Disclosure: Fiverr is a FreelanceMile partner, and that partnership affects where it appears in this guide. Some links are affiliate links, so I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The pros, cons and fees for every platform, including Fiverr, are my honest take.
The best places to hire a freelance web designer are Fiverr for fixed-price packages, Toptal for pre-vetted talent, and Upwork when you want to compare many proposals.
Most Upwork web designers charge $15 to $30 an hour, and a 5 to 10 page business site usually costs $1,500 to $5,000, according to Upwork.
Key takeaways
- Pick the site by project size. Fiverr for small fixed jobs, Toptal for vetted or ongoing work, Upwork to compare bids, Codeable for WordPress.
- Budget by project, not just by hour. Upwork lists $300 to $1,500 for a landing page and $3,000 to $10,000 for an e-commerce site.
- Add the platform fee. Most sites below add a client fee on top of the designer’s price, from 2% on Dribbble to 17.5% on Codeable.
- Own your site. Keep the domain, hosting and admin logins in your name, and get copyright terms in writing.
- Hire on proof. When I hire freelancers, ratings, recent reviews and past work drive about 80% of my decision.
Where can I hire a freelance web designer?
Here are 7 sites I’d use in 2026, ranked by how easy they make hiring for a small business. Fees are what you pay as the client, checked on each official page.
I’ve used Toptal Marketplace as a marketer, and I recruit and screen freelancers on Upwork. So I’ve seen hiring from both sides.
1. Fiverr: best for fixed-price website packages
Designers list packages with a set price, delivery time and number of revisions. You can compare portfolios and reviews before you message anyone.
Fees: Fiverr adds a service fee of 5.5% of your purchase, plus $3.50 on orders under $200. Each extra or tip gets its own fee.
Best for: landing pages, small business sites, WordPress or Shopify fixes, and redesigns with a clear scope.
2. Toptal: best for pre-vetted designers
Toptal says fewer than 3% of the 200,000+ people who apply each year make it into its network. A matcher sends you candidates instead of you sorting bids.
Toptal says you can typically hire in about 48 hours, with a no-risk trial of up to two weeks.
Fees: Toptal’s FAQ lists a flat $79 monthly subscription if you proceed with matching. It doesn’t publish rates, so ask for a quote.
Best for: web apps, product design, and ongoing work where quality matters more than price.
3. Upwork: best for comparing many proposals
Post a job and designers send proposals. Upwork says clients rate its web designers 4.8 out of 5, based on 113,695 reviews.
Fees: Upwork’s client pricing page lists a 5% fee on the Basic plan (3% for eligible U.S. clients paying by checking account), plus a one-time contract fee of $0.99 to $14.99.
Its help center says the Basic fee can be up to 7.99%, so check the total before you fund a contract.
4. Codeable: best for WordPress sites
Codeable only works with vetted WordPress developers. You post a project, get an estimate, and the funds stay in escrow until the task is done.
Fees: Codeable adds a 17.5% service fee on top of the expert’s estimate, and the total is locked once you hire.
5. Dribbble: best for finding a design style you love
Browse real portfolio shots, then send a proposal to the designer. Dribbble holds your payment until the project is final.
Fees: free to hire a freelancer, with a 2% to 5% platform fee scaled by project size. Posting a job costs $150 a month.
6. Contra: best for independent designers with their own clients
Contra lets independent designers share portfolios, sign contracts and send invoices in one place. Contra is commission-free for freelancers.
A client payment fee may apply, depending on the designer’s plan, so check current pricing on its page before you pay.
7. Freelancer.com: best for tight budgets
You post a project and get bids fast. Freelancer.com charges employers 3% or $3, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects, and 3% on hourly payments.
Card and PayPal payments add $0.30 plus 2.3%. Expect to screen a lot of bids.
How much does a freelance web designer cost?
On Upwork, most web designers charge $15 to $30 per hour. Project prices from Upwork:
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| Project | Typical cost on Upwork | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page | $300 to $1,500 | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Business website (5 to 10 pages) | $1,500 to $5,000 | 4 to 8 weeks |
| E-commerce website | $3,000 to $10,000 | Check with the designer |
| Custom web app | $5,000 to $15,000+ | 3+ months for complex builds |
| Website redesign | $1,000 to $5,000 | Check with the designer |
For a U.S. salary benchmark, BLS lists a 2025 median pay of $99,520 per year ($47.85 per hour) for web developers and digital designers.
What do in-house web designers earn?
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| Role (U.S., May 2025) | Median annual wage | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Web and digital interface designers | $104,000 | BLS |
| Web developers | $92,650 | BLS |
| Web developers and digital designers (all) | $99,520 (2025 median pay) | BLS |
BLS wage data leaves out self-employed workers. It says 13% of web and digital interface designers are self-employed, so freelance rates can sit well above or below these figures.
