Why Law Firm Websites Cost $30,000 (And How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off)

You call three web design agencies. Get three quotes. All between $20,000 and $35,000.

You ask what’s included. They say “custom design,” “SEO optimization,” “mobile responsive,” “content management system.”

You nod like you understand. You don’t.

Here’s what you’re actually buying—and whether it’s worth $30K or if you’re funding someone’s Tesla payment.

Where Your $30,000 Actually Goes

Let’s break down a typical $30,000 law firm website project.

1. Sales Commission: $6,000 (20%)

The person who closed you gets 15-25% of the project cost.

They spent:
– 1 hour on the initial call
– 30 minutes writing the proposal
– 1 hour answering your questions

Total: 2.5 hours of work = $2,400/hour

That’s more than you bill. For a sales call.

2. Project Manager: $4,500 (15%)

Someone to:
– Send you weekly email updates
– Schedule calls you don’t need
– Ask for content you already sent
– Forward messages between you and the designer

Actual value: Close to zero. Most of this could be automated or eliminated entirely.

3. Designer (Mockups): $4,500 (15%)

A designer creates 2-3 homepage mockups. You pick one. They design 3-5 internal page templates.

Time spent: 20-30 hours
Effective rate: $150-225/hour

This is legitimate work. Good design matters.

4. Developer (Build): $6,000 (20%)

A developer turns the mockups into a functioning website using WordPress or similar platform.

Time spent: 30-40 hours
Effective rate: $150-200/hour

Also legitimate. Coding takes skill and time.

5. Copywriter: $3,000 (10%)

Someone writes or rewrites your homepage, practice area pages, and about page.

Time spent: 10-15 hours
Effective rate: $200-300/hour

Value depends entirely on the writer. Junior writer? Not worth it. Experienced legal copywriter? Maybe.

6. SEO Specialist: $2,000 (7%)

Sets up:
– Meta titles and descriptions
– Header tags
– Schema markup
– Image alt text
– XML sitemap

Time spent: 6-10 hours
Effective rate: $200-333/hour

Important work. But most of it should be built into the platform, not billed separately.

7. Overhead: $4,000 (13%)

• Office rent
• Project management software
• Design tools
• Salaries for people not working on your project
• Insurance
• The fancy espresso machine in their office

You’re subsidizing their business operations.

The Real Cost to Build Your Site

If you strip out sales commissions, unnecessary project management, and overhead, here’s what the actual work costs:

• Design: $4,500
• Development: $6,000
• Copywriting: $3,000
• SEO setup: $2,000

Total real cost: $15,500

You’re paying $30,000 for $15,500 worth of work. The other $14,500 is markup.

Is the Markup Justified?

Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

Markup IS justified when:
– You’re getting a dedicated account manager who actually improves the process
– The sales person understood your needs and found the right team
– The agency handles everything (photography, brand strategy, ongoing support)
– You value peace of mind and white-glove service

Markup is NOT justified when:
– The project manager just forwards emails
– You have to chase them for updates
– Timeline slips from 8 weeks to 5 months
– They nickel-and-dime you for “extras” not in the contract

Hidden Costs Agencies Don’t Mention

Stock Photos: $500-$2,000

Most contracts say “stock imagery included.” What they don’t say: they’re buying the cheapest $50/image photos from iStock. Want premium photos? That’s extra.

Revision Rounds: $1,500 per Round

Contract includes “3 rounds of revisions.” After that, every change costs $1,000-$3,000.

What counts as a “round”? Asking to change the homepage, practice areas, and contact page all at once? That’s one round. Asking to change just the homepage after they’ve moved to another client? That’s a whole new round.

Premium Plugins: $300-$800/year

Your site needs:
– Contact form plugin: $80/year
– SEO plugin premium: $99/year
– Security plugin: $120/year
– Backup plugin: $50/year

Total: $350/year minimum. Forever.

Agencies don’t tell you this upfront because they don’t want you to think the site has ongoing costs.

Content Updates After Launch: $150-$300/hour

You launch the site. Two weeks later, you realize the family law page needs updates. That’s $200/hour, 1-hour minimum.

Most attorneys rack up $500-$1,500 in “small edits” in the first 3 months.

Mobile Fixes: $2,000-$5,000

The site looks great on desktop. On mobile, the contact form doesn’t work. The agency says “mobile optimization wasn’t in the original scope.”

You’re pretty sure it was. But proving it means reading a 40-page contract you signed 4 months ago.

Red Flags That You’re Being Overcharged

1. They Quote by “Complexity” Not Hours

“This is a Tier 3 complexity site, so it’s $28,000.”

Translation: We made up a pricing model to justify high margins.

Better: Itemized quote showing hours and rates for each phase.

