How Much Should I Charge for a Website?

Either you’re just starting out as a website designer or you are thinking you are undercharging and want proof to increase your rate. Either way the information out there is confusing with answer ranging from $500 to $15,000. Confusing, right? The truth is, there’s no magic number, because you’re selling results. In this guide, we’ll break down how to price your websites based on value, outcomes, and confidence — not hours or templates.

Cheap Prices = Tired Designer

Let’s get this out of the way: undercharging isn’t humble, it’s expensive.

When you price too low, you attract the wrong clients, work twice as hard, and wonder why your bank account doesn’t match your effort. Pricing by the hour? That’s a trap. It punishes efficiency and turns every creative decision into a stopwatch moment.

Value-based pricing, on the other hand, shifts the focus from time spent to impact delivered. You’re not selling website hours — you’re selling clarity, credibility, leads, and growth. The kind of stuff that changes the game for your clients.

And when you undercharge for that? You don’t just lose money — you lose energy, confidence, and the space to actually do your best work.

What Clients Are Really Paying with a website?

Spoiler: it’s not the template you customized or the font pairing you obsessed over.

Clients are paying for what the website does, not just what it looks like. A well-built site can book more clients, boost sales, grow a list, and save hours of back-and-forth. It’s not a digital business card — it’s a full-time, never-sleeps, revenue-generating machine.

Let’s talk ROI:

• A strategic site for a photographer could lead to 10+ new bookings a month.
• A coach might triple their email signups.
• A wedding planner could finally charge premium prices — because her site makes her look premium.

It’s like this story someone once shared with me: A guy calls in an electrician to fix a problem. The electrician walks in, turns one screw, and hands over a $200 invoice. The guy says, “That took you two minutes!” And the electrician replies, “You didn’t pay me to turn the screw. You paid me to know which screw to turn.”

That’s your job as a designer. You know where to tighten, tweak, and transform.
And that knowledge? That strategy?
It’s what makes your $3,000 website a bargain for someone making $30K more because of it.

Also — just because something is simple, doesn’t mean it should be cheap.

• A $300/hour therapist might just listen, but that’s transformative.
• A great copywriter might write one headline — and double conversions.
• You might design a “simple” Showit site… that completely repositions someone’s brand.

It’s not about how long it takes.
It’s about what it changes.

4x Methods To Work Out How Much To Charge?

If you’ve ever searched “what should I charge for a website,” you’ve probably run into a hundred different answers. That’s because there are a few ways to approach pricing, some better than others. Here’s a quick breakdown:

1. Industry Standard

This is the classic “see what others are charging and pick a number in the middle” method.
It can give you a general range, but it doesn’t account for your unique experience, deliverables, or the value you’re providing. This is a good strategy to see where the market is, but don’t sell yourself short.

Great for: ballparking
Not so great for: building a sustainable, profitable business

2. Time-Based Pricing

You estimate how long the project will take, multiply it by your desired hourly rate, and boom — that’s your price.

This method feels fair at first, but it punishes you for being faster and more efficient over time. Plus, clients don’t care how many hours it takes — they care about what they’re getting.

Good for: internal planning
Bad for: communicating value

3. Hourly Rate

This is the “I charge $50/hour” model. It’s easy to start with, but it turns your creative business into a time-tracking treadmill. Plus, it invites clients to micromanage and question every hour logged.

Good for: freelancers doing quick tasks
Bad for: strategic, project-based designers

At this point, you might be wondering, “Okay, but how do I actually figure out what to charge for my websites?” That’s exactly why we built the Website Pricing Calculator — to take the guesswork out of pricing and help you base your rates on real data, strategy, and deliverables, not vibes and panic. Whether you’re working on Showit, Squarespace, or WordPress, the same pricing logic applies: you deserve to get paid for the results you deliver.

✅ 4. The Best Way: Value-Based Pricing

This is where things shift. Instead of pricing your time, you price your impact. You look at the goals of the project — what it will help your client achieve — and you base your rates on the outcome, not the effort.

A wedding photographer who books 10 new clients because of your site? That’s a $20K+ impact.
A business coach who finally looks legit online and sells out her $1,200 course? That’s ROI.

This approach positions you as a partner, not a pixel-pusher. It’s also where our Website Pricing Calculator comes in — because we know “just trust your value” isn’t always helpful when you’re staring at a blank proposal.

The Website Pricing Calculator: Your New Favorite Tool

If figuring out your pricing has ever felt like throwing darts at a number and hoping it sticks — you’re not alone. That’s exactly why we created the Website Pricing Calculator. It’s specially designed for Showit designers but can be used for designers using other similar platforms to Showit.

This tool helps you build out your pricing with industry-standard rates from the top of the market — not the bargain bin. It’s designed for designers who don’t just “build websites,” but deliver strategy, branding, SEO, and outcomes that move the needle.

Instead of just guessing what to charge, the calculator walks you through:

• How many pages you’re building
• Your design approach (template customization vs. fully custom)
• Whether the client needs branding, SEO, or copy support
• The true value of add-ons like blog setup, email integrations, or content strategy

What makes it powerful is that it doesn’t just spit out a random number — it builds a price around the scope and value of your specific project. You can see how each service adds to the total, helping you communicate the full worth of your work with clarity and confidence.

It’s like having a pricing strategist in your back pocket.

