and you want to maintain good relations and keep your accounts in good standing.

7. Payroll

You’ll use payroll services to pay your employees on time and accurately, ensure deductions are made, and calculate tax. Payroll services also maintain each employee’s data, ensuring they’re on the correct tax code, and calculating payroll each month. Payroll calculations can change each month, especially if you have contractors.

Businesses of any size can outsource payroll services. You can outsource all, or only certain parts, of the payroll process if you want to maintain some control. How much you outsource depends on your existing team’s expertise, time, and budget.

8. Bank reconciliation

This is the process of matching up your business’s bank statements with your books. It’s a way to ensure your bookkeeping is accurate, and if there are any discrepancies, these can be noted and dealt with straightaway. This service helps protect your business from fraud and cut down on expenses.

9. Accounts receivable

If your business is owed money, an accounts receivable service can record financial transactions, follow up with collecting the money owed, and process invoices faster.

For businesses that sell services or goods, this service is key to ensuring accurate financial records.

What are the different types of accounting?

There are generally four different types of accounting. These are:

1. Public accounting

Public accounting refers to businesses that provide accounting services. This type of accounting is generally the most comprehensive, with public accounting businesses tending to specialise in various accounting areas. Your business will most likely use this type of accounting.

2. Government accounting

This is accounting service is carried out for government institutions. These services record and manage all government financial transactions.

3. Internal auditing

Internal auditing is the process of examining the financial practices and health of an organisation or company. Internal auditing locates any financial mismanagement or bad practices.

4. Management accounting

This is where management use accounting information to make critical and informed decisions. Accounting data can help provide clarity and clear numbers on a number of business decisions, including day-to-day operations.

Why outsource your accounting?

One of the main benefits of outsourcing your accounting is having more time and resource to focus on the exciting parts of your business. Accounting tends to consist of a lot of time-consuming and, dare we say, boring tasks. Outsourcing means you get to focus your precious time and effort on the parts of your business that need your expertise.

Outsourcing will also save you a lot of money, as it means you don’t need to pay for in-house staff to do your business’s accounting. Although it seems an expense to outsource, this cost tends to be much lower than the cost of keeping it in-house, as you’ll have to consider salaries, sickness, and training.

Another benefit is that you can rely on your accounting service provider’s expertise to help you make more financially-savvy decisions. Outsourcing is also flexible, as you can make use of additional services as and when your business needs them. You don’t need to waste money on services you don’t need, but as your business grows and evolves, you’ll likely need different services, which you can then opt for.

Need a quote?

If you’re ready to explore the world of accounting services, you can use our free comparison tool to help you make the best decision for your business. Our tool will match you up with the right accounting firms for your business, all you need to do is give us a few brief details about your company. You’ll then be contacted by trusted firms with no-obligation quotes.

If you’re interested in outsourcing accounting services for your business but you’re still a little hazy on what exactly that means, you’re in the right place. Our expertise in this industry means we know everything there is to know about outsourcing accounting.

We’re here to clarify and answer any burning questions you might have, and by the end of this article, you’ll know if this is the right choice for your business.

If you want to get started with finding the right firm for your accounting needs, you can use our free quote-finding tool. Just give us a few brief details about your business, and we’ll match you up with trusted companies that are right for you. They’ll be in touch with tailored quotes and information.

What is accounting outsourcing?

Accounting outsourcing is when a business outsources their accounting services to a third-party. The third-party, an accounting firm, will carry out tax and accountancy services for that business.

This includes services such as bookkeeping, payroll, tax, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and bank reconciliation. Some firms offer other services, like marketing and business planning.

When outsourcing your accounting, you could choose to outsource to a firm that takes care of every aspect of your accountancy and taxes, or you can simply choose to only outsource specific tasks. This is less common, however, as businesses typically get more value from an ongoing relationship with an accountant who’ll also give them advice, and help them navigate this complex area with ease.

What are the benefits of outsourcing accounting & bookkeeping?

