01
Business websites
Service, about and contact pages planned around what your customers need to find and do, built to load quickly on a phone and edited by your own staff after launch. Websites start from £3,000, excluding VAT.
- Home
- United Kingdom
- Web Design Agency Manchester
Greater Manchester
Web design for Manchester businesses
Manchester has no shortage of web designers, so the harder choice is which kind of supplier your site actually needs. SpiderHunts, a UK-registered software business, plans and builds websites, Shopify stores and replacement sites for Greater Manchester firms entirely remotely, and prices each one in writing before work starts.
Thanks, that’s with us.
A senior engineer reads every enquiry and will reply as soon as they can.
Want to take it further now?
Book a time that suits you, or send a message on WhatsApp.
- Business websites from £3,000, excluding VAT
- No office in Manchester: a remote team, by video call
- The site is yours on full payment, as set out in your contract
- “I was impressed by their ability to deliver unparalleled quality at an extremely fast pace and for great value.”ClutchAngelos BougasManaging Director, Ocley Group
- “Shahrukh did an excellent job creating a fully customized portal for my car auction business…FiverrMichael JonUnited Kingdom
- “I absolutely love the way Shahrukh works! He is a pro at handling React and Django features…UpworkJohnson C.React / Django feature build
- “The team responded to comments immediately, and corrected the mistakes exactly as I provided the comments.”ClutchGiorgi MumladzeFounder/CEO, Club Confide
2020
Building since
1,000+
Clients served
UK
Registered company
4.6/5
Rated on Clutch
Quick answer
What good web design for a Manchester business involves
Finding a web designer in Manchester is easy. There are studios in the Northern Quarter and Ancoats, larger digital agencies in the centre and in Salford, and a deep pool of freelancers, so one brief can attract quotes that sit far apart. The trouble is that most portfolios look alike, and the work that decides whether a site pays for itself never shows up in a screenshot.
That hidden work comes down to four questions. Can your own staff edit the site without ringing a developer? Do the pages load quickly on a phone over mobile data? When the old site is replaced, do the pages Google already sends people to still work? And does every enquiry form actually reach an inbox? A city centre restaurant, a lettings agent and a Stockport engineering firm need very different websites, but all four questions apply to each of them.
SpiderHunts approaches web design as engineers. We plan the page structure and templates with the build in mind, choose the platform for whoever will maintain it (usually WordPress, Shopify or a custom-coded site), and treat the redirect plan as part of the design rather than a launch-week chore. We do not design logos or brand identities. If you need one, a brand studio should come first, and we will work from what they produce.
One thing to be clear about: there is no SpiderHunts office in Manchester. The company's registered office is in London, the team is remote, and a project here is run by one named person over video and shared files. If you want a supplier who will sit in your meeting room for workshops, pick one with premises in the city. Better to say that now than after a quote.
What we do
What we design and build for Manchester businesses
Six kinds of work, often combined. Many projects are a redesign of an existing site rather than a first website, so moving the old pages across safely is usually part of the job.
02
WordPress web design
For teams who publish often: news, events, menus or vacancies. We build lean WordPress themes without heavy page builders, so whoever updates the site can change a page without breaking the layout.
03
Ecommerce web design
Shopify for most retailers, and a custom build when the catalogue, pricing or fulfilment rules will not fit a standard platform. Product and collection templates get the most design time, because that is where buyers decide.
04
Redesigns and migrations
Replacing a site without throwing away the visitors it already earns. Each old address gets a new destination, the redirects are tried on staging first, and we look at them again after the switch.
05
Website care plan
Hosting, updates, backups, speed checks and a monthly allowance of small edits, from £150 a month excluding VAT. It is optional: you can look after the site yourself instead.
06
Portals and web applications
Customer logins, booking and quoting tools, dealer portals and dashboards, where the website is really a piece of software. These are scoped and quoted as software projects.
Cost
What website design in Manchester costs, and why quotes differ
Ask several web design companies in Manchester to price the same brief and the figures will rarely be close. Overheads explain some of the gap, but most of it comes from each supplier quietly assuming a different scope: how many page templates, who writes the words, whether the old site's addresses are redirected, and what happens once the site is live.
Our starting point is £3,000 plus VAT for a business website, with care from £150 a month if you want us to look after it. The quote is written, lists what is excluded and settles the scope before any design work, so you can set it beside other quotes line by line instead of comparing totals. The table shows what moves the price and how to keep each part under control.
