How to Choose the Right Web Designer (Beginner’s Guide 2026)

Choosing a web designer is not simply about finding someone who can make a website look beautiful. Before you pay anyone, you need to know whether that person understands the type of website you need, can build it properly, communicates clearly, and will leave you with a website you can actually control.

From my experience designing and building websites, I have learned that a designer’s portfolio is only the beginning. I look at the live websites behind the portfolio, how the designer thinks about the customer’s problem, how they approach mobile design, how they handle website speed, what happens after launch, and whether the client remains in control of the domain, hosting and website.

If you are hiring a web designer for the first time, these are the things I would examine before making a decision. I have made some of these decisions myself, worked through website problems, redesigned existing websites and built websites from the ground up. Those experiences have changed the way I look at web design.

What I Look for Before Choosing a Web Designer

If I were hiring a designer today, I would not start by asking, “How much do you charge?”

I would first want answers to these questions:

• Can you show me websites you have actually built?
• Can I visit those websites myself?
• Have you worked on a project similar to mine?
• Do you understand what my website needs to accomplish?
• Can you explain what you are going to build in simple language?
• What exactly is included in your price?
• Who owns the domain, hosting and website when the project is finished?
• What happens when the website goes live?
• Can I contact you when something needs fixing?
• Will I be able to manage ordinary changes myself?

The answers tell me much more about a web designer than a beautiful Instagram graphic or a collection of homepage screenshots.

My Experience Changed the Way I Look at Web Designers

I have been working with websites for years, and one lesson has stayed with me: building a website is not the same thing as arranging a nice-looking page.

When I started working more seriously with websites, I had to learn the practical side myself. I worked with WordPress, page builders, responsive layouts, SEO, forms, redirects, Search Console, website speed, payment integrations and the problems that appear after a website has been published.

That experience has also included client work.

I have worked on a SaaS website redesign where the challenge was not simply changing the appearance. The website had to communicate the product more clearly.

I have also worked on a care agency website where the business had a practical scheduling challenge that needed to be reflected in the website experience.

Another project involved building a gym website from scratch.

These projects were different from one another, and that is important.

A web designer who can build one attractive website is not automatically the right person for every type of website.

The business, audience, content, functionality and purpose change from project to project.

That is why I would never tell a beginner to choose a designer simply because they have the most attractive portfolio.

Start With the Website You Actually Need

Before you compare designers, understand what you are asking them to build.

This sounds obvious, but it can save you a lot of trouble.

There is a major difference between:

• a simple business website;
• a church website;
• an author website;
• a portfolio;
• an online store;
• a booking website;
• a membership website;
• a blog;
• a web application.

You don’t necessarily need to understand the technology behind each one.

You just need to be able to explain what you want the website to do.

For example:

“I run a cleaning business and I want visitors to understand my services and request a quotation.”

That gives a designer something useful to work with.

Compare that with:

“I just want a modern website.”

“Modern” means different things to different people.

One designer may interpret it as animations and large photographs. Another may interpret it as a minimalist layout. A third may use a template that happens to look modern.

Your first conversation with a designer should therefore be about the business problem, not just colours and fonts.

If you are still working out what your website needs, my guide on [creating a professional website without coding] can help you understand the basic planning process before you approach a designer.

Look at Live Websites, Not Just Portfolio Screenshots

This is one of the biggest things I would recommend to a beginner.

Ask the designer for live website addresses.

Then visit them yourself.

A screenshot can hide a lot.

A designer can take a screenshot of the best-looking section of a website and put it in a portfolio. But you are not buying a screenshot.

You are buying a working website.

Open the website on your phone.

Click the menu.

Open several pages.

Submit the contact form if appropriate.

Look at the images.

Scroll through the page.

Try it on a slower mobile connection if you can.

Ask yourself:

Does this website actually work well?

You may discover that the desktop design looks impressive but the mobile version is awkward.

You may discover that the homepage is beautiful but you cannot quickly understand what the business does.

You may find that the site takes too long to load.

You may find buttons that do not work.

These things matter because they tell you what the designer considers “finished.”

Don’t Just Ask What the Designer Built. Ask Why.

There is another part of a portfolio that beginners often miss.

Ask the designer to explain the thinking behind one of the websites.

For example:

Why did you structure the homepage this way?

Why is this call-to-action here?

Why did you choose this platform?

What problem were you trying to solve?

What did the client actually need?

The answer can tell you whether you are dealing with someone who understands websites or someone who mainly knows how to make pages look attractive.

A good website decision does not always produce the most visually complicated design.

Sometimes the best decision is removing something.

