Freelance web designer or agency: which is right for your website?
Choose an independent designer if you want to work directly with the person who designs your site, with a controlled budget and a well-defined project, like a brochure site, a redesign or an interface. Choose an agency if you need many profiles at the same time or large volumes. In the end, your project decides.
The comparison, criterion by criterion
I’m independent, so I’m bound to be a little biased. That’s why I put the limits of working with a freelancer in the table too.
| Criterion | Independent | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Point of contact | The person who designs your site, from start to finish. | A project manager, who relays to the designers and developers. |
| Price | Usually a lower hourly rate: $50 to $120 an hour in Quebec. | Higher, $100 to $250 an hour: it also covers the agency’s overhead. |
| Timelines | Depend on one person’s schedule. Set them from the start. | Several people can work in parallel. |
| Flexibility | Quick decisions, adjustments without going through a process. | A more structured process. Changes are often quoted separately. |
| Capacity | Limited. Supplemented by freelancers for copywriting or development. | Broad: design, development and marketing under one roof. |
| Follow-up | The same person before and after launch. | A dedicated team, sometimes different from the design team. |
| Continuity | If they’re unavailable, the project waits. Ask how that’s handled. | An absent team member can be replaced. |
When to choose an agency
- You need many profiles at the same time: design, development, copywriting, ad campaigns.
- The project is very large, or must be delivered fast with several people working in parallel.
- You want a single contract for the website, marketing and maintenance over several years.
When to choose an independent designer
- You want to talk to the person who designs your site, not to a go-between.
- The project is clear: a brochure site, a redesign, an interface, a design system.
- You want a controlled budget, without paying for an agency’s overhead.
- You value follow-up after launch, by someone who knows your site.
And where do I fit in?
I’m an independent UX/UI & Webflow designer in Montreal, and I’ve chosen to stay that way: it lets me choose my projects and follow them closely. I lead them from thinking through the offer to launching on Webflow, and I bring in freelancers when custom development or copywriting is needed. If your project needs an agency, I’ll tell you honestly on the first call.
See my services