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At a glance: money to start · hours · how fast it pays · how much you keep · how much it can earn. Taller bars are better; the dashed line is halfway.

Web design and restyling: what it really costs to start

Starting a web design and restyling business in Europe costs €200–€1,500 in 2026, with first income after about 4 weeks and earnings of up to €4,500 a month working full time.

Last updated: September 2026 · sources at the bottom of the page

Rebuilding sites for local businesses.

Web design and restyling in numbers
Money to start €200–€1,500 What you spend before the first customer pays: kit, stock, licences, launch.
Hours a week 8–35 What it takes to run it properly, from part time to full time.
Weeks to first income about 4 How long you pay in before any money comes back. You still need to live in those weeks.
Kept of every €100 €88 What stays with you after running costs, before you pay yourself for your hours.
Most it earns a month €1,200 part time · €4,500 full time A realistic ceiling for one person running it. Your own hours are the limit.
Competition high Easy to enter, so plenty of people already do it.
Licence or qualification not usually Beyond registering the business and insurance, nothing specific in our research.

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What nobody usually tells you

Sellable to anyone with a business, and the service SMEs understand without explanation. It's also where automated builders are eroding price fastest.

The route, in five steps

  1. Pick one sector and build three fake sites for it
  2. Quote a fixed price, never an open estimate
  3. Contact businesses with visibly outdated sites
  4. Include one month of edits then bill separately
  5. Sell monthly maintenance: that's the revenue that stays

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories this business pays for in the first month. We go through the software side on the tools page.

software licencesdomain and hostingportfolio

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Common questions

How much does it cost to start a web design and restyling business?

Between €200 and €1,500 to begin. That covers software licences, domain and hosting, portfolio and the rest of the setup. It does not cover your own living costs during the 4 weeks before the first income arrives, which is the cost most people forget.

How long after starting a web design and restyling business does the first income arrive?

Around 4 weeks to the first euro. Reaching the realistic maximum of €4,500 a month takes considerably longer, and assumes 35 hours a week.

How much can you earn a month if you start a web design and restyling business?

Up to about €4,500 a month working full time, or €1,200 part time. Of every €100 it takes, about €88 stays with you after running costs.

Can you start a web design and restyling business alongside a job?

Yes, at a cost. Part time it realistically tops out around €1,200 a month, against €4,500 working full time, and it needs 8–35 hours a week.

Is there a lot of competition?

Competition is high. Crowded markets are crowded because anyone can enter tomorrow, which is also why they tend to keep more of each euro but earn less in total.

Similar businesses to compare

Sources

Where these numbers come from. Figures are rounded ranges for European markets; check the ones you are about to spend money on. Last checked September 2026.

  1. Wise — How much to charge for freelance web design (UK day and hourly rates) what it earns
  2. Paige Brunton — Freelance web designer income study (770+ designers) what it earns · hours

Does it fit you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your money, your hours and how long you can wait. Put them in and see.

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