There are several benefits that come with outsourcing accounting services, which we’ve outlined below:

Average outsourced accounting services cost

You can expect to pay around £500 per year for outsourced accounting services, although this price can change based on your business’s needs.

Basic accounting services can typically cost around £25 to £90 per hour, whereas specialist services can cost £120 to £150 per hour.

If you run a start-up, and want some very basic tax and accountancy services, you may only need to pay a one-off fee of a few hundred pounds each financial year. As your business grows, or if you need more services carried out, this price will increase.

The cost of outsourcing depends on the services you need, and the size of your business. Not all accounting firms are transparent about pricing – but they’ll usually offer a free consultation, so you can get a better idea of their services and costs.

What are services in accounting?

There are a number of different accounting services that a business could need. These are the most popular:

How does accounting outsourcing work?

Outsourcing your accounting first involves finding the right firm for your business. While most firms offer core tax and accountancy services, some also offer other services such as marketing, business development, and help with funding.

Another important aspect is budget. It can be tricky to vet potential firms in this respect, as they’re not all transparent with pricing. However, lots of firms are, and where they aren’t, you can always request a free quote.

For a much quicker route to comparing prices, you can use our free quote comparison tool to be matched up with the right accountancy firm for your business, just give us a few brief details and we’ll do all the hard work. You’ll then receive no-obligation quotes from providers so you can compare, and save.

Once you’ve decided on a firm, depending on which and how many services you’re outsourcing, you’ll need to hand over relevant documentation. If you’re switching from another firm, some firms will handle this process for you, so you don’t need to do much of the legwork.

Alternatives to accounting outsourcing

Whilst outsourcing is a great option for many businesses, it may not always be the right option for you. If you have budget constraints, or you want to have more control over your tax and accountancy, there are some alternatives to outsourcing.

You could opt for accounting software, which is cloud-based and comes with built-in programs to help you carry out core tax and accountancy tasks. These include bookkeeping, payroll, and billing and invoicing.

Accounting software gives you the ability to manage various elements of accounting, all while keeping it in-house. This is typically a more affordable option, although pricing depends on the software provider you go for.

Using accounting software is cheaper than having an accounting team in-house, as you don’t need to fork out on salaries or deal with training, insurance or sick days.

For many businesses, their vehicle fleet is their lifeblood. Whether it’s short-distance delivery, long-haul trucking, or just getting your employees where they need to be – these simply can’t be done without a well-oiled fleet of vehicles.

It would stand to reason then, that putting together your fleet is the bread and butter of setting up a business. This process, known as fleet procurement, is certainly an involved one, but is absolutely worth perfecting.

Two of the best things you can do in order to optimise your fleet is invest in a fuel card, and install fleet management software. By clicking those links, you’ll be sent to easy-to-sue forms which, when filled out, will offer you multiple quotes for those services based on your business information.

Five Ways to Improve Your Fleet Procurement Strategy

At a glance, the top five ways to perfect your fleet procurement strategy are:

1. Get input from your drivers or industry connections
2. Determine the associated costs
3. Secure a fuel card
4. Forge good relationships with suppliers
5. Get fleet tracking software

Let’s have a look at what these mean for your business.

1. Get Input from Your Drivers/Others in the Industry

It’s easy enough to think of the basics when you’re looking at fleet procurement – you’ll want petrol, vehicles, and things like tyre pumps – but there are some things you might not consider when looking at fleet procurement. That’s where other peoples’ experiences can help you out.

Talking to your employees and getting a grasp on what they need is a great place to start. After all, they’re spending more time in these vehicles than anyone. Better shelving units for storage, stronger security features – there’s a range of elements your employees might like.

If this is your first fleet and you don’t have any drivers yet, you might want to ask other business owners in the industry. They’ll have been through this process before, so asking them what they learned or what they would have done differently is a great place to start.

2. Determine Costs

The most important thing for any business is its bottom line. Once you’ve nailed down what you need in a broad sense, it’s worth time comparing prices across the market to find the most affordable (but obviously still effective) choice for your business.

