GUIDE • 2025 EDITION

largest web design companies

Q: What about ownership and exit strategies?

Confirm code and content ownership before signing. Congero allows exporting static HTML/CSS and you retain ownership of your content; large agencies may use proprietary systems—get export terms in writing.

Everything you need to know about the biggest web design agencies — services, pricing, pros & cons, and when a fast AI-powered option like Congero is the smarter choice for small businesses.

COMPARE NOW EVALUATION CHECKLIST

What counts as the "largest" web design companies?

"Largest" typically refers to agencies with large teams, multi-million-dollar annual revenues, enterprise clients, global offices, and a full-service offering (strategy, UX/UI, development, integrations, digital marketing). These agencies handle complex builds, custom engineering, and long-term digital transformation projects.

Enterprise-level architecture & scalability
Dedicated account teams, project managers and SLA guarantees
Custom integrations (ERP, CRM, payment gateways)
Higher price points and longer timelines

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Why companies choose the largest web design firms

Large agencies bring process, scale and reassurance for high-stakes projects. But these benefits come with trade-offs you should understand before signing a multi-year retainer.

Deep technical teams

Front-end, back-end, QA, DevOps and security specialists for bespoke builds and integrations.

Enterprise governance

Formal processes, SLAs and compliance workflows for regulated industries and multi-region rollouts.

Brand and experience design

In-house creative teams that deliver high-fidelity UX, motion design and polished visual systems.

The hidden costs of hiring the biggest agencies

Price: Projects often start at tens of thousands and can run into six or seven figures for enterprise builds.
Time: Discovery, design, development and approvals make timelines measured in months, not days.
Ongoing fees: Retainers, support tiers and change requests add recurring expenses.
Flexibility: Small changes can require change orders and project scoping.
Lock-in risk: Proprietary tooling, complex integrations and long contracts can make switching expensive.

When the big agency is the right choice

Choose a large agency if you need heavy engineering, enterprise integrations, tight compliance or a multi-country launch with formal SLAs. For local trades and most small businesses, this level of investment is often unnecessary.

SMART ALTERNATIVE

An alternative for small businesses: Congero

Congero is Australia’s AI-first web design agency built for trades and service businesses who need results fast and at predictable cost. Instead of long proposals and big invoices, Congero builds and maintains a professional, SEO-optimised website in under 60 seconds for $49/month.

Live in 60 seconds via WhatsApp demo
All-inclusive $49/month (domain, hosting, SSL, analytics)
Unlimited text-in updates — no extra fees
Built-in local SEO and monthly insights

TRY CONGERO DEMO COMPARE COSTS

Cost & Time — Large Agencies vs Congero

A quick comparison to help decide which route makes sense for your business and budget.

Largest Agencies

Typical pricing: $25,000 → $250,000+

Timeline: 3 → 12+ months

Best for: Enterprise digital transformation, complex integrations, high compliance needs.

Mid-size Agencies

Typical pricing: $8,000 → $50,000

Timeline: 1 → 4 months

Best for: Established SMBs needing custom designs and some integrations.

Congero (AI-First)

Pricing: $49/month all-inclusive

Timeline: Live preview in under 60 seconds

Best for: Trades, local service businesses, and any owner who wants a professional, SEO-optimised site without the wait.

HIRE SMART

Practical checklist to evaluate large web design companies

Use this when you need to compare proposals from big agencies.

Portfolio & case studies — look for relevant industry experience and measurable results (traffic, leads, revenue uplift).
Team & capacity — who will be assigned to your project and can they scale if needed?
Technology & ownership — which CMS, hosting stack, and code ownership terms are offered? Ask for export capabilities.
SEO & performance plan — request a specific strategy for local SEO, speed optimisation, and ongoing growth.
Support SLAs & change process — how are updates handled, and what are hourly or retainer rates for post-launch changes?
Security & compliance — data handling, backups, accessibility and any industry-specific certifications.
Contract length & exit terms — watch for long lock-in clauses and expensive exit fees.

Quick tip

If the agency won’t provide clear timelines, a scoped breakdown or references, treat that as a red flag. Transparency matters more than marketing gloss.

SEO & long-term ranking: what really moves the needle

Bigger agencies can deliver strategic SEO programs, but the fundamentals still win: relevant content, local schema, correct meta tags and consistent NAP. Congero includes built-in local SEO and schema out of the box, so small businesses get the basics done correctly from day one.

Content & relevance

High-quality, people-first pages targeted to user intent outperform thin marketing copy, no matter who builds the site.

Technical SEO

Site speed, mobile UX, structured data and crawlability are table stakes. Large agencies often excel here — but Congero automates the essentials for local businesses.

Local presence

Consistent NAP, Google Business Profile optimisation and local landing pages are what gets trades & services visible in “near me” searches.

Who should choose the largest agencies vs who should choose Congero

Pick a large agency if you:

Need complex backend integrations (ERP/CRM)
Have multi-region compliance or enterprise SLAs
Require bespoke engineering and long-term digital transformation

Pick Congero if you:

Are a local tradesperson or service business who needs leads fast
Want predictable cost and unlimited small updates
Prefer a simple text-based update flow and built-in local SEO

SEE A 60-SECOND DEMO

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about large agencies and AI-first alternatives.

How much do the largest web design companies charge?

Large agencies typically charge from $25,000 to over $250,000 depending on scope, integrations and enterprise requirements. Expect multi-month timelines and ongoing retainers for support and marketing.

Can an AI-first agency match the quality of a large agency?

For local businesses and small-to-medium service providers, yes. AI-first services like Congero deliver professional, mobile-responsive, SEO-optimised websites quickly and at a fraction of the cost. For deeply custom enterprise systems, large agencies remain the appropriate choice.

What about ownership and exit strategies?

Always confirm code and content ownership before signing. Congero lets you export static HTML/CSS and you own your content. Large agencies sometimes use proprietary systems that make exit harder—get export terms in writing.

Compare the largest web design companies vs Congero — risk-free

Try a free demo with no credit card and see a live, SEO-optimised website preview for your business in under 60 seconds.

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All-inclusive $49/month • Domain, hosting, SSL & unlimited updates • Cancel anytime

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