How to Choose the Right Company to Design Your Website

You've decided it's time for a new website. Maybe your current one is outdated. Maybe you've outgrown the DIY site you built three years ago. Maybe you're starting fresh and want to get it right from the beginning. Whatever brought you here, the next question is the one that trips most people up: who do you actually hire to build it?

The answer isn't as straightforward as it should be. The web design industry is fragmented, and the options range from massive agencies to solo freelancers to AI-powered platforms. Each path comes with trade-offs that aren't always obvious until you're deep into the project and realize something critical is missing.

Here's a breakdown of your options — and what to watch for with each one.

Option 1: The Full-Service Agency

Agencies are the traditional choice, and they come with obvious appeal. You get a team — a project manager, a designer, a developer, maybe a copywriter and an SEO specialist. Everything is handled under one roof, and you have a single point of contact managing the process.

The upside is that agencies can handle complex projects. If you need a large ecommerce site, a custom web application, or a multi-language platform, an agency has the bandwidth and the specialized roles to deliver it.

The downside is cost and timeline. A full-service agency website project typically starts at $5,000 and can easily climb to $15,000, $30,000, or more depending on scope. Timelines of 8 to 16 weeks are common, and that's if things go smoothly. Revisions, feedback loops, and internal handoffs between team members can stretch projects well beyond the original estimate.

For many service professionals — therapists, chiropractors, coaches, consultants — an agency is more firepower than you need. You're paying for infrastructure and overhead that doesn't translate into a better website for your specific situation. It's like hiring a construction crew to hang a picture frame. They'll do a great job, but you're paying for a lot of capability you don't need.

Option 2: The Freelancer Route

Freelancers are often the more budget-friendly choice, and many are genuinely talented. A skilled freelance designer can create a beautiful website that reflects your brand and looks professional.

But here's where it gets complicated: most freelance designers are just designers. They'll create the visual layout — the look and feel of your site — but they may not write the copy, develop the site on a live platform, or think strategically about the customer journey. That means you're now managing multiple people.

You hire a designer for the layout. Then you need a copywriter to write the messaging. Then you need a developer to actually build the site. And someone needs to coordinate all of these people, make sure the copy fits the design, make sure the developer builds what the designer envisioned, and make sure the whole thing actually works on mobile.

That someone is usually you.

What started as "I'll just hire a freelancer" becomes a part-time project management job on top of running your actual business. The cost savings over an agency can evaporate quickly when you factor in the time you spend coordinating, the delays from waiting on multiple people's schedules, and the inevitable miscommunications that happen when three separate professionals are working from three separate visions of what the final product should be.

Some freelancers do offer a more complete package — design, development, and basic copy. If you find one, that's a better option. But make sure you understand exactly what's included before you sign on, because "I'll build your website" can mean very different things to different people.

Option 3: The All-in-One Partner

This is the model we built Beyond Business Co. around, and I'll be transparent about why.

After years of working in this industry — both inside agencies and as a freelancer — I saw the same problems repeat. Agencies were too slow and too expensive for the service professionals who needed them most. Freelancers delivered pieces of the puzzle but rarely the whole picture. And clients were left trying to stitch everything together themselves, often ending up with a website that looked decent but didn't actually drive results.

So we built something different. We run a lean business intentionally. No bloated team, no unnecessary overhead. Our Website 48 model — a focused 48-hour intensive — keeps us efficient and streamlined, which means we can offer a comprehensive service at a price point that makes sense for service professionals.

Here's what that includes, all under one roof:

Strategy. Every project starts with a strategy session where we define your goals, identify your ideal clients, and map out the customer journey your website needs to support. This isn't a formality — it's the foundation that everything else is built on.

Brand messaging. We craft the messaging that connects with your audience using proven frameworks. Your website copy isn't an afterthought — it's developed alongside the design so the two work together seamlessly.

Copywriting. We write every word on your site. Headlines, service descriptions, calls to action, about page — all of it. Written strategically to guide visitors toward booking with you.

Design. A custom design that reflects your brand and is built to convert. Not a template with your logo swapped in. A design created specifically for your business, your audience, and your goals.

Web development. We build the site on a professional platform, fully responsive, fast-loading, and optimized for search engines. You don't need to hire a separate developer or learn to code.

Hosting and maintenance. After launch, your site is hosted on reliable infrastructure with SSL and custom domain support. And as your business grows and evolves, we're here to make updates and changes so your website keeps pace.

The result is that you work with one person, through one process, and walk away with a complete, professional website — not a collection of parts you need to assemble yourself.

What to Look for (Regardless of Who You Hire)

No matter which path you choose, there are a few things that separate a good web design experience from a frustrating one.

Ask about the process, not just the portfolio. A beautiful portfolio tells you someone can design. It doesn't tell you whether working with them will be organized, communicative, and on schedule. Ask them to walk you through their process from start to finish. If they can't articulate it clearly, that's a warning sign.

Make sure strategy is part of the package. A website without strategy is just a digital brochure. If the first question your designer asks is "what colors do you want?" instead of "who are your ideal clients and what action do you want them to take?" — you're starting in the wrong place.

Understand what happens after launch. Your website isn't a one-and-done project. You'll need updates, changes, and potentially new pages as your business grows. Ask who handles that, what it costs, and how quickly changes can be made. Getting locked into a site you can't easily update is one of the most common (and most expensive) mistakes.

Get clarity on the timeline. "A few weeks" means different things to different people. Get a specific timeline with milestones, and understand what's expected of you at each stage. The best process is one where your involvement is focused and efficient — not one that drags on for months with sporadic check-ins.

The Bottom Line

There's no universally "right" answer to who should build your website. It depends on your budget, your timeline, the complexity of what you need, and how involved you want to be in the process.

But if you're a service professional who wants a strategic, professional website without managing multiple vendors or waiting months for delivery — that's exactly what we built Beyond Business Co. to do. One partner, one process, 48 hours. Strategy, messaging, copy, design, development, hosting, and ongoing support. Everything you need, nothing you don't.

Not sure where your current website stands? Start with our free Homepage Audit — you'll get a personalized scorecard that shows you exactly what's working and what's holding you back.