Clients and Coin: How Circle Partners Win Work and Get Paid, Based on Our Industry Report
For the third edition of Squarespace Circle’s annual State of the Web Design Industry report, we surveyed 1,034 creative professionals from the global Circle community, made up of web designers, developers, SEO experts, graphic designers, copywriters, brand specialists, and more.
This year’s survey results reveal how Circle partners are giving even more thought to who they work with, how they approach new business, and how they price their services. Read on for more of the key insights shaping the industry in 2026.
How designers find new clients
When defining target markets, Circle partners consider a variety of factors. While website platform preference remains the most important category overall (49%), client industry has seen notable year-over-year growth (44% this year, up from 39%). Designers may be gravitating toward industries they know well, where previous experience helps them deliver even more value.
The community and nonprofit industry is the most common industry served at 36%—a notable increase from last year. Health and fitness (26%) and art and design (19%) follow, showing strong demand from both purpose-driven and creative industries.
Circle partners tend to work with clients closer to home. More than 40% say the majority of their clients are located in the same town, city, or state, while over a third say most of their clients are based in the same country. Proximity may offer practical benefits like shared language, time zone, and cultural context, all of which help shape working relationships.
Barriers to business
Barriers to getting new clients remain relatively consistent year over year. However, the percentage of respondents who report no barriers at all decreased (6% this year, down from 11%). Being too busy with current work continues to be the most common challenge, while concerns around brand awareness, platform specialization, and competition (lower pricing and market saturation) follow.
Money matters
Pricing strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all. Over the past year, partners often used multiple pricing models, with 90% pricing on a per-project basis or at least some of their work.
Now for the dollar signs. On average, Circle partners earn just shy of $50,000 US dollars per year in gross revenue before taxes from web design and web-related projects.
These numbers, however, vary based on how respondents work. For example, US-based designers who use artificial intelligence (AI) to help design sites report earning roughly 21% more annually than those who don’t.
Looking at project pricing, which can range from pro bono to as high as $100,000+, the lowest-priced website projects averaged $2,160 USD, while the highest averaged $8,179. When asked what would prompt a project price increase, nearly half of respondents said inflation had an impact (46% this year, up from 39%).
Food for thought: Shifts, such as embracing tools like AI, collaborating with other creatives, and making thoughtful price increases, may help offset economic concerns and lead to longer, more sustainable careers.
The path forward
Despite ongoing challenges, there's still an immense opportunity for creative professionals to reach new clients and earn a reliable income—especially for those who continue to improve their skills and diversify their offerings.
We hope this data serves as a helpful benchmark for your own business, highlighting what’s working well today and where there’s room to earn even more through the power of your creativity.
Read the full State of the Web Design Industry 2026 report for more data and insights, and share your thoughts on social and the Circle Forum.
Watch Christy Price and Will Myers of the Somewhat Useful podcast discuss the report on Circle Live.
Want more?
Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional designers and web design agencies. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.
