How Much Should You Spend on Website Design?
So, you’ve finally decided that your business needs a website. Having a website is one of the best ways to reach new customers and grow your business. But now you’re faced with another decision: how much should you spend on website design?
The cost of website design can vary widely, from hundreds of pounds (or whatever the currency you use is) for a simple template-based website, to thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds for a custom-designed website. So, how do you know how much to spend on your website design?
The answer depends on a number of factors, including your budget, your business goals, and the kind of website you need. We’re going to explore all of these factors and help you develop a budget for your website design.
What kind of website do you want?
Before we get properly into it, you should decide what kind of website you want – is it going to be a template design, or is it going to be custom built and completely bespoke? As a web design company ourselves, we know this can sometimes be a tricky question, but it all comes down to your overall budget, and also what you actually want the website for.
What are the pros and cons for templates and custom websites then?
Template: these are great if you’re just starting out, or want to use your website as a portfolio for your work and therefore don’t have to have lots of functionality points. They are:
- Low cost – you can make your website for free on sites like WordPress and Wix, so great for your budget
- Quick to build – with premade templates all you have to do is add content and then go live
Custom: bespoke websites are perfect if you need a lot of pages with extra functionality, and if you’re a bigger business. Custom built websites:
- Perfectly branded – they are designed with your business specifically in mind and therefore is completely tailored to your brand
- Ongoing support – getting your site built by an agency means that you will likely have access to ongoing support if anything goes wrong
Obviously, custom builds come with a hefty price tag, but remember that you’re not only paying for a website, you’re paying for the expertise and talent of the people working on it. We wouldn’t advise going ahead with a self-built template website just to cut costs, especially if you’re a bigger business.
Design
The features that you want on your website, and any designs that need doing, are a huge part of the costs of the end result. You need to balance the graphics, UI design, and the overall functionality.
If you opt for more functionality, the likelihood is that your website is going to be far more expensive, but what the website actually does, is more important than how it looks.
If we take a look at the website for these care homes in the north east, we can see that the design doesn’t have too much going on to distract you, but it integrates an employee portal, contact form, and location map, for example.
Types of website to fit your budget
So, let’s look at how you can have your site designed. We are going to cover all budgets, from virtually nothing, to thousands, and this should give you a good idea of the parameters you can work within.
Keep in mind that these are just ballpark figures, which are dependent on varying conditions.
Website builders
These give you full control of your website. There are a multitude of website builders out there, where you can build your website from scratch, or use their premade templates (which is what most people do). Different builders have different specialities, some will only be for eCommerce stores, while others may be good for just showcasing your brand.
These sites are the best for people with little to no knowledge of web design, and if you have a very small budget, or want a free* website.
*You may also have to pay for things like plugins, especially if they are 3rd party ones, so there is a possibility that you will incur some costs there, as well as for any premium plans.
One downside is that they limit creativity and customisation that you would get with a more bespoke build, and you run the risk of other brands having an incredibly similar website to yours.
How much will it cost? £0 – £300
Go freelance
There’s also the option of hiring a freelance designer to help you with your website. They will be able to do a great job of integrating functionality, and designing a website that is suited to your brand.
Using their skills does come at an extra cost, so you’ll have to pay their rates just to have the site designed, along with hosting fees, and possibly a maintenance fee to keep your website up to date and fully working. Bear in mind that you may also need to hire a web developer to include specific functionality.
How much will it cost? £500 – £5,000
Use an agency
Using a web design agency will get you the most bang for your buck. They will be able to provide all components of your website, with specialists working on each specific part. With agencies, you can essentially sit back and let them create something for you (provided you give them everything they need in terms of any content and necessary logins, etc).
Agencies are best for sites that are complex and require a lot of functionality, which of course, is going to up the price. Depending on what agency you go with, you’re probably going to need a substantial budget.
These care providers in Newcastle came to us for their custom site, and because of the things they wanted integrating, it was the best and most cost-efficient option for them to come and use an agency.
How much will it cost? £4,500 – £10,000+
Final thoughts
So, how much should you be spending on a website design? Well, it all depends on what you want from your website. It’s important to keep in mind that there are different aspects that will affect the overall cost of your site, so you should always start with a comprehensive plan of what you want to do, before just jumping in and going for it.
The cost of a website within each ‘band’, website builders, freelance designers, and agency work, are not set in stone, and you may find that you can source a designer for cheaper than DIYing your site, or that an agency can do it for cheaper than a freelancer. At the end of the day, research is always your best friend.
