Have you ever landed on a business’s website, browsed for a few seconds, and immediately hit the back button? If you have, you're not alone. 50% of consumers say a company’s website design shapes their first impression.
A good first impression is worth its weight in gold. However, when it comes to how much that impression will cost, the answers can vary wildly because the cost of website design depends largely on what you need. A local service provider looking for a charming brochure site isn’t going to require the same investment as a SaaS company with complex user flows and integrations. The cost to design a website is shaped by your goals, your industry, and the depth of support you're looking for.
In this article, we’ll break down what goes into website design pricing, what you should budget for, and how to make wise decisions to save you time, money, and a whole lot of second-guessing.
Key Factors That Influence Website Design Costs
When businesses ask, “Why does it cost so much to design a website?” the answer usually boils down to three main areas: who’s doing the work, what exactly you’re asking them to build, and whether you need more than just design.
Let’s break that down.
Team Structure
The first major factor that affects the cost of website design is who you hire to get the job done. Are you working with a solo freelance designer or partnering with a full-service design agency? Freelance designers typically charge less (sometimes significantly less) than agencies.
You can find talented freelancers in the $1,000 to $5,000 range for smaller sites, but with the lower price comes more responsibility on your end. You’re likely managing the project yourself, coordinating any development work separately, and making key UX decisions without strategic input. It’s doable, but definitely more hands-on.
On the other hand, full-service agencies often start around $10,000 and can go as high as $100,000+, primarily for enterprise-level, advanced sites. That higher price tag usually includes a team of specialists: UX strategists, project managers, visual designers, developers, and Quality Assurance (QA) testers.
This often means you get a more collaborative, hands-off experience, and it can be ideal if you’re looking for both polish and performance.
Project Complexity
No website is built exactly the same. A five-page brochure site with minimal interactivity and a contact form won’t cost the same as an e-commerce store with dynamic product filtering, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) integrations, or multilingual support. The more custom your needs, the more time and talent it takes to build them, which drives up the website design pricing.
Here are a few examples of what can increase cost:
- Custom animations or interactive elements
- Multiple user types or login portals
- API or third-party software integrations
- Advanced accessibility compliance
- Tailored mobile experiences or app-like functionality
If your business relies on specific features, such as booking tools, payment systems, or gated content, to drive revenue or serve users, expect those design and UX decisions to play a significant role in your final cost.
Design and Development vs. Pure Design
One of the most common misconceptions we see is that “design” includes everything. However, when we talk about the cost of designing a website, we’re often referring to just the visual and user experience components: the layout, branding, navigation, and content hierarchy.
That’s different from development, which is the process of actually building the site, coding the functionality, and going live.
Some agencies offer both under one roof, while others specialize in just the design phase. If you’re only hiring a designer, you’ll still need a developer to bring the site to life, adding another layer of cost.
The more precise you are about whether you need design only, development only, or a full-service package, the easier it will be to budget accurately.
The Price Range for Different Types of Website Design
42% of people say they’ll leave a website due to poor functionality, which means cutting corners on design can cost you customers as much as aesthetics. The amount you’re willing to invest in your website plays a direct role in how users experience it and whether they stick around. Here are the costs to keep in mind, depending on the complexity of your website.
Basic Website Design
This is often the entry point for small businesses, startups, and solo entrepreneurs looking for affordable website design. These websites are typically built using pre-made templates from platforms like Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress themes. You’ll get essential pages like Home, About, Services, and Contact, maybe with a blog.
At this level, you’re likely handling the design yourself or bringing in a freelance designer, especially if you prefer to skip a subscription service and use a tool like WordPress for more control over your site.
If you’re going the DIY route, getting started can be pretty budget-friendly. It usually costs anywhere from $0 to $450, depending on the platform and any paid themes you might want. Bringing in a professional designer will bump things up, generally starting around $1,000.
From there, plan for ongoing costs, like hosting, updates, and security. Maintenance could be as low as $20/month or as high as $100/month if you’re self-managing your site. If you use a website maintenance agency, costs start at about $200/month.
While this option keeps website design fees low, the tradeoff is limited customization and functionality. Designers working at this level may charge hourly website design rates or offer a flat rate for templated builds. These projects usually don’t require custom code or deep strategy, so they’re ideal for businesses that just need a clean, professional-looking online presence.