If your budget sits well below that starting point, a good website builder or a freelance designer is a sensible choice, and we will tell you so on the first call rather than shrink the scope until the site stops being useful.
| What moves the price | Why it matters | How to keep it in check |
|---|---|---|
| Number of page templates | Each distinct layout is designed, built and tested on its own | Reuse layouts: one service page template can carry every service |
| Content | Writing and editing copy takes longer than most owners expect | Draft the words yourself; we edit and structure them |
| Integrations | Booking systems, CRMs, property feeds and payments each need building and testing | Start with the integration that brings in money and add the rest later |
| Replacing an existing site | Old addresses need mapping so visitors and search engines land on the right page | Share your analytics early, so the mapping covers the pages that matter |
| Online shop catalogue | Product data, variants and filters grow the work with the size of the range | Tidy the product data before the build starts, not during it |
| Aftercare | Updates, backups and fixes are ongoing work, not a one-off | Take the care plan, or agree who in your business owns it |
Working remotely
How a remote web design project runs for a Manchester firm
Most of a web design project already happens on screens: reviewing designs, commenting on wording, clicking through a test version of the site. Working with a remote supplier changes less than people expect, provided the habits are set at the start.
You get one named contact who runs the project and joins every call. Designs are shared as links you can comment on directly, content is gathered in shared documents rather than email attachments, and the site is built on a private staging address you can open on your own phone, on the tram or in front of colleagues. Decisions are written down after each call, so nothing depends on anyone's memory.
Calls are by video during UK business hours, and workshops such as agreeing the page structure work well on a shared screen. What a remote supplier cannot give you is a person in the room. If your team only engages properly face to face, an agency with an office in the city is worth paying for.
Choosing a supplier
How to compare web design companies in Manchester
Six questions that separate suppliers better than a portfolio does. Ask each one in writing, and ask us too.
Two common mistakes do more damage than any design decision. The first is choosing a web design agency for a Manchester business on the strength of a home page mock-up, when the pages that bring in enquiries are the service, product and contact pages. The second is fixing a launch date before anyone has planned how the old site's pages will be moved across. Both are easy to avoid if you ask the right questions before signing.
- Question 01
Whose name are the accounts in?
The domain, hosting, analytics and code should be registered to your business. Rebuilds sometimes start because a previous designer held the domain and could no longer be reached.
- Question 02
Can we see it before it goes live?
Ask for a staging version you can click through on your own devices, not only static images of the home page.
- Question 03
What happens to our current pages?
Ask for the redirect plan by name. A supplier who has not thought about it can lose the pages that already bring in visitors.
- Question 04
Who writes the words?
Content is a common cause of delay. Agree who drafts, who edits and who signs off before design starts.
- Question 05
Will our people manage to update it?
Ask for a demonstration of the editor and whether training is part of the price. Sites that need a developer for every change go stale.
- Question 06
What does it cost after launch?
Hosting, updates, small changes and fixes. Get the monthly figure in writing alongside the build price.
Web development
Web development in Manchester when the site is really software
Some briefs that arrive as web design are really web development: a client area for downloading documents, a quoting tool for a manufacturer, a booking system shared by a group of clinics, or a portal for dealers and installers. Greater Manchester has plenty of businesses like this, from distributors on the industrial estates to professional firms in Spinningfields, and their website often sits next to a spreadsheet that does the real work.
When that is the case we scope it as software, with user accounts, data and permissions planned before any screens are designed, and we say so before quoting. Our page on custom software for Manchester businesses covers that side of the work, and the same remote way of working applies.
Why sites get replaced
Why websites get replaced sooner than planned
Plenty of business sites are replaced not because the design dated, but because something underneath stopped working. In a market this crowded, the next supplier is often chosen the same way as the last one: on a home page mock-up.
What usually went wrong
- The domain or hosting was registered by a designer who has since moved on
- A page builder so heavy that the site drags on a phone
- Menus, prices or listings that only the original developer can change
- Enquiry forms quietly landing in spam, or nowhere at all
- A redesign that dropped the old page addresses and lost its Google visitors
How we set up the replacement
- Domain, hosting and code in accounts your business controls
- Lean templates, checked on an ordinary mid-range phone before launch
- An editor your own staff are shown how to use
- Every form tested end to end, with mail sent through a proper mail service
- Old addresses redirected page by page, then checked after launch
Not sure whether you need a new site or a few fixes?
Request a free website teardown. We record a short walkthrough of your current site and point to three changes worth making first: one for speed, one for clarity, one for conversion. Use it with any supplier you like.
Illustrations
Example website briefs from around Greater Manchester
Illustrative situations, not client stories: what the brief usually looks like in each sector, and what we would aim for.
