Our directory showcases top web development companies in Chicago, serving the Loop, River North, West Loop, and Fulton Market, with expertise across fintech, healthcare, manufacturing, eCommerce, and real estate. Compare agencies by pricing, size, and reviews to find your ideal partner.
Find the Best Web Development Agency in Chicago for Your Business
6 Companies-Rankings updated: September 10, 2026
Every Chicago web development company on DesignRush is evaluated for development capability, service scope, and verified client feedback. Some placements may be paid.
VerifiedVerified by the DesignRush team for authenticity and credibility.Award WinnerRecipient of a Best Design Award for outstanding work.
Build software people actually pay for.
Designli is a web and custom software development agency with 200+ product launches, building web apps, SaaS platforms, and cross-platform products in React Native for clients including Michelin, Hearst, and EarthLink. AI-empowered teams deliver features up to 3x faster. Best suited for non-technical SaaS...
Top Services:
Mobile App Development
Software Development
Web Development
Web Design
UI/UX Design
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Location
Chicago, Illinois
Number of Employees
50 - 99
Average Hourly Rate
$85/hr
Minimal Budget
$10,000 - $25,000
Portfolios Count
16 Projects Listed
Designli Services
Mobile App Development
Software Development
Web Development
Web Design
UI/UX Design
Software Testing
IoT
Blockchain
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Goodwill
Earthlink
Rotary
State of South Carolina
Secur.Space
Grappos
Michelin
Accel Entertainment
Millennium Parking Garages
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Designli Reviews & Testimonials
Anonymous Founder & CEO at Innershell
5.0★
Mobile App Development Review from Anonymous
Designli delivered a high-quality prototype on a tight timeline. The team was responsive to feedback, met every deadline, stayed within budget, and quickly adapted to requested changes. Their expertise in app design and development was evident throughout the project and left a strong impression.
Anonymous CEO at Monjour
5.0★
AI UI/UX Design Review from Anonymous
Designli produced a complete, functional Figma prototype for our solution. They communicated clearly through virtual meetings and stood out for their strong process, gathering feedback from multiple stakeholders and delivering on schedule. Overall, we were very impressed with their work.
Anonymous CTO at Code Willing
5.0★
AI UI/UX Design Review from Anonymous
Designli delivered Figma wireframes that were both well-crafted and well-received by our team. The designs were clean, intuitive, and elegant, reflecting strong design intuition. Throughout the process, the team stayed organized, communicated clearly via Basecamp, and delivered everything on time.
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile View All Reviews
Understand your customers. Design & build better technology.
We're a digital experience agency with a fierce commitment to keeping people at the center of our work...
Top Services:
UI/UX Design
Product Design
Digital Services
Digital Strategy
Business Consulting
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Location
Chicago, Illinois
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$200/hr
Minimal Budget
$10,000 - $25,000
Portfolios Count
8 Projects Listed
Highland Services
UI/UX Design
Product Design
Digital Services
Digital Strategy
Business Consulting
Web Design
Market Research
AI Development
Software Development
Web Development
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Thrivent Financial
Morton Arboretum
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Goodwill Industries
McGraw-Hill
RefugeeOne
Creative Group
Dow Chemical
Savvas
Harvard University
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Highland Reviews & Testimonials
Audrey Thomas Product Manager at Supplier.io
5.0★
UI/UX Design Review from Audrey Thomas
Highland is a great partner. The sought to deeply understand our product, customers, and pain points and built a number of forward looking opportunities for us in addition to the tight scope of our project. Proactive, thoughtful, responsive, and flexible. We are a small team and found lots of value in working with Highland to get our UX refresh project up and running.
✨ Liz Pisney ✨ Vice President, Member Experience at ISACA
4.8★
UI/UX Design Review from ✨ Liz Pisney ✨
We recently partnered with Highland on research and prototypes for a new information architecture on a volunteer resources site for our Chapter leaders. Having over 3000 volunteers around the globe can introduce a lot of nuance and complexity to research and design processes. The team at Highland handled it all skillfully - focusing on how to deliver the most clarity and usability to our audience. 10 out of 10, I would recommend working with the Highland team!
Lee Wiensch, CAE, CFRE Executive Director at Thoracic Surgery Foundation
5.0★
Webflow Review from Lee Wiensch, CAE, CFRE
We had a great experience working with the team at Highland to develop a new website for the Thoracic Surgery Foundation, a charitable organization aimed at advancing heart and lung health for all. Highland worked with us to re-imagine a dated website with limited functionality, and developed a a gorgeous new site that beautifully reflects the vitality of the organization. We anticipate that our award applicants, donors, surgeons and grateful patients will be able to easily navigate the new site and have a much-improved user experience. Jeff Blanchard and his team were exceptionally good listeners, and worked hard to create solutions for our complicated awards program. They provided good training to our team throughout the process so that we have been able to keep things updated and easily make changes now that the site has launched. I am grateful for their patience and very quick turnaround as we juggled a new strategic plan and new branding, all at the time of the website creation. I have been continually impressed with the expertise and the innovation that Highland brings to a project like ours. It was a pleasure to launch this site -- on time and on budget -- with their excellent work and support.