This is another area where connections can come in handy. By talking to people in the industry, you can get tips on the best places to buy certain resources, and when prices might be at their lowest.

Of course, newcomers might not have too many connections to flip through, but that’s the beauty of the internet. A day or two of solid research will help you get the best prices out there.

3. Secure a Fuel Card

On the topic of cutting costs, there are few easier ways to pinch pennies than to invest in a fuel card. Fuel cards are basically debit cards, topped up with your own funds. What’s the point then? Well, any transactions on this card at participating petrol stations will be discounted!

These discounts usually aren’t mind-blowing, saving you about 5-10p per gallon. However, over time these savings can add up and end up saving your business a good amount of money on a resource you’ll be using daily!

If you’re interested in the best fuel cards on the market, we’ve got you covered. Check out our article on the Best Fuel Cards for UK businesses.

4. Forge Good Relationships with Suppliers

You’re likely going to be in this for the long haul, so you’ll want to make sure you’re on good terms with any providers or stakeholders throughout your fleet procurement process. After all, it’s not what you know, it’s not who you know – it’s who knows you.

Having cordial relationships with the people and organisations in charge of supplying your business with the assets necessary to run an effective fleet can be a huge benefit. Routine orders will happen faster, people will be happier to serve you, and the process will be smoother overall.

5. Get Fleet Tracking Software

This will be one of the last steps when setting up your fleet, but one of the most important, especially if you’re particularly focused on efficiency. Fleet tracking software is what it sounds like: a computer system that allows you to keep tabs on your vehicles’ locations.

However, your average fleet management system offers far more than just that. You’ll be able to track fuel usage, plan optimised delivery routes, and various other functions that can make this software indispensable for those looking to tighten up their fleet.

You wouldn’t invest in fleet management until your vehicles were actually on the road, but when that time comes, it’s something that can make your fleet as affordable and efficient as possible.

What Is Fleet Procurement?

If you’re unfamiliar with the term “fleet procurement,” then allow us to fill you in. On a basic level, the verb “to procure” means “to obtain,” so fleet procurement is the act of obtaining everything you’ll need to operate a fleet of vehicles for your business.

This will obviously include the vehicles and resources needed to maintain vehicles (like storage space, fuel, and tools), but, in a broader sense, can branch out to include things like fuel cards, fleet tracking software, and accessories that can improve your drivers’ experience.

As with most things business-related, it’s best to have a strategy before you dive in, so nailing down a proper fleet procurement plan is key to making sure it’s as affordable and efficient as possible.

Next Steps

As a recap, let’s look at those five tips again:

• Get input from stakeholders
• Determine costs
• Secure a fuel card
• Forge good relationships with suppliers
• Get fleet tracking software

Some of those tips are a one-time task, others will need a decent time investment for the entire time you’re managing your fleet. To scratch some of the easier tasks off the list, you can nail down a fuel card and fleet tracking software by clicking on those links.

By filling out your business’s information on a quick, secure form, you’ll receive free, zero-commitment quotes that can help you get the best options for your business.

Fleet management is an absolute must for some businesses. If your business uses vehicles to operate, then fleet management can make life a million times easier. Whether making local deliveries or operating long-haul shipping, the ability to track your vehicles’ locations and analytics is indispensable.

However, even if you feel as though your fleet is a well-oiled machine, you can always save time by perfecting your process. And when every second your vehicles are deployed is burning fuel, time really is money.

So here are some top tips that can help you improve your fleet management. Spoiler alert – one of them is to land yourself a fleet management system, which can be easily done through our free quote tool. By securely entering your business’s information, you’ll receive quick, zero-commitment quotes that you can use to choose the best platform for your business.

How to Improve Fleet Management

Running a fleet is a costly endeavour. Salaries, petrol, maintenance, the vehicles themselves – there is a considerable amount that goes into a business fleet. And it’s not just money either. Managing a fleet can be a full-time job itself depending on the amount of vehicles.

So with all this to keep on top of, no one could blame a business if they wanted to pursue anything that could help them save money or time. Here are some of the best ways to improve your fleet management system.