Sometimes it means putting the contact button higher on the page.

Sometimes it means reducing the number of menu items.

Sometimes it means replacing a large image with a simpler section because the image is slowing the page down.

That is part of the work that visitors don’t see.

Choose Someone Who Understands Your Type of Project

I would pay attention to relevant experience.

You don’t necessarily need a designer who has built 100 websites.

You need someone who understands your kind of website.

If you are building an online store, ask about ecommerce projects.

If you are building an author platform, ask about author websites.

If you are building a church website, ask whether the designer understands things such as sermons, events, ministries, giving and prayer requests.

If you are building a service business website, ask how they normally structure services, enquiries and calls to action.

If you are building a more complicated web application, a person who mainly builds five-page brochure websites may not be the right fit.

The important question is not:

“How many websites have you built?”

It is:

“Have you successfully handled the kind of problem my website has?”

Pay Attention to How the Designer Talks to You

This is one of the simplest tests you can perform before paying a deposit.

Tell the designer what you need and listen to the questions they ask.

A designer who immediately says:

“Send your logo and pictures.”

has not learned very much about your business yet.

I would rather hear questions such as:

• Who are your customers?
• What do you want visitors to do?
• What services are most important?
• Do you already have website content?
• Do you have an existing website?
• What isn’t working with the current website?
• Do you need people to book, buy, call or submit a form?
• Who will maintain the website after launch?

Those questions show that the designer is thinking beyond the appearance of the homepage.

Communication Before the Project Is a Preview of the Project

This is something I have learned from working with websites.

If communication is confusing before the project begins, it rarely becomes magically better after payment.

Notice:

• How quickly they respond.
• Whether they answer your actual question.
• Whether they explain technical issues clearly.
• Whether they ask for the information they need.
• Whether they remember what you already told them.
• Whether they give you clear next steps.

You don’t need a designer who uses complicated technical language to impress you.

In fact, I prefer someone who can explain a technical problem so that a non-technical business owner understands what needs to happen.

Don’t Choose a Designer From Price Alone

Price matters.

But the price of the website should not be the only number you compare.

Suppose Designer A charges less but gives you:

• a basic template;
• limited revisions;
• no training;
• no post-launch support;
• no help with migration;
• no clear ownership arrangement.

Designer B charges more but includes:

• planning;
• custom structure;
• responsive design;
• testing;
• agreed revisions;
• website handover;
• basic training;
• launch support.

The two prices are not really describing the same product.

This is why I prefer asking:

“What exactly am I receiving for this price?”

rather than:

“Who is the cheapest?”

A cheap website can become expensive when you later have to pay someone else to fix it, rebuild it or recover access to something you should have controlled from the beginning.

Get the Scope in Writing

Before work begins, I want the project scope to be clear.

Not:

“Complete professional website.”

That is too vague.

Instead, the proposal should tell you what is actually being built.

For example:

• Home page
• About page
• Services page
• Contact page
• Blog setup
• Contact form
• Mobile optimization
• Basic SEO setup
• Analytics integration
• Number of revision rounds
• Expected timeline
• Payment stages
• Post-launch support

The exact list will depend on the project.

The point is that both sides should understand what “finished” means.

This protects the client and the designer.

It also prevents the common situation where the client assumes something is included while the designer considers it an extra.

Ask How Many Revisions Are Included

This is a small question that can prevent a large disagreement.

Ask:

“How many revision rounds are included?”

A revision might mean changing text, adjusting spacing, changing colours or modifying a section.

Different designers define revisions differently, so don’t assume.

Ask for clarification.

Also ask what happens when you exceed the included revisions.

You don’t want to discover halfway through the project that every small change has become an additional bill.

Find Out Who Owns the Website

This is one of the questions I consider extremely important.

Ask:

Whose name is the domain registered under?

Who controls the hosting account?

Who has administrator access to the website?

Will I receive the login details?

Can I move the website to another hosting provider if necessary?

A designer may help you purchase hosting or register a domain. That is fine.

But you should understand exactly who controls those accounts.

I became much more conscious of this after dealing with my own website projects and rebuilding Creativity Publications. Websites contain years of work: articles, images, pages, settings, databases and other assets.

You do not want your entire online presence to depend on one person’s private account.

The designer can have access.

The designer can manage things for you.

But the ownership arrangement needs to be clear.

Ask What Platform Will Be Used

You should know whether your website will be built with:

• WordPress;
• Wix;
• Squarespace;
• Shopify;
• another website builder;
• or custom development.

There is no single platform that is automatically correct for every website.

