To compare web-design proposals, put their deliverables side by side before comparing the totals. Check who supplies content, what the integrations do, how the result is tested and what happens after launch.
I use examples from my website and app portfolio below to explain the scope differences. You can also download the proposal comparison worksheet and fill it in for each quote.
Give each designer the same starting brief
Write a short brief with the business goal, audience, main customer task and required pages. Include the current website, content you already have, external systems and any firm launch constraint.
Ask each supplier to list assumptions and exclusions. If one quote assumes you provide finished copy and another includes writing it, the totals describe different jobs.
A brief for an artist's portfolio might focus on presenting work and making contact easy. A venue brief might need separate experience and table-booking journeys. Explain those tasks before asking for a price.
Compare templates, content and editing work
“Ten pages” does not explain how those pages work. Ask how many distinct layouts are included, which content uses them and what you can update after handover.
Lara Melachrinou's portfolio is a useful visual reference from my work: artwork leads the composition. An artist's brief should specify image preparation, gallery content and the route to an enquiry.
CB AutoTech, an automotive eshop in my portfolio, introduces a different scope. A shop brief should define product data, product variations, purchase steps and the systems involved.
Use these as examples of requirements to discuss. They do not establish the private deliverables or prices of either project.
- Who writes, edits and uploads the text?
- Who selects, licenses and prepares images?
- Which pages need a distinct design?
- How many review rounds are included, and what counts as a revision?
- Which content will your team be able to edit?
If languages are included, list exactly which pages and interface labels will be translated, who supplies the translation and who maintains it. A language switch alone does not define that work.
Replace vague integration promises with tasks
For a venue, “booking integration” could mean a link, an embedded form or a deeper connection. Ask which is proposed and demonstrate the visitor's route to the provider.
The Purple Owl case study shows why experience and table bookings need separate consideration. Ask a supplier how each route will be implemented and tested.
Likewise, “SEO included” needs a defined scope. Possible deliverables include a page inventory, URL mapping, metadata, crawlable navigation and sitemap checks. Ongoing content research and reporting are separate work to specify.
My own site needed its Blog link restored and relevant retired service URLs redirected. Those concrete checks are more useful in an acceptance list than a general promise of an optimized website.
For a launch, ask for named checks covering mobile tasks, forms, redirects, keyboard use and the content editing workflow. Agree what happens when an external provider or missing client content blocks a check.
Clarify ongoing costs and practical access
Compare the initial project fee alongside recurring hosting, maintenance, licences and provider costs. Record whether taxes are included in each written quote, and ask the supplier to clarify any ambiguity.
Ask who controls the domain, hosting, content and relevant service accounts. Where custom code is involved, ask what repository access and handover are included in the agreement.
Also ask how changes are requested, how they are estimated and what the support arrangement covers. An included defect-fixing period and an ongoing maintenance service can have different boundaries.
You should be able to describe how the site will be maintained and how another supplier could take over. Request the actual account and handover arrangements rather than assuming that “ownership” answers every detail.
Use a side-by-side comparison worksheet
For each row, write what the proposal explicitly says. Mark missing information as “unconfirmed” and ask for clarification. Treat essential missing requirements as open questions before awarding scores or choosing a supplier.
| Area | Evidence to request |
|---|---|
| Purpose and journeys | The audience, main tasks and expected next steps. |
| Pages and content | Layouts, content quantity, writing, media and migration responsibilities. |
| Editing and languages | What staff can change and the exact translation scope. |
| Integrations | Provider, supported behavior, limitations and responsibility for testing. |
| Launch acceptance | A list of checks, expected results and a process for unresolved defects. |
| SEO and measurement | Specific implementation tasks and what the reporting will count. |
| Accounts and handover | Named account access, documentation, training and code arrangements. |
| Price and ongoing work | Initial fee, taxes, recurring costs, exclusions and change process. |
The CSV worksheet has columns for three proposals and follow-up questions. Open it in a spreadsheet, add the details and keep each supplier's written answer beside the relevant row.
A worked example: the same venue, different scope
Imagine a venue receiving one proposal for a homepage and contact form, and another for separate activity pages, lounge information and booking-provider setup. These are hypothetical proposals, not quotes from my clients.
First, ask whether both cover the venue's essential tasks. If creative sessions and tables use different booking routes, confirm where each lives and how the visitor reaches it.
Next, compare content work. Does the venue supply activity descriptions, menus and images? Who uploads them? Who checks that the website and booking provider describe the same offer?
Then review launch and handover. Ask both suppliers to price any missing required work. You can compare the totals once the deliverables are understood, or choose a deliberately smaller first release.
Questions to resolve before choosing
Should I always choose the most detailed proposal?
Choose a scope that meets your actual requirements. Detail helps you evaluate it; unnecessary features can still add cost and maintenance. Ask why each substantial item belongs in the project.
What if I do not know whether I need a rebuild?
Begin with a review of the current site and its constraints. My redesign versus refresh guide includes a worksheet for deciding how much change is justified.
What should the designer need from me?
A useful proposal should identify the decisions, content and access you must provide, with clear dependencies. That makes it easier to understand which deadlines depend on your team.
Explore my web-design work or send your website brief to discuss the scope your project needs.