1. Using Fuel Cards

This is a simple one. If you operate a vehicle or a fleet of vehicles, you might want to look into investing in a fuel card. Fuel cards can offer you between 5-10p savings on every gallon of petrol that you use for business purposes. While this isn’t a crazy amount by any means, you can still end up saving a considerable amount over months of daily use!

2. Choosing the Right Vehicles and Fuel

The right vehicles and fuel type will always vary based on the business, and will even change as the years go on with more and more efficient vehicles coming out. However, choosing the vehicle type and model that suits your business best is a crucial early step.

For example, does your business deliver furniture? You might want a couple of vans or even a truck. Do you deliver something smaller like computers or flowers? Maybe just a car, or even a motorbike will suffice. And of course, the type of vehicle you pick will also dictate the type of fuel you’ll be using (petrol, diesel, or electric), which can be a massive factor in the cost equation.

3. Maintaining Your Vehicles

While this is an overall tip for life, it applies doubly when your business’s bottom line is in question. Pardon the pun, but there is an absolute truckload of things to keep in mind when maintaining a vehicle, let alone an entire fleet, so keeping on top of all this is crucial when it comes to optimising your vehicles’ performance.

This could be something as obvious as engine maintenance, or something as mundane as keeping tyre pressure up to its highest. Not only might you catch something before it becomes a real problem, but routine upkeep like lubricant or tyre pressure can ensure a vehicle performs well for longer, saving you money on petrol.

However, all of this is a big time commitment. If it seems like too much of a hassle at this point in your business, maybe you should look into grey fleet management, where employees use their own vehicles for business purposed, and are reimbursed for fuel costs.

If you don’t follow fleet maintenance best practices, you might find that you need to retire and replace vehicles in your fleet sooner than you’d hope.

4. Optimising routes and loads

If you were delivering five packages throughout the day to customers A through E, it’d be easy to send them out when they were ready just to check them off the list. However, if you plan these deliveries ahead of time, and structure the optimal delivery route around the proximity of these customers, you could end up saving a significant sum in fuel costs.

For example, let’s say customers A, B, and E are all on the same street. You might be ready to dispatch orders A and B, but if you wait until E is ready to go, your vehicle would only have to make one trip for three orders.

While you could do this yourself by looking at a map and charting the course, it’s a lot faster and more accurate to use an automated service, like a fleet management system. These can take the addresses of your locations and produce the most efficient delivery route for your vehicles.

5. Getting a Fleet Management System

The final major tip we have for you is to get your hands on a fleet management system. These software platforms can perform a massive variety of features. Whether it’s tracking vehicles, tallying fuel usage, or mapping out optimised routes, these platforms can be a massively useful benefit when it comes to saving on fuel costs, or just running an effective vehicle fleet.

If you’re interested in getting a fleet management system, you’re in luck! It’s never been easier – simply enter your business’s info into this secure comparison tool, and you’ll be given quotes from several fleet management software providers. From there, you can choose the option that works best for you!

What Are Fleet Management Best Practices?

When it comes to fleet management it’s crucial that you stay on top of everything. As vague and unhelpful as this sounds, it really is the absolute best practice for maintaining a well-oiled fleet – literally.

So remember, these five top tips for improving your fleet management are:

• Using fleet cards
• Making the right choices for vehicles and fuel
• Maintaining your vehicles well
• Optimising routes and loads
• Getting a fleet management system

There are some more minor measures you can take that can still add up in the long term, however. There are some of the most lucrative and important actions in the section below, so read on to perfectly optimise your fleet.

How to Save Fuel by Increasing Fleet Capacity

It’s no secret that fuel prices are at worryingly high levels these days. Anywhere businesses (or individuals) can save on petrol is a welcome window of financial salvation – and even the smallest saving can add up over time.

Here are some of the easiest, most efficient, or overall best ways to save fuel for your business.