I work extensively with WordPress and visual page builders because they provide considerable flexibility for the types of websites I work on.

But the important thing is not to choose a platform simply because the designer prefers it.

Ask:

Why is this platform suitable for my project?

A good designer should be able to explain the reasoning.

If you are comparing different platforms, my articles on [Wix versus WordPress for authors] and [Carrd versus WordPress for a simple author website] explain some of the practical differences from a website-building perspective.

Ask Whether You Can Update the Website Yourself

This is especially important for a small business.

Imagine you launch your website and three months later your:

• phone number changes;
• office address changes;
• service price changes;
• business hours change;
• new service is introduced.

Do you have to pay the designer every time?

Maybe you want them to handle everything. That’s perfectly reasonable.

But you should at least know whether the website allows you to make basic changes yourself.

When I build websites using WordPress and visual tools, one of the advantages is that the owner can often manage ordinary content changes without becoming a programmer.

That does not mean every client should become a website administrator.

It means the website should not unnecessarily make the owner helpless.

Ask What Happens After the Website Goes Live

This is where many website conversations end too early.

People ask:

“When will my website be ready?”

But I would also ask:

“What happens after it is ready?”

Find out whether the designer provides:

• launch support;
• bug fixes;
• maintenance;
• backups;
• security updates;
• plugin updates;
• content changes;
• technical support;
• training.

You don’t necessarily need a monthly maintenance package.

But you should know who you will call when something goes wrong.

A website is not a poster.

It is software running on a server.

Things can change after launch.

Plugins are updated. Hosting environments change. Forms can stop working. Security issues can appear. New content can affect performance.

I have also written about [maintaining a website after launch] because this part of website ownership is often ignored until something breaks.

Ask How They Test on Mobile

Don’t accept:

“Yes, it is responsive.”

Ask how they test it.

I want to know whether the designer checks:

• mobile navigation;
• buttons;
• text size;
• images;
• forms;
• spacing;
• menus;
• tables;
• popups;
• page loading;
• horizontal scrolling.

A website can technically be “responsive” and still provide a poor mobile experience.

I have worked enough with websites to know that desktop and mobile should not be treated as exactly the same experience.

A section that looks perfect on a large screen may need to be simplified on a phone.

Ask About Website Speed

Speed is another area where I would ask for practical answers rather than promises.

Don’t just ask:

“Will my website be fast?”

Ask:

“How do you test website performance?”

A designer should understand that performance can be affected by:

• hosting;
• image sizes;
• plugins;
• page builders;
• JavaScript;
• fonts;
• third-party scripts;
• caching;
• website structure.

I have personally used PageSpeed testing as part of working on websites, and one thing I have learned is that performance problems are not always solved by installing another optimization plugin.

Sometimes the problem is simply that the page is doing too much.

If you want to understand the practical side of this, my guide to [fixing Google PageSpeed and Core Web Vitals] explains the issues I look at when working on website performance.

Don’t Accept “SEO-Friendly” Without Asking What That Means

“SEO-friendly” has become one of those phrases that can mean almost anything.

Ask the designer what SEO setup is actually included.

For a basic website, that may involve things such as:

• sensible page structure;
• proper headings;
• descriptive page titles;
• meta descriptions;
• image optimization;
• clean URLs;
• XML sitemap;
• internal links;
• mobile usability;
• Search Console setup;
• basic technical SEO.

That doesn’t mean the designer is promising Google rankings.

No honest designer can guarantee that a new website will suddenly rank number one for competitive searches.

What you want is a website that does not create unnecessary technical problems for your future SEO work.

If you have already launched a website and are wondering why Google is not showing it, my guide on [why your website may not be showing on Google] explains some of the issues worth checking.

Ask to See the Website on a Real Phone

This is one of my favourite practical tests.

Don’t sit beside the designer while they show you the website on their large monitor.

Take out your phone.

Open one of their live websites.

Then browse it.

You will immediately notice things that may not be obvious on a desktop screen.

Look at:

Navigation

Can you find the important pages?

Text

Can you comfortably read it?

Buttons

Can you tap them easily?

Images

Do they fit the screen?

Forms

Are they easy to complete?

Speed

Does the page feel reasonably responsive?

Calls to action

Can you tell what the business wants you to do?

This is a much more useful portfolio test than simply saying, “The design looks nice.”

Ask How They Handle Content

This is another issue that can delay projects.

Who is writing the website?

The designer?

You?

A copywriter?

A combination?

Who supplies the photographs?

Who creates the logo?

Who writes the service descriptions?

Who provides testimonials?

Who uploads the content?

