What Questions Should I Ask a Web Designer?
| Ask | Why it matters | Our answer |
|---|---|---|
| Whose name is the domain in? | If it's the designer's, leaving gets hard. | Yours, registered in your name during the build. |
| What does the first year cost, all in? | A low build price can hide monthly and hourly costs. | $1,089 to $2,387, depending on the plan. |
| How do I make a change, and how fast? | An out-of-date site costs you calls. | Text or email it; usually done the same day. |
| Is there a contract term? | Long terms and cancellation fees lock you in. | No contract term and no cancellation fee. |
| When will it be live? | A promise with no date isn't a promise. | Within 8 to 14 days; if it isn't live in 15, you can ask for a full refund. |
| What happens if I leave? | You should keep your name and your customers. | Your domain and every lead go with you. The site's design and code are ours, licensed to you while you're a client. |
| Can people with disabilities use the site? | More customers, and less legal risk. | Built to WCAG 2.2 AA and checked with automated tools. |
| Can I see your work? | A portfolio shows the style you'll get. | Our sample sites show it; they're demonstrations of invented businesses. |
The full terms behind each answer are in our Website Services Agreement, and every price is on our pricing page.
What Are Red Flags When Hiring a Web Designer?
- The domain registered in the designer's name, not yours.
- No written price, or no clear answer about what changes cost after launch.
- A guaranteed top spot on Google. Google itself says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.
- A long contract with a cancellation fee, for a site you can't take anything from.
- No work to show, and no straight answer about why.
How Much Should I Pay a Web Designer?
US designers publish small business build prices from about $350 to $5,000, then about $25 to $750 a month for care, going by 14 providers' own websites, which we read in September 2026. The full breakdown, and the costs people forget, is in our website cost guide.