You’re trying to set a budget. You’ve emailed five UI/UX agencies for a quote. In return, you’ve probably gotten one wildly high number, two “let’s hop on a call” non-answers, and one suspiciously low quote from a freelancer. It’s frustrating.
The most common answer in the design world is “it depends.” This is true, but it’s not helpful when you need real numbers to set a budget, convince stakeholders, or simply plan your next quarter.
This is the transparent guide you’ve been looking for. We’ll break down what “it depends on,” explain the 4 pricing models you’ll encounter, and – yes – give you real-world price ranges for 2025-26, so you can plan your investment with confidence.
The 3 Factors That Actually Define Your Cost
Before we dive into numbers, let’s understand what drives the price. These three variables will make or break your budget.
1. Scope & Complexity (The Biggest Factor)
Is this a 5-page marketing site or a 50-screen SaaS platform with 3 user roles? A simple e-commerce app or a complex FinTech app with data visualizations, compliance requirements, and real-time dashboards?
The complexity of your project isn’t just about screen count. Consider these factors:
- Number of user types: A consumer app with one user journey is simpler than an enterprise tool with admin, manager, and end-user roles
- Technical complexity: Does it involve AI recommendations, payment gateways, or complex data tables?
- Integration requirements: Are you connecting to existing systems, APIs, or legacy databases?
A 15-screen food delivery app and a 15-screen medical records platform are not the same project – and they won’t cost the same.
2. Agency Tier & Seniority
A 2-person “boutique” shop will cost less than a 50-person agency with senior, specialist designers. You’re paying for their experience and process, not just their time. Here’s what different tiers typically offer:
- Junior/Freelancer Level: Fresh graduates or designers with 1-3 years of experience. They can make things look good, but may lack strategic thinking or user research skills.
- Mid-Tier Agencies: 5-15 person teams with a mix of experience levels. They have a documented process and can handle most standard projects.
- Senior/Premium Agencies: Teams with 7+ years of experience, specialized researchers, and a proven track record of business results. They bring strategic thinking, not just execution.
3. Speed & Timeline
The “Good, Fast, Cheap: Pick Two” rule applies here. Need it in 4 weeks instead of 12? Expect to pay a “rush premium” of 25-50%.
Why? The agency must shuffle resources, work weekends, or turn away other projects to prioritize yours. Quality design requires thinking time – compress the timeline too much, and you’ll either pay more or compromise quality.
The 4 Common Pricing Models: Which is Right for You?
Choosing a pricing model is like choosing a phone plan: one is “pay-as-you-go,” one is a “fixed contract,” and one is an “unlimited plan.” Each fits a different need.
Model 1: Fixed-Scope (The “Project” Price)
What it is: One price for a very clearly defined project (e.g., “Design a 15-screen MVP for iOS”).
Best for: MVPs, websites, UX audits – projects with a clear start, middle, and end.
Pros: Predictable budget. You know exactly what you’ll pay upfront.
Cons: Inflexible. If you change your mind mid-project (“Can we add a chat feature?”), it’s a new “Change Request” and additional cost. Smart agencies build in 1-2 revision rounds, but major scope changes require renegotiation.
Model 2: Time & Materials (The “Hourly” Rate)
What it is: You pay an hourly rate (typically ₹2,500 – ₹8,000/hour depending on seniority) for all agency time.
Best for: These scenarios work best with hourly billing:
- Vague projects where you’re not sure what you need yet
- Ongoing feature work and continuous improvements
- Bug fixes and minor updates
- Early-stage research when the scope is unclear
Pros: Maximum flexibility. You only pay for what you use. If the project turns out simpler than expected, you save money.
Cons: Budget can be unpredictable. Requires high trust and clear communication (weekly timesheets, transparent tracking). Without proper oversight, costs can balloon.
Model 3: The Retainer (The “Partner” Model)
What it is: A fixed fee per month (e.g., ₹3,00,000/month) for a dedicated team or a set block of hours (e.g., 60 hours/month).
Best for: Established SaaS products, e-commerce sites, and any business that needs continuous design improvement – not just a one-time build. If you’re constantly adding features, running A/B tests, or optimizing conversions, this is your model.
Pros: You get a long-term partner who deeply understands your business, your users, and your goals. Plus priority access – no waiting in a project queue.
Cons: A recurring monthly cost. Only worth it if you have consistent design needs. Don’t lock into a retainer for a one-time project.
Model 4: Equity (The “Startup” Model) – A Quick Warning
Some early-stage founders ask: “Will you work for equity?” Here’s the reality: Most premium agencies will not work for equity alone. It’s a high-risk gamble, and agencies are service businesses, not venture capital funds.