A website can be technically ready while the project remains unfinished because nobody agreed who was responsible for the content.

I would rather settle this at the beginning than discover it three weeks into the project.

Watch for These Red Flags

There are certain things that would make me slow down before hiring a designer.

1. They cannot show live work

A portfolio consisting entirely of graphics and screenshots gives you limited information.

Ask for real websites.

2. They avoid explaining what is included

If the price is clear but the deliverables are vague, ask more questions.

3. They want complete payment without a clear agreement

Understand the payment structure before work begins.

4. They refuse to explain ownership

This is one I would take seriously.

You should know who controls your domain, hosting and website.

5. They guarantee Google rankings

SEO does not work that way.

6. Everything looks exactly the same

If every website in the portfolio has the same structure, colours and layout, ask how the designer approaches projects that have different requirements.

7. They cannot explain their process

The process doesn’t have to be complicated.

But there should be one.

8. They stop communicating when you ask questions

Technical skill does not compensate for poor communication.

Ask for a Simple Project Process

You don’t need a 30-page project management document.

A straightforward process is enough.

For example:

1. Discovery

Understand the business, audience and website goal.

2. Structure

Determine the pages and navigation.

3. Content

Prepare the words, images and other materials.

4. Design

Create the visual structure.

5. Development

Build the actual website.

6. Testing

Check mobile, desktop, links, forms, speed and functionality.

7. Review

The client checks the completed work and provides agreed revisions.

8. Launch

The website goes live.

9. Handover

The client receives the agreed access and documentation.

10. Support

Any agreed post-launch support begins.

The process may differ between designers, but you should understand how your project is going to move from an idea to a functioning website.

Ask About Backups

This is not the most exciting part of hiring a web designer.

It may become one of the most important.

Ask:

“How will my website be backed up?”

And:

“Where are the backups stored?”

A website represents more than its design.

It can contain years of articles, customer information, images, product information, forms and other content.

I have experienced the consequences of website loss personally while rebuilding Creativity Publications after an earlier domain interruption. That experience reinforced something for me: your website is an asset, and you should think about how it can be recovered before you need recovery.

Don’t wait until something goes wrong.

Ask What Happens If You Stop Working Together

This is a question many beginners never ask.

But it is worth asking before the relationship starts.

Suppose you eventually decide to:

• move to another designer;
• change hosting;
• manage the website yourself;
• redesign the website;
• close the business;
• transfer the website to another company.

What happens?

Can you access your domain?

Can you access hosting?

Can you access WordPress?

Can you retrieve your website content?

Can the website be moved?

The goal isn’t to assume that you will have a disagreement with your designer.

The goal is simply to make sure the website remains a usable business asset.

Do You Need a Freelancer or an Agency?

There is no universal answer.

I have seen good work produced by individuals and by teams.

For a smaller project, working directly with one experienced designer can have an advantage: you know who is actually doing the work and communication can be straightforward.

A larger project may require several skills, such as:

• UX;
• design;
• development;
• copywriting;
• SEO;
• photography;
• ecommerce;
• custom programming.

In that situation, an agency or team may make more sense.

I would choose based on the project rather than assuming one business model is automatically better.

A Simple Way to Compare Three Web Designers

If you have shortlisted three designers, don’t compare only their prices.

Create a simple comparison.

Question	Designer A	Designer B	Designer C
Relevant portfolio
Live websites available
Understands my business
Clear process
Clear scope
Revision terms
Domain ownership explained
Hosting ownership explained
Mobile testing
SEO setup explained
Speed testing
Post-launch support
Maintenance option
Total cost
Communication

You don’t have to turn this into a complicated scoring system.

The purpose is simply to stop yourself from making a decision based on one attractive portfolio image or one cheap quotation.

Questions I Would Ask Before Paying a Deposit

If you want the shortest possible checklist, these are the questions I would take into the first serious conversation:

1. Can I see three live websites you have built?
2. Have you worked on a website similar to mine?
3. What do you think my website needs to accomplish?
4. What platform will you use, and why?
5. What exactly is included in the price?
6. How many revisions are included?
7. Who provides the content and images?
8. How will the website be tested on mobile?
9. What SEO setup is included?
10. How will you approach website speed?
11. Who owns the domain and hosting account?
12. Will I receive administrator access?
13. What happens after launch?
14. Do you provide maintenance or technical support?
15. What happens if we eventually stop working together?

If the answers are clear, you have much more information with which to make your decision.

Don’t Forget to Test the Finished Website Before You Accept It

The website isn’t finished simply because the designer sends you a message saying:

“Your website is live.”

