Find your exact rate
Typical project work, moderate complexity.
Factor in AI tool subscriptions
Your Rate
Day Rate
$450
Project Est.
$2,200
Retainer
$8,350/mo
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Community Data
What do you actually charge?
Anonymous. Helps improve market benchmarks.
How Much Does UI/UX Design Cost in 2026?
From wireframes to full product design, know the rate your work supports with BLS-calibrated benchmarks.
UI/UX design costs range from $5,000 for a basic website redesign to $150,000 for a complex enterprise platform. Freelance UI/UX designers in the US charge $75 to $195 per hour based on BLS wage data, with project rates varying by scope, complexity, and the number of screens. The median hourly rate is $120. A well-scoped MVP of 15–25 screens typically costs $15,000–$40,000.
Floor
$75
per hour
Typical
$120
per hour
Premium
$195
per hour
Find your exact rate
Typical project work, moderate complexity.
Factor in AI tool subscriptions
Your Rate
Day Rate
$450
Project Est.
$2,200
Retainer
$8,350/mo
Was this helpful?
Community Data
What do you actually charge?
Anonymous. Helps improve market benchmarks.
How much does UI/UX design cost by project type?
UI/UX design project costs vary by scope and complexity. The primary cost driver is the number of screens and user flows. Each additional screen requires layout design, interaction states, error handling, and responsive adaptation. A 10-screen app and a 100-screen SaaS platform live in different pricing universes.
| Project Type | Price Range | Typical Screens | Key Deliverables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing website redesign | $1,500–$8,000 | 5–15 | Wireframes, visual design, responsive specs |
| Mobile app MVP | $8,000–$25,000 | 15–25 | User flows, wireframes, UI design, prototype |
| SaaS dashboard | $15,000–$50,000 | 30–60 | IA, design system, component library, handoff |
| Enterprise platform | $50,000–$150,000+ | 60–200+ | Research, IA, design system, usability testing, compliance |
Freelancer vs agency vs offshore UI/UX design cost
Freelance UI/UX designers charge $50–$150 per hour in the US. Mid-tier agencies charge $150–$250 per hour. Boutique studios charge $200–$350 per hour for senior-level work. Offshore designers charge $25–$80 per hour. For projects under $20,000 with clear scope, freelancers deliver the best value. For complex projects requiring multiple disciplines — strategy, research, UX, UI, and developer handoff — an agency provides accountability. Offshore talent works when budget is the hard constraint and a senior reviewer manages quality.
| Provider | Hourly Rate | Project Range | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | $50–$150/hr | $5,000–$40,000 | Clear scope, single-discipline | Availability, no backup |
| Mid-tier agency | $150–$250/hr | $25,000–$100,000 | Multi-discipline, accountability | Account management overhead |
| Boutique studio | $200–$350/hr | $40,000–$150,000+ | Premium quality, senior talent | Premium pricing, longer timelines |
| Offshore | $25–$80/hr | $3,000–$20,000 | Budget-constrained projects | Quality variance, communication gaps |
How we calculated this
The rates on this page are derived from BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data for the closest matching occupation code, adjusted for freelance overhead using a transparent four-step formula.
- 01
Floor calculation
Your target income × 1.153 (SE tax) + annual software and tool costs, divided by billable hours. This is the minimum rate that covers your costs.
- 02
Market benchmarking
The base rate is positioned against BLS percentile data for your metro. You see exactly where you land — p10 through p90.
- 03
Skill and complexity adjustments
Multipliers of 0.85×–1.65× reflect your skill level and the complexity of the work. High-stakes, strategic work earns more.
- 04
Regional cost adjustment
BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) adjust the final rate for local cost of living. San Francisco commands more; Austin less.
What changes the price
- Scope (wireframes only vs full UI delivery)
- Number of screens/pages
- User research included
- Prototyping fidelity
- Design system creation
- Usability testing
- Platform (web, iOS, Android, cross-platform)
- Handoff documentation
Real quote breakdowns
Mobile App UI Design
End-to-end UI design for an iOS fintech app. 35 screens, component library, interactive Figma prototype, developer handoff documentation.
Breakdown
UX audit + flows (12 hrs), wireframes (16 hrs), visual design (30 hrs), component library (10 hrs), prototype + handoff (12 hrs) × $120/hr effective rate.
SaaS Dashboard Redesign
Full redesign of a B2B SaaS analytics dashboard. User interviews, information architecture, 60-screen design system, and usability testing with 5 participants.
Breakdown
Research (20 hrs), IA + wireframes (30 hrs), visual design (60 hrs), design system (25 hrs), usability testing (15 hrs), revisions (30 hrs) × $138/hr effective rate.
Landing Page UX + Design
Conversion-focused landing page design for a SaaS product launch. UX strategy, wireframe, visual design in Figma, mobile-responsive specs.
Breakdown
32 hrs × $125/hr. Includes one revision round and full developer handoff. Excludes copywriting.
Frequently asked questions
Do UI and UX designers charge different rates?
Senior UX designers who conduct research, define information architecture, and run usability testing typically command 15-25% higher rates than pure UI designers. However, most mid-career designers do both — the distinction matters more in enterprise settings than in freelance engagements where clients want end-to-end design ownership.
How do design systems affect project pricing?
A design system is a separate, significant deliverable. Building a comprehensive component library (typography, color, spacing, 40+ components, documentation) typically adds $5,000-$15,000 to a project. Be explicit about whether you are designing screens only or building a reusable system. The two are very different scopes.
Which prototyping tools command a premium?
Figma is the industry standard and does not carry a premium. Advanced prototyping in Framer or ProtoPie (complex micro-interactions, data-driven prototypes, production-quality animations) justifies a rate premium of 15-20% because fewer designers have these skills.
Should user research be priced separately from UI design?
Yes. User interviews, usability tests, card sorting, and synthesis are time-intensive and require different skills than visual design. Price research as a separate phase with its own deliverables (interview screener, discussion guide, synthesis report, insight deck). Bundling it hides the value and makes it the first thing clients cut.
How is AI changing UI/UX design pricing?
AI accelerates wireframing and asset generation. It does not replace user research, strategic information architecture, or the judgment required to simplify complex systems. Designers using AI tools can bid more competitively on execution-heavy work. The premium continues to shift toward research, strategy, and systems thinking.
How much does a UX designer cost per hour?
UX designers charge $75–$195 per hour in the US market. Junior designers charge $50–$80, mid-level designers charge $80–$130, and senior designers charge $130–$195. Specialists like UX researchers and accessibility consultants command $150–$300 per hour.
How much does it cost to design a mobile app?
Mobile app UI/UX design costs $5,000–$15,000 for a simple MVP, $15,000–$40,000 for a mid-complexity app, and $40,000–$100,000 for complex apps with multiple user roles, dashboards, and integrations.
Is it cheaper to hire a freelance UI/UX designer or an agency?
Freelancers cost $50–$150 per hour — roughly 40–60% less than agencies. For well-defined projects under $20,000, freelancers deliver better value. Agencies make sense for complex products requiring research, strategy, and multi-discipline coordination.
Related professions
The short version
- →Floor rate: $75/hr. Typical: $120/hr. Premium: $195/hr.
- →UI/UX design costs range from $5,000 for a basic website redesign to $150,000 for a complex enterprise platform.
- →The biggest rate drivers: Scope (wireframes only vs full UI delivery), Number of screens/pages, User research included.
- →Rates are based on BLS OEWS May 2024 data, adjusted for freelance overhead, skill level, complexity, and regional cost of living.