Menus, events and bookings
A restaurant or bar group whose menus are PDFs, whose events page is months out of date and whose booking button opens a different website. The work is a site the floor manager can update from a phone, with booking built into the page rather than bolted on.
Aim: current menus, and bookings that work on a phone
Listings that keep themselves current
A lettings agent or developer marketing new apartments in and around the city centre, retyping each property into the website by hand. Listings should come straight from the property software, with development pages that can be launched and retired quickly.
Aim: listings that update from the source
A Shopify store that outgrew its theme
A fashion or homeware brand whose theme has been patched by several freelancers, with apps stacked on top and product pages that crawl on mobile data. Usually this needs a rebuild of the product and collection templates, not the whole store.
Aim: quicker product pages and fewer apps
Professional firms that get checked out
A law or accounting firm whose people pages are out of date and whose regulatory details are hard to find. Prospective clients look at people, specialisms and credentials before they call, so those pages get the design attention.
Aim: people and specialism pages kept current
A product range that lives in PDFs
An engineering firm on an industrial estate off the M60 whose products are only described in downloadable brochures. Product and capability pages with specifications, drawings and a quote request turn the site into something buyers can use.
Aim: products a buyer can find and ask about
One business, many branches
A dental group, gym chain or trades firm with sites in Bolton, Bury and Stockport, all sharing one generic location page. Each branch gets its own page with its own details, staff and directions, built from a template that still reads differently for each.
Aim: a page for every branch that earns its place
The project
Four stages, each one signed off by you
Each stage ends with something you can see and approve, so working remotely never means working blind.
1. Scoping call
A video call about what the site has to do, who will edit it and which pages bring in enquiries today. You then get a written quote with the scope agreed up front, including what is not included.
2. Structure and design
Page structure and the key templates first, shared as designs you can comment on. We design the pages that carry enquiries, such as service, product and contact pages, not only the home page.
3. Build and content
Built on a staging address you can click through on your own phone. Content is collected in shared documents, so nobody is waiting on an attachment buried in someone's inbox.
4. Launch and handover
Redirects from the old pages, forms tested end to end, and a walkthrough of editing the site with your staff. Then you look after it yourself, or the optional care plan does.
Clear scope · Regular demos · Full handover
Honest fit
When we suit a Manchester website project, and when we do not
Directories and roundups of Manchester web designers make a reasonable starting list, but they rarely say how a supplier handles migration, content or aftercare. This is our side of that, plainly.
A good fit when…
- You want a site your own staff can edit
- You are replacing a site that already brings in enquiries
- The site has to connect to bookings, a CRM, stock or a property feed
- You are happy to work by video call and shared documents
- You want design and build handled as one piece of work
Not the right fit when…
- You want a supplier who visits your premises
- You need a logo or a new brand identity designed
- Your budget is well below £3,000
- You want the new site live in days, whatever happens to the old one's visitors
Options
Website builder, freelancer, studio or a remote company?
A website builder, a freelance website designer in Manchester, a design studio and web developers working remotely all have their place. This is how they differ, including where we are the weaker choice.
| What matters | Website builder | Freelance designer | Design studio | SpiderHunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suits | A simple site you will run yourself | A small site and a personal service | Brand-led sites and campaigns | Sites that must be found, edited and connected to other systems |
| Who does the work | You | One person, design and build | Designers, with developers in house or contracted | Designers and engineers on one remote team |
| Meeting in person | Not applicable | Often possible if they live nearby | Usually, at their studio | No: video, shared links and one named person |
| Logos and brand identity | Templates only | Depends on the person | Usually a strength | Not offered: we work from your existing brand |
| Replacing an existing site | Your responsibility | Varies widely | Varies: ask for the redirect plan | Old addresses mapped page by page and checked after launch |
| If the supplier becomes unavailable | Platform support | Work can stop | Someone else picks it up | Code and accounts already in your name |
| Cost | A monthly subscription | Usually lower than a studio | Varies with the brand work | From £3,000, excluding VAT, on a written quote |
| After launch | You maintain it | As and when available | Retainer or ad hoc | Optional care plan from £150 a month, excluding VAT |
Sectors
Sectors that shape websites in Manchester
Greater Manchester's economy is broad, and each sector asks something different of a website. These are the sectors that stand out in the city and the wider county, and what their sites usually need.
