HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH

How to hire a web designer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A web designer in Ireland costs €500–€5,000 per project, typically around €1,500. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a web designer in five steps

  1. Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers web designer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — content Management Systems (CMS) — web designers frequently work with CMS platforms like WordPress or Shopify to help clients manage their website content easily.
  2. How does complexity of the project change the price?Getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does designer's experience change the price?It changes the risk the provider is taking on. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does additional services like SEO or content creation change the price?It is the detail most people forget to mention when asking. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) — many web designers incorporate SEO best practices into their designs to improve site visibility — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a web designer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

NO REGISTER APPLIES. Anyone may trade as a designer, developer or marketer, and no qualification is required. Everything that protects you is in the contract, and the clause people forget is OWNERSHIP: without an assignment in writing the creator is the first owner of copyright in what they make, so you may be paying for a licence to use your own logo or website rather than for the thing itself.

Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.

What to check instead

Who owns the work on delivery, in writing — assignment, not just 'full rights'; What happens to the source files, the domain and the hosting account, named; The deliverables listed with a number — how many concepts, how many revisions; The milestones and what each payment is for; For ads, whether the spend is separate from the fee, and who holds the ad account; Two references from clients whose work you can actually see.

Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.

Insurance

Expect professional indemnity — for tech work, ask specifically about cyber cover. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.

Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.

Trader or private seller

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.

Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.

VAT

VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.

Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →

“Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?”

A good answer: No register covers web designer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — content Management Systems (CMS) — web designers frequently work with CMS platforms like WordPress or Shopify to help clients manage their website content easily.

“How does complexity of the project change the price?”

A good answer: Getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does designer's experience change the price?”

A good answer: It changes the risk the provider is taking on. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does additional services like SEO or content creation change the price?”

A good answer: It is the detail most people forget to mention when asking. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) — many web designers incorporate SEO best practices into their designs to improve site visibility — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a web designer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect professional indemnity — for tech work, ask specifically about cyber cover — user Experience (UX) Design — A crucial aspect of web design, UX design focuses on enhancing user satisfaction by improving usability and accessibility.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the web designer starts, and an itemised invoice after — content Management System (CMS) Setup — implementing user-friendly systems that allow clients to manage their website content without needing coding knowledge.

Getting the quote right

  • Complexity of the project — getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later.
  • Designer's experience — it changes the risk the provider is taking on.
  • Additional services like SEO or content creation — it is the detail most people forget to mention when asking.
  • Complexity of the site — it is worth getting a second opinion on before you commit.
  • In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
  • What is NOT included, named
  • Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register

Walk away if

  • They will not talk about it: complexity of the project — getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later
  • They will not talk about it: designer's experience — it changes the risk the provider is taking on
  • They will not talk about it: additional services like SEO or content creation — it is the detail most people forget to mention when asking
  • A price for the web designer before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
  • Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
  • No written quote, or one that moves once the web designer has begun
LOW
€500
TYPICAL
€1,500
HIGH
€5,000

What a web designer costs: €500–€5,000 per project

The figures are for the job, per project, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Responsive web design and E-commerce site design each carry their own band. Web Designer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Web designers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Look firstComplexity of the project — getting this clear up front avoids a change to the price later — that is what the web designer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneDesigner's experience — it changes the risk the provider is taking on — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfAdditional services like SEO or content creation — it is the detail most people forget to mention when asking — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherComplexity of the site — it is worth getting a second opinion on before you commit — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the web designer is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, features required — it changes the risk the provider is taking on.

User Experience (UX) Design
A crucial aspect of web design, UX design focuses on enhancing user satisfaction by improving usability and accessibility.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Many web designers incorporate SEO best practices into their designs to improve site visibility.
Content Management Systems (CMS)
Web designers frequently work with CMS platforms like WordPress or Shopify to help clients manage their website content easily.
E-commerce Site Design
Designing online stores that facilitate product sales, including shopping cart functionality and secure payment processing.
UI/UX Design
Focusing on user interface and user experience to enhance the usability and satisfaction of a website.
Landing Page Design
Crafting specific pages designed for marketing campaigns that drive conversions and capture leads.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — content Management Systems (CMS) — web designers frequently work with CMS platforms like WordPress or Shopify to help clients manage their website content easily, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the web designer has gone.
Test what was doneSearch Engine Optimisation (SEO) — many web designers incorporate SEO best practices into their designs to improve site visibility — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. user Experience (UX) Design — A crucial aspect of web design, UX design focuses on enhancing user satisfaction by improving usability and accessibility — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a web designer's card means something — content Management System (CMS) Setup — implementing user-friendly systems that allow clients to manage their website content without needing coding knowledge.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itThere is no register, so the route is the consumer body and, if needed, the courts.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a web designer: questions people ask

The cost can vary based on the complexity of the project, the designer's experience, and additional services like SEO or content creation. Custom features and integrations also drive up costs.

The duration depends on the project's scope, ranging from a few weeks for simple sites to several months for complex projects. Factors like client feedback and revisions can also affect timelines.

For most projects, a general web designer is sufficient. However, if your project requires specific expertise, such as e-commerce or advanced SEO, a specialist may be beneficial.

Yes, many web designers offer bundled services, such as branding and SEO, which can provide a comprehensive solution for your online presence. This can also lead to cost savings.

Web designers usually do not handle ongoing website maintenance, digital marketing, or technical support after the project completion. However, many can recommend specialists for these services.

NO REGISTER APPLIES. Anyone may trade as a designer, developer or marketer, and no qualification is required. Everything that protects you is in the contract, and the clause people forget is OWNERSHIP: without an assignment in writing the creator is the first owner of copyright in what they make, so you may be paying for a licence to use your own logo or website rather than for the thing itself.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in marketing, design & tech

How to hire: Web DeveloperHow to hire: WordPress DeveloperHow to hire: E-commerce DeveloperHow to hire: Shopify ExpertHow to hire: App DeveloperHow to hire: iOS DeveloperHow to hire: Android DeveloperHow to hire: Software DeveloperAll 701 hiring guides →

Web designers near you

Web designers in DublinWeb designers in CorkWeb designers in GalwayWeb designers in LimerickAll web designers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000
  2. CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  4. Courts Service — small claims
  5. Revenue — GRAPHIC DESIGNERS (Supply of a Service) — Standard rate
  6. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  7. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only