( guide · choosing )
How to choose a web design studio.
By Aaryaman, founder of EVOKE ·
Choose a web design studio by its live work, not its pitch. Open three of its sites on your phone, then ask who will actually design and build yours, how the price and timeline are set, and who owns the site afterwards. A studio suits brands that want one small team on the whole job; an agency suits large, multi-channel programmes; a freelancer suits small, clear jobs.
What should you look at first?
The live sites, on your own phone. Screenshots flatter; a live site shows whether it loads quickly, whether it looks like the brand or like a theme, and whether the work holds up where most people will see it. Look for range within a clear point of view: if every site looks the same, you are looking at a template.
Studio, agency or freelancer?
A studio is a small team that designs, writes and builds the work itself, so the people on the first call are the people doing the job. An agency is larger, covers more channels and usually has account managers between you and the makers. A freelancer is one person, often excellent within one skill. None is better in general; the question is which matches the size and shape of your project.
| Studio | Agency | Freelancer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who you talk to | The people making the work | Usually an account manager | The person making the work |
| Range of skills | Several, in one small team | Many, across departments | Usually one or two |
| Best for | Brand, site and film made as one | Large, multi-channel programmes | Small, well-defined jobs |
| Watch for | Capacity: small teams book up | Hand-offs between teams | Cover when they are away |
What should you ask on the first call?
Who will design and build my site, and can I talk to them? How do you set the price and the timeline, and when do I get them in writing? Do you use templates or a page builder? Who writes the words? What happens if we disagree on a design? Who owns the domain, the code and the content at the end? What would make you turn this project down?
What are the red flags?
A price before anyone has asked what the site is for. A portfolio of screenshots with no live links. No clear answer on who owns the site afterwards, or a domain registered in the agency's name. Promises of first-page rankings. And a team that agrees with everything: a studio worth hiring will tell you when something is a bad idea.
Where EVOKE fits
EVOKE is a studio: the same small team designs, writes, builds and launches, in Mumbai, for D2C, hospitality and product brands in India and abroad. Five live sites are linked from every page of this site. The price and the timeline come in writing after one call, and the domain, the code and the content are yours at the end.
The work
- Break of Dawna plant-based dairy brand in Mumbai
- Reckona diagnostics manufacturer in Vadodara
- Gathera day-use space in Mumbai
- KP Studiosan industrial designer's portfolio
- Hýdora hotel concept in Santorini
Questions people ask
How do I choose a web design agency in India?
Open three of its live sites on your phone, ask who will actually build yours, get the price and timeline in writing before work starts, and make sure you own the domain, the code and the content at the end.
What questions should I ask a web designer?
Who will design and build it, how the price and timeline are set, whether they use templates, who writes the words, and who owns the site afterwards.
Is a design studio better than an agency?
For a brand that wants its identity, site and film made by one accountable team, usually yes. For a large programme across many channels, an agency's size helps.
One call is usually enough to know whether it is a fit.