Hire a website designer when you need a site that looks right, works on phones, and helps customers take the next step. For a simple business website, a freelancer who can design and build on a platform you can update is a good place to start.
Before asking for quotes, decide what the site must do. A five-page service website and a customer portal are different jobs. A clear scope will do more for your budget than a long search for the cheapest designer.
How much does a website designer cost
There is no single market price for a finished website. Use these rough planning budgets to start conversations, then get written quotes for the same scope. These are editorial estimates, not survey averages or guaranteed prices.
| Project | One-time planning budget | Assumed scope |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page | $500–$2,000 | One page; supplied copy and images |
| Service website | $1,500–$6,000 | 5–10 pages; template-based build and contact form |
| Custom small business site | $3,000–$10,000 | Custom layouts; more design and revision work |
| Small online store | $3,000–$15,000+ | Limited catalog; standard checkout and theme setup |
| Portal or custom workflows | Get a scoped quote | Discovery and development needed before a reliable budget |
Budgets exclude platform fees, hosting, domain renewals, taxes, paid apps, copywriting, and ongoing support unless the quote includes them. Agencies and specialist developers may cost more. A marketplace package may cost less because it covers fewer tasks.
Upwork lists web designer rates of $15–$30 per hour. That is a marketplace guide, not a promise that your project will fit that range. Fiverr’s website design page lists starting prices around $120–$200 for single-page or template work. Check whether the price buys design files, a working site, or both.
Marketplace fees also affect your total. Upwork’s Basic plan charges a client fee of up to 7.99%, plus a contract initiation fee of $0.99–$14.99 per new contract. Fiverr’s standard buyer fee is 5.5%, with another $3.50 on orders under $200. Check the total before paying.
Marketplace pricing and fees checked November 12, 2026. Rates, packages, and fees can change.
Decide what your website needs to do
Start with one main goal: get a call, book an appointment, sell a product, or help readers find useful information. Then list the pages and features needed to support it.
- Service website: Explain your offer, show proof, and make it easy to contact you.
- Content website: Publish articles with clear categories, search, and an editor you can use.
- Online store: Handle products, payments, shipping, and order emails.
- Landing page: Focus on one offer and one action.
- Custom website: Support logins, member access, customer portals, or special workflows.
Keep the first version small. You can add pages later. Moving a site built on the wrong platform is a bigger job.
Website designer vs developer vs website builder
A website designer plans the layout, colors, page structure, and how people move through the site. A web developer builds or codes the features that make it work. Many freelancers do both, but some designers deliver only mockups.
A website builder is software you or a hired designer can use. Hiring a designer does not mean you need custom code. A template-based WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, or Webflow site may cover the job.
If you need a basic site and have time to write and arrange the content, DIY can work. If you want help with layout and setup, hire someone to build on a platform you can manage. For accounts, custom tools, or complex integrations, look for development experience too.
Our Best Website Builders guide compares the platform options. Pick the platform around the business and the person who will maintain it.
Where to find a website designer
Freelance marketplaces
Fiverr lets you browse packages and request custom offers. It can suit a defined job, such as setting up five pages on an existing theme. Read the package limits before ordering.
Upwork lets you post a job and compare proposals for hourly or fixed-price work. It can suit projects that need a fuller discussion before the scope is set.
A marketplace is a place to hire, not a skill level. Experienced website designers work on both platforms. Judge the person’s work, communication, and proposed scope.
Direct referrals and specialists
Ask business owners whose sites you like who built them and whether they would hire that person again. Look for recent work on your chosen platform and with similar features.
A local website designer can help if you want in-person meetings or local photography. For remote work, check time zones, response times, and who will handle your project.
Agencies and studios
An agency can bring design, development, writing, and project management together. That can help when several parts must launch at once. Ask which tasks are included and who will do the work.
How to hire a website designer
1. Send the same brief to each candidate
Include your main goal, page list, features, platform preference, budget, and target launch date. Say whether you will provide the logo, copy, and images. Ask each designer to list exclusions and recurring costs.
2. Review live websites
Ask for two or three recent sites and what the designer did on each. Open them on your phone. Check the menu, text size, forms, and checkout if there is one. A screenshot cannot show whether a site works.
3. Define what the price includes
Ask whether you are buying mockups or a live website. Confirm the page count, mobile layouts, content entry, revision rounds, forms, and launch support. Get a separate price for work added later.
If SEO setup is included, name the tasks: page titles, descriptions, a sitemap, and redirects if old URLs change. Treat promises of guaranteed search rankings as a red flag.
4. Keep control of the accounts
Set up the domain, hosting, and main platform account in your business’s name. Give the designer their own access. Agree on access to editable files and any custom code, plus which themes, fonts, photos, or plugins need paid licenses.
Ask what happens if you stop working together. You should know who pays renewals, how to get your content, and what moving the site would involve.
5. Tie payments to clear milestones
Agree on what you will review at each stage, such as page layouts, a working test site, and launch. For hourly work, set a budget cap and a process for approving more hours.
A platform may require payment or a funded milestone before work starts. Funding through a platform is different from sending the full fee directly to someone. Read the approval, release, and dispute rules before paying.
6. Test the site before final handoff
Submit each form and confirm the message arrives. Check the site on a phone, test links, and run a test order for a store. Check keyboard navigation, readable text, and form labels. Agree on any deeper accessibility review the project needs.
Get a short training session or recording. You should be able to change text, replace a photo, and find your account settings. Put the post-launch bug-fix period and support rates in writing.
Budget for the site after launch
Ask for two totals: the launch cost and the expected cost of the first year. Include hosting or the builder plan, domain renewal, apps, licenses, and support. Payment processing fees are a separate cost for stores.
Maintenance can mean software updates and backups, content edits, or both. Ask what a monthly plan covers, how many edits it includes, and how fast someone responds when the site breaks.
Choose the smallest scope that does the job
For a simple small business website, start with a designer who has built similar sites on a platform you can update. Use DIY if you have the time. Bring in a developer or agency when the features call for one.
Get a clear scope, review live work, and keep control of your accounts. Those steps matter more than finding the lowest headline price.