Practical Guide — 2025

cost to redesign website

A clear, actionable guide to the factors that determine redesign costs and how to budget effectively while improving SEO and design.

Whether you're refreshing visuals, moving platforms, or rebuilding for conversions—understanding scope, platform, SEO work and ongoing costs stops surprises. This guide breaks costs down, gives realistic ranges for 2025, and provides checklists and budget-first strategies you can use today.

See Cost Ranges See How It Works

$1.5k–$10k+

Typical redesign cost (SMB)

24–90 hrs

Average delivery time (depending on scope)

60–80%

Traffic that is mobile for most local businesses

$49/mo

All-inclusive subscription that removes big upfront fees

In this guide

What affects redesign cost Real-world cost ranges How to budget (step-by-step) Improve SEO & design during redesign Cost-saving strategies Choosing a vendor Ready-to-use checklist FAQs

What determines the cost to redesign a website?

A website redesign isn't a single line item—it's a bundle of choices. Below are the primary cost drivers to estimate correctly and avoid surprises.

Scope of work

Are you refreshing visuals on three pages or rebuilding a 50-page site? Full rebuilds that change architecture, templates, and content will cost significantly more than cosmetic updates.

Minor refresh: layout tweaks, new images, colour update
Partial redesign: homepage + key service pages
Full redesign: templates, content migration, new CMS or platform

Platform & technology

Moving between platforms (e.g., legacy CMS to WordPress, or to a managed subscription platform) adds migration costs. Custom-coded sites require more developer hours than template-based or subscription services.

Migration cost drivers: CMS differences, URL redirects, plugin compatibility, and structured-data changes.

Design complexity & custom assets

Custom illustrations, bespoke templates, and unique animations increase design hours. Stock-photo swaps and template-based themes reduce cost.

SEO and content work

Redesigns are a perfect time to improve SEO—but proper SEO adds cost: keyword research, content rewriting, on-page optimisation, schema markup, and redirect planning. Skipping this risks traffic drops after launch.

Integrations & custom functionality

Booking systems, CRMs, payment gateways or custom APIs add development time. Each integration should be scoped and costed separately.

Hosting, security & performance

Faster hosting, CDN setup, SSL certificates, and caching deliver better UX and SEO but carry ongoing fees. Budget for performance optimisation if conversions matter.

Ongoing maintenance & updates

Decide whether updates will be included in a subscription or billed hourly. Unlimited update plans remove surprise invoices and are easier to budget for small businesses.

Realistic cost ranges for 2025

Below are typical project examples to help you benchmark your budget. Actual cost depends on the factors above.

Small refresh

$900–$2,000

Good for cosmetic changes: new hero, updated copy, image refresh and minor speed work.

3–6 pages
1–2 design templates
Basic SEO fixes

Medium redesign

$2,500–$7,500

Full homepage redesign, service page templates, content editing and SEO work. Often used by growing local businesses.

Up to 20 pages
SEO + content rewrite included
Minor integrations

Large / custom rebuild

$8,000–$30,000+

Complex builds with custom integrations, migrations, multi-language support or heavy eCommerce functionality.

50+ pages or custom CMS
Advanced integrations & performance tuning
Dedicated dev & QA time

How to read these ranges

These ranges assume professional involvement (designer + developer + SEO). If you opt for a subscription-style provider you may see lower upfront cost and predictable monthly pricing (for example $30–$49/month with no hefty design fee).

How to budget for a redesign: step-by-step

1. Define the primary goal and KPIs

Is the redesign for more leads, better branding, faster load times, or migration? Set 1–3 measurable KPIs (e.g., increase contact form conversions by 30% in 3 months).

2. Audit current site (content, analytics, SEO)

Identify high-performing pages, traffic sources, and pages to preserve. Audits reduce risk of traffic loss and inform scope.

Deliverables to request: content inventory, 404 list, top 10 landing pages, organic keywords and performance report.

3. Prioritise pages and features (MVP approach)

Start with the pages that drive revenue (home, services, contact). Phase advanced features (e.g., client portal, blogs or multi-language) to spread cost over time.

4. Ask for itemised quotes & timelines

Get quotes that separate design, development, SEO, migration, and ongoing maintenance. Itemised quotes make it easy to cut or defer features.

