You're new to freelancing.
You haven't got your first client.
Your web design skills are average.
And you’re wondering how much should you charge a client to make a website?
My answer is different depending on if you're a complete beginner or you have some experience 🙂
To not overcomplicate it:
Beginners - general first website price would be $500 - $2,000.
Why do I say that?
• To not overcomplicate it.
• It's highly improbable you will get a $5,000 or $10,000 website as your first paying project.
So let's keep it simple and close the deal.
What if they say, "It's too expensive."?
Then you drop the price by half.
If they still don't want to work with you, offer to the website for free in exchange for a testimonial.
Why?
Because you need to show what you've done and not talk about what you can do.
Get 2-3 client websites on your portfolio and use this to do the selling for you by convincing your prospects you know how to make websites.
Think about it logically:
Would you pay a guy to cut your lawn if he has no experience or would you pay the guy after he tells you he's cut lawn for 3 other people?
In this case, you're showing you've "cut the lawn" others.
I'm also a big fan of the WAAS pricing model.
This is when you charge $100 - $500 /month for a templated website.
It might sound like a bad idea, but MANY people do this well.
Freelance Fam members like Andy and Luis.
BONUS: it also has the potential to be combined with digital marketing services, so you can charge good monthly retainer amounts for this.
When you get more experience and confidence, consider value-based pricing.
This is when you charge based on the potential value you're bringing to a client.
DON'T do this as a beginner 🙂 but keep it in mind as you grow.
Now that we have this overview, let’s look at the ways we can charge for a website.
We have:
• Fixed pricing
• Hourly pricing
• Value-based pricing
• Packaged pricing
Fixed Pricing Method:
Charge based on the cost of time and added profit.
For example, if you pay yourself $5k per month and the project takes a month, adding a 20% profit would make the total client price $6k.
Hourly Based Pricing Method:
Charge based on an hourly rate multiplied by the hours worked.
The rate is often determined by experience and location. It's useful when the project scope is undefined.
Rates can range from $8/hr for beginners to $100+/hr for experts.
Value-Based Pricing Method:
Charge based on a percentage (usually 10%) of the potential annual sales increase.
For example, if you can increase sales by $300k, you'd charge $30k. This method is good for experienced professionals and involves a comparison with fixed pricing.
Packaged Pricing Method:
A fixed monthly price is charged for specified services over a time period, often on a month-to-month basis.
For example, $1,000/month for 12 months might include a new website, SEO, and content writing.
This method is scalable but has risks like client cancellations.
Conclusion + Takeaways
Each pricing method has its pros and cons, and the choice often depends on factors like project scope, experience level, and client needs.
Need help with your pricing strategies?
Ask in the community, and we’ll help you through every step of the way 🙂
Thanks for reading!
Kyle