Redesigning a web platform is like renovating a house: you’re not starting from scratch, but you’re making significant changes to improve functionality, aesthetics, and usability. It’s a chance to fix what’s broken, polish what works, and introduce new features that enhance the user experience. But before diving into the exciting world of layouts, colors, and UX flows, there’s a critical question to answer: how much will it cost?
Spoiler alert: there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The cost of redesigning a web platform depends on several factors, from the size of the project to the tools and skills you need. Let’s break it down.
Avoid going in blind and start with your business goals
Ask yourself: Why does my platform need a redesign? Is it because users are struggling to navigate? Maybe it’s lagging behind competitors or looking outdated on mobile. One client I worked with realized their platform wasn’t converting users into buyers because the checkout process was clunky. For them, the redesign wasn’t optional—it was survival.
Having clarity on your “why” shapes the entire process. It influences the budget, timeline, and priorities.
Steps to a better platform
Here’s a short version of our process to give you context for pricing:
Decide
Once business goals are clear, collaboratively decide on the best approach forward to start a project.
Strategize & Research
This phase involves talking to users, analyzing analytics, and identifying what’s working—and what isn’t. For instance, if users constantly click “Help” to find basic features, that’s a red flag. With the right context you can decide on solutions that will fix problems.
Design your improvements
This is where the vision takes shape. Designers sketch and design how the platform will look and function. Prototypes are like testing a recipe before you bake the whole cake, it allows feedback early, which saves time (and headaches) later.
Build the digital product
Developers step in to code the new design, ensure everything works smoothly, and integrate it with existing systems.
Demo it, and iterate
Test and collect feedback to improve your platform through iteration, both with your team, the client and potential users. Launching your new platform in a phased manner ensures happy users. It’s like trying out a new menu item at a café—you want to be sure people like it before you make it permanent and available for all.
Grow
Once your new platform is in place, ensure a recurring process to keep improving and adding value to help your customers, and thus helping your company.
How we calculate the costs for your platform
Costs can vary widely depending on your requirements and scope. A basic redesign might run $25,000 to $50,000, while a comprehensive overhaul for a complex platform could climb to $100,000 or more. Here are the main factors:
Skills and services
If your platform is in need of a new brand identity, research, user-backed decision making, improving the visual language and re-building it in a modern tech stack, costs can go up. Discuss upfront what adds the most value to your business to ensure you invest in the right type of service. The more skills or services you need, the more investment it requires.
Features and scope
Sometimes it might not feel like it, but adding sophisticated tools like search filters, integrations, or animations can increase costs. A good question to ask yourself is if you can achieve 80% of the same success without complex features. I often advise to start small and expand gradually. For example, you can start with 1 or 2 sprints with a limited scope to test the waters before going all in. Features and scope is the biggest factor on the pricing of a project, so be vigilant.
Timelines
Businesses prefer everything to be done yesterday, and I get that because you know something is wrong that needs to be fixed. It pays off to take your time and make future proof decisions instead of rushing. When time is really of the essence, resources can be shifted at a cost.
Hidden costs add 20%
Here’s a secret: redesigns often cost more than expected. Along the way, priorities may shift, new features emerge, or unforeseen hurdles arise. Adding 20% to your budget for hidden costs is a smart move.
Wrapping up
Redesigning a web platform is an investment, not just in money but in the future of your business. That also makes it a no brainer to do right and think hard on what makes the most impact for every dollar you spend. What features are key to success and what services are required to achieve it? Does it really need to be finished this month, or is the next quarter fine too? Oh, and then add 20% to your budget to ensure quality is of the highest standard.
It’s no small feat, but when done right? That fresh look, better functionality, and streamlined user experience feels like sipping the perfect flat white—worth every penny. ☕
Feel free to reach out to us to chat on that redesign you’ve been thinking about for a while. We can help you define a perfect project that has real impact.
