Is a $997 Website Redesign Actually Good? (Honest Review)
Is a $997 Website Redesign Actually Good? (Honest Review)
You see the pitch: AI-powered website redesign for $997. Agencies charge $30,000. That’s 30x cheaper.
Your gut says: “If it’s that cheap, it must be garbage.”
Let’s test that assumption. Here’s what a $997 AI redesign actually delivers—what’s good, what sucks, and when you should pay more.
What You Actually Get for $997
The Good
1. Modern, Professional Design
– Clean layouts that don’t look like 2015
– Proper typography (no Comic Sans, no walls of text)
– Color schemes that match your brand
– Layouts that follow current web design standards
Is it custom? No. But custom doesn’t mean better. Most “custom” agency designs use the same 5-7 layout patterns anyway.
2. Mobile-Responsive
– Works on phones without horizontal scrolling
– Forms work on touchscreens
– Phone numbers are clickable
– Navigation is simple
Is it perfect? No. Complex features might not adapt perfectly. But 90% of law firm sites don’t need complex features.
3. Fast Loading
– 1-2 second load times (vs 4-6 seconds for most old sites)
– Optimized images
– Clean code
– No bloated plugins
Is it the fastest possible? No. A developer spending 40 hours could squeeze out another 0.3 seconds. Is that worth $8,000? Probably not.
4. SEO Basics Done Right
– Schema markup for lawyers (critical for Google)
– Proper meta tags
– Clean URL structure
– Alt text for images
Is it comprehensive SEO? No. It doesn’t include content strategy, link building, or ongoing optimization. But it covers the technical basics that cost $2,000-5,000 when agencies do it.
5. You Own Everything
– No monthly fees
– No maintenance contracts
– You can host it anywhere
– You can hire anyone to update it
Is that normal? With agencies? No. Most lock you into ongoing contracts. With AI? Yes.
The Bad
1. AI Uses Your Existing Content
If your original site says “We provide experienced legal representation with client-focused service,” the AI site will say the same thing—just formatted better.
AI doesn’t rewrite generic jargon into compelling copy. It makes your existing content look good.
What this means: If your content sucks, your new site will look pretty but still say nothing.
Fix: Rewrite your homepage before using AI. Or pay a copywriter $500-1,500 after launch to improve it.
2. Limited Customization
You get 3-5 design variations. You pick one. You don’t get infinite revisions.
What this means: If you hate all 5 options, you’re stuck. (In practice, this happens < 5% of the time.)
Fix: Look at the tool’s portfolio before buying. If you like their style, you’ll like your results.
3. No Custom Features
AI generates standard attorney websites. It doesn’t build:
– Case results databases with filtering
– Client portals with document upload
– Multi-step intake forms with conditional logic
– Custom booking systems
What this means: If you need these, AI won’t deliver them.
Fix: Pay an agency or developer for custom work. But be honest—do you actually need these, or do you just like the idea of them?
4. No Human Project Manager
There’s no one to call. No weekly status meetings. No one to hold your hand.
What this means: If you need reassurance and validation, AI won’t provide it.
Fix: If you value the relationship and service, pay for an agency. You’re not paying for website quality—you’re paying for human attention.
5. Stock Photos (Unless You Provide Your Own)
AI doesn’t arrange a photography shoot. It uses your existing photos or suggests stock images.
What this means: Your site might have the same stock lawyer photo as 50 other firms.
Fix: Hire a photographer for $500-1,500 after launch. Or use your iPhone and natural light (seriously, phone photos look better than fake stock imagery).
The Ugly
1. AI Can’t Fix Fundamental Positioning Problems
If your website says you do “business law, personal injury, family law, criminal defense, and estate planning,” AI can’t fix that.
You’re confusing visitors by being a generalist. Design won’t solve it.
What this means: AI optimizes what you have. It doesn’t make strategic decisions about what you should offer.
Fix: Pick a niche. Rewrite your positioning. Then redesign.
2. AI Can’t Replace Nonexistent Content
If your old site has 3 pages (homepage, about, contact), your new site will have 3 pages.
AI doesn’t generate new practice area pages, attorney bios, or blog posts.
What this means: If you need more content, you’ll need to create it yourself or hire a writer.
3. AI Doesn’t Do Ongoing SEO
The site launches optimized. But SEO is ongoing:
– Creating new content
– Building backlinks
– Monitoring rankings
– Updating old pages
AI doesn’t do any of that.
What this means: If you’re in a competitive market (PI, family law), you’ll need ongoing SEO. That costs $1,000-3,000/month whether you use AI or an agency.
Comparing $997 AI to $30K Agency
Let’s be objective. Where does each win?
| Feature | $997 AI | $30K Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Modern Design | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Mobile-Responsive | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Fast Load Times | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| SEO Basics | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Professional Copywriting | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Custom Photography | ❌ No | ✅ Usually |
| Unlimited Revisions | ❌ No (pick from 5 options) | ⚠️ Maybe (usually 2-3 rounds) |
| Custom Features | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Project Manager | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Timeline | 48 hours | 3-6 months |
| You Own Everything | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Sometimes (check contract) |
Bottom line: You get 70-80% of agency quality at 3% of the price.
The question: Is the extra 20-30% worth $29,000?
