Web design costs are opaque. Many agencies hide their prices. Some quote huge ranges. Others want to get you on a call before they’ll share a single number. We do things differently.
We can’t give you a single price that fits every project. But we can explain the common pricing models you’ll encounter and show you which one we think works best for most Seattle businesses.
How do agencies price their work?
Most digital agencies use one of three models: hourly, fixed-scope, or value-based. Each has its place, but they create very different client experiences.
- Hourly (Time & Materials): You pay for each hour the agency works. This is common for ongoing support, maintenance, or projects where the scope is truly unknown. The risk is all on you. If the project takes longer than expected, you pay more.
- Fixed-Scope (Project-Based): You pay a flat fee for a specific, pre-defined scope of work. This model provides budget certainty, which is why clients often prefer it. The risk is on the agency. If they underestimate the effort, their profit margin shrinks. This can lead to cut corners or a "change order" for anything not explicitly in the contract.
- Value-Based: The price is tied to the expected business value the project will generate, not the hours it takes to complete. This model requires a deep understanding of the client’s business and a strong-shared belief in the project’s ROI.
Which pricing model is best?
For most web design and development projects, we believe a fixed-scope model is the best starting point. It provides the clarity and budget predictability that businesses need.
At DoodleWeb, we use a fixed-scope approach for our core website projects. We spend extra time upfront in discovery—often walking through a client's warehouse in Kent or their retail store in Bellevue—to define the project scope with extreme detail. This minimizes surprises.
We build in milestones that align with payments. For example, a payment might be due after the homepage design is approved, or after the Shopify product pages are built out. This keeps the project moving and ensures you only pay for completed work.
"A detailed scope is the foundation of a successful project. It protects both the client and the agency from misunderstandings and ensures everyone is working toward the same goal."
For work that falls outside the initial scope, we shift to an hourly model. This is for things like new feature requests, additional design revisions, or content updates after the site has launched. It’s the fairest way to handle evolving needs without derailing the main project.
What does a typical Seattle website project cost?
A simple marketing website for a local service business—say, a Tacoma plumber or a Bellevue law firm—might start around $15,000. A more complex eCommerce site built on Shopify or a custom web application for a tech startup can easily reach $50,000 to $100,000 or more.
These prices reflect the cost of a senior-only team. We don't have junior designers or project managers. The person who scopes your project is the person who builds it. This efficiency and expertise is what you pay for.
If you have a project in mind, the best first step is to understand what it might cost. Get a clear, detailed estimate without the sales pressure.
Start with our /free-website-audit-report.
Seattle agency · Seattle, WA
A full-service digital agency working in WordPress, Drupal, Shopify, Webflow, React, and React Native. We partner with universities, nonprofits, governments, and growing brands to ship sites that hold up after launch.