# How to compare web designers in the UK: a fair, step-by-step method

> How to compare web designers and agencies fairly: what to look at in portfolios, the questions to ask, how to line up quotes, and how to score them over three years.

- Source: https://nerdsharks.com/blog/how-to-compare-web-designers
- Publisher: Nerdsharks (Exeter, Devon, UK)
- Updated: 2026-09-26

**Short answer:** To choose a web designer in the UK, shortlist three whose past work suits your kind of business, check their live sites on your phone, ask the same questions of each (content, ownership, hosting, changes, contract and exit), convert every quote into a three-year total, and score them on fit and follow-through rather than the headline build price.

Published 2026-09-26. 9 min read. Category: Comparisons.

Choosing a web designer is harder than it should be because every quote is laid out differently. One includes copywriting and hosting; another only covers the build; a third is a monthly fee with a contract. Put side by side as they arrive, they are impossible to compare, which is partly why so many people end up picking on price or gut feel.

This is a method for choosing a web designer in the UK that makes the quotes comparable. It works for a sole trader looking for a five-page site and for a larger business briefing three agencies.

## Step 1: Write a one-page brief first

You do not need a formal document. You need half a page that you send to every designer, so they are all quoting for the same thing. Without it, each designer fills the gaps with their own assumptions and the quotes drift apart.

- What the business does, where, and for whom.
- The main thing you want the website to do: phone calls, quote requests, bookings, sales, credibility for bigger contracts.
- The pages you think you need, and any features: booking, payments, gallery, blog.
- Whether you will write the words or want them written.
- Any deadline, and a rough budget range if you have one.
- Two or three websites you like, and one you do not, with a sentence on why.

## Step 2: Shortlist by relevant work, not by awards

Look at each designer's portfolio for sites that do a similar job to yours. A studio that builds beautiful sites for architects may not be the right fit for a dog groomer who needs bookings, and vice versa. Open the live sites, not just the screenshots, and look at them on your phone, because that is where most of your customers will see yours.

On each live site, check a few practical things: does it load quickly on mobile data, is the phone number tappable, is it obvious what the business does within a few seconds, and does the enquiry form work? A designer's past sites are the most honest evidence you will get of what yours will be like.

Ask each shortlisted designer for two or three sites they built more than a year ago, too. Seeing how an older site has held up, whether it is still fast, still updated and still looked after by the same designer, tells you about their aftercare as well as their design.

## Step 3: Ask every designer the same questions

The point is consistency. Send the same list to each and compare the answers directly.

- Who will actually design and build the site, and who will I deal with afterwards?
- Is the design custom, or based on a template or theme?
- Who writes the words, and is that included in the price?
- Who will own the domain, the design and the content?
- What do hosting and maintenance cost each month, and what is included?
- How are changes handled after launch, and how quickly?
- What is the minimum term, and what does it cost to leave?
- What SEO work is included at launch, specifically?
- How long until launch, and what do you need from me?

## Step 4: Turn every quote into a three-year total

This is the step that changes decisions. Take each quote and write it as upfront cost plus monthly cost, then multiply the monthly by 36 and add them. Add anything the quote left out that you will have to pay for elsewhere: hosting, domain, email, copywriting, photos.

**Worked example: turning three different quotes into comparable three-year totals (illustrative figures)**

|  | Designer A | Designer B | Designer C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build price | £1,200 | £3,500 | £0 build, monthly plan |
| Monthly after launch | £20 hosting only | £75 care plan | £120 all-in |
| Copywriting | You write it | Included | Included |
| Extra costs you would add | £400 copywriter | None | None |
| Three-year total | £2,320 | £6,200 | £4,320 |
| Minimum term | None | None | 24 months |

> In the example, the cheapest build is still the cheapest over three years, but the gap is far smaller than it looked, and Designer A leaves you writing the whole site. Once you see the totals, the conversation becomes about value rather than headline price.

## Step 5: Score them on what matters to you

Give each designer a score out of five on a handful of criteria, weighted to what matters for your business. A simple version:

- Relevant past work, checked live on a phone.
- Clarity of the quote: did they answer every question, in writing?
- Three-year cost.
- Ownership and exit terms.
- Support after launch: who, how fast, and how changes work.
- How they communicated during the quoting process. It rarely gets better after you have paid.
- Add up the scores, but treat a very low score on ownership or exit terms as a veto rather than something a good design can outweigh.

## Step 6: Read the contract before you sign

Once you have a favourite, ask for the contract or terms and read them before paying anything. You are checking that what you were told matches what is written: the scope, the price, the payment schedule, the minimum term, the renewal wording, ownership of the domain and content, and the exit terms. Designers who are confident in their terms are happy to send them early.

If anything differs from the conversation, ask for it to be corrected in writing. It is much easier to fix a contract before it is signed than to argue about it six months later, and the way a designer responds to a reasonable request is useful information in itself.

## Reviews, references and red flags

Google reviews are useful, but read the text rather than the star rating, and look for reviews that mention what happened months after launch. Asking for a reference from a past client in a similar business is reasonable; a designer who has none they are willing to share is telling you something.

Walk away from anyone who guarantees Google rankings, will not say who owns the domain, or presses you to sign before you have read the contract. Our separate guide to web design quote red flags covers the full list.

## Freelancer, studio or agency?

The type of designer matters less than the answers to the questions above, but it does shape the experience. A freelancer is usually cheapest and most personal, with the risk that everything depends on one person. An agency brings a team and a process at a higher price. A small studio sits between the two. Our comparison of freelancers, agencies, DIY builders and done-for-you monthly plans goes into the trade-offs in detail.

If you want a fourth column for your comparison table, our plans are published in full: £299 setup then £99 a month on Monthly, or £1,795 upfront and £49 a month on Own It, with copywriting, hosting and changes included. Ask us the same nine questions.

## Questions

### How many web design quotes should I get?

Three quotes is usually enough to see the range and spot an outlier. More than five tends to create confusion rather than clarity, especially if the quotes are not for the same brief.

### What should I look for in a web designer's portfolio?

Look for live websites that do a similar job to the one you need, and check them on your phone. Speed, a clear message, a tappable phone number and a working enquiry form tell you more than polished screenshots.

### Is it better to use a local web designer?

A local designer can be easier to meet and may know your area, which helps with local content. It is not essential, though. Many good designers work remotely with businesses across the UK by phone and video call.

### Should I choose the cheapest web designer?

Choose the one with the best value over three years, not the lowest build price. Convert every quote into upfront plus 36 months of running costs, add anything left out, and then compare what you get for that total.

### What questions should I ask a web designer?

Ask who builds it, whether the design is custom, who writes the words, who owns the domain and site, what hosting and maintenance cost, how changes work, the minimum term and exit costs, and what SEO is included at launch.

### How long does it take to choose a web designer?

For a small business, choosing a web designer usually takes one to three weeks: a few days to shortlist, a week or so to collect answers and quotes, and a few days to check terms. Rushing it is how people end up in contracts they have not read.

## Sources

- Do you need an SEO?, Google Search Central, 2026: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/do-i-need-seo