2. They Won’t Give an Itemized Breakdown

“Our pricing is bundled for simplicity.”

Translation: If you saw how little design time you’re actually getting, you’d walk.

Better: Clear breakdown of design hours, development hours, copywriting, SEO, etc.

3. They Require 50% Down, 50% at Launch

You pay $15,000 upfront. Six months later, the site is 60% done. They’ve already been paid for 100% of the work they’ve completed. There’s no incentive to finish quickly.

Better: Payment milestones tied to deliverables (mockups, dev site, launch).

4. Timeline Is “8-12 Weeks”

That’s code for “we have no idea, and we’re juggling 10 other projects.”

Better: Fixed launch date in the contract. If they miss it, you get a refund or discount.

5. Ongoing Maintenance is “Required”

$300/month to keep your site online. If you cancel, they won’t help you move to another host.

Translation: We’re holding your site hostage.

Better: Optional support packages. You own the site, you can host it anywhere.

What You SHOULD Pay in 2026

Here’s realistic pricing for law firm websites based on size and complexity:

Solo Attorney (5-10 pages)

• DIY: $300/year (your time not included)
• AI-powered: $997 one-time
• Template customization: $3,000-$5,000
• Custom agency: $12,000-$18,000

Fair price: $3,000-$8,000 depending on features

Small Firm (10-20 pages, 2-5 attorneys)

• AI-powered: $997-$1,497
• Template customization: $5,000-$8,000
• Custom agency: $18,000-$28,000

Fair price: $8,000-$15,000

Mid-Size Firm (20+ pages, 5-15 attorneys)

• Custom agency: $25,000-$40,000
• Enterprise CMS: $40,000-$80,000

Fair price: $20,000-$35,000 if complexity justifies it

Anything beyond these ranges, you’re paying for brand name, not better work.

How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off

1. Ask for an Itemized Quote

Don’t accept “bundled pricing.” Ask:
– How many design hours?
– How many development hours?
– What’s included in “SEO optimization”?
– What happens if I need changes after launch?

If they won’t break it down, they’re hiding something.

2. Check Their Law Firm Portfolio

If they show you e-commerce sites, SaaS websites, and restaurant sites… they don’t specialize in law firms.

Law firm sites need:
– Schema markup for attorneys and law offices
– Practice area optimization
– Compliance with attorney advertising rules
– Integration with legal intake tools

Generalist agencies will miss these details.

3. Negotiate Payment Terms

Never pay 50% upfront unless you’re working with a proven firm with references you’ve called.

Better structure:
– 25% at contract signing
– 25% at design approval
– 25% at development completion
– 25% at launch

4. Insist on Ownership

Your contract should explicitly state:
– You own the design
– You own the content
– You own the code
– You can move to any hosting provider

If the contract is vague on ownership, you’re renting, not buying.

5. Get a Fixed Launch Date

“8-12 weeks” is not a commitment. Get a specific date.

If they can’t commit to a date, they’re either overbooked or bad at project management. Either way, you’ll be waiting 6 months.

When $30K Is Worth It

There are legitimate cases where a $30K website makes sense:

• You’re a 10+ attorney firm with multiple practice areas
• You need complex custom features (case results database, attorney directory with filtering)
• You want professional photography, video, and brand strategy included
• You’re launching a rebrand alongside the website
• You need bilingual content

For everyone else? You’re overpaying.

The AI Alternative

In 2024-2025, AI-powered website tools emerged that deliver 80% of what agencies provide at 3% of the cost.

What AI does well:
– Modern, professional design
– Mobile-responsive layouts
– SEO optimization (schema markup, fast loading, proper structure)
– Takes your existing content and makes it look better

What AI doesn’t do:
– Write new content from scratch
– Make strategic decisions about brand identity
– Build complex custom features
– Provide human project management

For solo attorneys and small firms with decent existing content, AI tools are the obvious choice.

Cost: $997 vs $30,000
Timeline: 48 hours vs 3-4 months
Result: 80% of the quality, 100x faster, 30x cheaper

Bottom Line

Most attorneys overpay for websites because they don’t understand what they’re buying.

You’re not paying $30K for design and code. You’re paying:
– $6K for someone to sell you
– $4K for someone to email you
– $4K for the agency’s rent and overhead
– $15K for actual work

If the sales process, project management, and overhead add value to your experience, fine. Pay for it.

If you just want a modern, mobile-responsive website that converts visitors to clients? Don’t pay for the extras.

Want to see what a $997 website looks like? Try our AI redesign tool. Get 3 mockups in 5 minutes. Compare it to your $30K quote. Decide which makes more sense.

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Sources:
– Clutch: Average Website Design Costs 2025
– WebFX: Law Firm Website Pricing Guide

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.