Next, let’s break down how different factors (like timeline, experience, and deliverables) actually impact your final price — and why that number shouldn’t just come from thin air.

Real-World Pricing Factors You Need to Consider

Even with a great tool like the Pricing Calculator, it helps to understand what actually influences your rate behind the scenes. Because no two projects (or designers) are alike — and your pricing should reflect that.

Here are the real-world factors that shape what you should be charging:

Time to Complete

How long will this take you — not just in design time, but in client communication, feedback loops, revisions, and admin?
If it’s a quick-turnaround project with a tight deadline, your price should reflect the rush and focus required. You’re not just trading hours — you’re trading capacity.

Deliverables

A single landing page is not the same as a 10-page site with blog functionality, e-commerce, and booking integrations.
The number of pages, features, and tech complexity all increase scope — and with it, your rate. Don’t price a 10-page site like it’s a 3-pager with no copy.

Experience Level

You might be using the same platform as someone else, but your approach, efficiency, and strategic eye are completely different.
The more experience you have, the more value you bring — not just in what you create, but in what you prevent. (A rookie might take 20 hours to fix what you would never have let happen in the first place.)

Results + Testimonials

If your past websites have led to real wins for your clients — like increased bookings, product sales, or brand credibility — that’s proof you’re not just designing for fun. You’re designing for impact. And impact should cost more.

Add-Ons & Extras

Things like:

• SEO setup or full on-page optimization
• Brand strategy, logo design, or full brand identity
• Copywriting (whether AI-assisted or fully custom)
• Blog setup, automations, or white-label services

These are services — not “bonuses.”
They solve real problems and deserve real rates. The calculator helps you factor them in so you stop giving them away.

Remember, a $5,000 website might take just as long as a $1,500 one — the difference is the value packed into every step. Your price should reflect not just what you do, but how well and why it matters.

If you want to add these services on to your website build, consider outsourcing to. White Labeller. You can find people offering White Label services on the Creative Designer Directory.

Value-Based Pricing in Practice

Let’s get practical. Value-based pricing sounds great in theory, but how do you actually use it when you’re talking to clients who just want to know, “How much will it cost?”

It starts with a mindset shift: you’re not quoting for pages or platforms — you’re quoting for results. Before you talk numbers, talk goals. Ask questions like:

• “What do you want this website to do for your business?”
• “What would make this project a success for you 3 months after launch?”
• “How would your business change if your dream clients found you online and said, ‘I’m in’?”

Once you know what’s at stake for them — more leads, easier bookings, selling a course, launching a product — you can confidently price your offer based on that outcome.

When pricing pushback comes (because it will), try this:

“Would you rather I charge based on my hours… or take 10% of the revenue your website generates?”
(Then smile. Let it land.)

That one usually reframes the whole conversation.

Remember, clients don’t care how many hours you spend fiddling with font sizes. They care that your work helps them grow. When you price based on that — and communicate it clearly — you stop being an expense and start being an investment.

Community Voices: What Other Designers Wish They Knew Sooner

Sometimes, the biggest shift in your pricing mindset doesn’t come from data — it comes from hearing someone else say, “Yep, I used to undercharge too.”

We asked a few experienced Showit designers:
What changed the game for your pricing confidence?
Here’s what they had to say:

These shifts didn’t happen overnight, and they didn’t come from downloading a new font or switching platforms. They came from getting clear on their value — and deciding to own it.

If you’re in that messy middle of knowing you’re undercharging but not sure how to raise your rates… that’s next.

How to Raise Your Prices (Even If You’re Scared)

Raising your prices can feel like jumping into cold water: you know it’ll be fine once you’re in — but that first step? Brutal.

Here’s the truth: you don’t need to double your rates overnight. You just need to step up one level at a time.

Try This Simple Pricing Ladder:

1. Raise your rate by 20% for your next 1–2 clients.
2. Pay attention to how you feel — and how they respond.
3. Once you’re booked at that level, raise it again.

This gradual shift helps you build confidence and proof that yes — people will pay more when the value is clear.

How to Communicate the Change

If you’re nervous about telling current or returning clients, here’s how to keep it graceful (and clear):

“As my services have evolved to include more strategy and results-focused design, my pricing has been updated to reflect that impact.”
or
“To continue offering high-touch, results-driven websites, I’ve adjusted my pricing structure. I’d love to walk you through what’s included.”

And if you need to transition loyal clients:

• Offer to honor your previous rate for a limited time.
• Or present two package options — one basic, one premium — and let the value speak for itself.

Remember: you’re not just raising your prices — you’re raising the bar for the kind of clients and projects you want to attract.

This isn’t about charging more just because you can.
It’s about charging more because you should.

Final Thoughts: How Much To Charge For A Website

Here’s what it all comes down to: you’re not just building websites — you’re building tools that help people grow their businesses, raise their prices, book more clients, and show up like the pros they are. That kind of impact is valuable, and your pricing should reflect it.

So whether you’re just getting started or finally ready to level up your rates, remember this:
Clients aren’t paying for your time — they’re paying for the transformation your work makes possible.

Use the [Website Pricing Calculator] to get clear, back your pricing with strategy, and stop second-guessing your worth. The next time someone asks, “How much do you charge for a website?” — you’ll have an answer that reflects your skill, your value, and your vision.

You’ve got this.