UI/UX Design Cost: How Much Does Professional Design Cost in 2026?

Planning to invest in professional UI/UX design but unsure about costs? Design services in 2026 range from $3,000 for basic projects to $100,000+ for enterprise solutions. Understanding what drives these costs helps you budget effectively and get the best value for your investment.

Understanding UI/UX Design Pricing

Design costs depend on project scope, complexity, designer experience, deliverables, and location. Unlike template solutions with fixed pricing, professional design is priced based on time, expertise, and specific requirements.

Basic Formula:
Total Cost = (Designer Hours × Hourly Rate) + Research + Testing + Revisions

Hourly Rates by Experience Level

Junior Designer ($25-50/hour)

Experience: 0-2 years Skills: Basic design tools, following guidelines Best For: Simple projects, template customization

Typical Work:

• Landing page design
• Basic mobile screens
• Simple iconography
• Style guide implementation

Mid-Level Designer ($50-100/hour)

Experience: 2-5 years Skills: Full design process, some strategy Best For: Standard projects, business apps

Typical Work:

• Complete app design
• Website redesigns
• Design systems
• User research basics

Senior Designer ($100-200/hour)

Experience: 5-10 years Skills: Strategic thinking, complex problems Best For: Complex products, enterprise projects

Typical Work:

• Product strategy
• Complex user flows
• Advanced interactions
• Team leadership

Design Agency ($100-300/hour)

Experience: Team of specialists Skills: Full-service, all disciplines Best For: Large projects, comprehensive solutions

Typical Work:

• Enterprise products
• Complete brand + product
• Multi-platform solutions
• Ongoing partnerships

Rates by Geographic Location

Note: Remote work has globalized rates, but expertise level matters more than location.

Project-Based Pricing

Landing Page Design ($1,500 - $8,000)

Scope:

• Single page design
• Desktop + mobile versions
• 2-3 design concepts
• Basic animations

Timeline: 1-2 weeks

Breakdown:

Research & Strategy: $500
Wireframes: $500
UI Design: $3,000
Revisions: $1,000
Assets & Handoff: $500
Total: $5,500 (average)

Website Design ($5,000 - $50,000)

Scope:

• 10-30 pages
• Information architecture
• UX research and wireframes
• Complete UI design
• Responsive design
• Design system

Timeline: 4-8 weeks

Cost by Complexity:

Simple (5-10 pages): $5,000-15,000
Standard (10-20 pages): $15,000-30,000
Complex (20-30+ pages): $30,000-50,000

Mobile App Design ($8,000 - $80,000)

Scope:

• User research
• UX strategy
• Wireframes
• UI design (iOS + Android)
• Interactive prototype
• Design system
• Icon design

Timeline: 6-12 weeks

Cost by App Type:

Simple App (10-20 screens): $8,000-20,000
Standard App (20-50 screens): $20,000-40,000
Complex App (50-100+ screens): $40,000-80,000

Web Application Design ($15,000 - $150,000)

Scope:

• Comprehensive UX research
• Complex user flows
• Multiple user roles
• Dashboard design
• Data visualization
• Responsive design
• Extensive testing

Timeline: 8-16 weeks

Cost by Complexity:

Standard SaaS: $15,000-40,000
Enterprise Platform: $40,000-80,000
Complex System: $80,000-150,000

Design System Creation ($10,000 - $50,000)

Scope:

• Component library
• Style guide
• Documentation
• Code integration
• Accessibility guidelines
• Maintenance plan

Timeline: 4-8 weeks

Cost Factors:

• Number of components
• Platform variations
• Documentation depth
• Developer collaboration

Real Cost Examples

E-commerce Website Design ($25,000)

Deliverables:

• Homepage design
• Category pages
• Product detail pages
• Shopping cart/checkout
• Account pages
• Mobile responsive
• Design system

Breakdown:

Discovery & Research: 40 hours × $80 = $3,200
Information Architecture: 30 hours × $90 = $2,700
Wireframes: 50 hours × $80 = $4,000
UI Design: 80 hours × $100 = $8,000
Prototyping: 30 hours × $90 = $2,700
Testing & Iteration: 40 hours × $80 = $3,200
Documentation: 15 hours × $70 = $1,050
Total: $24,850
Timeline: 8 weeks

Mobile Banking App Design ($55,000)

Deliverables:

• User research
• Security-focused UX
• Account dashboard
• Transaction flows
• Bill payment
• Card management
• iOS + Android designs
• Accessibility compliance

Breakdown:

Research & Strategy: 60 hours × $100 = $6,000
UX Design: 100 hours × $90 = $9,000
UI Design (iOS): 80 hours × $100 = $8,000
UI Design (Android): 80 hours × $100 = $8,000
Prototyping: 50 hours × $90 = $4,500
Security Review: 30 hours × $120 = $3,600
Usability Testing: 40 hours × $90 = $3,600
Accessibility: 40 hours × $100 = $4,000
Design System: 50 hours × $90 = $4,500
Documentation: 40 hours × $80 = $3,200
Total: $54,400
Timeline: 12 weeks

Enterprise Dashboard Design ($45,000)

Deliverables:

• Complex data visualization
• Multiple user roles
• Advanced filtering
• Reporting interface
• Admin controls
• Responsive design
• Dark mode

Breakdown:

Discovery: 50 hours × $100 = $5,000
Information Architecture: 60 hours × $100 = $6,000
Wireframes: 80 hours × $90 = $7,200
UI Design: 100 hours × $110 = $11,000
Data Visualization: 60 hours × $120 = $7,200
Prototyping: 40 hours × $90 = $3,600
User Testing: 30 hours × $90 = $2,700
Revisions: 25 hours × $100 = $2,500
Total: $45,200
Timeline: 10 weeks

Cost Factors That Increase Pricing

1. Research Requirements

Impact on Cost:

No Research: Baseline
Basic Research: +15-20%
Comprehensive Research: +30-40%

Research Activities:

• User interviews (10-20 participants)
• Competitive analysis
• Analytics review
• Persona development
• Journey mapping

2. Number of Platforms

Platform Multiplier:

Single Platform: 1x
Two Platforms (iOS + Android): 1.6x
Three Platforms (iOS + Android + Web): 2.2x

Why: Each platform has unique design patterns and requirements.

