On this page
- 01What a freelancer does well
- 02What an agency does differently
- 03Worked example: the same site, two routes
- 04Hiring across borders
- 05What to ask a freelancer or agency
- 06After the site: who does SEO, ads and social?
- 07Contract and ownership: what you always put in writing
- 08Choose a freelancer when, choose an agency when
Freelancer or agency for your website? Choose a freelancer if you need a clearly scoped site, supply the copy and photos yourself and are happy with one person as your contact: in Belgium a freelance web designer charges 30 to 80 euros an hour. Choose an agency if the site must do more than look good: rank in Google, work in several languages, get its own imagery, and then grow with SEO or ads. A Belgian agency charges 50 to 150 euros an hour, for more roles at one table. Looking for someone for your marketing rather than your site? Read hire a marketer.
Rates differ per country and per seniority; what developers charge in other markets is in web developer hourly rate. How the price of a whole site builds up: how much does a website cost.
What a freelancer does well
A good freelancer is fast, flexible and directly reachable. You talk to the person building your site, with no account manager in between. For a simple site on an existing theme that is often the cheapest route to a polished result. Many freelancers work at a fixed price per project, which makes comparing easier.
The limit is what one person can do alone. A web designer is rarely also a copywriter, photographer, SEO specialist and developer. What he does not do, you supply or have made elsewhere, and then you are the one making it all fit.
What an agency does differently
At an agency those roles sit together. At VBS, strategy, copy, design and code sit at one table, and we also make corporate video. That costs more per hour than a freelancer, but you explain nothing twice and everything fits: copy on the search terms, photos in the design, ads pointing at the right page.
The agency risk is the reverse: you pay for a structure you may not need. A large agency with an account manager, a project lead and a junior who builds is overkill for a five-page site.
Who works on your site
Freelancer
- Strategy
- Copy
- Photo and video
- SEO
- Ads
What he does not do himself, you supply or have made elsewhere.
Agency
- Strategy
- Copy
- Design
- Code
- Photo and video
- SEO
- Ads
At VBS, strategy, copy, design and code sit at one table. You explain nothing twice.
Freelancer and agency side by side
- Hourly rate in Belgium
- Freelancer30 to 80 euros.
- Agency50 to 150 euros.
- Contact
- FreelancerThe person who builds.
- AgencyOne fixed contact, with a team behind.
- In-house
- FreelancerUsually design and build. You supply copy and photos.
- AgencyStrategy, copy, design and code, often photo and video too.
- Illness or holiday
- FreelancerWork stops until he is back.
- AgencyThere is usually someone who can take over.
- After launch
- FreelancerDepends on his calendar and his next clients.
- AgencyGrowing with SEO, ads or new features, by the same team.
- Risk
- FreelancerEverything depends on one person.
- AgencyYou pay for a structure you may not need.
For a simple site with your own copy, a good freelancer is often enough. If the site must rank, work in several languages or grow with your marketing, an agency gets more out of it.
Worked example: the same site, two routes
A contractor wants a ten-page site with copy on search terms, photos of his projects and a quote form. We use rates inside the Belgian market range and the hours such a site typically takes. Before VAT.
| Part | Freelancer plus separate specialists | Agency with everything in-house |
|---|---|---|
| Design and build | 40 hours x 55 euros = 2,200 euros | 35 hours x 85 euros = 2,975 euros |
| Copy on search terms | separate copywriter, 15 hours x 60 euros = 900 euros | 12 hours x 85 euros = 1,020 euros |
| Project photos | separate photographer, half a day, 450 euros (example) | half a shoot day, 510 euros (6 hours x 85 euros) |
| Coordinating the three | your time, 8 to 12 hours | at the agency |
| Total | 3,550 euros plus 8 to 12 of your hours | 4,505 euros |
On paper the freelancer is cheaper. The gap is smaller than the hourly rate suggests, because an agency with the roles together loses fewer hours to coordination. And your own hours as the director count. Compare quotes line by line with how to choose a web design agency.