Online retailFashion, beauty and homeware brands selling online, where product pages decide the sale
Hospitality and nightlifeRestaurants, bars and venues that need menus, events and bookings staff can update
Property and new homesLettings, sales and residential developments that depend on current listings
Professional and financial servicesLegal, accounting and finance firms where people pages and credentials carry weight
Media and creativeProduction and creative businesses around Salford Quays that expect visual polish
Manufacturing and distributionIndustrial firms whose buyers want specifications and a quick way to request a quote
Education and researchTraining providers and research groups linked to the universities along Oxford Road
Sport and live eventsClubs, gyms, venues and organisers selling tickets, memberships and classes
Related pages for Manchester and nearby cities
SEO in ManchesterSearch and AI visibility once the site is liveCustom software in ManchesterSystems and web applicationsCustom software in LeedsAcross the Pennines in West YorkshireWeb design in LeedsWebsites for West Yorkshire businessesSEO in BirminghamThe West MidlandsCustom software in BirminghamSoftware for West Midlands firmsWeb design, UK-wideHow we work nationally
FAQ
Questions Manchester businesses ask about a new website
Straight answers to what Greater Manchester businesses ask before commissioning a website.
Still have a question?
Ask us directly. A senior engineer reads every question.
Ask about your projectHow much does website design for a Manchester business cost?
A business website starts from £3,000, excluding VAT. What takes it higher is mostly the number of distinct page layouts, how much writing you want us to do, connections to booking, payment or property systems, and moving an old site across without breaking its addresses. The quote is in writing with scope agreed up front, and looking after the site afterwards is optional, from £150 a month.
Do you have an office in Manchester?
No. SpiderHunts has a registered office in London and a remote team, and works with Manchester businesses through video calls, shared documents and a named contact. We have not taken a virtual address in the city to look local. If sitting down together matters to you, choose a supplier with premises in Manchester.
Is affordable web design in Manchester realistic for a small business?
Yes, if affordable means paying for what the site needs and nothing more. A small business site can be a handful of pages, a clear offer, a short enquiry form and an editor the owner can use. If your budget is well below £3,000, a website builder or a freelance designer is likely to be better value, and we will tell you so rather than cut the scope to fit.
Is a freelance website designer in Manchester a better choice than an agency?
A good freelancer suits a small, simple site, especially if you value meeting the person who builds it. The risks are capacity and continuity: if they fall ill, get busy or move on, the work stops, and occasionally the domain goes with them. An agency usually costs more, but gives you several people and a written process. Whichever you choose, ask who will own the domain, the hosting and the code.
Do you build on WordPress?
Yes. WordPress suits teams who publish regularly, such as news, events, vacancies or menus. We build lean themes rather than stacking page builders and plugins, and show your staff how to edit before handover. Our WordPress agency page explains how we approach new builds and rescues.
Do you offer ecommerce web design for Manchester retailers?
Yes. Most retailers are well served by Shopify, and we design the product and collection templates, set up the catalogue structure and keep apps to a minimum so pages stay quick. Where pricing, stock or fulfilment rules will not fit Shopify, we build a custom store and explain why before quoting.
Could a redesign cost us the visitors we get from Google?
Yes, if the switch is handled carelessly. Most of the damage comes from old page addresses that simply vanish, so people and search engines arrive at error pages. We list every old address, give each one a destination, try the redirects on the staging site and look at them again after launch. If search already brings you steady enquiries, mention it on the first call.
Do we need web developers in Manchester, or can the project run remotely?
It can run remotely, and most of the work already happens on screen. You get a named contact, video calls in UK business hours, designs shared as links you can comment on and a staging site you can test on your own phone. What you give up is someone in the room, which matters more to some teams than others.
Who owns the website, the domain and the hosting?
Your business. The site is yours on full payment, as set out in your contract, and the domain, hosting and analytics sit in accounts you control, or in ones you already have. If you later move to another supplier, nothing has to be prised out of our hands.
Can you look after SEO for a Manchester business as well?
Yes, as a separate service. Our builds are laid out so the content is readable by search engines and AI assistants, but ongoing SEO is its own work: our SEO page for Manchester covers it, and retainers start from £1,500 a month. Plenty of businesses only need a well-built site and a care plan, and we will say so if that is you.
Start here
Tell us what the new site has to do
Give us the short version: what you sell, who the site is for and what the current one gets wrong. We will reply with how we would approach it, the risks we can see and a price range. If a website builder or a handful of fixes would do the job, we will say that instead.
- You tell us what you needTwo minutes on the form, or a message on WhatsApp.
- A senior engineer reviews itAnd comes back with questions, a realistic range and an honest view on fit.
- Free 30-minute scoping callWe talk through scope, options and a realistic estimate, with no obligation.
Thanks, that’s with us.
A senior engineer reads every enquiry and will reply as soon as they can.
Want to take it further now?
Book a time that suits you, or send a message on WhatsApp.