5. Build a 3-part budget

Use these buckets:

One-off costs: design, development, migration
Monthly costs: hosting, subscriptions, analytics, CDN
Contingency (10–20%): unexpected fixes, SEO follow-up

6. Consider subscription & managed options

Subscription models (e.g., $30–$49/month) eliminate large upfront design fees and include hosting, SSL and unlimited updates. This can be the lowest-risk option for many small businesses.

Practical SEO & design improvements to include in your redesign

SEO-first checklist

Keyword mapping for top service pages
Preserve or 301-redirect high-value URLs
Improve title tags, meta descriptions, H1s
Add structured data (LocalBusiness, FAQ, Product where relevant)
Set up Search Console, submit sitemap after launch
Monitor organic traffic for 90 days after launch

Design & UX priorities

Mobile-first layout and tap targets
Clear conversion paths (CTA on every page)
Faster images (WebP, correct dimensions, lazy-loading)
Readable typography and accessible colours
Test with real users or coworkers before launch

Performance & security

PageSpeed targets: mobile < 3s, aim for 90+ score
Use CDN, caching and minified assets
Always enable HTTPS and set HSTS headers

Analytics & tracking

Install Google Analytics 4 + verify goal tracking
Tag important CTAs with UTM to measure campaigns
Set up event tracking for form submissions and phone clicks

Pro tip: combine SEO and UX work in the same sprint—improving copy for keywords often improves conversions.

Cost-saving strategies that don’t hurt results

Phase the project

Start with an MVP (homepage, top service pages, contact). Launch fast, then add lower-priority pages in later sprints.

Use a managed subscription

Subscription services can remove upfront design fees and bundle hosting, updates and security for a predictable monthly price—often cheaper in year one.

Reuse and repurpose content

Audit existing copy and images—rewrite the best-performing pages instead of starting from scratch.

Bundle updates

Group routine updates into monthly batches to reduce hourly charges or take advantage of unlimited update plans.

How to choose a vendor without overpaying

What to request in a proposal

Itemised cost breakdown (design, dev, SEO, migration)
Delivery milestones and acceptance criteria
Post-launch support window and fees
References and case studies

Red flags to avoid

Vague scope or open-ended hours
Promises of guaranteed rankings without work
Lock-in contracts without clear exit terms
Unclear ownership of site content and domain

Shortlist 2–3 vendors, give them the same scope, then compare line-by-line. Cheaper is not always better—look for clarity and guarantees around SEO preservation and redirects.

Redesign checklist (copy this into your brief)

Goals & KPIs: Conversion goals, traffic targets
Inventory: List of pages, assets, top-performing content
SEO tasks: Keyword mapping, redirect plan, schema needs
Design scope: Templates required, custom assets, brand kit
Integrations: CRM, booking, payment, APIs
Performance: PageSpeed targets, hosting requirements
Post-launch checks: Analytics setup, Search Console, 301s validated
Support: Who handles updates, SLA for fixes, monthly cost
Budget: One-off + monthly + contingency

Use this checklist to get comparable quotes and keep the project on time and on budget.

Frequently asked questions

Will a redesign hurt my SEO?

Not if it's planned. Keep an SEO audit, map existing URLs, implement 301 redirects, preserve title/meta tags where appropriate and monitor traffic for 90 days post-launch.

Is cheaper always worse?

Cheaper may save upfront cost but often results in technical debt, slower speed, or missed SEO tasks. Look for clear scopes and included deliverables rather than lowest price alone.

How long should I expect a redesign to take?

Small refresh: 1–2 weeks. Medium redesign: 3–6 weeks. Large rebuild: 2–4+ months. Timelines depend on approvals, content readiness, and integrations.

Can I avoid downtime during migration?

Yes. A proper migration uses staging environments, tests redirects, and schedules DNS cutovers during low-traffic windows to minimise disruption.

Ready to plan your redesign budget?

Use a scoped brief, get itemised quotes, and prioritise SEO and mobile experience. If you want predictable pricing and no surprise fees, consider subscription-style options that include hosting, updates and local SEO.

See How It Works Compare Options

Not sure where to start? Begin with an audit: list your top 10 pages by traffic and conversion—this immediately shows where to invest for the best ROI.