A truly confident agency wants to be paid for their work, not become your unpaid co-founder. If an agency immediately agrees to work for equity, ask yourself: Why aren’t they confident enough in their skills to charge real money?
The compromise: Some agencies will do a “hybrid” deal – 50% cash + 50% equity for early-stage startups they truly believe in. But pure equity-for-design is rare and risky for both sides.
UI/UX Design Cost in India: Real-World Ranges (2025-26)
Disclaimer: These are typical price ranges for high-quality, senior-level agencies in India (primarily metro cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad). Prices vary by city, complexity, and agency reputation. These are for investment-grade work – not Fiverr or freelancer prices.
Project 1: The UX Audit / Heuristic Evaluation
Typical Cost: ₹80,000 – ₹2,50,000
Timeline: 1-3 weeks
What You Get: A 25-50 page report identifying all the “leaks” in your current product – usability issues, drop-off points, accessibility problems, and conversion blockers. Plus clear, actionable recommendations to fix them, prioritized by impact.
When to choose this: You already have a live product, but conversions are low, users are confused, or you’re getting complaints. This is diagnostic work before major redesigns.
Project 2: The Small Website (10-15 Pages)
Typical Cost: ₹2,00,000 – ₹5,00,000
Timeline: 4-8 weeks
What You Get:
- User personas and sitemap
- Wireframes for all pages
- Full UI design for 10-15 unique screens (desktop + mobile responsive)
- Basic style guide with colors, typography, and button styles
When to choose this: Corporate websites, portfolio sites, small e-commerce stores, landing pages for SaaS products.
Project 3: The Mobile App MVP (15-25 Screens)
Typical Cost: ₹5,00,000 – ₹12,00,000
Timeline: 8-12 weeks
What You Get:
- Competitor research and analysis
- User flow mapping
- Wireframes for all screens
- Clickable prototype (so you can “test” the app before development)
- Full UI design for iOS and/or Android
- Mini “design system” (reusable components like buttons, forms, cards) for smooth handoff to developers
When to choose this: First-time app founders, MVPs for investor demos, B2C apps like food delivery, fitness trackers, or social platforms.
Project 4: The Complex SaaS Product (50+ Screens)
Typical Cost: ₹15,00,000 – ₹40,00,000+
Timeline: 3-6 months
What You Get: A full “soup-to-nuts” partnership that includes:
- Deep user research (interviews, surveys, usability testing)
- Information architecture for multiple user roles
- Complete user-role flows and journey maps
- Full-scale Design System in Figma (hundreds of reusable components)
- High-fidelity prototypes for user testing
- Developer handoff documentation
- Ongoing support during development phase
When to choose this: Enterprise SaaS platforms, B2B tools with complex workflows, healthcare systems, fintech products, or any product where user roles, permissions, and data management are critical.
Project 5: Design System Creation
Typical Cost: ₹8,00,000 – ₹20,00,000
Timeline: 2-4 months
What You Get: A comprehensive, scalable design system that becomes your product’s single source of truth. This includes component libraries, documentation, usage guidelines, accessibility standards, and design tokens for seamless developer handoff.
When to choose this: When you have multiple products or features being built simultaneously, experiencing design inconsistencies, or scaling your product team.
Project 6: Ongoing Retainer (Monthly Partnership)
Typical Cost: ₹2,50,000 – ₹8,00,000/month
What You Get: Dedicated design resources working on continuous improvements, new features, A/B testing, and optimization.
Common retainer structures include:
- Starter: ₹2,50,000 – ₹4,00,000/month (1 senior designer, 60-80 hours)
- Growth: ₹4,00,000 – ₹6,00,000/month (1 senior designer + 1 researcher, 100-120 hours)
- Scale: ₹6,00,000+/month (Full team with designers, researchers, and strategists)
“But I Found an Agency for ₹50,000…” (The “Affordable” Trap)
Let’s address the elephant in the room. You’ve probably seen ads for “affordable UI/UX agencies” offering complete app designs for ₹50,000 or websites for ₹25,000. Why shouldn’t you just go with them?
You Get What You Pay For
A ₹50,000 “MVP” is not an MVP. It’s a template with your logo slapped on it. It’s a junior designer copying screens from Dribbble with zero understanding of your users, your business model, or your competitive advantage.
Here’s what’s typically missing from ultra-cheap designs:
- No research: They haven’t talked to a single user
- No strategy: They don’t understand your business goals
- No process: They skip wireframes and go straight to “pretty pictures”
- No testing: The design has never been validated with real users
- Generic solutions: Stock UI kits that look like every other app
The Cost of a Bad Design
A cheap design that doesn’t work will cost you 10x more in lost customers and developer time (to rebuild it) than just paying for a good design upfront. Consider these hidden costs:
Lost revenue: If your checkout flow is confusing, you’re losing conversions every single day. A 5% improvement in conversion on a ₹1 crore revenue product is ₹5 lakhs annually.
