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The average rating for Bark Web Designers is 4.9, based on 563,596 reviews
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Need your website tweaked or built from the ground up? Our useful guide tells you how much your web design expert will charge depending on your location, the complexity of the project, and the size of your website.
In an era where a click is the new handshake and web addresses are the new neon signs, your business’s digital home has never been more critical. For small business owners like you, understanding what goes into crafting an online presence is as vital as picking the best spot in the marketplace.
We're here to put you on the path to understanding website design costs. No smoke and mirrors—just the nitty-gritty that helps you prepare your website budget. Whether you're just trying to figure out what to spend in 2024 or you're ready to commit to a whole new site, this comprehensive run-down sets out to level the field of website design costs for you and your growing venture.
And if you're ready to get started right now, get free quotes from local web designers with Bark.
There’s far more to web design than stringing a few lines of code together and choosing a fancy font. Designing a functional but aesthetically pleasing website with a user-friendly interface requires skill and expertise. There’s a lot to consider in the process, including content, SEO, and website navigation. If your business is in its initial stages, then it's likely you just don’t have the time to get your website off the ground.
A web design expert will make sure your website is visually pleasing, search engine friendly, and tailored to your needs. They’ll take the hassle out of the process and even save you money, as doing it yourself leads to mistakes and unnecessary repair costs.
For huge projects, you might have a different website 'designer' (someone who decides what it will look like) and 'developer' (the person who puts it all together). In this website price guide we'll focus on website designers who do both, seeing the journey from beginning to end.
There are lots of ways you can pay for your new website, depending on your needs. Is it a self-contained, one-off project? Will you need someone to update it regularly? Do you know exactly what you want already, or will the scope change during the build? All of these will affect which rates you choose to pay, which we'll go into now.
| Average cost | $800 - $5,000 |
| Great value | $500 |
| Premium | $5,000+ |
When you strip it down to basics, the cost to design a website often boils down to a project rate. With this model, you agree to a set price for the whole job. It’s like commissioning a piece of art; you know what it's going to cost before the brush even touches the canvas. This is particularly handy if you know exactly what you want, and the designer is confident they know how long it will take and the resources they need.
The cost of a one-off website design can vary widely, but on average, you're looking at $800 to $5,000. Why the huge range? Well, if you want a very simple website for your restaurant with a couple of pages, a menu, and a booking form, you won't need too much functionality and it should be easy for a professional to build. But if you run a large shop and you want a custom site where people can explore your catalogue, buy goods, create accounts, and more, you'll need far more functionality (and more work will go into it). The best way to find out? Get in touch with a professional web designer and discuss your needs so they can give you an accurate price.
An hourly rate is a go-to for many designers and can range from a modest $20 (for fledgling freelance whiz-kids) to around $200 for in-demand professionals. The advantage here is flexibility – you pay for the time spent, which might sometimes work out more affordable than a flat project rate... as long as you don't change your mind about what you want. Remember, if you pay by the hour, each revision is a new cost.
For those with larger projects or uncertain scope, some designers opt for daily rates. Daily rate designers are ready to spend a dedicated day on your design as per negotiated price, usually starting at $350 a day, and going up with the designer's tier.
Several factors change the size of that price tag. Skilled veterans often charge a premium over fresh-faced freelancers. Agencies, with all the bells and whistles generally demand more dough than your solo web artisan, and they'll have more resources, but the might be slower and less flexible. Element-rich sites like e-commerce platforms or those heavy on custom features naturally command a premium too.
Like real estate, where a designer lives and works can color their rates. In cosmopolitan climes, where skyscrapers scrape the skies, prices tend to be higher. But don't count out digital nomads – if they're working remotely, you might benefit from lower fees no matter where you live. A designer in Florida could charge less than one in New York City, delivering the same quality from sunnier climes.
When it comes to determining the cost of web design, size is a big one. The larger the website, the more time it takes to complete, and time is money!
