Austin Web Design Company: A Checklist to Choose One
How to pick an austin web design company: real price tiers, what the price should cover, and a checklist you can copy before you sign.
Most agency pages in Austin say "award-winning" and show no price. You cannot compare that. Here is how to choose an austin web design company with numbers in hand. We are a San Antonio studio, not an Austin office. We have no Austin clients to show you. Use our prices as a yardstick, then ask every Austin studio the same questions.
Key takeaways
- Ask for the price in writing: setup, monthly fee, and what each covers.
- Our monthly sites are $79 and $249 a month. Our one-time sites start at $1,950.
- Hosting, bug fixes and edits should be named in the quote.
- Copy the checklist near the end and send it to each studio.
How much does an Austin web design company charge?
It depends on whether you pay monthly or once. We charge both ways, and we post every price. Here are ours.
| Option | Setup | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Core website | $149 | $79 a month |
| Premium website | $299 | $249 a month |
| Foundation | none | $1,950 one time |
| Growth | none | $4,500 one time |
| Signature | none | from $9,500 |
| Flagship | none | from $15,000, quoted |
Foundation has the same build quality as Core, bought once. Growth is twelve pages and a module that does real work for you. Flagship is fully custom, with 3D, animation and web apps.
Here is an illustrative example. These numbers are assumptions, not a quote. Assume you keep a monthly site for 12 months and add nothing.
| Plan | Math | Total for 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Core | $149 + (12 x $79) | $1,097 |
| Premium | $299 + (12 x $249) | $3,287 |
Our full numbers are in what a small business website costs. Ask any studio to fill in the same table for you. If it will not, that tells you something.
What is the difference between web design and web development?
Design is how the site looks and feels. Development is the code that makes it load and work. Small studios usually do both for you. Ask who does each part, and whether one price covers both.
Should I hire a web design company or use a website builder?
Use a builder if you have time and the site is simple. Hire a studio if you want someone else to build it and fix it.
We have no builder prices to quote, so check those yourself. Ask what you do yourself and what you pay for. A builder leaves the writing, photos and edits to you. A studio can do them. Time is the real cost. If you cannot spend a few evenings on it, price a studio.
What should an Austin web design company include in its price?
It should name hosting, fixes and edits in the quote. Our monthly price covers hosting, bug fixes and two edit requests a month. Ask each studio for the same three items.
Some things cost extra. Here are ours:
- Booking and scheduling: $500 one time, or +$30 a month on Core. It is included at Premium and above.
- Online store: $1,200 one time, or +$60 a month.
- Advanced SEO package: +$50 a month.
Google's SEO starter guide says a site needs clear titles, descriptions and content so people can find it. That is Google's advice. We think a designer should show you where each of those lives on your site. A good test is to ask them to point to the page title on your home page.
How do I choose a web design company in Austin?
Compare studios on the same short list. Copy this checklist and send it to each one.
- What is the setup fee and the monthly fee? Please list both.
- Who hosts the site, and is hosting in the price?
- How many edit requests a month do I get?
- Who fixes it when something breaks?
- What costs extra? Please list prices for booking, a store and SEO.
- Can I keep the site if I leave?
- Can I see a real demo, and is it labelled as a demo?
Pay attention to how fast and how plainly they answer. A studio that answers in numbers is easier to trust than one that says "custom quote" to everything.
We built demo sites and apps for a coffee shop, multi-store retail, collectibles and a gym. They are spec builds, not client work. Payments in the demos are simulated. The same checklist works in San Antonio too: see our San Antonio web design checklist.
FAQ
Is a monthly website cheaper than paying once? Monthly costs less on day one. Paying once costs less if you keep the site for years. Run the numbers for your own months.
Does the setup fee ever go away? Not with us. We never discount setup. Ask every studio whether theirs is fixed.
Do I need an app too? Only if your customers come back every week. Otherwise a website is enough.
Your next step
Send the checklist to three studios. Then compare the answers side by side. To see what a monthly site includes, read about Kin Studios website plans.
Tell us the business and we will tell you which plan fits.