• Fuel cards: As mentioned, fuel cards are a very effective way to save money on fuel costs. While it’s only a few pennies per gallon, this can add up to a substantial saving over time, especially if your business uses vehicles daily.
• Driver training: There’s a difference between being qualified to drive, and being properly trained to drive for a business. For example, idling with the engines for too long, leaving the engine running while making deliveries, and various other vehicle hygiene practices can be a huge benefit to the bottom line.
• Frequent vehicle checks: Lubricant, tyre pressure, fuel quality – all of these factors lead to a healthy vehicle with a long lifespan. And the healthier the vehicle, the more fuel efficient it’ll be, saving money on fuelling.
• Choose the right vehicle: It doesn’t take too much research to find out which vehicles are gas guzzlers and which are fuel efficient machines. Picking the right van, car, or bikes for your business will involve making sure you’re choosing an option with great fuel efficiency.
• Fuel on-site if possible: This is tricky, because many businesses don’t have the funds or ability to set up a fuelling station at their vehicle storage facility. Bigger businesses will have depots, while smaller ones probably just use a rudimentary car park. However, if you can set up your own fuelling system, it’s a great way to save money on petrol.

Next Steps

While running a fleet of vehicles can be costly, there are definitely systems in place that can save you time and money. Whether it’s fuel cards to help you save money on costs, or fleet management systems to make your fleet as efficient as possible, there’s plenty out there to help.

If you’re eager to get your hands on your own fleet management software that can help your business improve efficiency and your bottom line, it’s worth filling out our quote comparison tool. It’s free, secure, fast, and will offer you several zero-commitment quotes from leading providers.

How much does SEO cost? According to our research, the average cost of an SEO agency is $100-$149 per hour. We calculated the average monthly fee for an SEO agency is $3,594.

No matter what kind of business you’re growing, you want to invest to ensure its online reputation is as good as can be. SEO (search engine optimization) costs seem scary and complicated, but they aren’t. All it refers to is the price of improving the online image of a business so that search engines bring more visitors to its website.

We understand the importance of insight into different SEO costs for your unique business needs. That’s why we’ve done the number-crunching for you and broken it down in this guide. But if you’re looking for exact SEO services costs then we can match you with trusted partners who’ll give you a quote tailored to your business.

Average Cost of SEO: What’s a Fair Price for SEO Services?

Businesses should invest in boosting their websites’ search engine visibility consistently across the year: that means some work should take place each month. Bearing this in mind, companies should be prepared to set aside a fairly generous slice of budget for SEO costs.

Average costs of hiring an SEO agency fall in the range of $2,000 and $10,000 per month if you choose to work with a reputable agency. It’s possible to spend far less, but you may end up working with less experienced professionals and fail to see the ROI your business needs.

It’s difficult to ascertain average SEO prices because the majority of agencies only offer bespoke pricing. However, for the companies we found advertising monthly price packages online, the average price point is $3,594 for SEO services. 

What you’ll notice with some of the lower-priced monthly packages is a focus on research and auditing as opposed to implementing strategies. Most of the time you’ll need to pay upwards of $1,200 monthly for agencies to put SEO recommendations into practice. And even more if you need content such as blog posts, images and videos produced.

Curious about where your business’ SEO needs will fall on the pricing scale? Let’s take a look at how SEO experts calculate their costs.

SEO Cost: Major Price Influencing Factors

• Reputation of agency: A more established SEO agency or consultant will charge more for their services because they have sufficient demand for their services.
• Scale of project: The scope of work that’s needed depends on how strong your site’s domain authority already is, how many websites or social media channels need optimizing, and how competitive the marketplace is.
• Office culture: SEO agencies will make recommendations to grow your keyword rankings and domain authority; how quickly your team understands and implements necessary changes will affect the success, duration and types of follow-up work needed.
• Client goals: If your company wishes to scale up rapidly then a more aggressive approach is needed to achieve the desired results – this could significantly accelerate your monthly leads.
• Location of SEO workers: Some agencies outsource SEO talent to India and other countries where currency differences mean overall costs are far lower.  

