Overview
Web design is sold by the project, and the post-launch maintenance is the line the customer doesn't think about until something breaks
Web designers build websites for small businesses, professional services, ecommerce shops, charities, and personal-brand clients. The work is part design (the visual identity, the layout, the user journey), part development (the platform, the templates, the integrations), part content (copywriting, photography, optimisation for search). The customer is paying for a finished site that loads fast, looks professional, and ranks for the searches that matter. A flat 'website, $2,800' quote without naming the platform (WordPress, Webflow, Squarespace, Shopify), the design and development hours, and the post-launch maintenance plan misses how the trade actually delivers.
QuoteGenio gives web designers a quoting shape that fits project plus ongoing relationship. Discovery and scope as the first phase, design hours by page or by template, development hours with the platform named, content (copywriting, photography, SEO optimisation), integrations (payment, booking, CRM, email marketing) priced separately, launch and training, and a post-launch maintenance plan as a recurring record. Send via WhatsApp or email to the client with mood boards and wireframes, take a deposit at booking, raise milestone invoices through design and development, and the final invoice closes with the site live and the maintenance plan active on a separate record.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every kind of web design business, from solo freelancers to small studios.
The problem
The quoting headaches every web designer knows
Web projects are scope-heavy and revision-heavy. Without a clean written proposal, every 'small change' becomes unpaid time and the project drags out two months past the original timeline.
Scope creep eats the budget
A '$ 4,000 brochure site' turns into 12 pages with a custom shop and three rounds of revisions. Without a written scope on the proposal, every extra page is a fight at invoice stage.
Quote-as-an-email looks amateur
A long email with bullet points and a price feels casual. Clients with budget expect a proposal that reads like a real studio sent it.
Slow proposals lose the brief
Web buyers compare three or four studios. The first proposal in the inbox usually wins, especially when it locks scope and milestones in writing.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A clean workflow for web work. Quote design, build, content, revisions, and care plans in one place. Send via WhatsApp or email and get acceptance before you start the design phase.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for web projects
Line items for discovery, design, build, content, revisions, third-party plugins, training, and ongoing care. Reuse templates across clients.
Works from anywhere
Quote a new prospect from your phone after a discovery call, or send a care-plan proposal from a co-working space. No desktop required.
Quote in under 5 minutes
Build templates for brochure, e-commerce, and landing-page packages so each new prospect quote is a few tweaks away from sent.
Track milestones and finals
See which deposits, milestone payments, and finals have landed. Chase outstanding balances before the next launch deadline.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how web designers actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Web Designers choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Web Designers build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Web Designers job pricing
A rough guide to what web designers charge for common builds. Pricing varies by platform, complexity, custom design vs theme, content writing, and care-plan terms. Specialist work (Webflow, Shopify Plus, headless CMS) sits at the top of these ranges.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Brochure website (5-10 pages, WordPress / Webflow) | $ 1,800 - $ 6,500 |
| E-commerce site (Shopify / WooCommerce, 20-100 products) | $ 4,500 - $ 18,000 |
| Landing page (single page, conversion-optimised) | $ 850 - $ 3,200 |
| Custom design only (figma to handover) | $ 950 - $ 4,800 |
| Hourly rate (revisions, ad-hoc, beyond scope) | $ 65 - $ 180 / hour |
| Care plan (monthly, includes hosting, updates) | $ 95 - $ 380 / month |
| Content migration (per page, from old site) | $ 38 - $ 95 / page |
Pricing shown in USD as a rough benchmark. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
Care plans are the most under-quoted part of a web business. Hosting, plugin updates, security patches, monthly backups, and small content tweaks add up to real time. Quote a monthly retainer ($ 95 to $ 380) with stated inclusions and a cap on monthly hours. Anything beyond the cap is billed at your hourly rate. State the renewal terms clearly so the client agrees in writing.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing for the build phase where the scope is well-defined. Use hourly pricing (typically $ 65 to $ 180 per hour) for revisions beyond the included rounds, ad-hoc work, and care-plan time beyond the monthly cap. State on the proposal which lines are fixed, which are time-based, and how many revisions are included.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean web design proposal looks like. Discovery, design, build, content migration, training, and hosting setup each on their own line. Two rounds of revisions are included; a third round is billed at the hourly rate stated on the proposal.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Brochure website, 8 pages with custom design, WordPress
Discovery and brand alignment session (90 min)
Custom design (8 pages, two rounds of revisions)
WordPress build (8 pages, custom theme)
Content migration from existing site (8 pages)
Training and handover (60-min session)
Hosting setup and DNS configuration
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and brand alignment session (90 min) | 1 | $ 280 | $ 280 |
| Custom design (8 pages, two rounds of revisions) | 1 | $ 2,400 | $ 2,400 |
| WordPress build (8 pages, custom theme) | 1 | $ 1,800 | $ 1,800 |
| Content migration from existing site (8 pages) | 8 | $ 65.00 / page | $ 520 |
| Training and handover (60-min session) | 1 | $ 180 | $ 180 |
| Hosting setup and DNS configuration | 1 | $ 240 | $ 240 |
| Subtotal | $ 5,420 | ||
| Tax (10%) | $ 542 | ||
| Total incl. tax | $ 5,962 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Third and fourth rounds of revision, additional pages added mid-project, third-party plugin licences (premium themes, form builders, e-commerce extensions), content writing, photography, hosting and SSL beyond setup, and ongoing care plan time. Add these as standard lines or stated hourly rates so they stop being unpaid.
