19 Web Design Business Success Stories [2024]
Web designing is a lucrative business with many job offerings and attractive pay. However, figuring out how to start a web design business in 2024 should not be overwhelming. To be sure, you need to consider different elements, including:
- How to find and deal with clients
- How to run the backend of your business
- Planning for future and business growth
To start a web design business, decide if you want to leave your day job or work on web design as a side hustle. Then, establish a niche and indicate the target customers on your website portfolio, Reddit, LinkedIn, and across the web.
In this list, you'll find real-world web design business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a web design business that makes money.
1. Madwire ($102M/year)
JB Kellogg, the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Madwire, came up with the idea for his business while interning at a travel magazine company. After realizing his talent for website design and seeing the potential for helping businesses grow through digital marketing, JB and his father decided to start Madwire and grew it into a company with over 500 employees and $100 million in annual revenue in less than 10 years. Their mission is to help small businesses grow and make a difference in their local communities.
How much money it makes: $102M/year
How many people on the team: 520
Co-founder of Madwire JB Kellogg grew his business from just the two of them in a tiny office to over 500 employees and $100 million in annual revenue in under 10 years, by focusing on exceptional customer service and a multi-channel inbound strategy.
2. CreateApe ($4.2M/year)
Alessandro Fard, the founder of CreateApe, developed the idea for his business after realizing the importance of a solid foundation in digital projects. Through years of trial and error, he created the Create Ape Jungle Guide, a comprehensive process that allows clients to fulfill the research and ideation phase of their projects and lays the foundation for successful user experience, design, and development. With impressive revenue growth between 50 and 100% year-over-year, CreateApe is a leading player in the digital agency space.
How much money it makes: $4.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 55
CreateApe, a full-service digital agency specializing in user experience design, has seen yearly revenue growth between 50-100%, with $350,000 in monthly revenue and success attributed to their almost reckless embrace of partnering with their clients.
3. SemiDot Infotech ($2.4M/year)
The founder of SemiDot Infotech came up with the idea for their business while working in London and realizing the issues faced by global clients in IT outsourcing. Recognizing the opportunity to provide solutions, they returned to India and established SemiDot Infotech in 2011, focusing on delivering efficient and effective IT solutions to businesses worldwide. Today, they have achieved significant success, earning over 2 million dollars annually and aiming to double their revenues in the coming years.
How much money it makes: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 52
SemiDot Infotech has earned massive recognition across the world with its highly scalable, unique, and responsive web apps and mobile apps, earning over 2 million dollars annually and aiming to double revenues in the next few years.
4. UX studio ($2.03M/year)
Budapest-based UX studio was founded by Dávid Pásztor, a computer engineering and information technology graduate, who started his journey by selling his lego collection to buy his first computer and creating his first website. After working as a part-time UX designer, Dávid took the leap and turned his contracting work into a full-fledged UX design agency, offering services to clients worldwide. With a focus on marketing and attracting international clients, UX studio has grown to become a top design agency, recognized by industry-leading platforms such as Clutch and Zeplin.
How much money it makes: $2.03M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 41
UX Studio, a user experience design agency based in Budapest, Hungary, founded by Dávid Pásztor, has grown to generate almost $2 million USD in revenue per year with a profit rate of 20.5%, while supporting dozens of clients across various industries and running two successful independent product teams.
5. PageTraffic ($1.2M/year)
Navneet Kaushal, the founder & CEO of PageTraffic, came up with the idea for his SEO agency after experiencing the impact of the internet during his MBA studies. He tested SEO strategies on his own website and saw it rank in the top ten within months. With a passion for digital marketing and a desire to help businesses succeed, Navneet launched PageTraffic in 2002 and has since grown it into a successful agency with a strong online presence and a global client base.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 80
Navneet Kaushal, founder & CEO of PageTraffic, shares how he started an SEO agency in India in 2002, which now generates over $1.2 million in annual revenue and attracts clients globally.
6. Design In DC ($1.2M/year)
Ziad came up with the idea for Design in DC by combining his academic background and extensive experience in film production with his partner Rob's expertise in web design and digital agencies.
