What should a web design proposal include?

A summary of the client's situation and goals, the pages and features in scope, your process and the number of revision rounds, a phased timeline, two or three priced options, what you need from the client, and the payment and ownership terms.

How long should a web design proposal be?

For most small business sites, one to three pages is enough. It needs to define pages, scope and revision rounds clearly, and still be short enough that the client reads all of it.

How do I price a web design project?

Estimate the days each phase needs, multiply by your day rate and add a buffer for feedback. Present the total as two or three packages, and price extras such as new pages or additional revision rounds separately.

How many revisions should a web design proposal include?

Pick a number for each stage (wireframes, design, build) and write it down. Two rounds per stage is a reasonable starting point for small sites, with extra rounds charged at an hourly rate.

Who owns the website after the project?

Say so in the proposal and the contract. A common arrangement is that the client owns the design and content once paid in full, while themes, plugins, fonts and stock images stay under their own licences. For larger projects, check local rules or ask a lawyer to review the wording.

Do I need a contract as well as a proposal?

Yes, ideally. The proposal sells the project and sets out scope and price; a short agreement makes the terms binding. Send it once the client has chosen an option.

Can I use this template for Upwork or Freelancer.com bids?

Use the short bid version as your first message on a marketplace, then send the full proposal once the client replies and you've discussed the details.

Proposal template

Web design proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

A web design proposal should restate the client's goals, list the exact pages and features in scope, explain your design process and how many rounds of changes are included, and give a phased timeline with two or three priced options. Copy the template below, replace every [bracket] with the client's details and delete anything that doesn't apply.

The web design proposal template

Most web design projects are won on clarity. Clients want to know what they'll get, how many pages, how many rounds of changes, when the site goes live and what it costs. A vague proposal leads to scope creep, late payments and awkward conversations about "just one more page".

This template is written for freelance web designers working with small businesses, startups and agencies. It covers discovery, sitemap and wireframes, visual design, build, launch and handover, and it gives the client a choice of packages so the conversation is about which option, not whether to hire you.

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, prices and dates are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

Website design proposal for [Client business name]

Prepared for: [Client name], [Client business name]
Prepared by: [Your name], [portfolio link]
Date: [date]
Valid until: [date, e.g. 30 days from today]

1. Where you are now
[Client business name] [what the business does, in one sentence]. Your current website [the main problems you noticed: hard to update, slow on phones, out-of-date branding, no clear way to get in touch]. You'd like a site that [the outcome they described, in your words].

2. Goals
- [Goal 1, e.g. make it easy for visitors to request a quote from any page]
- [Goal 2, e.g. let your team update services and news without a developer]
- [Goal 3, e.g. reflect the new brand]
We'll know it's working when [a measure the client cares about, e.g. more quote requests through the site, checked in your analytics].

3. Scope of work
Platform: [WordPress / Webflow / Shopify / Squarespace / other], hosted on [host], with the domain and hosting accounts in your name.
Pages: [list, e.g. Home, About, Services overview, 4 service pages, Case studies, Contact, Blog listing and blog post template]
Features: [contact form, booking, newsletter sign-up, map, gallery, shop]
Included: mobile, tablet and desktop layouts; basic on-page SEO (page titles, meta descriptions, headings, image alt text); redirects from your old page addresses; analytics set-up; testing on current versions of [browsers and devices].
Not included: [copywriting / photography / logo design / loading more than X pages of content / paid themes or plugins]. These are available as add-ons.

4. Deliverables
- Sitemap and wireframes for the key pages
- [Number] design concept(s) for the home page, then designs for the inner page templates
- The built and tested website on a private staging link for your review
- Launch on your domain
- A [30-minute] training session or screen recording on editing your content
- All logins, design files and a short handover document

5. Timeline
Phase 1, discovery and sitemap: [X working days]
Phase 2, wireframes: [X working days], including [1] round of changes
Phase 3, visual design: [X working days], including [2] rounds of changes
Phase 4, build and content entry: [X working days]
Phase 5, testing and launch: [X working days]
Estimated total: [X weeks] from the deposit, assuming copy and images arrive by [date]. Each phase starts once you approve the previous one.

