Kigo website projects start at US$1,500. Understand what you're paying for when hiring a web designer, from design and development to content and ongoing costs.
At Kigo, website projects start at US$1,500. That's the minimum project budget. The final price depends on what we're designing, building and preparing for launch, with the scope agreed before work starts.
For a quick starting figure, try our website cost calculator. It estimates a working website on your own domain, then we can review the details that affect the final quote.
If you're hiring someone for your business website, the useful next step is figuring out what their price covers. You might need a designer to prepare layouts for your developer. Or you might need a team to help organize your services, build the site and get it online.
Those are different amounts of work. Here's how I'd sort through the options and put together a budget you can actually use.
How much does it cost to hire a web designer
Start by asking what you'll receive at the end of the project. The term “web design” can cover several kinds of work:
| What you're hiring someone to do | What to clarify |
|---|---|
| Design the pages | Whether you receive design files, a prototype, or a working website |
| Set up a site using an existing theme | Who supplies content, how much the theme can change, and which features are included |
| Design and develop a business website | Responsibility for structure, content, development, testing and launch |
A designer who delivers layouts may be exactly what you need if you already have a developer. If you need the complete site, make sure someone is responsible for turning those layouts into working pages.
Our website design and development service covers planning, structure, visual design, development and publication. We'll define the particular pages and features with you. The US$1,500 starting point doesn't set a fixed package of deliverables.
Decide what the first version needs to do
Imagine you're launching a consulting business. A visitor needs to understand your specialty, see relevant experience and request a conversation. That gives you a useful starting point for the site's structure.
Write down the questions a prospective client would ask. What do you help with? Who is the service for? What happens after they contact you? Then decide which pages will answer them.
A booking calendar adds another decision: should people choose an appointment immediately, or should your team review the enquiry first? The answer changes both the page and the work behind it.
I'd also separate what you need for launch from what you hope to add later. A resource library can grow over time. A clear explanation of your service and a working way to contact you belong in the first release.
Find the work that sits outside the layouts
Writing and visual material
Finished text gives a designer something concrete to arrange. If you're starting with notes, someone needs to turn those notes into service descriptions, headlines and useful next steps.
Agree on who writes and who approves the copy. Do the same for photography, illustrations and any licenses needed to use them. Ask whether those tasks are included in the project fee or priced separately.
For an English and Spanish site, include translation and review of both versions. Navigation, buttons and confirmation messages need attention too. Decide whether both languages need the same pages from launch.
Features and editing
List the actions visitors should be able to complete: send an enquiry, book an appointment, buy something or access an account. Explain what your team needs to happen afterward.
Also describe what you'll update yourself. Changing a phone number, adding a case study and creating a new page layout involve different editing needs. Ask to see how those tasks will work before choosing a system.
Testing and handover
Include time to check the finished site on phones and computers, follow its links and send test enquiries. Agree on who fixes issues found during that review.
At handover, you should understand which accounts you control, where the site runs and how to request help. Ask for the access and instructions needed to make the updates you've agreed on.
What this looks like in a real project
For Grupo Domo, we built a bilingual website with dedicated pages for customs services and the industries the company serves. A guided quotation flow helps visitors describe their shipment, and the site includes a bilingual content management system.
That scope involves several jobs: explaining the services, organizing information for different buyers, designing the quote flow and building the pages in two languages.
When you review a portfolio, look for those details. Open a service page on your phone and try the navigation. Ask the provider which parts they handled and whether your project needs similar work. That tells you more about fit than a homepage screenshot alone.
Compare the pricing arrangements
Ask whether the proposal uses a fixed project fee, an hourly rate or a recurring payment.
With a fixed fee, check the agreed deliverables and how additions are approved. With hourly work, ask for an estimate, progress updates and a spending limit that requires your approval to exceed. For a recurring arrangement, understand the included work, account ownership and what happens when you cancel.
Then check the payment stages, currency, taxes and third-party charges. Compare the total for the work you need, including any tasks your team would have to arrange separately.
If you're comparing proposals for a business in Mexico, the Mexico website-cost guide walks through currencies, payment terms and renewals in more detail.
Plan for the first year
Your budget should account for the project fee, any separate content or image costs, and the services that keep the website running.
Those ongoing expenses can include the domain, hosting, software subscriptions and maintenance. Ask which are billed by the agency and which you'll pay directly. Keep one-time work separate from monthly or annual charges so you can see what continues after launch.
If you're replacing an existing site, the website redesign cost guide covers the additional work involved. You can also review the redesign timeline example to see how content, approvals and testing fit into a schedule.
Bring a short brief
Tell us what your business offers, who the website is for and what visitors should be able to do. Include any existing content, your available budget and a target date in the website project form.
That gives us enough to start discussing the right scope for your business.