Best Web Designers in Napier and Hastings
We assessed 20 web designers in Napier and Hastings and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 339 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 24 September 2026. How we rank →
Before you hire
A website is only valuable if it performs: ask any web design company to show you sites it has built, check those sites on mobile and for load speed, and confirm who owns the domain, hosting and code after the project ends. Get clarity on what happens after launch if you need changes or the site breaks.
Top 5 Web Designers in Napier and Hastings
The top 5 web designers in Napier and Hastings are #1 WebCanny, #2 eDesign, #3 OMG Solutions, #4 Hands Free Marketing, and #5 Thinksmith, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you hire.
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1
WebCanny
★ 4.4 164 reviews Top5 Score 1555★ 114 4★ 29 3★ 5 1★ 16WebCanny builds and redesigns websites for small businesses and sole traders, with ongoing updates to keep sites current as client needs shift over time. Violet, a named member of the design team, draws particular praise for patience and follow-through during the back-and-forth of getting a site right.
location_on Cnr of Byron and Browning Streets, Napier
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2
eDesign Hawkes Bay. Web Design & Social Media Marketing
★ 5.0 51 reviews Top5 Score 153 -15★ 50 4★ 1eDesign builds new websites, redesigns outdated ones, and handles SEO recovery for businesses wanting more visibility. Sally takes time upfront to understand requirements, makes her own recommendations, and stays available after launch to help clients navigate updates, technical issues, and third-party platforms like Google Business.
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3
OMG Solutions Website Design NZ
★ 5.0 40 reviews Top5 Score 1485★ 40OMG Solutions coordinates the full website build, from copywriting and brand work to e-commerce setup and mobile-optimised design, making it a practical single point of contact for clients starting from scratch. Kath breaks projects into manageable steps and has pulled in photographers, film crews, and copywriters when a brief called for it.
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4
Hands Free Marketing
★ 5.0 24 reviews Top5 Score 146 -25★ 24Hands Free Marketing takes new website builds, e-commerce rebuilds, and existing site refreshes off clients' plates by running the process with very little back-and-forth required from the business owner. Jevon listens to a brief once, presents a working mock-up within days, then incorporates changes quickly until the site is right.
location_on 239 State Highway 51, Clive
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5
Thinksmith
★ 5.0 21 reviews +1 Top5 Score 141 +25★ 21Thinksmith nails briefs on the first pass across branding, copy, and print design work, with long-term clients citing five, six, and fifteen-year relationships built on that track record. Stu clarifies exactly what the client wants to achieve before starting, then holds to that brief without requiring rounds of corrections.
location_on 27 Tennyson Street, Napier South, Napier
Before you hire a web designer in Napier and Hastings
Drawn from 134 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.
What does a website typically cost in New Zealand? expand_more
A basic small business brochure site built by a freelancer costs between $1,500 and $5,000 NZD. Add e-commerce, custom integrations, or more pages and the price moves into the $5,000 to $20,000 range.
Ongoing costs for domain registration, hosting, and maintenance add roughly $500 to $2,000 per year on top of the build fee. Template-based platforms like Rocketspark, which at least one local designer uses, can reduce upfront costs but may attract monthly subscription fees.
Who owns the website, domain, and code once the project is finished? expand_more
Under the Copyright Act 1994, the designer owns the code by default unless a written contract explicitly transfers copyright to you, meaning you could pay in full and still not legally own the files. The domain name is a separate issue: whoever is listed as the registrant with the registrar is the legal owner, so insist the domain is registered in your own business name before work starts.
One designer in these reviews encountered a situation where a client was directed to a different country's platform, which signals how easily account control can end up in the wrong hands. Get a written contract that spells out copyright assignment, who holds login credentials, and what happens to all assets if the relationship ends.
Will I be able to update the site myself, or do I need to go back to them for every change? expand_more
Several designers in this area include training at handover, with clients reporting they were walked through site management via Skype, phone, or in-person sessions until they felt confident making updates themselves. Platforms matter here: Rocketspark, used by at least one local provider, is noted for being user-friendly and allowing clients to manage content without technical knowledge. Before committing, ask specifically what platform the site will be built on, whether you will have full admin access after launch, and whether training is included or charged separately.
What are the warning signs of a web designer you shouldn't hire? expand_more
- –Not replying to emails or answering the phone before you have even signed a contract is a clear signal of how post-project support will go.
- –A site that takes over a year to deliver a basic build, or is never made live due to unresolved errors, suggests poor project management and follow-through.
- –Work being done offshore without disclosure upfront creates accountability gaps and can complicate ownership of accounts and credentials.
- –Asking you to set up accounts on a platform registered in another country, or in the designer's name rather than yours, puts your domain and hosting at risk if the relationship sours.