Development rework: Developers will build exactly what’s in the design. If the design is broken, they’ll have to rebuild it later – doubling your development costs.
Brand damage: A poorly designed product signals “we don’t care about quality.” First impressions matter, especially when competing with well-designed alternatives.
User acquisition costs: If your app is hard to use, your CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) skyrockets because users churn before converting.
This is why it’s crucial to evaluate an agency’s value, not just its cost. A strong process is worth paying for.
How to Negotiate (Hint: Don’t Haggle, Just Clarify)
Here’s an insider tip that will transform how you approach agency conversations.
Don’t Haggle on the Rate, Negotiate the Scope
Good agencies don’t discount their rates. Their pricing reflects years of experience, proven processes, and senior talent. Asking for a 30% discount is like asking a surgeon to work for 30% less – it’s insulting and it won’t happen.
But here’s what they will do: Work with you to reduce the scope to fit your budget. Instead of building 25 screens, maybe you start with 15. Instead of a full design system, you get a basic component library. Instead of 3 rounds of user testing, you get 1.
The Magic Question to Ask
Instead of “Can you do it for less?”, ask this:
“My budget is X. What can we realistically achieve for that amount?”
This transforms a negotiation into a collaboration. The agency becomes your partner in prioritizing what matters most. Maybe you discover that you don’t need that admin dashboard in V1. Maybe you realize a UX audit should come before a full redesign. Maybe you decide to build the mobile app first and tackle the web version later.
Good agencies respect budget constraints and will help you phase the work intelligently. Once you agree on the scope and price, get it in writing. A clear contract protects both sides.
Conclusion
Here’s the big takeaway: Hiring a UI/UX agency is not a “cost.” It’s an “investment.” A cheap design costs you money in lost users, development rework, and missed revenue. A great design makes you money through better conversions, higher retention, and stronger brand loyalty.
Stop looking for the cheapest price. Start looking for the best value. The right agency will be transparent about their pricing, obsessed with your ROI, and able to clearly articulate how their work will impact your business metrics – not just make things look pretty.
The agencies that give vague answers, refuse to talk about pricing until you “hop on a call,” or promise everything for suspiciously low rates? Those are red flags. The best agencies are confident in their value and transparent about their process.
Now that you understand the real costs, you can budget intelligently and find the right partner – not just the cheapest one.
FAQs
How much does UI/UX design cost in India?
It varies significantly by project scope and agency tier. A simple UX audit can start around ₹80,000, while a complex SaaS application can cost ₹40,00,000 or more. For reference:
- Small websites: ₹2,00,000 – ₹5,00,000
- Mobile app MVPs: ₹5,00,000 – ₹12,00,000
- Complex products: ₹15,00,000 – ₹40,00,000+
The final price depends on the project’s complexity, the number of screens, user roles, integrations, and the agency’s seniority level.
What is included in a typical UI/UX package?
Agencies don’t sell “packages”; they scope “projects.” A typical project includes four phases:
- Research & Strategy: User interviews, competitor analysis, personas, journey mapping
- Wireframes & Prototypes: Information architecture, user flows, low-fidelity wireframes, clickable prototypes
- UI Design & Design System: High-fidelity designs, component libraries, style guides, brand application
- Developer Handoff: Design specs, asset exports, documentation, QA support
Always ask for a detailed list of deliverables before signing. Vague promises like “complete app design” aren’t enough – you need specifics.
Should I pay hourly or fixed price?
For a new, clearly defined project like an MVP or a website, choose a fixed price for budget control. You’ll know exactly what you’re paying upfront, and the scope is locked in.
For ongoing work, bug fixes, continuous feature additions, or projects with an unclear scope (early-stage exploration), use an hourly rate (Time & Materials) for flexibility. You’ll only pay for actual time spent, and you can adjust priorities week by week.
For established products needing continuous improvement, consider a monthly retainer for dedicated resources and priority access.
Why are some agencies 10x more expensive than others?
You’re paying for experience, process, and outcomes – not just design files. The premium agency has:
- Senior designers (7-10+ years) vs. junior designers (1-3 years)
- Proven research process with real user testing, not just assumptions
- Portfolio of business results: “We increased conversion by 30%” vs. “Here are pretty pictures”
- Strategic thinking: They challenge your assumptions and improve your product strategy
- Design systems expertise: Scalable, maintainable designs that evolve with your product
- Developer handoff: Clean documentation that saves development time and cost
The cheaper agency delivers pixels. The expensive agency delivers business impact. You’re not paying for design – you’re paying for the revenue, retention, and efficiency gains that good design creates.