6. Investment
Option A, Essentials: [number] pages on a customised theme, contact form, [1] round of changes per stage. [price]
Option B, Standard (recommended): [number] pages with a custom design, blog, [2] rounds of changes per stage, training session. [price]
Option C, Growth: everything in B plus [shop / bookings / integrations / copywriting]. [price]
Optional care plan after launch: updates, backups, security monitoring and up to [X] small edits a month. [price] per month.

7. What I need from you
- Your logo, brand colours and fonts, or a note that these need creating
- Page copy and photos by [date], or approval to add copywriting
- Access to your current website, domain registrar and hosting
- One main contact who can give feedback and approve each stage within [X] working days

8. Terms
Payment: [X%] deposit to book the start date, [X%] on design approval, [X%] before launch.
Revisions: rounds as listed above. Extra rounds or new pages are quoted in writing before any work starts.
Ownership: once paid in full, you own the website design, your content and the finished site. Third-party themes, plugins, fonts and stock images stay under their own licences.
Delays: if feedback or content is more than [X] working days late, we agree a new launch date.
Support: bug fixes for [X days] after launch at no extra charge.

9. Next steps
1. Choose an option, or tell me what you'd like to adjust.
2. I'll send a short agreement and the deposit invoice.
3. We book a discovery call and start on [date].

[Your name]
[email] | [phone or messaging link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a web design proposal

Clients often compare several proposals side by side. The one that makes the finished site easy to picture usually stands out, even when it isn't the cheapest.

A short summary of the client's business and what's wrong with the current site, in your own words.
Goals you can check later: more enquiries, easier content updates, a site that works properly on phones, a brand refresh.
A sitemap: the exact pages in scope, for example Home, About, Services (and how many service pages), Contact and Blog.
Your process: discovery, wireframes, visual design, build, testing and launch, with the number of revision rounds at each stage.
Who writes the copy and supplies the photos. This is one of the most common causes of delays, so settle it in writing.
The platform (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, Squarespace or custom) and whose name the domain and hosting accounts are in.
Two or three priced packages, a payment schedule and what happens after launch.

How to define web design scope so the project doesn't creep

Scope creep in web design rarely arrives as one big request. It arrives as small ones: an extra page, a new section, a different font after sign-off. Agree the boundaries up front and the extras become paid change requests instead of arguments.

Name the deliverables precisely. Say how many page templates you'll design, how many pages you'll build or load with content, how many design concepts the client sees, which devices and browsers you test on and whether content entry is included.

Page templates versus pages: designing a blog post layout once is different from loading 40 old posts into it.
Revision rounds: state a number per stage, and an hourly rate for anything beyond it.
Sign-off gates: wireframes approved before visual design, design approved before build.
Content deadline: if copy and images arrive late, the launch date moves with them.
Speed and accessibility targets: say what you aim for and how you'll test it, for example WCAG 2.2 level AA and Google's Core Web Vitals "good" thresholds (Largest Contentful Paint of 2.5 seconds or less, Interaction to Next Paint of 200 milliseconds or less, Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less). Aim for them rather than guarantee them, because third-party scripts the client adds later can change the result.
Redesigns: include redirects from the old page addresses to the new ones, so the client doesn't lose search traffic they already have.

How to price web design work

Price most web design work per project, presented as packages for different sizes of site. Hourly billing suits small fixes and change requests, and a monthly care plan covers updates, backups and small edits after launch.

Work out your day rate first, then estimate the days each phase needs and add a buffer for feedback rounds. Presenting three options lets the client choose a level of investment instead of haggling over one number.

Number of unique page templates and total pages.
Custom design from scratch versus a customised theme or template.
E-commerce, bookings, memberships or multilingual content.
Integrations with the client's CRM, email platform, payment provider or booking system.
Copywriting, photography or logo work, if you're providing them.
Content migration from the old site and the redirects that go with it.
How quickly the client needs it live.

What web design clients worry about, and how your proposal answers it

A good proposal answers the questions the client is too busy, or too polite, to ask. Address these directly and you remove most of the reasons to delay.

"Can I edit it myself?" Say which parts they can edit and include a short training session or screen recording.
"Who owns it?" Say that they own the design and their content once paid in full, and that the domain and hosting are in their name.
"Will it work on phones?" Say you design and test mobile layouts, not just a shrunk desktop page.
"Will I lose my Google rankings?" For redesigns, include redirects and a check in Search Console after launch.
"What if you disappear?" Promise a handover with every login, design file and a short how-to document.