3. Design Complexity

Complexity Factors:

• Custom illustrations (+20-30%)
• Advanced animations (+15-25%)
• Complex interactions (+20-30%)
• Data visualization (+25-40%)
• AI/ML interfaces (+30-50%)

4. Revision Rounds

Typical Included:

• 2-3 major revision rounds
• Unlimited minor tweaks

Additional Rounds:

• $1,000-5,000 per major revision
• Depends on project scale

5. Testing Requirements

Testing Costs:

Basic Testing: $2,000-5,000
Standard Testing: $5,000-15,000
Comprehensive Testing: $15,000-40,000

Testing Types:

• Usability testing
• A/B testing
• Accessibility testing
• Performance testing

Hidden Costs to Consider

Design System Maintenance

Annual Cost: 10-15% of creation cost

Includes:

• Component updates
• New pattern additions
• Documentation updates
• Version control

Stock Assets

Budget:

• Stock photos: $200-2,000
• Custom illustrations: $500-5,000
• Icon sets: $100-1,000
• Fonts (licenses): $200-1,000

Design Tools & Software

Monthly Costs:

Figma Professional: $12/month per editor
Adobe Creative Cloud: $60/month
Sketch: $99/year
Prototyping tools: $20-40/month

Iterative Improvements

Post-Launch Design:

• Budget 15-20% of initial cost annually
• Covers updates, refinements, new features

Cost Reduction Strategies

1. Start with MVP Design

Focus on essential screens and flows first.

Full Vision: $40,000
MVP Version: $12,000
Savings: $28,000 (expand after validation)

2. Use Design Systems

Leverage existing component libraries.

Options:

• Material Design (free)
• Apple Human Interface (free)
• Custom system (investment upfront, savings long-term)

3. Template Customization

Start with quality template, customize to brand.

Savings: 40-60% compared to fully custom Trade-off: Less uniqueness

4. Phased Approach

Break design into phases.

Phase 1: Core functionality ($15,000)
Phase 2: Additional features ($10,000)
Phase 3: Advanced features ($15,000)
Total: $40,000 spread over time

5. Strategic Outsourcing

Combine onshore strategy with offshore execution.

Hybrid Model:

• Senior strategist (US): $150/hour
• Mid-level execution (Eastern Europe): $60/hour
• Average savings: 30-40%

Red Flags in Design Pricing

🚩 Unrealistically Low Prices

Warning Signs:

• "Complete app design for $500"
• "Professional website design $99"

Reality: Quality design requires significant time and expertise.

🚩 No Discovery Phase

Problem: Jumping straight to design without understanding needs Result: Multiple revisions, scope creep, poor outcomes

🚩 Unlimited Revisions

Problem: Sounds great, but leads to endless changes Reality: Professional designers limit revisions for project health

🚩 No Contract or Milestones

Problem: No clear deliverables or timeline Risk: Scope issues, payment disputes

CentoSquare UI/UX Design Services

At CentoSquare, we offer transparent, value-based pricing:

Our Packages:

Startup Package ($8,000-20,000):

• Landing page or simple app
• Essential UX research
• Standard UI design
• 2 revision rounds
• 4-6 week timeline

Business Package ($20,000-50,000):

• Complete website or app
• Comprehensive UX
• Custom UI design
• Design system basics
• 3 revision rounds
• 8-12 week timeline

Enterprise Package ($50,000-150,000):

• Complex web application
• In-depth research
• Multiple platforms
• Complete design system
• Extensive testing
• Unlimited revisions
• 12-20 week timeline

What's Included:

• User research
• UX strategy and wireframes
• UI design (all screens)
• Interactive prototypes
• Design system
• Developer handoff
• Post-launch support (3 months)

Payment Structure:

• 30% deposit
• 40% at design approval
• 30% at final delivery

Making Your Decision

Budget Under $10,000:

• Simple landing page or template customization
• Junior/mid-level designer
• Limited research
• Standard deliverables

Budget $10,000-30,000:

• Complete website or basic app
• Mid-level designer or small agency
• Standard UX process
• Custom design

Budget $30,000+:

• Complex app or web application
• Senior designer or full agency
• Comprehensive research
• Multiple platforms
• Design system

Conclusion

UI/UX design costs vary widely based on project complexity, designer experience, and required deliverables. Expect to invest $5,000 to $150,000 depending on your needs. The key is understanding that quality design is an investment that pays off through better user experience, higher conversion rates, and reduced development costs.

Remember: Cheap design costs more in the long run through poor user experience, multiple redesigns, and lost opportunities.

Ready to invest in professional UI/UX design? At CentoSquare, we provide transparent pricing and exceptional value. Free consultation and detailed project quotes.

Get Your Free Design Quote →