There is no one definitive answer to this question, as the web design freelancer rates at which you can complete a web-development project will vary depending on the complexity of the project, your experience level, and the tools and resources you have access to. However, if you are just starting out in website development, it is often recommended that you work on smaller web design projects with lower stakes in order to gain experience and build up your skills. Professionals are more likely to work on hourly rates, this is because that seems to be the best option to cultivate a closer relationship with the clients.
Starting out
New web designers should aim to charge $60 an hour for website development. That’s the average freelancing web development per hour rate. Legit clients are looking at the market data searching to purchase valuable web design, so you need to appear like it. Some clients are looking to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 of development cost for a well designed and high end looking website. They’re not looking for someone who charges $20 an hour. Of course, in order to reach this goal you need to take some steps first. Think about it like a starting out e-commerce brand.
Decide if you want to be a freelancer web developer or work for an agency:
As a freelancer you become able to make a name for yourself and get to charge an average cost for your web development services, if you prove you are good at web-development, clients will want to work with you. However, it can be hard starting out and if you don’t stay careful your career may never pick up. Another thing to consider is that by going freelance it will take longer to earn the average web developer hourly rate.
On the other hand, working in an agency gives you less visibility but a steady work flow of web design. This model of work is not challenging but on the other hand gives work stability, which can be very relaxing as opposed to starting out alone. Here you will earn the average hourly wage for a web designer.
Whichever way you decide to go, knowing how to set hourly rates will help you get the clients you want.
One good tip is to offer a 15 – 20% discount on the total development cost to new clients. If you are good, they will come back and you will be able to charge them your average cost. Don’t let down first clients! If something goes wrong with their websites, be sure to make it up to them. Offer some additional service for free. Clients will appreciate it and will come back to you.
Why is working on an hourly rate better?
Most freelancers have three main ways to charge for their work: Hourly rate, Per project rate, and Retainer rate. Each rate is built on the others.
The hourly rate is the simplest and most common way to charge for your work as a website developer. You set an hourly rate you can use as development cost for quick things you know shouldn’t take very long. This rate should be based on how much time it will take you to complete a project (plus a little extra for unexpected issues). If you are at that point, you can even charge the average hourly wage for a web designer.
Your per project rate is based on how long it will take you to complete a project (plus a little extra for unexpected issues). It’s important to set this rate early in the project so you don’t get stuck with a high bill at the end. If you change your mind about how much work a project will require, update your project rate as soon as possible.
If you’re charging per project as a website developer, you should create a list of the tasks involved in the project and assign each one a price, something like “$30 extra for graphic design prices”. Then multiply the price by the number of tasks on the list. Be sure to include any additional costs—such as materials or travel—that will be necessary for the project.
If you’re charging a retainer rate, set a fixed amount of money up front and agree to provide services on a periodic basis. You should also specify the frequency of the updates—for example, weekly, monthly, or annually.
When you work on an hourly basis, you are paid the average hourly wage for a web designer for the time you spend working, not the time you spend waiting. This can be a major advantage if you have a lot of clients who need your services quickly. Additionally, if you are working on a project that takes longer than an hour, you will be paid for the entire project, not just the hour that you worked.
Knowing how much to charge as a web developer
According to Upwork’s survey salary data, the average freelance web developer costs $30/hr. But you need to be sure what pricing model is right for your particular situation. You are going to do this by learning about common cost factors. Clients are always looking to get the most value for their money, so it may be best that you only charge them for the skills you are going to use on their project, instead of a full package price, but still let them know about your graphic design prices in case they are interested. This is why you need to know how to adapt, be capable of coding in multiple programming languages, be flexible with frameworks, etc.
Cost factor 1
Never overestimate the amount of code a project may take. You don’t want your client to feel like he is being overcharged. But, more importantly, don’t underestimate the coding either. Some clients don’t know how much coding is needed to create a website, so they may complain and then you’d give in to their bargain in order to not lose and be under charge for your services. Well, don’t do this, stick to a pricing model. Explain to the client, in a way he may understand, how much you charge hourly and how much coding you are going to be writing within said hours. This doesn’t make they are bad clients, but sometimes a web development project may seem like something small for a common person.
Cost factor 2
Freelancer web developers should be able to compete with the pricing models of agency developers, so they need to charge less by hourly rate. But you need to look at it from a client’s perspective. If a client needs more than a website, or needs web developers with different skill sets in order to finish the project, he will have to hire them separately, which can be a turn off. If both freelancers charge the same as an agency the project would become more costly and time consuming to complete. For the client, it would be less expensive to just fire an agency to do all the work on their own on an hourly rate.
If you start out charging less than an agency and offer quality work, clients will be interested in what you have to offer.
Ask for advice from other freelancers
Getting advice from other professionals and development resources can help you set the right rate, as well as set up each engagement for success. For example, if you’re a web designer, you might ask other web designers what they charge for similar work, or how long it typically takes them to complete a project. If you’re a web developer, you might ask other web developers how much they charge for similar work, or how long it typically takes them to complete a project. And if you’re a writer, you might ask other writers how much they charge for similar work, or how long it typically takes them to complete a project. By getting advice from others in your field, you can avoid getting caught in another company’s internal strife, and get paid for your work on time and in accordance with your agreed-upon scope.
Trial and error
Setting a web development per hour rate can’t be done without trial and error. After having done some websites and spoken to a few clients, you will come up with pricing models that suit you. Whether you think you are working much for little money or the client thinks he is being overcharged, without experience setting an hourly rate is like taking a shot in the dark.
How to start raising your hourly rate as a freelance web developer?
As you gain experiences and word gets around about your talent and outstanding work as a web designer, rising prices is the next logical step. This has to be done carefully, as clients may get into a mindset of not knowing if they will want to keep the collaboration going. First of all, keep becoming a better web developer and adding value to your client’s websites. Then announce to them that you are going to rise 10%. If you do this once or twice a year you won’t have a problem with existing clients and bigger clients will be willing to look into your work as they may get curious as to why you are charging a decent fee as other successful web designers. Once you score bigger clients who are serious about their website and want the best disregarding the price, that’s your opportunity to make a significant rise of your hourly rate. Maybe not $60 already, but you’ll be really close to it.
In conclusion, it’s important to remember that you are in control of your hourly rate as a web designer and you can always decide to lower it if the project is going well or raise it if the project isn’t going as planned.