Mid-Range Website Design
For businesses that want more than a basic template but don’t need a massive build, the mid-tier is where you find strategy and style. This range covers custom designs built on platforms like WordPress, Webflow, or Shopify, but with more control over layout, branding, and user experience.
Expect features like custom page templates, basic animations or motion design, CMS setup for easy content updates, integration with tools like Mailchimp, Calendly, or CRMs, and light copywriting or content organization support.
For mid-sized businesses, a website with these features could fall anywhere between $15,000 and $50,000. On top of that, maintenance costs can run between $35 and $500/month, especially if you're working with a design partner for regular updates or support.
At this level, you’ll find more attention to visual refinement, user journey mapping, and mobile responsiveness.
Premium Website Design
Professional website design pricing at this level is built for big brands, well-funded startups, and any company where the website plays a major role in driving revenue.
These sites are completely custom, from the visuals to the user experience to the backend tech. You’re looking at tailored UX strategy, custom illustrations or videos, complex user flows, multilingual support, full design systems, and deep integrations with APIs or databases.
For enterprise-level projects, custom website design costs can range from $50,000 to $100,000+, depending on complexity and scope. Ongoing maintenance, including regular updates, security management, and feature rollouts, can add another $30,000 to $50,000 per year.
At this level, 33% of businesses work with a full-service agency, while 42% maintain an in-house design team to manage complex needs.
How to Budget for Your Website Design Project
Creating a clear and realistic budget is absolutely necessary, whether you’re launching your business’s first website or planning a redesign.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you budget effectively, choose the best option for your project, and get the most value out of your investment.
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Start by identifying what your website needs to do. Are you aiming to generate leads, sell products, build your brand, or educate users? You need a clear objective to shape the size, structure, and complexity of your site, because those things directly impact the cost to design a website.
Ask yourself:
- How many pages will I need?
- Do I need eCommerce capabilities or user logins?
- Will I require any custom features, animations, or integrations?
- Who’s managing content: me or the design team?
Step 2: Decide on Team Structure
Your choice of team affects both quality and pricing for website design. Will you hire a freelancer, an agency, or go in-house?
- Freelancers are great for lean budgets and basic builds.
- Agencies provide strategic insight, full-service delivery, and scalable solutions.
- In-house teams give you long-term control and agility but come with payroll and overhead costs.
Step 3: Research Realistic Price Ranges
Understanding what’s typical across basic, mid-range, and premium builds will help you set a realistic budget and avoid sticker shock later.
This doesn’t mean you need to settle on an exact number right now. Instead, look at what businesses similar to yours are doing:
- Are they going DIY?
- Hiring freelancers or agencies?
- How custom or complex do their sites seem?
Step 4: Separate Design from Development
One common budgeting mistake is assuming one price covers everything. Many teams quote separately for design and development, so make sure you clarify this upfront.
- Website design fees cover visual layout, branding, UX, and UI elements.
- Web development fees cover coding, CMS setup, integrations, and technical implementation.
Step 5: Plan for Ongoing Costs
Even though the bulk of the costs will be upfront, a website isn’t a one-and-done expense. Even affordable website design solutions come with recurring expenses. Build those into your annual budget so you’re not caught off guard later. Expect to pay for:
- Hosting ($15–$150/month)
- SSL certificates, plugins, or third-party tools
- Ongoing design tweaks or feature updates
- Performance monitoring and bug fixes
Tips for Getting the Most Value
- Be clear and specific in your brief: The more info your team has upfront, the more accurate (and efficient) the quote will be.
- Prioritize features that directly support your goals: Fancy animations are cool, but if they don’t drive results, they’re just decoration.
- Ask for phase-based proposals: Breaking the project into stages gives you flexibility and room to scale later.
- Don’t go for the cheapest option just to save money: Cheap website design can end up costing more in revisions, limitations, or lost conversions.
Creative as a Service and Its Advantages
You’ve seen how freelancers can be cost-effective but come with limitations and how agencies offer full-service expertise (at a premium). However, there’s a newer option gaining traction: Creative as a Service (CaaS).
It’s a modern, subscription-based model that gives businesses consistent access to high-quality creative work without the unpredictable website design fees, bloated web development costs, or long-term commitment of traditional setups.
Instead of charging by the hour or forcing you to wrangle multiple vendors, CaaS platforms like Teamtown offer a flat-rate subscription with flexible access to expert designers who can tackle everything from your landing pages and motion graphics to full custom website design work.