Test it.

Open every important page.

Click the buttons.

Test the forms.

Check the mobile menu.

Check the phone number.

Check email links.

Check social links.

Check the images.

Check the navigation.

Check the checkout if there is one.

Check the website on a phone.

Check the desktop version.

Check the page speed.

Check that important pages are accessible to search engines.

I created a [35-point website launch checklist] for exactly this reason. Small problems are much easier to fix before you start sending customers to the new website.

The Designer Is Not the Only Person Responsible for a Successful Website

This is something I think beginners should understand before hiring anyone.

A good designer can build the website.

But you still have responsibilities.

You need to provide accurate information.

You need to supply or approve the content.

You need to give feedback on time.

You need to understand your customers.

You need to keep the website updated.

You need to decide what the business wants the website to achieve.

A successful website is usually the result of collaboration between the person who understands the business and the person who understands how to build the website.

My Biggest Lesson From Building Websites

If I had to reduce everything I have learned about choosing a web designer to one principle, it would be this:

Don’t hire someone simply because they can design a website. Hire someone who understands what your website needs to do.

There is a difference.

A designer can create a beautiful homepage.

A web professional should also be thinking about:

• the visitor;
• the business objective;
• the content;
• mobile experience;
• navigation;
• speed;
• SEO;
• functionality;
• security;
• ownership;
• maintenance;
• what happens after launch.

That is what I have learned from actually working with websites rather than simply looking at them.

I’ve also learned that websites rarely remain exactly as they were on the day they launched.

Businesses change.

Content changes.

Technology changes.

Plugins change.

Search behaviour changes.

Your customers’ needs change.

So when you choose a web designer, don’t only ask:

“Can you build my website?”

Ask the bigger practical question:

“Can you help me build a website that I can actually use, manage and grow?”

That is the conversation I would want to have before paying a deposit.

Final Checklist: Before You Hire a Web Designer

Before making your final decision, make sure you can answer “yes” to most of these:

• I have seen the designer’s live websites.
• I have tested at least some of them on my phone.
• The designer has experience relevant to my project.
• The designer understands what my website needs to accomplish.
• The project scope is written down.
• I know what is included in the price.
• I know how revisions work.
• I know who supplies the content.
• I know which platform will be used.
• I know who controls my domain.
• I know who controls my hosting.
• I will have the appropriate website access.
• I know what SEO setup is included.
• I know how the website will be tested.
• I know what happens after launch.
• I know whether maintenance is available.
• I understand the payment terms.
• I know what happens if we stop working together.

If those questions are still unanswered, I would not rush into paying.

Take another conversation with the designer.

A few extra questions before the project can save you much bigger problems after the website is already online.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a web designer for the first time?

Start by looking at live websites the designer has built, preferably websites relevant to your type of project. Then discuss your business goals, project scope, platform, price, revisions, ownership, mobile testing and post-launch support before paying.

What should I look for in a web designer’s portfolio?

Don’t look only at colours and visual appearance. Visit the live websites. Test them on your phone. Check navigation, loading, forms, readability, functionality and whether the design makes sense for the business it represents.

Should I choose the cheapest web designer?

Price is one factor, but it should be compared with what is actually included. A cheaper quotation may not include content, SEO setup, testing, revisions, maintenance or other services you later need.

Should I hire a freelancer or a web design agency?

It depends on the project. A freelancer may be suitable for a straightforward website where you want direct communication. A larger or technically complicated project may require a team with several specialist skills.

What questions should I ask a web designer before hiring?

Ask about their relevant experience, live portfolio, process, platform, project scope, price, revisions, content responsibilities, mobile testing, SEO, website speed, ownership, access, maintenance and post-launch support.

Should I own my website domain?

You should understand who owns and controls the domain before the project starts. If someone else registers it for you, make sure you know how ownership, access, renewal and transfer will work.

What should be included in a web design contract?

The agreement should clearly describe the project scope, pages, functionality, content responsibilities, timeline, payment terms, revisions, additional work, ownership, access and post-launch support.

How important is mobile responsiveness?

Very important. A website should be tested on actual mobile devices rather than simply assumed to work because a page builder has a “responsive” setting.

Should a web designer provide SEO?

Ask what they mean by SEO. Basic website SEO may include page structure, headings, titles, descriptions, image optimization, clean URLs, sitemap and other technical foundations. Ongoing SEO and content marketing are separate services in many projects.

What happens after a website launches?

Ideally, you should already know this before the website is built. The designer may offer maintenance, security updates, backups, technical support or content changes, or you may choose to manage those responsibilities yourself.