Answer · Website Redesign

How Much Is a Website Refresh vs Redesign?

2 min read335 words

WDCT Senior Strategist Web Design Company Tampa · Editorial

Updated May 16, 2026

14 days kickoff → live $3K–$15K+ scope-tiered WCAG 2.1 AA baseline

The short answer

Refresh costs $2,000 and takes 7 days — same content, restyled theme, under 15 pages. Redesign costs $6,000 and takes 14 days — full UX rebuild on 25-40 pages with content audit and IA work. Rebuild (full migration) costs $15,000+ and takes 21 days.

№ 01The longer answer

Refresh ($2K, 7 days): keeps everything functional and changes everything aesthetic. Theme restyle, new typography, new color palette, refreshed photography, re-tuned CTAs. URLs, content, IA, plugin stack — all preserved. Best for sites under 3 years old that need a visual reset.

Redesign ($6K, 14 days): rebuilds the UX on top of existing IA, or rebuilds the IA if the audit reveals it’s broken. Content audit decides what to Keep, Update, Consolidate, Kill. New theme from theme.json up, conversion engineering layered in. Best for sites 3-5 years old with declining performance.

Rebuild ($15K+, 21 days): full platform migration or major content expansion. Common scenarios: Wix or Squarespace to WordPress, Elementor or Divi to custom theme + new IA, sub-50-page site expanding to 60-100 pages with programmatic SEO. Best for sites 5+ years old or with platform constraints.

How to choose: the 7-question diagnostic (in our ‘When to Redesign vs Rebuild’ guide) sorts you into a tier. Generally: site age under 3 years and looks dated = Refresh. Site age 3-5 years and converts poorly = Redesign. Site age 5+ years or platform escape needed = Rebuild.

№ 02Can I get a Refresh first and Redesign later?

Yes — common pattern. Refresh now for the visual reset, Redesign in 18-24 months when the IA needs catch up. Refresh investment isn’t wasted; the design tokens carry forward.

№ 03What if I’m between Redesign and Rebuild?

The 7-question diagnostic decides. Most coin-flip cases come down to: ‘is the existing IA still right?’ If yes, Redesign. If no, Rebuild. We run the diagnostic during the $500 audit.

№ 04Are there tiers between Refresh and Redesign?

No formal tier. We’ll scope a hybrid (Refresh + 5-10 priority pages with structural rework) at $3-4K when the scope falls between. Custom-priced based on what’s needed.

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