Web design proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up prices and dates.

Website design proposal for Harbour Lane Physio

Where you are now
Harbour Lane Physio runs two clinics from a website built several years ago. It's slow on phones, the booking link is hidden in the footer and only one person knows how to edit it.

Goals
- Booking an appointment is one tap from every page
- The front-desk team can update opening hours and staff profiles
- The site matches the new brand colours and logo

Scope
WordPress, 9 pages: Home, About, Treatments overview, 4 treatment pages, Team, Contact. A booking button on every page linked to your existing booking system. Redirects from all old page addresses.

Timeline
Discovery: 3 days. Wireframes: 4 days. Design: 7 days with 2 rounds of changes. Build and testing: 10 days. Launch in week 5, if copy arrives by the end of week 2.

Investment
A, theme-based design, 1 round of changes per stage: $1,800
B, custom design, 2 rounds per stage, training session: $2,900 (recommended)
C, everything in B plus copy for all 9 pages: $3,800
Care plan after launch: $90 per month

Terms
40% deposit, 30% on design approval, 30% before launch. You own the site once paid in full.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short web design bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

Your current site is hard to update and doesn't make it easy for visitors to [book / call / buy], so you need a redesign that looks like [their brand] and turns more visits into enquiries.

Here's how I'd approach it:
1. Map the pages and the one action each page should drive, then share wireframes for your feedback
2. Design the home page and inner page templates, with two rounds of changes
3. Build it on [platform], test it on phones and desktop, and launch with redirects from your old pages

[proof: a similar site you designed, with a link]

Quick question: will you supply the copy and photos, or would you like me to handle those too?

I can deliver this in [timeline] for [price], including a training session so your team can edit the site.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose web design clients

Quoting a price before you know the number of pages, templates and features.
Leaving copy and photos unassigned, then waiting weeks for content nobody owned.
Offering unlimited revisions, or not saying how many rounds are included at each stage.
Forgetting redirects from the old site's page addresses on a redesign, which can cost the client search traffic they already had.
Registering the domain or hosting in your own name, which leaves the client feeling locked in.
Pasting a long list of past sites instead of the two or three most like this client's project.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a web design proposal include?: A summary of the client's situation and goals, the pages and features in scope, your process and the number of revision rounds, a phased timeline, two or three priced options, what you need from the client, and the payment and ownership terms.
How long should a web design proposal be?: For most small business sites, one to three pages is enough. It needs to define pages, scope and revision rounds clearly, and still be short enough that the client reads all of it.
How do I price a web design project?: Estimate the days each phase needs, multiply by your day rate and add a buffer for feedback. Present the total as two or three packages, and price extras such as new pages or additional revision rounds separately.
How many revisions should a web design proposal include?: Pick a number for each stage (wireframes, design, build) and write it down. Two rounds per stage is a reasonable starting point for small sites, with extra rounds charged at an hourly rate.
Who owns the website after the project?: Say so in the proposal and the contract. A common arrangement is that the client owns the design and content once paid in full, while themes, plugins, fonts and stock images stay under their own licences. For larger projects, check local rules or ask a lawyer to review the wording.
Do I need a contract as well as a proposal?: Yes, ideally. The proposal sells the project and sets out scope and price; a short agreement makes the terms binding. Send it once the client has chosen an option.
Can I use this template for Upwork or Freelancer.com bids?: Use the short bid version as your first message on a marketplace, then send the full proposal once the client replies and you've discussed the details.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.

Proposal template

Web design proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

The web design proposal template

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, prices and dates are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

Website design proposal for [Client business name]

Prepared for: [Client name], [Client business name]
Prepared by: [Your name], [portfolio link]
Date: [date]
Valid until: [date, e.g. 30 days from today]

1. Where you are now
[Client business name] [what the business does, in one sentence]. Your current website [the main problems you noticed: hard to update, slow on phones, out-of-date branding, no clear way to get in touch]. You'd like a site that [the outcome they described, in your words].

2. Goals
- [Goal 1, e.g. make it easy for visitors to request a quote from any page]
- [Goal 2, e.g. let your team update services and news without a developer]
- [Goal 3, e.g. reflect the new brand]
We'll know it's working when [a measure the client cares about, e.g. more quote requests through the site, checked in your analytics].