The size you should opt for really depends on the needs of your business. If a simple website to display blog content or photography, a smaller website will be fine. But if you’re launching a large e-commerce store, you’ll need a bigger, more complex website.
Here’s a rough estimate of average total web design costs depending on website size:
| Size of website | Type of website | Average cos |
| Small | Very basic | $500 |
| Medium | Small business | $500 - $3,000 |
| Large | Ecommerce Site | $3,000 - $5,000 |
There are pros and cons to both sides of this proverbial coin. On one hand, in-person collaboration sometimes bears fruit that Skype and Slack can't. Yet working remotely often means tapping a broader pool of talent. In this day and age, you don't really need your designer to be in the office with you, so if you're happy to hire someone who isn't local, we say go for it.
But beware time zone friction – what's a convenient hour for changes might be when your local designer is deep in dreamland.
Different sites serve different purposes, and as such, their costs vary greatly. An informational one-pager can be slapped together for a basic fee – think of it as the real estate brochure of the web. E-commerce platforms, with their shopping cart-optimized layouts, might cost more.
These are your minimalist marvels, the one-pagers and landing zones fulfilling the most basic requirement of existence on the internet. Price points here tend to begin on the more frugal side, making them perfect for budget-conscious barkers.
For those hawking their wares, an eCommerce site is non-negotiable. But the cost here isn't either, often dipping into the thousands. The functionality and design intricacies demanded by an online store demand a steeper investment.
Money-saving strategies aren't about cutting corners or settling for less. It's about being smart and efficient with the spend you have. Communication is key; clarity with your designer ensures that edits don’t become extraneous costs. Templates and theme-based designs, while not truly custom, could offer a cost-effective shortcut.
With the prevalence of website building platforms, the DIY approach can be tempting. But the hidden costs often come in time and lost opportunity. There’s nothing quite like a professionally curated website to make your business stand out in the digital crowd, and even if you use a template on a platform like Wordpress, the moment you try to customize something you could end up tangled in code and a non-functional front end. If you're confident with the DIY approach, give it a a go - but if you want to get it right the first time, and avoid frustration, consider hiring a freelancer from the beginning.
Remember, updates and maintenance will still be required once your site is live. Savvy small business owners assess this ongoing commitment in their budgets – the cost of being digital is perpetual refinement.
You might not have the bankroll of a Fortune 500, but that doesn't mean you need to settle for second-rate when it comes to web design. There is a happy medium, and we're here to guide you.
Begin by earmarking your budget. Don’t know how much to spend? The average small business website can range from $800 to $5,000, which is a huge range. Talk to a range of professionals about what you want, collect their quotes, and use those to get an idea of how much your dream website costs. You can then use this to make a decision about how much your website is worth to your business.
After assessing your needs, be it a fledgling freelancer or a seasoned agency, your budget will often guide the biggest decision; who should you hire.
Cheap is not always frugal. High-quality design pays for itself. A polished site instills confidence in your brand and can contribute to higher conversion rates. Assess design portfolios with sharp scrutiny. What looks great to you might not be suitable for your customer base.
Often overlooked in the budgeting process is post-launch support. Whether for fixes, updates, or advice, having a dependable support system post-launch ensures your web presence remains sharp.
Having paddled through cost brackets and creative considerations, the last leg of your web design race is choosing your website designer. But with so many professsionals at your doorstep, who should you go with?
When poring over potential designers or agencies, do your homework. Check their credentials, peruse their portfolios, and probe for testimonials. Past work is a clear window into what you can expect.
The creation of a website is as personal as it is professional. You need to forge a connection with your designer, a rapport that translates vision into virtual. Beyond skill, this is about partnership.
Ready to get going? Find trusted Web Design professionals on Bark to bring your website to life.
The average rating for Bark Web Designers is 4.9, based on 563,596 reviews
5/5
based on 563,596 reviews
