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Rates & engagement

We don’t sell hours. We size the design
and the outcome you need.

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How we think about cost

We price the work by what you’re trying to get done. Not a fake hourly menu. Sprint, project, retainer, or credits once the problem’s clear.

How we engage

Engagement models, typical price ranges, how we size work, how estimates work, and ongoing capacity.

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  • $8k+Focused sprints typically start
  • ±10%Estimate commitment band
  • ~1 wkTypical estimate turnaround
  • 4Engagement models

Rates, sizing & engagement

Models

ENGAGE Four ways to work with us. From a sharp two-week sprint to a standing design bench. (PICK WHAT FITS)

Most people start with a defined project or a focused sprint. Retainers and credits make sense when you already need design every month.

Engagement in practice

What we offer

  • Focused sprint

    Time-boxed (usually 1–3 weeks). One problem, one outcome, audit, positioning, concept, or MVP slice.

  • Defined project

    Fixed scope and outcome with a written estimate. Best when the problem and deliverables are clear enough to size.

  • Design retainer

    A dedicated designer (or small pod) on a monthly cadence. Roadmap work, system upkeep, continuous shipping.

  • Design credits

    Prepaid hours you draw down as needs appear. Without reopening a full SOW every time.

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Ranges

BALLPARK Searchers asking what design costs deserve a number — then a real estimate. (NOT A QUOTE)

These are typical bands for US and Canadian SaaS work once scope is clear. Your brief can land lower or higher. We confirm a written range with assumptions, usually within about a week, and hold ±10% on agreed scope.

Ranges in practice

Where most work lands

  • Focused sprint

    Typically $8,000–$25,000 USD for 1–3 weeks on one outcome — audit, positioning, concept, or an MVP slice.

  • Defined project

    Typically $25,000–$120,000+ USD depending on journeys, research, system depth, and whether build is in scope. Multi-phase product rebuilds sit at the high end.

  • Design retainer

    Typically from about $12,000 USD / month for a dedicated senior designer cadence. Pods and higher involvement scale from there.

  • Design credits

    Prepaid blocks sized to expected monthly draw-down. Useful when volume is uneven. Ask for current credit packs on the call.

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Sizing

SIZE We size the outcome and the unknowns, not a wishlist of screens. (BEFORE THE NUMBER)

A fair number starts with what success looks like, what’s decided, and what’s still fuzzy. Complexity and calendar pressure move cost more than pixel count.

Sizing in practice

What we weigh

  • Outcome clarity

    What must be true when we stop? Launch, learn, convert, modernize. We name it before we count hours.

  • Known vs unknown

    Locked brand and IA shrink risk. Open research, integrations, or AI features expand the band.

  • Team & involvement

    Solo designer vs strategy + design + build. How fast you can decide. Who owns product on your side.

  • Constraint honesty

    Hard deadlines, compliance, platforms, and “must ship with X” all change the shape of the work.

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Estimating

ESTIMATE An estimate is a commitment with visible assumptions, not a moon shot. (WITH ASSUMPTIONS)

We break the work down, pressure-test it with the people who’d do it, and give you a range we can stand behind (±10% unless scope changes). If something’s fuzzy, we say so before you sign.

Estimating in practice

The process

  • 1. Brief & questions

    Goals, users, constraints, references, and what “done” means. We ask until the fog lifts.

  • 2. Scope breakdown

    Features, flows, content, and delivery activities. Itemized enough to see where time goes.

  • 3. Expert validation

    Design and (when relevant) build leads stress-test the hours. Sales doesn’t invent the number alone.

  • 4. Range + assumptions

    You get a number or band, what’s included, what’s out, and what would move cost. Buffer is explicit.

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Retainers

ONGOING Need a designer on call, not another six-week procurement cycle? (CAPACITY ON TAP)

Retainers put senior design inside your cadence. Credits are a flexible hours bank. Both skip the “open a new project” tax when priorities shift.

Ongoing capacity

When to use which

  • Designer on retainer

    Best for product teams shipping every sprint, system maintenance, and a named Phoenux designer in your standups.

  • Design credit service

    Best when volume is uneven, marketing sites, feature polish, partner requests: draw hours as you need them.

  • What you get

    Priority scheduling, shared Figma workspace, monthly usage visibility, and a clear rollover / top-up policy.

  • What we don’t do

    Anonymous freelancer marketplaces. Credits and retainers are senior studio capacity with accountability.

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Rates & redesign questions

How much does a website redesign cost?

A product or marketing redesign is sized by outcome and unknowns — not a flat hourly menu. Typical Phoenux rebuilds land as defined projects in the roughly $25,000–$120,000+ USD band once scope is clear; focused sprints for one problem often fall in the $8,000–$25,000 range. We share a written estimate with assumptions (~1 week turnaround) and a ±10% band on agreed scope. Send the brief on the contact page for a real range.

How long does a website redesign take?

Most interface rebuilds take weeks to a few months, not days. Timeline depends on journey count, research needs, engineering handoff, and whether brand and IA are locked. A focused sprint (1–3 weeks) suits one problem. A full product rebuild is scoped as a defined project with phases.

How much do design agencies charge per hour?

Many agencies quote hourly or day rates. Phoenux does not sell hours as the product. We publish typical bands (sprints from about $8k, projects often $25k–$120k+, retainers from about $12k/month) and size the outcome. That keeps the estimate tied to what must be true when we stop, not a fake menu of billable time.

What is a design sprint?

A design sprint is a time-boxed engagement (usually 1–3 weeks at Phoenux) aimed at one outcome: audit, positioning, concept, or an MVP slice. Scope is locked up front so speed comes from focus, not from cutting craft.

Ready for a real estimate?

Send the brief you have. Even if it’s rough. We’ll tell you which model fits and what a fair range looks like.

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