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile View All Reviews
Curio Digital gets B2B companies found, understood, and chosen. SEO, AEO, and GEO bring the traffic in. A sharper Webflow site tells buyers what you do and who it's for. Then CRO, experimentation, and personalization turn that interest into demo calls...
Top Services:
CRO
Web Development
UI/UX Design
Web Design
AEO
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Location
Chicago, Illinois
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$150/hr
Minimal Budget
$10,000 - $25,000
Portfolios Count
1 Project Listed
Curio Digital Services
CRO
Web Development
UI/UX Design
Web Design
AEO
SEO
Content Marketing
Digital Strategy
Design Services
Creative Services
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Jasper AI
Endor Labs
Noma Security
Augment Code
Linx Security
Meridian
CCC Intelligent Solutions
Model Op
Moxie
Fringe
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
Curio Digital Reviews & Testimonials
Melissa Valentino VP, Account Director at Tom, Dick & Harry Creative
5.0★
Webflow Review from Melissa Valentino
We've partnered with Curio Digital for about five years, and they have become one of the most trusted extension teams we work with. As a creative agency, having dependable development partners is critical, and Curio consistently exceeds expectations. They have supported TDH Creative on numerous Webflow website projects, and the quality of their work is exceptional. Their development is clean, thoughtful, and technically sound, but what really sets them apart is their communication and project management. They're responsive, proactive, transparent, and consistently deliver on what they commit to. As an account lead, that level of reliability makes a tremendous difference. Curio has also been incredibly collaborative throughout the creative process. They work seamlessly with our designers and strategists, offering solutions when challenges arise while always respecting the creative vision. They don't simply execute requirements they think through the best approach and genuinely care about delivering the best possible outcome for both us and our clients. Another aspect I appreciate is their pricing. They provide outstanding value for the quality of work they deliver, and I've always found them to be fair, honest, and transparent when it comes to estimates and project scope. If you're looking for a Webflow development partner that combines technical expertise, exceptional communication, reliability, and a true collaborative spirit, I would highly recommend Curio Digital. They've been an outstanding partner to TDH Creative, and I look forward to continuing our relationship for years to come.
Andrew Stiefel Director, Product Marketing at Endor Labs
5.0★
B2B Review from Andrew Stiefel
The Curio team has helped us evolve the Endor Labs website from selling a single product, to a single buyer, to selling multiple products to the full enterprise buying committee. Part of that included building product-led experience for platform engineers and developers alongside our existing inbound sales motion for security teams, and rapidly evolving the brand and content. The team is incredibly responsive, often turning work around same day or within a week as we prepare for major industry events and respond to industry shifts. They're fantastic partners, great humans, and I couldn't recommend them faster!
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile View All Reviews
thunder::tech is the leading, full-service marketing agency for midsize brands, known for delivering remarkable growth by blending creativity and technology...
Top Services:
Web Design
Web Development
SEO
PPC
Advertising
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Location
Chicago, Illinois
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$149/hr
Minimal Budget
$10,000 - $25,000
Portfolios Count
4 Projects Listed
thunder::tech Services
Web Design
Web Development
SEO
PPC
Advertising
Branding
Social Media Marketing
Creative Services
UI/UX Design
Video Production
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Big Fig Mattress
John Carroll University
Kichler Lighting
Oatey
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile
thunder::tech Reviews & Testimonials
Aaron Newby Review from Google
5.0★
Aaron Newby's Review Sourced from Google
t::t has been a solid partner for us as we work to transform our digital presence. They have provided valuable strategic insights and their communication has been consistently prompt. I'd like to particularly call out James, Joe, and Xavier for their excellent work during our engagements. Thanks t::t team for being an excellent partner!
James Fashing Review from Google
5.0★
James Fashing's Review Sourced from Google
We've worked with Thunder::tech to replace our cooperative's website. They have delivered as promised and more than expected in a professional and timely manner. Their team members are creative, technical and professional experts. We're looking forward to working on a second phase of the project with them starting soon. T::T is big enough a agency that they have multiple experts on the team with overlapping knowledge to get the job done, but not such a huge company where one might get lost as a client. As a web and digital media pro with 20+ years of experience, I recommend Thunder::tech. - JF
Swetha Siripurapu Review from Google
1.0★
Swetha Siripurapu's Review Sourced from Google
The most horrible people! They are very reckless, don’t show up to appointments. Not once, not twice but thrice. You call to ask they dodge your calls.Don’t expect call backs. I went to Derek and texted him several times about this and asked to call. Nothing! Figured a month would be long enough. Don’t waste your time on these people
Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile View All Reviews
At AV Social Strategies, we work with organizations to craft their brand story, engage their audiences, and establish relationships in their community through creative design, website development, search engine optimization and digital marketing. We also offer video production and content creation services...