They met in Canada and shared a vision of making web design more interactive and visually compelling, integrating elements like animation and photography to enhance the storytelling aspect of websites. This partnership addressed a market need for diverse digital assets, leading to the founding of Design in DC.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How many people on the team: 12
Discover how Ziad Foty turned his background in film production and web design collaboration into a thriving digital design agency, Design in DC, generating $1.2 million annually by enhancing client websites with interactive storytelling.
7. Weichie.com ($360K/year)
Bob, the creative director at Weichie, accidentally started his freelance business while working in a digital agency in New York. After gaining experience in SEO and website design, he launched Weichie.com and used it as an example site to showcase his skills. Through word-of-mouth referrals and a focus on customer satisfaction, Bob's business has grown to specialize in eCommerce and SEO, with a goal of becoming an authority in the field.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 2
A creative director at a Brussels-based creative, technology, and e-commerce optimization agency outlines their process of building a digital agency that focuses on eCommerce and SEO-based projects while providing tips on the importance of looking up to others but never comparing yourself to them.
8. Envision ($360K/year)
Leighton Taylor, founder of eCommerce marketing agency Envision, came up with the idea for his business while freelancing in web design and development. He noticed the explosive growth of Shopify as the eCommerce platform of choice and decided to specialize in Shopify-related services. Through clear communication, punctuality, and early success with content marketing, Envision has attracted and retained clients, earning approximately $30k/month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 2
Founder Leighton Taylor shares how his eCommerce marketing agency for Shopify has grown to approximately $30k/month, working with about 350 eCommerce brands and an ideal client with annual revenue from $1-10 million, while focusing on clear communication, punctuality and content marketing through a podcast.
9. Power Move Marketing ($264K/year)
Hailey Brooke McFadden, a former college volleyball player and sideline reporter, started Power Move Marketing after realizing the lack of professional marketing services offered to e-commerce businesses. With a focus on empowering women and providing excellent customer service, PMM has quickly grown, making $22,075 per month and projected to make nearly $300,000 in its first year. By prioritizing employee satisfaction and creating a positive company culture, McFadden has found success and aims to grow PMM into a marketing powerhouse with over 100 employees.
How much money it makes: $264K/year
How much did it cost to start: $400
How many people on the team: 2
Power Move Marketing is an innovative digital marketing company founded by Hailey Brooke McFadden, which has achieved an impressive monthly income of $22,075 and is projected to make almost $300,000 in its first year, by offering a one-stop-shop for e-commerce businesses looking for a marketing powerhouse with a female positive culture.
10. Windhill Design LLC ($263K/year)
Link Moser, founder of Windhill Design, came up with the idea for his WordPress development and SEO company after teaching himself HTML and building his first website for a real estate company in 1996. Over the years, the business has grown organically through referrals and search engine optimization, and has recently experienced growth through acquisitions, reaching a gross revenue of $212,000 in 2021.
How much money it makes: $263K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how Link Moser started a WordPress development and SEO company with just $30 and grew it to a business that generated around $212,000 in gross revenue in 2021 by focusing on providing excellent customer service and leveraging growth through acquisitions.
11. Juicy Pickles ($240K/year)
Giulia Cian Seren, founder of Juicy Pickles, started her business after moving from Europe to Southeast Asia and seeing the favorable business climate in Singapore. With a passion for technology and a desire to help small businesses succeed, Giulia offers digital marketing consulting and coaching through her flagship coaching membership, The Pickling Club. Her dedication to her clients and focus on long-term relationships has helped her grow her business to an average monthly revenue of $20,000.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 1
Giulia Cian Seren, founder of Juicy Pickles, offers digital marketing consulting, training, and coaching to small businesses and has grown her monthly revenue to an average of $20,000 by focusing on long-term relationships over short-term gains and helping small, traditional businesses transition into the digital world.
12. VixelStudio ($240K/year)
At age 12, Munir's curiosity in tinkering with computers turned into a passion for web design. After various entrepreneurial attempts during college, he co-founded Vixel Studio with friends by capitalizing on ubiquitous lawn signs saying "Need a website?"—driving them to generate $20,000 per month within eight months.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 2
A young entrepreneur started a Web Design and SEO Company, Vixel Studio, generating over $20,000 per month within eight months of launch, managing over 50 clients and doubling that amount over the next four months, with a goal to generate $300,000 in revenue by the end of 2024 and scale to generate 1-4 million per year.