Peer snapshot
How Web Designers actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Web Designers on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
27
Quotes sent per month
57%
Average quote acceptance
5 min
Median time to send quote
$ 5,962
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Web Designer jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of web designers. The same scope, revisions, and care-plan mistakes come up project after project. Fix these and your hourly rate will stop quietly dropping with every unpaid revision round.
Mistake: Unlimited revisions in the package
Better: State the number of revision rounds included (typically two). Anything beyond that is billed at your hourly rate. The client accepts the structure when they accept the proposal.
Mistake: Verbal scope changes mid-build
Better: When the client adds 'one more page' or asks for an extra feature, send a variation quote in writing before you build it. Email confirmation is not enough.
Mistake: No deposit on the project
Better: Take 40 to 50 percent deposit on signing. Web design has design hours and licence costs at the start. State the deposit on the proposal so the client agrees in writing.
Mistake: Hosting hidden in the build fee
Better: List hosting, SSL, and any third-party subscriptions as separate lines or pass-through items. Hiding them in the build fee turns into invoice queries later.
Mistake: No training or handover line
Better: Quote a training session as its own line. Without it, you become unpaid email support for the next six months while the client learns the CMS.
Mistake: Care plan as an afterthought
Better: Quote the care plan in the same proposal as the build. State the inclusions, the cap, and the hourly rate beyond the cap. The client accepts the long-term arrangement when they sign.
Mistake: No expiry on the proposal
Better: Set a 14 to 30 day validity. Pricing on platforms and plugins moves, and your studio capacity moves with it.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote web design work
Discovery before scope. Before quoting any web project, do a 30 to 60 minute discovery call with the prospect. Find out the goal of the site (lead generation, e-commerce, brochure, brand presence), the platform preference (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, Framer, custom), the page count, the content situation (existing copy, new copy needed), and the launch timeline. Quote based on what you heard, not on a contact-form description that says 'simple website'.
Itemise every component on the proposal. List discovery as its own line, design separately from build, content migration per page, training and handover, hosting setup, and any third-party licence costs. State the number of revision rounds included (typically two) and the hourly rate for additional revisions. Spell out which deliverables are at each milestone (design sign-off, build complete, launch). The client sees a transparent breakdown and you protect your margin from scope creep.
Take milestones, not just a deposit and final. Web projects often run six to twelve weeks. Quote a 40 percent deposit on signing, 30 percent on design sign-off, and 30 percent on launch. Each milestone unlocks the next phase. State the milestone schedule clearly on the proposal so the client agrees in writing. This protects your cash flow on longer builds and gives the client a clear sense of progress.
Send the proposal as a branded PDF, not an email. Web buyers compare three or four studios, and a clean proposal with your branding, scope, milestones, and terms wins more often than an email with bullet points. Share via WhatsApp or email with a public link. Track when it is opened. Follow up after 48 hours. Once accepted, invoice the deposit immediately and the milestone payments at each phase. Set a 14 to 30 day validity so an old proposal does not bind you when your studio capacity has shifted.
FAQ
Common questions from web designers
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Most web designers quote design (figma to sign-off) and build (code or CMS implementation) as separate line items, often with a milestone payment between them. This protects your margin if the client wants to cap design before going to build.
State the number of revision rounds included on the proposal (typically two). Anything beyond is billed at your hourly rate. The client accepts the structure in writing when they sign the proposal.
Yes. Once your proposal is ready, share the public link via WhatsApp or email. The client opens a branded PDF, accepts online, and you have a time-stamped acceptance on file.
Yes, on any project over about $ 3,000. Quote 40 percent on signing, 30 percent on design sign-off, 30 percent on launch. State the schedule clearly so the client agrees in writing.
Quote a monthly retainer with stated inclusions (hosting, updates, backups, monthly content tweaks) and a cap on monthly hours. Anything beyond the cap is billed at the hourly rate stated on the proposal.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes and recurring care-plan invoicing.
Yes. List premium themes, form builders, e-commerce extensions, and similar at retail cost as their own lines. Mark them clearly as 'third-party licence' so the client sees you are not absorbing the cost.
Quote hosting setup as a one-off line in the build, then a monthly hosting fee in the care plan. Or pass through to a third-party host (WP Engine, Shopify) at cost. State which approach on the proposal.
If you are tax registered, yes. Show tax as its own line on the proposal so the client sees the full price before they accept.
14 to 30 days. Plugin pricing changes and your studio capacity moves with bookings. State the validity on the proposal so it doesn't bind you indefinitely.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Explore more
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Reviews
Trusted by tradespeople
Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"I used to delay sending quotes because it took too long. Now I do it straight after the job and get faster responses."
Warren Jacobs
Plumber · Geneva
"Emergency call-outs at 2am are the worst time to write a quote. Being able to send something formal from my phone in a minute has saved me more than once."
David Romano
Locksmith · Toronto
"The WhatsApp sending is a game changer. Most of my clients do not check email, so being able to send quotes instantly helps me get quicker responses."
Kyle Adams
Electrician · Berlin
Guides
Guides for Web Designers
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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