3. Scope of work
Platform: [WordPress / Webflow / Shopify / Squarespace / other], hosted on [host], with the domain and hosting accounts in your name.
Pages: [list, e.g. Home, About, Services overview, 4 service pages, Case studies, Contact, Blog listing and blog post template]
Features: [contact form, booking, newsletter sign-up, map, gallery, shop]
Included: mobile, tablet and desktop layouts; basic on-page SEO (page titles, meta descriptions, headings, image alt text); redirects from your old page addresses; analytics set-up; testing on current versions of [browsers and devices].
Not included: [copywriting / photography / logo design / loading more than X pages of content / paid themes or plugins]. These are available as add-ons.

4. Deliverables
- Sitemap and wireframes for the key pages
- [Number] design concept(s) for the home page, then designs for the inner page templates
- The built and tested website on a private staging link for your review
- Launch on your domain
- A [30-minute] training session or screen recording on editing your content
- All logins, design files and a short handover document

5. Timeline
Phase 1, discovery and sitemap: [X working days]
Phase 2, wireframes: [X working days], including [1] round of changes
Phase 3, visual design: [X working days], including [2] rounds of changes
Phase 4, build and content entry: [X working days]
Phase 5, testing and launch: [X working days]
Estimated total: [X weeks] from the deposit, assuming copy and images arrive by [date]. Each phase starts once you approve the previous one.

6. Investment
Option A, Essentials: [number] pages on a customised theme, contact form, [1] round of changes per stage. [price]
Option B, Standard (recommended): [number] pages with a custom design, blog, [2] rounds of changes per stage, training session. [price]
Option C, Growth: everything in B plus [shop / bookings / integrations / copywriting]. [price]
Optional care plan after launch: updates, backups, security monitoring and up to [X] small edits a month. [price] per month.

7. What I need from you
- Your logo, brand colours and fonts, or a note that these need creating
- Page copy and photos by [date], or approval to add copywriting
- Access to your current website, domain registrar and hosting
- One main contact who can give feedback and approve each stage within [X] working days

8. Terms
Payment: [X%] deposit to book the start date, [X%] on design approval, [X%] before launch.
Revisions: rounds as listed above. Extra rounds or new pages are quoted in writing before any work starts.
Ownership: once paid in full, you own the website design, your content and the finished site. Third-party themes, plugins, fonts and stock images stay under their own licences.
Delays: if feedback or content is more than [X] working days late, we agree a new launch date.
Support: bug fixes for [X days] after launch at no extra charge.

9. Next steps
1. Choose an option, or tell me what you'd like to adjust.
2. I'll send a short agreement and the deposit invoice.
3. We book a discovery call and start on [date].

[Your name]
[email] | [phone or messaging link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a web design proposal

Clients often compare several proposals side by side. The one that makes the finished site easy to picture usually stands out, even when it isn't the cheapest.

A short summary of the client's business and what's wrong with the current site, in your own words.
Goals you can check later: more enquiries, easier content updates, a site that works properly on phones, a brand refresh.
A sitemap: the exact pages in scope, for example Home, About, Services (and how many service pages), Contact and Blog.
Your process: discovery, wireframes, visual design, build, testing and launch, with the number of revision rounds at each stage.
Who writes the copy and supplies the photos. This is one of the most common causes of delays, so settle it in writing.
The platform (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, Squarespace or custom) and whose name the domain and hosting accounts are in.
Two or three priced packages, a payment schedule and what happens after launch.

How to define web design scope so the project doesn't creep

Page templates versus pages: designing a blog post layout once is different from loading 40 old posts into it.
Revision rounds: state a number per stage, and an hourly rate for anything beyond it.
Sign-off gates: wireframes approved before visual design, design approved before build.
Content deadline: if copy and images arrive late, the launch date moves with them.
Speed and accessibility targets: say what you aim for and how you'll test it, for example WCAG 2.2 level AA and Google's Core Web Vitals "good" thresholds (Largest Contentful Paint of 2.5 seconds or less, Interaction to Next Paint of 200 milliseconds or less, Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less). Aim for them rather than guarantee them, because third-party scripts the client adds later can change the result.
Redesigns: include redirects from the old page addresses to the new ones, so the client doesn't lose search traffic they already have.

