Web Design Pricing Guide: Learn How To Charge for Websites

  by Kyle Prinsloo      Last updated Aug 27, 2022

I talk a lot about how web designers can charge for their website design services.

And there’s good reason for it:

❌ Cheap pricing = you stay in the rat-race to the bottom.

✅ High pricing = good profits and good freelancing business.

In this article, I hope to help you learn the fundamentals of how much to charge for a website and to become a successful freelancer.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Fixed pricing
• Hourly pricing
• Value-based pricing
• Packaged pricing

Let’s get into it!

🎥 Prefer watching? Here’s the video:

💰 Fixed Pricing Method

What is the fixed pricing method for creating websites?

It’s a price per project where you work on Cost (Time) + Profit = Client Price.

Example: 

I pay myself $5k /mo, the project is going to take 1 month, I add a 20% profit (buffer), total price = $6k.

⏰ Hourly Based Pricing Method

What is the hourly pricing method for creating websites?

An hourly rate regardless of project length: Hourly Rate X Hours Worked = Client Price.

Example: 

My desired salary is $5k /mo, I want to work 6hrs /day Mon-Fri, my hourly rate = $39.

Notes on Hourly Pricing:

• Your hourly rate is generally determined by experience and location.
• It’s a great pricing method when the project scope is not defined.

Here’s a guideline on charging per hour for those struggling with it:

Beginner (0-2 years experience)

$8 - $25 /hr

Intermediate (2-5 years experience)

$25 - $50 /hr

Expert (5+ years experience)

$50 - $100+ /hr

📈 Value-Based Pricing Method

What is the value-based pricing method for creating websites?

Charging a % (usually 10%) based on potential sales increase: Annual Sales Increase / 10 = Client Price.

Example:

You can increase sales by $300k, you charge 10%, the client price = $30k

Notes on Value-Based Pricing:

• Good for when you have experience.
• Factor in time to compare Fixed vs Value-based pricing.

How to do it:

After investigating the project needs, I’m confident based on experience, I can increase sales by at least $300k in one year.

I will charge $30k to the client and make sure it’s more than a “fixed price” alternative.

🎁 Packaged Pricing Method

What is the value-based pricing method for creating websites?

A fixed monthly price for specified services over a period of time. Could also be considered as “subscription-based-pricing” but these are usually month-to-month.

So rather than charging $5k for a website, you’ll charge a fixed price per month over 12 months.

Examples: 

$1,000 /mo for 12 months.

Includes:

• New Website
• 3 Services
• SEO
• Content Writing
• Social Media Management

OR

$5,000 upfront, then $1,000 /mo for 12 months

OR

$3.000 /mo (month-to-month)

Important Note:

For greater success, the website is usually a template or existing client website to choose from – not a custom from scratch.

✅ Pros of Packaged Pricing:

• You avoid the “valley-income”
• Easier to scale + outsource.
• Simple pricing for clients.

❌ Cons of Packaged Pricing:

• If the client doesn’t play.
• If the client cancels before the agreement ends.
• Smaller amounts = more clients needed.

Freelancers and agencies using this pricing model:

• PlumberSEO
• FuneralMarketingServices
• DesignJoy
• DesignDash
• FlowSparrow
• DesignPickle

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That’s it 🙂 hope you found this short article helpful.

If you'd like some more content on pricing, check out my popular tweet thread:

Freelance web development pricing tips.

Follow these pricing tips to earn more as a freelance web developer.

ALL you need to know 🧵👇

— Kyle Prinsloo (@kylepdotco) June 3, 2021

And if you’re interested in building websites using a drag-and-drop builder, consider using Editor X - it’s my favorite nocode web building platform.

I also have a free 500+ member community for web designers & developers interested in freelancing.
Join us here.

Cheers for now,

Kyle