LinnStudio vs a freelancer.
A good freelancer can build you a lovely site, usually for £1,500–£3,000 upfront. But one person does everything, the words are often left to you, and when they’re busy, ill or on holiday, your site waits while you chase them for a reply. Here’s how that compares with one monthly price and a team that looks after it.
How a freelancer works, and what it costs.
A freelance web designer builds your site, usually on WordPress, and it’s mostly paid upfront. It costs less than an agency, but hosting, maintenance, plugin licences and the domain are extra, and changes are paid for as you go. Deadlines slip when bigger jobs come in, some freelancers go quiet once the site is live, and a few keep your domain or hosting in their own name, so moving on is hard.
- £1,500–£3,000 for a small site of around five pages
- £40–£70 an hour in the UK. Cheaper in Asia or South America, but you manage more
- £500–£2,000 a year to run it after launch
A freelancer or LinnStudio? The facts, side by side.
| Built for you, once | Done for you | |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | LinnStudio | |
| Cost | £1,500–£3,000 to build Then £500–£2,000 a year to run | £59–£129 a month No build fee |
| Design | Varies, often a WordPress theme | Custom and premium Designed around your customers |
| Time you put in | Several meetings | Under 2 hours One call, then your Content Kit |
| First design ready | When they have time | Within 7 days Or your next month is free |
| Who writes the copy | Usually you | We write every page From one call, so it sounds like you |
| PageSpeed guarantee | Rarely | 95+ mobile score For as long as you’re with us |
| Security and updates | You, or pay monthly | Included Analytics, Meta pixel and conversions |
| Changes after launch | Paid per job, when they’re free | Unlimited, done for you Free, and done within 48 hours |
| You own the site | Yes | Yes, after 12 payments Your domain and content are always yours |
| Support | One person, when they’re available | Direct and personal From the people who built it |
How the numbers were worked out
UK prices, checked in September 2026. Most dollar prices are converted at about $1.26 to the pound.
- A freelancer
- A small site of around five pages: £1,500–£3,000, or £40–£70 an hour (£35–£55 outside the big cities). Running costs, for hosting, maintenance, plugin licences and the domain, typically come to £500–£2,000 a year.
- LinnStudio
- £59 or £129 a month, with no build fee. No minimum term. The price includes hosting, security, backups and unlimited changes done for you.
Sources
Why LinnStudio over a freelancer? Three good reasons.
Monthly, not a big bill upfront.
Instead of £1,500–£3,000 before you’ve seen much, you pay a month at a time, with no build fee and no minimum term.
The words, done for you.
Freelancers often design and build, and leave the words to you. We write every page from one call, so it sounds like you.
Looked after, not left.
After launch, hosting, updates and each change are usually extra, and done when your freelancer has time. With us they’re part of one monthly price, with no limit on changes: simple ones in minutes, bigger ones within 48 hours.
When a freelancer is the better choice
- You already know a freelancer whose work you love, and they have time for you.
- You need something bespoke that doesn’t fit a plan, and you’d rather pay once.
Switching from a freelancer is simple. We move it for you.
We move your content from the site your freelancer built, for free, wherever it’s hosted. Your old site stays live until the new one is ready, and your domain and email stay where they are.
- Free, whoever built your site
- Your old site stays live until the new one is ready
- Your domain stays in your name, never ours: keep it where it is, or we move it to an easier provider
- Your email carries on as normal
- Old page addresses redirected, so Google can follow
Good questions, straight answers.
Something we haven’t covered? Email hello@linnstudio.co.uk and we’ll get back to you within two working days.
Why a monthly plan instead of one price?
Because it puts the risk on us, not on you. We design and build the whole site while you pay a month at a time, so you never hand over thousands before you’ve seen anything. And a website is never really finished: the same monthly price covers hosting, security, backups and the changes you need each month.
Do I have to write the words?
No. We write every page from what you tell us on the kick-off call, so it sounds like you, not a template. You’ll review the words along with the rest of the site.
What if something breaks after launch?
Tell us and we’ll fix it, at no extra cost. Hosting, security and backups are part of your plan, so if something stops working, putting it right is our job.
See what yours would cost.
Answer a few quick questions to see the plan that fits your business, an outline of your pages and your monthly price.
No payment, no commitment.
The Website Finder shows you
- The plan that fits your business
- An outline of your pages
- Your monthly price
…and lets you book your free kick-off call.
Compare us with the others.
Website builders
Other ways to get a website
Still deciding? Just ask.
Send us a message and we’ll get back to you within two working days.