- –Pricing that sounds very low with broad inclusions can indicate scope will be poorly defined, leading to delays and disputes over what was actually agreed.
- –Delivering a finished site with no handover training means you will need to pay for every small text change or image update going forward.
What should you ask before hiring a web designer? expand_more
- –Who will the domain name be registered to, and will you have full control of the registrar account from day one?
- –What platform will the site be built on, can you edit content yourself after launch, and will training be included at handover?
- –What is explicitly included in the quoted price, and what will be charged extra, including revisions, copywriting, photography, and SEO setup?
- –How many rounds of revisions are included before additional fees apply, and what is the process for requesting changes during the build?
- –What happens if something breaks after launch, is there a support period included, and what are the ongoing maintenance costs?
- –Can you see a written contract before paying anything, and does it clearly state who owns the code, the design files, and all account credentials at the end of the project?
Also recommended web designers in Napier and Hastings
Ranked 6 to 10 on the same public review record.
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6
Foxbyte
★ 5.0 8 reviews Top5 Score 1275★ 8Foxbyte takes on custom web projects that other agencies turn down, including bespoke performance appraisal platforms, online framing tools, and full retail store builds with inventory control and staff training. Clients describe the process as smooth and stress-free from first concepts through to delivery, with the finished product closely matching who the business actually is.
location_on 101/1 Lever Street, Ahuriri, Napier
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7
Quest Marketing - Marketing Made Easy
★ 4.7 10 reviews Top5 Score 1275★ 8 4★ 1 3★ 1Quest Marketing covers website development, SEO, copywriting, photography, and video in a single engagement, making them a practical fit for businesses that need more than just a built site. Hamish and the team are noted for reading a brief accurately and knowing how to bring a vision to life without the client having to over-specify.
location_on 211 Thompson Road, Hastings
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8
SF Web Services
↓ 2★ 5.0 7 reviews Top5 Score 1265★ 7SF Web Services brings clients into the build process from the start, explaining options and helping business owners understand how to manage their online presence going forward. Stephen keeps communication clear throughout, and reviewers note the finished sites have brought in new business, pointing to outcomes beyond the build itself.
location_on 2/206 Riverslea Road South, Akina, Hastings
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9
MRD WEB + Digital Marketing
↓ 2★ 4.3 10 reviews Top5 Score 124 -15★ 7 4★ 1 3★ 1 1★ 1MRD Web delivers new website builds and ongoing site management for businesses that want a team involved beyond launch day. Mike leads the build process in a way reviewers describe as collaborative and solutions-focused, and post-launch support has drawn the same response as the build itself, with quick answers and continued involvement from the team.
location_on 42 Tennyson Street, Napier South, Napier
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10
Mahi Digital
verifiedVerified ↓ 2★ 5.0 4 reviews Top5 Score 1225★ 4We generate summaries once a business has enough reviews for a reliable sample.
schedule Mon–Sun 9am–5pm
About this ranking
What the 10 web designers listed above hold, at the 24 September 2026 check.
We first assessed web designers in Napier and Hastings in July 2026 and have rechecked the ranking twice since. Two different businesses have held first place; WebCanny has held it since August 2026. WebCanny, eDesign Hawkes Bay. Web Design & Social Media Marketing, OMG Solutions Website Design NZ and Thinksmith have been in the top 5 at every check. Across the 14 locations we assess web designers in, the 137 businesses listed have a median rating of 5.0, and one-star reviews are 1.4% of their total.
What has changed since July 2026? expand_more
- Sep 2026
Foxbyte and Quest Marketing - Marketing Made Easy entered the list, at #6 and #7.
- Aug 2026
New first place: WebCanny. Hands Free Marketing entered the top 5, up from #6. Mahi Digital entered the list at #8.
- Jul 2026
First check. eDesign Hawkes Bay. Web Design & Social Media Marketing #1.
How are the top web designers in Napier and Hastings chosen? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for web designers in Napier and Hastings. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out, and a business whose main Google category is a different trade is held back until a person has checked what it does. A business whose website no longer resolves and that has had no Google review for six months is treated as dormant and left off the page until either changes. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. A location with a subscribing business is rechecked every month, and the whole page updates with it. See how we rank for the full method.
What does a business subscription offer? expand_more
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying a listing is free. It adds a phone number to the card and a small trust bonus (+3 points) to its score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing. The owner also gets a dashboard showing how their score is made up. A paid subscription provides an enhanced card with more ways to reach the business, including a website link and a detailed profile page. It also refreshes this page monthly and adds ranking history and competitor analysis to the owner's dashboard. The subscription adds nothing to the score. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Why isn't my business listed? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for web designers in Napier and Hastings. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Sometimes we miss a business that should be here. Check where you rank first. If you are not there and think you should be, get in touch.