What is the Going Rate for a Web Designer?

“How much does a website cost?”

“What’s the going rate for a web designer?”

“How much should I pay for a website?”

There’s no straightforward answer to these questions. How much a website costs will depend on a variety of factors. And the going rate for a web designer also varies from person to person depending on their experience, skills and expertise among other things.

But we are definitely not going to avoid that question. You will find some real numbers in this post that will provide you a good idea about the cost of building your business website.

Before we delve any further, it’s important to set the context.

Compare the question of how much a website costs in New Zealand to the question of how much a car costs in New Zealand.

You can get a pre-owned car for as low as $2,000, which may not look pretty and perhaps break down frequently. On the other hand, you may purchase a car that costs $1,00,000.

So how do you compare a car that costs a $2,000 car with a car that costs tens of thousands of dollars? They are both cars but they are not the same thing.

The same holds true for your business website.

Typically, web designers in New Zealand charge $100 an hour. At that rate, your business can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 or even more.

Multiple Alternatives, Only One Real Option

When you want to build a website for your Auckland business, you have several options to consider:

• You can hire a free website builder but you will have to make do with ads and a subdomain. Not to mention the fact that you will have to spend hours on end to get your website up and running.
• You could upgrade to the premium plans on these site builders but you will still have to take the time to build your website. Do you have all that time?
• You could hire someone you know to build you a website for next to nothing. But it will end up costing you more when things begin to go sideways (and you can be sure that things will go wrong).
• You can hire a freelance web designer. They will charge something along the lines of what a professional web design agency charges but you only get access to limited resources, expertise and experience. When things begin to unravel (which they will), they wouldn’t stop!
• At the other end of the spectrum is the option of hiring a professional web design agency such as Business Website Group, with a team of experienced web designers, web developers, SEO specialists and copywriters who will work together to deliver a results-driven website that wins customers for you.

How Much Do Web Designers Charge in New Zealand?

Before we begin discussing numbers, it’s important to note the question you are asking may not be the right one.

After all, why do you look at website design packages as a cost?

Your website is a marketing machine that is supposed to add value to your business. This can mean more enquires, leads, sales, visits to your store, phone calls, etc.

When you think from that angle, website design becomes an investment, not a cost.

So what’s important here is to make the right investment. And there can be no compromise when it comes to business investment.

And what would that investment be? Your small business website can cost you anywhere from $700 + GST going up to $5,900 + GST for a 25-page mammoth website.

Now let’s take a look at what website designers in New Zealand charge. Website designers charge either by the hour or a flat rate for an entire project.

Hourly Rate

Freelance website designers with decent skills charge around $100 an hour. This number can change, though. The average cost of website design is $40 to $110 an hour and the cost for web development is $140 to $250.

But the biggest trouble with this option is that you won’t have any idea how much your website will end up costing. What if the final cost is far more than you could afford?

Flat Rate

This option makes more sense as you know beforehand what you are going to pay and what you are going to get for that sum. However, most freelance web designers don’t like flat rates as a web design project can be an endless pit with no end.

However, most web design agencies offer a flat rate for a website project depending on your requirements. Here at Business Website Group, we like doing things differently. We offer different website plans for you to choose from depending on how many pages and what features you need. You know exactly what you’re paying and what you will get in exchange for your money!

What’s more, we have published all of our prices on our website. And if you have a larger project and are looking for a customised quote, we are happy to provide you a quote based on your needs.

Make the Right Investment for Your Business

A web design agency has a team of experts with experience in graphic design, web design, web development, SEO, copywriting and more. These are all important skills needed to build a website that delivers the results you seek.

Things you should get as a standard or your website include:

• Customised website design (not a template)
• Content management system (like WordPress)
• Features such as slideshow, contact form and social media links
• Clean and optimised code for a fast performing website
• Mobile responsive website design to make sure your website works seamlessly across all devices
• On-page SEO
• Page speed optimisation
• Sitemap submission
• Google Analytics setup
• Content

Invest in a Website that Works for You

Here at Business Website Design, we know what it takes to build a website that wins customers. And we also know that as a small business owner, you are really looking for an affordable solution. Explore our web design packages and take your pick. Contact us today for more information.