Who Should Pay $997 for AI?
AI makes sense if:
– You’re a solo attorney or small firm (2-5 lawyers)
– Your current site was built before 2020
– Your existing content is decent (not amazing, just decent)
– You don’t need custom integrations
– You value speed over perfection
– Your budget is under $5,000
Real example: Phoenix PI attorney with a 2016 Wix site. Content was fine. Design was outdated. Mobile experience was broken.
Result: $997 AI redesign, 3.2% conversion rate → 7.8% conversion rate. Extra $180K in annual revenue.
Was the AI site perfect? No. Was it worth $997? Obviously.
Who Should Pay $30K for an Agency?
Agency makes sense if:
– You’re a mid-to-large firm (10+ attorneys)
– You need custom features (client portals, case management integration)
– You’re launching a new brand identity
– You need professional photography and video
– You want a dedicated project manager
– You value white-glove service
– Your budget is $30K+
Real example: 15-attorney firm in three cities. Needed attorney directory, office location pages, case results database, custom intake forms.
Result: $45K agency build. Worth it because AI couldn’t deliver the complexity needed.
The Common Objections
“My competitor paid $40K for their site. Mine shouldn’t look cheaper.”
Your competitor overpaid. Clients don’t know (or care) how much your website cost.
They care:
– Can I find your phone number?
– Does your site work on my phone?
– Do you handle my type of case?
– Do you seem trustworthy?
A $997 site that answers those questions beats a $40K site that doesn’t.
“What if it looks template-based?”
Most $30K agency sites are template-based. They use WordPress themes or Bootstrap frameworks.
They customize colors and fonts and call it “custom design.”
AI does the same thing. The difference: agencies take 4 months and charge $30K. AI takes 48 hours and charges $997.
“I don’t trust AI.”
Fair. AI is new for web design (2024-2025).
But here’s the thing: AI isn’t designing from scratch. It’s applying established design patterns and best practices.
The design principles AI uses (clean layouts, fast loading, mobile-first) are the same principles human designers use.
The difference: AI does it in 30 minutes instead of 30 hours.
“What if I need changes later?”
Most AI tools let you regenerate with tweaks for free or cheap ($49-99).
Or hire a freelance developer for $50-100/hour to make small changes.
Compare that to agencies:
– Small change: $200-500
– Medium change: $1,000-3,000
– Major change: $5,000-10,000
“I want someone I can call if something breaks.”
Agencies don’t answer their phone either. You email them. They respond in 2-3 days.
With AI, you’re not paying for customer support. You’re paying for a finished product.
If it breaks (hosting issue, domain problem), you call your hosting provider. Just like you would if an agency built it.
The Honest Truth About AI Websites
They’re not perfect.
The typography might be slightly off. The spacing might be 5 pixels different than what a designer would choose.
The about page might not have the exact layout you imagined.
But they work.
Mobile-responsive? Yes.
Fast? Yes.
SEO-optimized? Yes.
Better than what you have now? Almost certainly.
And they’re 30x cheaper.
When $997 Becomes Expensive
Scenario 1: Your Content Is Terrible
If your site currently says “We are a full-service law firm providing comprehensive legal solutions,” AI will make that look pretty.
But it won’t convert. Because the content is meaningless.
Fix before using AI: Rewrite your homepage with specific value propositions.
Scenario 2: You Need Custom Features
If you need a case results database with filtering by practice area, case value, and date range… AI can’t build that.
You’ll pay $997, realize it’s missing critical features, then pay $10K for custom development.
Total: $11K (vs $30K agency price that included custom work)
Scenario 3: You’re Launching a New Firm
No existing website. No content. No branding.
AI needs something to work with. If you’re starting from zero, you need:
– Brand identity (logo, colors, fonts)
– Content (written from scratch)
– Strategy (positioning, target audience)
AI can’t do that. You need humans.
The Real Question
It’s not “Is $997 good?”
It’s “Will a $997 website make me more money than what I have now?”
If your current site:
– Looks like 2015
– Doesn’t work on mobile
– Loads slowly
– Has a 65%+ bounce rate
Then yes. A $997 AI redesign will make you more money.
How much more? Based on our 50-site case study: $25,000-50,000 extra per year in closed cases for solo PI attorneys.
Even if AI delivers half that ($12,000-25,000/year), the ROI is massive.
Bottom Line
$997 AI website:
– Gets you 75-80% of what a $30K agency delivers
– Takes 48 hours instead of 4 months
– Works for 90% of solo attorneys and small firms
It’s not perfect. It’s not custom. It doesn’t come with a project manager.
But it’s modern, mobile-responsive, fast, and SEO-optimized.
And for most attorneys, that’s enough to 2-3x their website conversion rate.
The question isn’t “Is it good enough to be proud of?”
The question is “Is it good enough to convert visitors into paying clients?”
For $997? Yeah. It is.
Want to see for yourself? Try our AI redesign tool. Get 3 mockups in 5 minutes. Compare them to your current site. Compare them to your competitor’s $40K site.
Then decide if $997 makes sense.
About the Author: Evgenii Zhenin is the founder of 2bizy, an AI-powered business automation platform that helps law firms modernize their digital presence. Learn more at 2bizy.com.