Why More Companies Are Turning to CaaS
Cost efficiency
Agencies and in-house teams can get pricey fast. With CaaS, you skip the overhead, including the recruiting and lengthy onboarding. In fact, companies that use Teamtown said they save up to 70% compared to agencies and in-house hires.
Speed and consistency
Design delays kill project momentum. CaaS gives you fast, reliable turnaround, usually in just 24 to 48 hours. Plus, Teamtown makes hiring a designer up to 20x faster than building an internal team.
High ROI through ongoing support
Project-based work often leads to surprise costs, but CaaS gives you consistent, high-quality design support to help avoid scope creep. You stay on-brand, on track, and focused on your growth.
Why Choose Teamtown for Your Website Design
Teamtown isn’t your average design service. It’s the creative operations partner built for modern marketing teams: flat-rate, fast, and efficient.
Whether you’re launching a brand-new site or just refreshing a few pages, Teamtown delivers professional website design pricing without any contracts or surprise charges.
We’ll pair you with a dedicated design team and project manager who know your brand inside and out. No more ticketing system purgatory or “who is this?” moments. We give you fast, consistent, expert creative support that scales with you.
Everything from website design to social media assets, video editing, product illustrations, motion graphics, and presentation decks is included. Basically providing you with an entire design department without the overhead.
How Built Technologies Launched a Smarter, Sleeker Site with Teamtown
When B2B Saas company Built Technologies decided it was time to revamp its website, the company wasn’t only hunting for pretty visuals. Built needed a creative partner who could move fast, adapt to the brand’s shifting priorities, and deliver high-quality work without all the back-and-forth of a traditional agency model.
After discovering Teamtown’s take on Creative as a Service through our blog, they reached out. What started as a redesign quickly turned into a full creative collaboration. Here’s what Teamtown brought to the table:
- Product animations in Lottie format to show off Built’s SaaS tools in action—clean, lightweight, and scroll-friendly.
- Custom illustrations and graphics that gave their brand a distinct, polished look.
- Smarter site structure and user flows to guide visitors more intuitively.
- Videos and dynamic content for a richer, more engaging experience.
The end result was a sleek, modern site that not only looked great but worked hard behind the scenes, boosting engagement, improving UX, and aligning with Built’s brand evolution.
With daily Slack communication and a simple portal for requests and feedback, Built’s team could tap into Teamtown’s creative power and forgo waiting on timelines and battling the usual bottlenecks.
FAQs
How much does it cost to pay someone to design a website?
It depends on who you hire and what your site needs. Freelance designers typically charge anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 for a basic site. Agencies or full-service teams can range from $10,000 to $100,000+, especially for complex, custom-built websites. If you’re looking for an ongoing partnership, a subscription model like Teamtown gives you a more cost-effective and scalable option.
How much should a full website design cost?
A full website design, including UX strategy, custom visuals, multiple page layouts, and revisions, usually falls between $1,000 and $50,000 for most small to mid-sized businesses. Enterprise-level sites or those with complex functionality can push that range even higher. What matters most is finding a solution that balances your goals, brand standards, and long-term growth.
How much does it cost to maintain a website after it’s designed?
Ongoing website maintenance costs can vary based on your platform, how often you update content, and whether you’re managing it in-house or outsourcing. On average, businesses spend anywhere from $500 to $50,000+ per year on hosting, security updates, plugin management, and occasional design tweaks. With Teamtown, many of those ongoing design needs are included in your subscription, so you’re not hit with extra fees every time you need to make a change.
Design Smarter, Not Harder with Teamtown
When it comes to building a website, the price tag is about the people, processes, and strategy behind the scenes as much as it’s about the pixels. You could be working with freelancers or full-service agencies, building basic templates or feature-rich custom builds, but understanding the central factors that influence the cost of website design puts you in control of your budget and your results.
If you’re looking for a better way to get high-quality, on-brand design work without the overhead or guesswork, Teamtown’s Creative as a Service model was built for businesses like yours.
With transparent, fixed rates and a flexible subscription that scales as your needs grow, you get the creative muscle of a whole design team, minus the long-term commitment.
Ready to bring your next website project to life with a team that actually feels like part of yours?
Book a call with Teamtown and let’s make it happen!
