As a website designer myself, I can honestly say that the number one question I get when I go on a Discovery Call with a potential client is – “How much is the website design going to cost?” 

 It’s a completely understandable question. Websites are a vital tool to have in your business and I talk more about why you need a website here and here. Depending on your budget, a website can be a pretty hefty investment. However, it’s an investment that is 100% worth it. Depending on the designer you choose, or the website design you need, your investment could vary wildly from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.  

So, the question is – how much should you spend on website design?

Well, let’s answer that! But first, let’s consider all the components of a website design that will directly reflect the amount you will be spending.  

Features of your website 

I hate to break it to you, but many features of the website that look “easy” probably aren’t and the features that look “complicated” might be easy to implement for designers. My point is that you shouldn’t have rigid expectations of what the workload or cost of a design based on assumptions. I’ve had clients ask me to design one web page and other clients that ask for 15 pages. That one-page client had some incredibly complicated features such as opt-ins, forums, and custom functionality, while the 15-page client had straightforward pages that didn’t take long to design or implement. Do you see how different components can cause a design to cost more or less – irrelevant of the ‘expected workload’?   

 In all honesty, the functionality of a website is actually more important than what your website looks like. Making sure you have exceptional User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) calls for a professional web designer. A cheaper template option can help your design look good, but high-quality UX/UI designs will give you a high-functioning website. And a high-functioning website is so important for visitor experience. 

Designer skill level 

Website designers can build a website for $100s or $1000s (or even $10,000s). While each of these website investments will get you where you need to go, the quality will be drastically different. When you pay a higher price for web design, you are paying for the expertise of the designer. Obviously, a lower-cost designer will give you lower-quality website design and a higher-cost web designer will give you a high-quality website.   

Whether you choose to DIY with a purchased template, hire a freelance designer, or invest in an agency – the money you put in will be reflected in the finished product of your website. In this post, I am focusing on hiring freelance designers – because I am one! 

Communication expectations  

Hiring a freelance web designer is more of a collaboration between you and the designer – rather than outsourcing a project. During your website design, you will be working closely with a designer, explaining your company’s vision, highlighting your expectations, and providing feedback on the design. So it’s important to have realistic expectations on your communication during the design process.  

If you are expecting to exchange 100s of emails or calls with your designer, you should be aware that you will be charged for this. If your communication on the project exceeds the scope of the working relationship or you request a million revisions to the website, designers will want to be compensated for this extra time and work. Just don’t be surprised!

Web Design statistics 

If your business is online, then you should definitely have a website up and running. Over 60% of web users research a product or service online before they buy. So if your website is missing from your audience’s search results – that could have a detrimental effect on business. If your website has a poorly designed or outdated website up to 57% of internet users won’t recommend your business.  

I could throw statistics at you all day to prove my point that a well-designed website is critical for a successful business. By ‘saving money’ and not investing in a high-quality website, you are only costing yourself money down the road by having potential clients clicking off your site due to unattractive or clunky web design. And that’s just not good! 

So how much should a website design actually cost? 

While it’s difficult to pin down an exact price, I would say that you should expect to pay at least a few thousand dollars for a website design. Are you shocked? Just think of your website as your ‘office’. You wouldn’t bring a client to a shabby lean-to under the bridge to seal the business deal. This holds true for having a clunky and out-dated website. Bring your clients to a high-functioning and sleek website that will impress them and make them enthusiastic to work with you.  

Are you ready to up-level your website? Feel free to look at my previous website designs here or contact me! I can’t wait to discuss what your website needs are.