Getting an SEO Pricing Quote

We know it can be frustrating to figure out your business’ SEO budget given all the complex variables at play. The truth is, it takes time to understand what your company really needs to succeed at the search engine game. 

However, you can save time by requesting tailored pricing info and a breakdown of costs directly from agencies. We’re proud to offer our free quote requesting tool where you let us know a few basic details and we’ll match you with suitable suppliers to solve your SEO struggles ASAP.

SEO Pricing models: How SEO Companies Charge

SEO Hourly Costs

The average cost of SEO services is $100-$149 per hour. The vast majority of SEO agencies we recommend quote this price range (therefore it’s the modal average).

Higher-end agencies that cater to large enterprises, such as Major Tom and OuterBox, charge $150-$199 per hour.

If you’re willing to outsource to India, Webential charges start at $35 per hour for their SEO services. Or there’s Uplers, whose clients include Disney, with pricing from $25 per hour.

SEO Costs Per Service

Recognising the increasing need for flexible pricing arrangements these days, many companies offer individual SEO services. 

This is a good way to go for business leaders who’ve read up enough on SEO services that they are confident on what they can handle in-house versus what they need to outsource.

Here are some prices for specific SEO services based on our research:

• SEO audit and report: $500-$30,000 
• Competitor keyword analysis: $220-$480
• Local SEO: $700-$2,000

Prices vary according to how many websites you have, how many pages each website has, and how detailed a report you need.

How Much Does SEO Cost per Month?

A monthly price package is suitable for many businesses as it gives budget managers the best chance of planning ahead. The cost of digital marketing services such as SEO echoes that of web design; you may agree a fixed-term contract or find a month-to-month payment deal.

We worked out the average monthly SEO package costs $3,594. To calculate this, we only included figures from reputable SEO agencies that we’d be confident to recommend to you. We excluded agencies that outsource labor to countries like India and The Philippines because their low fees would skew the data. Likewise, we didn’t count any sky-high fees aimed at multinational corporate clients.

A higher-end agency that only takes on enterprise-level clients will charge far higher rates. For example, the monthly rates of Accelerate Agency start from $8,000 ranging to $200,000 plus.

However, the majority of agencies will only give pricing on request because there are so many variables concerning the SEO needs of each company. You’ll find many provide organic search services as part of a wider digital marketing offering. Many will offer to design and build you a website as well. And some will add in social media marketing to boot.

One agency that prices per client is Hibu, an agency that will build you a website optimized for SEO if you don’t already have one. Check out our Hibu review for more details.

Nonetheless, some agencies provide monthly “SEO packages” for companies that want to see concrete pricing up front. This is helpful to give an idea of which SEO services you can get for your budget. Let’s look at three examples of monthly pricing plans in detail…

Annual SEO Costs

It’s important to see SEO as a long-term strategy; that means paying for a one-off service is unlikely to keep customers rolling in from Google long-term.

This begs the question: how much does SEO cost over the course of a full year? Taking the mid price point of $6,000 per month, this works out at $72,000 for the year. However, this is just a rough guide.

If you’re willing to hire an agency that outsources to Eastern Europe or Asia, your costs could come in much lower. Closer to $14,400 for the year. But this may require hours of your time each month to double-check spellings, tone, and audience targeting in copywritten work.

Given the ROI is typically very strong for SEO services – if you hire a quality agency – it’s a lifeline for business growth rather than a “nice-to-have.”

How Much Does SEO Cost for a Small Business?

In general, SEO is not about spending the smallest amount possible, but investing as wisely as you can to grow your revenue long-term. That said, a two-person bakery business doesn’t have the budget of a global software firm.

Thankfully, a small business can expect to pay far less for SEO services than enterprise-level firms because there’s a far smaller “online footprint” to manage. The scope of SEO work required for a microbrewery, for instance, is altogether less work than launching a multinational insurance company.

To keep costs low, you may contract a freelancer around the average hourly rate of just $68. Or you may direct investment inward, and choose to upskill a marketing manager with a training course, taking on the work in-house.

