Best Website Designers

What a good website design package includes

Website design gigs deliver the look of your site, not the working site itself, unless the package clearly says it includes development. Check that the package states:

• Number of page designs, and which pages they are.
• Desktop and mobile versions of each designed page.
• Design tool and source files: editable files, not only images or a share link.
• Revisions: how many rounds of changes are included.
• Style basics: colors, fonts, button styles and spacing, so the developer can build consistent pages.
• Assets: exported icons and images, and the license for any stock photos or fonts used.
• Whether development is included, and on which platform.

How to brief a website designer

A designer can only design around what they know. Before ordering, prepare:

1. The goal of the site: bookings, sales, sign-ups, or simply trust before a phone call.
2. Your audience, in one or two sentences.
3. A page list with the main content of each page. Real text works far better than placeholder text.
4. Brand files: logo, colors and fonts. If you do not have a logo yet, our logo design guide explains what to order.
5. Three sites you like and one you dislike, with a note on why.
6. The platform the site will be built on, such as WordPress or Shopify, if you already know.

When the first concepts arrive, judge them on your phone as well as your computer. Ask yourself whether a new visitor would know within a few seconds what you offer and what to do next. Feedback on that is more useful than feedback on colors alone.

What drives the price

• number of unique page layouts
• whether mobile and tablet versions are designed for every page
• custom illustrations, icons or animation
• a full style guide or design system versus a few page mockups
• whether development is included
• the designer's experience and how quickly you need the work

Red flags

• The portfolio shows only images, with no live sites or links to real projects.
• The designer will not provide editable source files.
• No mention of mobile design anywhere in the gig.
• Stock photos or paid fonts used without saying who holds the license.
• A complete custom design promised in a few hours at a very low price. This usually means a template with your colors.

When the design is approved, it still has to be built. Our website development guide covers that step, including who should own the hosting and logins.

Quick pre-order checklist

• I know which pages need a design and have real text for them.
• The package includes mobile versions of the designed pages.
• I will receive editable source files, not just images.
• I know who will build the site and on which platform.
• The license for any stock photos and fonts is clear.