Hiring across borders
More companies hire a freelancer or agency in another country, for rates or for skills. Three things to check:
- Language and marketWho writes your copy in your language, for your market? A translated site rarely ranks; see multilingual website.
- Time zone and availabilityWithin Western Europe the overlap is full; with the US East Coast you share mornings in Europe.
- VAT and contractBetween VAT-registered businesses in different EU countries, the invoice goes out without VAT under the reverse charge. Agree ownership of design and code in writing: in the UK an assignment of copyright is only effective in writing, signed by the assignor.
For larger builds, nearshore teams are an option too; see nearshore software development and best countries to outsource software development.
What to ask a freelancer or agency
| Question | Good answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Can I see sites that are live? | Three or more you open on your phone | Only images, or sites that no longer exist |
| Who writes the copy, and on which search terms? | A name and a list of terms with their source | "The client does that" or "we also do SEO" |
| Whose name are the domain, hosting and accounts in? | Your company's | The builder's |
| What happens after launch? | A price per change or a maintenance agreement | "We'll see" |
| Who takes over if you are ill? | A colleague or partner with access | Nobody |
| How will my old site redirect? | A list per old address | No answer |
After the site: who does SEO, ads and social?
A site rarely stands alone. After launch you want to rank, advertise or post. With a freelancer you usually find new people for that: an SEO specialist (rates in SEO specialist hourly rate), someone for Google Ads, someone for social media. Each has to learn your site first, and you coordinate. At an agency that has it in-house, the same team builds on what it knows. Ask what each service costs separately and whether you can take them one by one. What agencies charge: digital marketing agency cost.
Contract and ownership: what you always put in writing
- Ownership of design, code and copy on payment.
- Domain, hosting and accounts in your company's name. See country domain vs .com.
- What a change after launch costs, per hour or per job.
- What happens if the work ends: you get all files and access.
Choose a freelancer when, choose an agency when
| Your situation | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A site of one to five pages, you supply copy and photos | Freelancer | One person is enough, price stays low |
| You want to rank for ten or more services | Agency | Copy, structure and technical work must fit together |
| You work in two or more languages or markets | Agency | Each language its own copy and search terms |
| You need a calculator, portal or integration | Agency or a freelance developer | Custom work needs someone who writes code |
| You want SEO or ads right after the site | Agency | The same team knows your site and your buyers |
| Tight budget and time on your hands | Freelancer or DIY | See build your website yourself or hire someone |
Business Centrum in five weeks
- impressions a day in Google, up from 220
- 10,200
- non-brand search terms on page one, up from 13
- 1,593
- clicks a day from Google, up from 3
- 228
- search terms in Google's top 3, up from 2
- 518
Questions about freelancers and agencies
Is a freelancer cheaper than an agency?
Per hour usually yes: 30 to 80 euros against 50 to 150 euros in Belgium. For a whole site the gap shrinks once you have copy and photos made separately and coordinate yourself. Compare the total price for the same pages, not the hourly rate.
How much does a freelance web designer cost?
In Belgium usually 30 to 80 euros an hour, or a fixed project price. A simple site costs 500 to 1,500 euros and a business site 2,000 to 6,000 euros on the Belgian market.
Should I hire a freelancer or agency abroad?
It can save money and widen your choice, as long as copy is written for your market, the time zones overlap, and ownership and VAT are settled in writing. Ask for live sites in your language before you sign.
Is a website from Fiverr a good idea?
For a simple site with your own copy, it can work. Expect little local market knowledge, little follow-up after delivery, and settle explicitly that design and code are yours.
How do I find a good freelance web designer?
Ask for live sites you open on your phone, call one or two clients, and check whether they can write copy on search terms or work with a copywriter. A fixed price with a clear list of what is included is a good sign.
What should I ask a freelancer or agency?
Live examples, who writes the copy and on which search terms, whose name the domain and hosting are in, who takes over in case of illness, how your old site redirects, and what happens and costs after launch.