Yet a small business with limited in-house resources may need an agency instead. This applies to businesses that need a wider range of services than a single freelancer could possibly provide, such as backlinking and content creation.

As mentioned earlier, the average hourly agency cost is $100-$149, but you could get a better deal if you shop around.

We’ve found some lower-cost SEO agencies that come highly-rated with verified reviews. We’ve listed these below:

You should bear in mind these agencies won’t take on projects under $1,000.

You’ll notice some of the above companies may have offices in the US, yet their business is primarily based internationally. Technical SEO may not need knowledge of US culture, but copywriting and content marketing often does. If you specifically need these services, it’s worth checking out our guide to the best SEO content writing services.

What is the Return on Investment (ROI) for SEO?

If the above prices are making you think “There’s no way I can afford that kind of budget as a small business” then consider this: the ROI for SEO spend can be as much as 748%. Yes, you read that right, 748% and that’s an average from SEO agency First Page Sage. If you’re in a particularly lucrative market such as financial services or real estate, then the profits can be even greater.

The same agency calculated return on investment by dividing the clients’ net profits from their SEO campaigns by the costs of the SEO campaigns. Here are a few of the ROI results per industry:

• B2B SaaS (software as a service): 702%
• Commercial insurance: 758%
• Ecommerce: 317%
• Financial services: 1,031%
• Higher education and college: 994%
• Legal services: 526%
• Real estate: 1,389%

New York-based SEO agency Terakeet puts their ROI at between 5x and 12.2x – clearly, you’d be nuts not to at least consider how your business can invest in this marketing stream. 

The reason the return on investment is so supercharged for SEO services is because there is no extra cost for advertisement placement fees. Whereas you’d normally pay an advertising agency to design and coordinate your advertising campaigns, and then pay for the advertising space on billboards, TV commercials or radio slots, there’s only the first cost to pay for SEO. That said, organic search strategy often goes hand-in-hand with search engine marketing (SEM), for example paid ads on Google or Facebook. 

Local SEO Costs

Certain businesses rely on their local community for revenue such as eateries, retailers, gyms, designers and consultants with physical storefronts or offices. This is where local SEO comes in: getting your business to appear on search results pages for specific geographic locations and in business directories for a particular area. Sometimes companies will offer specific ‘local SEO’ packages where you pay a set price to have your business appear on map tools online and crop up on searches for “X near me” and the like.

Here are indicative agency costs of local SEO services:

• 1-2 locations: $700
• 3-5 locations: $1,000
• 6-10 locations: $1,250

Or you can try managing your own local SEO with purpose-built tools. Here are the prices of local SEO tools:

• Moz Lite: Listing management and review monitoring for $14 per month
• Moz Preferred: Automatically tell local directories about your business for $20 per month
• Moz Elite: Update a wider range of local directories for $33 per month

Jargon Buster

Domain: This refers to the virtual location of your website, specifically the URL. For example: Expertmarket.com. The reason we use the word “domain” instead of “website” is because the website (i.e. the pages, along with their design and content) can technically be moved to another domain. Domains can be bought and sold, and domains retain the authority value for search engines.

Domain authority (DA): A measure of website reputation according to search engine analysts at Moz. There’s also an alternative metric known as “domain rating” from Ahrefs. Neither of these are perfectly accurate interpretations of how Google interprets your website, but they give a fair indication of the value of a backlink from a certain website, for instance.

SERP: This stands for “search engine results page,” which is the list of links you see after typing a question into any search engine. Most Google users never click beyond the first SERP.

On-site SEO: Also known as “on-page SEO,” this refers to work on your website to improve its visibility to search engine users. It includes fixing technical elements of your website so that Google bots interpret it correctly. Improving the quality of your website’s written content is another example of on-site SEO.

Keyword ranking: This is the position on a SERP that a domain appears for a particular search query. “Keyword” refers to a phrase that web users type into a search engine. SEO experts will try to improve a website’s particular position on the SERP so that web users see your business before they have a chance to see the competition.