Freelance vs agency vs in-house: which is right for you?
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer on a platform | One site, a redesign or fixes | You manage the project yourself |
| Vetted network (Toptal, Codeable) | Complex or ongoing work | Higher rates; ask for a quote |
| Agency | Design, dev and marketing in one team | Highest cost and longer timelines |
| In-house hire | Constant website work | Salary, benefits and hiring time |
Hiring abroad can cut costs. Our guide to where most freelancers live shows which countries have the biggest talent pools.
How do you hire a freelance web designer?
Follow these steps in order. They save most of the back-and-forth.
Write a one-page brief
List your goal, pages, must-have features, three sites you like, your budget and your deadline. Clear briefs get clearer quotes.
Shortlist on proof
Look for live sites in their portfolio, recent reviews and mobile examples. Skip anyone with no portfolio.
Ask for a fixed quote and timeline
Ask what’s included: pages, revisions, plugins, speed work and launch help. Vague timelines are a red flag, per Upwork.
Start with a paid test or milestone
Fund the first milestone only, such as the homepage design. Release more money as each part is approved.
Sign a contract before work starts
Cover scope, payment, revisions, deadlines and who owns the design files. A designer who won’t sign is a red flag.
Get access and files at handover
Make sure you get admin logins, design files and a short guide to updating the site yourself.
What should you check before you pay a web designer?
These points protect your business long after the site launches.
- Domain in your name. Buy the domain yourself and give the designer access, not the other way round.
- Hosting in your name. Keep the hosting account and billing under your email.
- Admin access. You should hold the main admin login for WordPress, Shopify, Webflow or any other platform.
- Analytics and tags. Ask them to connect Google Analytics and Tag Manager to your own accounts.
- Mobile and speed. Test the site on your own phone before final payment.
- Backups. Ask how backups work and where they’re stored.
Who owns the website design?
Not always you. The U.S. Copyright Office says commissioned work counts as a “work made for hire” only in certain categories, and only with a written agreement signed by both sides.
If that doesn’t apply, the designer may keep the copyright. Put the transfer of rights and source files in your contract.
Do you need to file a 1099 for a freelancer?
In the U.S., possibly. The IRS says the Form 1099-NEC threshold is $2,000 for payments made in 2026 ($600 for payments made before 2026).
Ask your accountant how this applies when you pay through a platform.
What are the red flags when hiring a web designer?
- No portfolio, or only mockups and no live sites
- Vague timelines or no clear list of what’s included
- Won’t sign a contract
- No mobile examples
- Asks you to pay outside the platform
- Missed deadlines on the first milestone
Want to compare the platforms in more depth? See our best freelance websites guide. Need a logo or brand kit too? Read how to hire a freelance graphic designer.
FAQ
How much does it cost to hire a web designer for a small business?
On Upwork, a 5 to 10 page business website typically costs $1,500 to $5,000. A single landing page is $300 to $1,500.
How long does it take to build a website?
Upwork says a landing page takes 1 to 2 weeks and a business website 4 to 8 weeks. Complex sites can take 3 months or more.
Should I hire a web designer or a web developer?
A designer plans the look and layout, and a developer builds the code. Many freelancers do both for small sites, so ask which parts they handle.
Is it safe to hire a web designer online?
Safer when you pay through the platform, use milestones and keep your domain and hosting in your name. Never pay a stranger outside the site.
Sources (checked 24 October 2026)
- Upwork: Hire web designers ($15-$30/hr, project costs, timelines, 4.8/5 from 113,695 reviews, red flags)
- Upwork: Client pricing (5% Basic, 3% eligible U.S., $0.99-$14.99 contract fee) and Client Marketplace Fee (up to 7.99%)
- Fiverr Help: Paying for orders (5.5% service fee, $3.50 under $200)
- Toptal: Hire designers (top 3%, 200,000+ applicants, about 48 hours, two-week trial) and Toptal FAQ ($79 monthly subscription)
- Codeable and Codeable fees (WordPress only, 17.5% fee, escrow)
- Dribbble: Hiring (2-5% platform fee, $150/month job post)
- Contra: Pricing (commission-free for freelancers)
- Freelancer.com: Fees and charges (3% or $3, card fees)
- BLS: Web developers and digital designers (2025 median pay, May 2025 wages, 13% self-employed)
- U.S. Copyright Office: Circular 30, Works Made for Hire
- IRS: Am I required to file a Form 1099? ($2,000 for 2026 payments)
What to do next
Write your one-page brief today, then post it on one platform and shortlist three designers with live sites you like. Once the site is live, our guide to hiring a PPC freelancer covers the next step: paid traffic.