How to price web design work

Number of unique page templates and total pages.
Custom design from scratch versus a customised theme or template.
E-commerce, bookings, memberships or multilingual content.
Integrations with the client's CRM, email platform, payment provider or booking system.
Copywriting, photography or logo work, if you're providing them.
Content migration from the old site and the redirects that go with it.
How quickly the client needs it live.

What web design clients worry about, and how your proposal answers it

A good proposal answers the questions the client is too busy, or too polite, to ask. Address these directly and you remove most of the reasons to delay.

"Can I edit it myself?" Say which parts they can edit and include a short training session or screen recording.
"Who owns it?" Say that they own the design and their content once paid in full, and that the domain and hosting are in their name.
"Will it work on phones?" Say you design and test mobile layouts, not just a shrunk desktop page.
"Will I lose my Google rankings?" For redesigns, include redirects and a check in Search Console after launch.
"What if you disappear?" Promise a handover with every login, design file and a short how-to document.

Web design proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up prices and dates.

Website design proposal for Harbour Lane Physio

Where you are now
Harbour Lane Physio runs two clinics from a website built several years ago. It's slow on phones, the booking link is hidden in the footer and only one person knows how to edit it.

Goals
- Booking an appointment is one tap from every page
- The front-desk team can update opening hours and staff profiles
- The site matches the new brand colours and logo

Scope
WordPress, 9 pages: Home, About, Treatments overview, 4 treatment pages, Team, Contact. A booking button on every page linked to your existing booking system. Redirects from all old page addresses.

Timeline
Discovery: 3 days. Wireframes: 4 days. Design: 7 days with 2 rounds of changes. Build and testing: 10 days. Launch in week 5, if copy arrives by the end of week 2.

Investment
A, theme-based design, 1 round of changes per stage: $1,800
B, custom design, 2 rounds per stage, training session: $2,900 (recommended)
C, everything in B plus copy for all 9 pages: $3,800
Care plan after launch: $90 per month

Terms
40% deposit, 30% on design approval, 30% before launch. You own the site once paid in full.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short web design bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

Your current site is hard to update and doesn't make it easy for visitors to [book / call / buy], so you need a redesign that looks like [their brand] and turns more visits into enquiries.

Here's how I'd approach it:
1. Map the pages and the one action each page should drive, then share wireframes for your feedback
2. Design the home page and inner page templates, with two rounds of changes
3. Build it on [platform], test it on phones and desktop, and launch with redirects from your old pages

[proof: a similar site you designed, with a link]

Quick question: will you supply the copy and photos, or would you like me to handle those too?

I can deliver this in [timeline] for [price], including a training session so your team can edit the site.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose web design clients

Quoting a price before you know the number of pages, templates and features.
Leaving copy and photos unassigned, then waiting weeks for content nobody owned.
Offering unlimited revisions, or not saying how many rounds are included at each stage.
Forgetting redirects from the old site's page addresses on a redesign, which can cost the client search traffic they already had.
Registering the domain or hosting in your own name, which leaves the client feeling locked in.
Pasting a long list of past sites instead of the two or three most like this client's project.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a web design proposal include?: A summary of the client's situation and goals, the pages and features in scope, your process and the number of revision rounds, a phased timeline, two or three priced options, what you need from the client, and the payment and ownership terms.
How long should a web design proposal be?: For most small business sites, one to three pages is enough. It needs to define pages, scope and revision rounds clearly, and still be short enough that the client reads all of it.
How do I price a web design project?: Estimate the days each phase needs, multiply by your day rate and add a buffer for feedback. Present the total as two or three packages, and price extras such as new pages or additional revision rounds separately.
How many revisions should a web design proposal include?: Pick a number for each stage (wireframes, design, build) and write it down. Two rounds per stage is a reasonable starting point for small sites, with extra rounds charged at an hourly rate.
Who owns the website after the project?: Say so in the proposal and the contract. A common arrangement is that the client owns the design and content once paid in full, while themes, plugins, fonts and stock images stay under their own licences. For larger projects, check local rules or ask a lawyer to review the wording.
Do I need a contract as well as a proposal?: Yes, ideally. The proposal sells the project and sets out scope and price; a short agreement makes the terms binding. Send it once the client has chosen an option.
Can I use this template for Upwork or Freelancer.com bids?: Use the short bid version as your first message on a marketplace, then send the full proposal once the client replies and you've discussed the details.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.