Best Web Designers in Napier and Hastings
We assessed 11 web designers in Napier and Hastings and ranked the top 5 on their public review record: rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The 10 listed below hold 328 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 26 August 2026. How we rank →
Before you hire
A website is only valuable if it performs: ask to see examples of sites the designer has built, check those sites on mobile and for load speed, and confirm who owns the domain and hosting 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
↑ 2★ 4.4 164 reviews Top5 Score 155 +105★ 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
↓ 1★ 5.0 51 reviews +1 Top5 Score 1515★ 50 4★ 1eDesign builds new websites, redesigns outdated ones, and handles SEO recovery for businesses wanting more visibility.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
↓ 1★ 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
↑ 2★ 5.0 24 reviews +5 Top5 Score 141 +35★ 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
↓ 1★ 5.0 20 reviews Top5 Score 1395★ 20Thinksmith gets briefs right first time across branding, copywriting, and visual communication design, with reviewers repeatedly noting there were no typos, no rounds of edits, and no need to circle back. Stu takes time upfront to fully understand what a client needs to achieve, then stays honest about what will actually work rather than just agreeing with the brief.
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?
Web Designers ranked 6 to 10 in Napier and Hastings
They scored below the top 5 on the same public review record.
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6
SF Web Services
↑ 2★ 5.0 7 reviews Top5 Score 1265★ 7We generate summaries once a business has enough reviews for a reliable sample.
location_on 2/206 Riverslea Road South, Akina, Hastings
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7
MRD WEB + Digital Marketing
★ 4.3 10 reviews +1 Top5 Score 123 -45★ 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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8
Adrian Lim WS
↑ 1★ 5.0 5 reviews Top5 Score 122 -15★ 5We generate summaries once a business has enough reviews for a reliable sample.
location_on 916 Lawrence Street, Akina, Hastings
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9
Mahi Digital
★ 5.0 4 reviews Top5 Score 1195★ 4We generate summaries once a business has enough reviews for a reliable sample.
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10
ES1 Solutions
★ 5.0 3 reviews Top5 Score 1165★ 3We generate summaries once a business has enough reviews for a reliable sample.
Related Napier and Hastings rankings
About this ranking
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. See how we rank for the full method.
How often are rankings updated? expand_more
Every category and city is recrawled on a rolling cycle, about every two months. This page was last checked on 26 August 2026.
Can a business pay to appear in this list? expand_more
No. Top 5 and Also Recommended positions are merit-only and cannot be purchased. Verifying a business is free. A subscription adds a website link on the card, a public profile page, and competitor and ranking history in the owner's dashboard, none of which affects ranking position. 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. At the last update, the smallest review count among the 10 businesses listed here was 3. Check where you rank or read how rankings work.