Let’s face it, web design costs can be confusing. After all, design costs can range from nothing to six figures.

This makes the process of quoting websites cluttered and overwhelming. So, to understand why web design costs range so widely, we’ll delve into a few of the factors that contribute to each of the most common price brackets based on the needs of various companies.

  • Site size: 10-20 pages.
  • Site goal: Expansion.

Some of the most frequent clients of Metal Potato are startup companies. That means we’ve got a wealth of experience working with them, so we’re familiar with their general needs.

Startups are flexible. They’re the sprinters of the business world, most of them hoping to make large strides and grow rapidly. As such, startup websites tend to evolve more often and more quickly than those of larger companies, making a WordPress-based system perfect for their needs. WordPress accounts for about 40-percent of the websites online today, and it’s one of the world’s most reputable web platforms. However, because so many designers work with WordPress, costs may vary.

Web Design Costs

Web Design Agencies – Agencies like ours typically charge anywhere from £40-£200 per hour for reliable, experienced and skilled WordPress web design. When pursuing a website for your startups, agencies are more likely to be there when you need them, less likely to ditch you down the road, and more likely to deliver a familiar hand for redeveloping your website when your startup company grows.

Freelancers – £15-£70 per hour can net you a quality freelancer. And, to be sure, many freelancers are fully capable designers. However, what you’ll save on the front end will open you up to being played on the backend, as freelancers are notoriously unreliable and often lack a full support network when downtime occurs.

Overseas Designers – Your most cost-effective solution, overseas developers are widely available on websites like Fiverr. And while they come at an efficient £10-£30, their projects have a reputation for communication problems and less-than-reliable support. Some startups seek the cheapest option first, without realising they may be left with a useless product when it’s time to evolve.

Website Evolution

All successful startups inevitably evolve, and while the hourly rate of web design shouldn’t change dramatically with that, the amount of hourly work needed for your website does increase. One of the first evolutions a startup makes is to delve into eCommerce. Often, this is done within weeks or months of the website’s initial launch, though many businesses now build eCommerce into the front end. (Most of our clients do.)

eCommerce functionally increases the development time of your website, and require an eCommerce partner such as an agency in order to fully flourish. At Metal Potato, we rely on WooCommerce to power our WordPress-based eCommerce systems, and ultimately utilise that system to ensure your website generates a healthy ROI.

Startup Website Quotes

Depending on your chosen designer, web design costs for a startup company with ambitions on eCommerce can range from a budget-friendly £300 to something closer to £10,000. This is the stage where you face a choice—a cheap quick fix or a website with a foundation to build upon.

Expertly built websites don’t have to break the bank, but for startups, it’s important to consider the foundation of your website before building towards the sky. Is it easy to use and update? Is the hosting provider stable? Is your website going to be search engine friendly? Will you be deploying another party to provide search engine optimisation? What about load speed and security updates?

Before signing on any dotted line, all of those questions should be answered. And, if you find a company who’s willing to build you a website without answering them, you should turn the other way—that’s how to avoid paying more money in the long run.

At Metal Potato, we build sites to last. And we build startup sites, on average for £2,000. That includes web development and in-house design. In short, everything you need to get off the ground. And, best of all, we’re with you as your site and business grows for the long haul with our maintenance and hosting service, Potato Care.

So what should you startups be paying for web design? The answer depends on how much you think your business is worth. Feel free to get in touch to discover more about the range of services we offer and how we can assist you in achieving online success.