Search volume: Sometimes abbreviated to “SV”, this is the average number of times a keyword is searched for per month. Usually this figure is averaged according to data from the past 12 months.

Off-site SEO: Also known as “off-page SEO,” this is work done outside of your website to signal to search engines that your website is trustworthy and benefits web users. It usually refers to link building strategies, which means convincing other websites owners to publish links back to your site.

RFID asset tracking can help your business, while this article will help you decide which one to pick…

Radio frequency ID (RFID) asset tracking involves attaching scannable tags to your assets. Those tags contain data such as the asset’s name, condition, amount, and location, which makes RFID tracking one of the quickest and easiest ways to view an asset’s most important information.

For this article, we conducted an extensive period of research and selected the six best RFID asset tracking options in the US, saving you from doing all the research yourself. After the individual reviews, we’ll explain the average RFID asset tracking costs you can expect to pay.

Before we start, check out our table below for a quick preview of the systems that made the cut from our research…

The Best RFID Asset Tracking Systems: An Overview

1. EZOfficeInventory

2. InnoMaint

3. eWorkOrders

Unclear on how much you’ll pay for your RFID asset tracking software? Not to worry, we’ve explained the average RFID asset tracking costs in the section below. Also, don’t forget that we can help you find a clear price for your next RFID asset tracking system. All you need to do is use our free comparison tool and we’ll match your business with trusted companies that best suit your budget.

They’ll then get in touch with you with more pricing information in the form of no-obligation quotes. Our service is quick, easy, and free.

4. WiseTrack

5. Eagle Technology

6. RFgen

RFID Asset Tracking Cost

Understanding costs is one of the most important parts of running any business. That’s why, we’ve provided a breakdown of the average RFID asset tracking costs for both passive and active RFID tags.

What are active and passive tags? Here’s a quick explainer: active tags have a built-in power source and automatically broadcast location information, while passive tags have no power and therefore must be scanned from a handheld reader.

RFID Tag Costs

Passive tags typically cost between $0.25 and $5.00 per tag, while active tags usually cost between $15 and $50 each. Active tags are more expensive because they come with their own power source, automatically broadcasting its information to your readers, while passive RFID tags require manual scanning.

Installation Costs

You can install most active tags yourself, because they’re essentially ‘ready-out-the-box’ solutions. On the other hand, passive tags will require expert installation because they require certain connectivity tests, and they need to be connected to a central server, which will cost you a one-off fee. It’s worth clarifying with your supplier how much that’ll cost you.

License and Maintenance Costs

Passive readers are generally larger than active readers and so are more likely to encounter problems, which can lead to incurring maintenance costs down the line. To save costs here, you should consider investing in training for all your staff on how the passive tags work, which could help you save on maintenance fees.

You’ll also need to consider the licence charges that are used to cover most customer support and software upgrades. Again, these are costs you should clarify with your chosen supplier.

Software Costs

Most RFID asset tracking companies offer bespoke pricing. However, EZOfficeInventory offers set price plans, which should give you an idea of how much you can expect to pay for software, per month…

Asset Tracking Cost Example: EZOfficeInventory Pricing Plans

It’s worth noting that you can only get RFID asset tracking on the Advanced plan and above…

Expert Verdict

In our research, EZOfficeInventory came out on top as the best RFID asset tracking system, offering a comprehensive range of features that are easy to use, along with set pricing plans. We also included five other excellent companies that might suit your company in different ways. Let’s recap our list…

The six top RFID asset tracking systems are:

• EZOfficeInventory –  best overall
• InnoMaint – best for setting up reminders
• eWorkOrders – best for custom reports
• WiseTrack – best for ease of use
• Eagle Technology – best for third-party integrations
• Rfgen – best for sustainability

Remember, we can put you in touch with the country’s leading RFID asset tracking companies. All you need to do is answer some quick questions on our free comparison tool, and we’ll select companies based on your needs.

You’ll then hear from one or more of those companies who’ll offer more information and no-obligation quotes for you to compare. Our service is quick, easy, and totally free.