13. Aun Digital ($240K/year)
When a friend's cleaning business couldn't afford a website, Aun Ali discovered that many UAE startups faced similar challenges, inspiring him to launch Aun Digital. The firm offers affordable, comprehensive digital services and now generates annual revenue between $200,000 and $300,000, serving 20 regular clients.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $60K
How many people on the team: 50
Aun Digital, a UAE-based web design company, generated $200,000 to $300,000 annually by offering affordable and reliable digital services to small businesses, startups, and medium-sized enterprises, with 20 regular clients per year and an average project cost ranging from $10,000 to $15,000.
14. Buddy Web Design & Development ($180K/year)
Scott was interested in a career change, prompting him to learn coding to open up more career opportunities in the software development industry. After training, he put together a freelancer profile on Upwork and secured some projects. Fortunately, freelancing panned out and led to the evolution and growth of Buddy Web Design & Development.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Buddy Web Design & Development founder Scott Daigger transformed his one-person freelance business into a growing team bringing in around $25k per month in just six months, offering services such as website design and development, logo design, graphic design, branding, web content writing, e-commerce, blogging, and search engine optimization, targeting primarily growing businesses looking to refresh or “level up” their online presence, with a particularly large portion of clients in the healthcare and medical device space.
15. Work Hero ($146K/year)
Kevin, the founder of Work Hero, came up with the idea for his business after realizing the need for WordPress support and maintenance services. Starting with just one customer in December 2019, he has since grown his customer base to 13 recurring clients, generating around $1,470 per month in revenue. By focusing on providing excellent customer service and delivering on their promises, Work Hero has attracted and retained loyal customers.
How much money it makes: $146K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
Work Hero is a WordPress support and maintenance service that went from working with one website in December 2019 to 13 recurring customer sites today, earning ~$1470/month with most customers paying an unlimited fee of $149/month.
16. Rank Trends ($72K/year)
Md. Yousuf Ali, the founder of Rank Trends and Khan, came up with the idea for his business after discovering the potential of digital marketing through oDesk. With his background in web design and development, he launched Rank Trends to provide SEO, web design, and graphics design services. The business quickly gained traction and was recognized as the "Best SEO Service Provider in Bangladesh 2019." Today, Ali is expanding his retail business into the online space and plans to resume activities for Rank Trends soon.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 2
This case study features Md. Yousuf Ali, the founder of Rank Trends, who shares how he started a successful digital marketing agency, which generated a revenue of over $6k per month through SEO and video production services.
17. 411Writers ($60K/year)
Constantin Coutun, the manager of 411Writers, came up with the idea for the business while working at 411 Locals as a blog writer. After realizing the potential of his writing team was being limited to the company's clients, Coutun decided to create 411Writers to help his department and provide a platform for writers and editors to express their creativity. Through strategic marketing efforts and the launch of new services, such as targeting app developers and offering a Guru content plan, they were able to attract and retain customers.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 65
Content writing company 411Writers started with $13.99 and now generates over $50,000 revenue per month, providing clients with unique website content for both search engines and human readers.
18. DKDesigns ($36K/year)
David and Kaitlyn Gilbert founded DKDesigns after realizing their combined corporate skills could meet the diverse needs of small businesses in Brooklyn, NY. Starting as a side hustle aiming for $10K annually, they surpassed this in the first quarter alone, hitting $3K in monthly revenue quickly.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
Case study about DKDesigns, a web design agency in Brooklyn, NY, that offers affordable corporate quality digital marketing services to small businesses, surpassing their $10K annual revenue goal in the first quarter and closing in on $3K in monthly revenue in their first year.
19. Website Profit Course ($28.2K/year)
Ray DelVecchio, founder of Website Profit Course, came up with the idea after realizing the importance of owning one's website and email list. He wanted to help people start their web design businesses and provide them with the necessary skills to succeed. Through his blog and membership program, he has been able to help aspiring web designers gain clients and generate income, with some members earning up to $4,900 from their first paid gigs.
How much money it makes: $28.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how one founder built and grew a web design business learning platform, with an average online revenue of $2,350/month, by providing step-by-step training systems and resources for beginners and using consistent publishing on YouTube, blog and email lists to retain customers.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