Top Services:
Web Design
Web Development
SEO
PPC
Content Marketing
Show more
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$200/hr
Minimal Budget
$10,000 - $25,000
AV Social Strategies Services
Web Design
Web Development
SEO
PPC
Content Marketing
Graphic Design
Public Relations
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
Bigmouth Creative is a purpose-driven brand and marketing agency that helps brands find their voice and amplify their impact. As a Certified B Corp, we blend strategy, design and storytelling to build brands that are as human as they are effective—helping companies and organizations do well by doing good...
Top Services:
Branding
eCommerce Development
Email Marketing
UI/UX Design
Social Media Marketing
Show more
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Number of Employees
Under 49
Average Hourly Rate
$175/hr
Minimal Budget
$10,000 - $25,000
Bigmouth Creative Services
Branding
eCommerce Development
Email Marketing
UI/UX Design
Social Media Marketing
Web Development
Public Relations
Digital Marketing
Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
What services does a website development firm in Chicago typically provide?
They provide a broad suite of digital services that help businesses launch, grow, and optimize their online presence, including:
Responsive web design and website redesign: Crafting the website's structure, design system, and information architecture from scratch or redesigning an existing website based on the client’s vision, user behavior research, and industry best practices. It is a core component of Chicago web design, where competition across industries demands both visual appeal and performance.
Custom web development: Architecting and coding web applications with bespoke functionalities, data models, and system integrations to align with precise business logic and operational workflows.
Content management system (CMS) development: Building custom or extending existing platforms (e.g., WordPress, Drupal) to enable non-technical users to create, edit, and manage web content.
Front-end development: Coding the visual parts of a website (what users see and interact with) using technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Back-end development: Building server-side functionality, databases, and business logic that power features behind the scenes.
API and Third-Party Integrations: Connecting the site with external systems (e.g., payment processors, CRM platforms, marketing automation tools, and Google Analytics) for expanded functionality.
Maintenance and support: Updating platform dependencies, applying security patches, debugging, and optimizing code to ensure the website remains secure, stable, and performant while supporting timely delivery of updates and feature enhancements.
What should I have ready before contacting an agency?
Before contacting a Chicago web development company, prepare the following to save time, cut costs, and get accurate proposals:
Business goals: What you want the website or app to achieve (leads, sales, brand awareness).
Target audience: Who will use it (age, industry, behavior).
Scope and features: Clear list of needed features (eCommerce, login, forms, booking, CMS).
Content inventory: Any existing site content, branding, logos, and images.
Technical requirements: Preferred CMS/stack, integrations (CRM, payment, Google Analytics tracking).
Design references: Examples of sites you like or dislike and why.
Budget range: A realistic amount of money you can afford to build a responsive website
Timeline: Desired launch date and any hard deadlines.
Internal roles: Who on your team will own reviews, content edits, and approvals.
How much does a web developer in Chicago charge for their services?
The cost of web development in Chicago reflects a major metro premium, typically 15-25% higher than the national average. If you hire a boutique agency, expect to pay between $150 and $250/hourfor their web development services.
Enterprise-level agencies, on the other hand, charge much higher fees, ranging between $250 and $450. The costs of web development can range anywhere from $5,000 for a simple website to over $500,000 for complex enterprise solutions.
Most web developers Chicago-wide prefer flat-fee project pricing for new builds. In Chicago, these projects typically fall into these tiers:
Website type
Cost
Features
Small business site
$5,000-$75,000
5-20 pages
Mobile-responsive design, basic SEO setup, contact forms, and Google Business Profile integration.
Corporate Website
$15,000-$45,000
20-50 pages
Custom CMS configurations, team profiles, gated content (whitepapers/case studies), and CRM integration (Salesforce/HubSpot).
ECommerce websites
$30,000-$1,000,000+
Shopify Plus, Magento (Adobe Commerce), or custom WooCommerce.
Tech Stack: React, Node.js, Python/Django, or Next.js.
Do these agencies provide ongoing maintenance?
Yes, ongoing maintenance is a core service for almost every web development company Chicago-wide. The city is home to many enterprise-level firms and highly competitive local businesses, so agencies will not build a custom site without offering a maintenance plan, as it protects their work and ensures the site stays secure in a high-risk digital environment.
Based on several industry benchmarks, you can expect to pay the following fees for website maintenance:
Tier
Estimated monthly cost
What's included
Basic
$150-$500
Security patches, core CMS/plugin updates, monthly backups, and uptime monitoring.
Standard
$500-$2,500
All basic features plus content updates (blogging), minor UI tweaks, and monthly SEO/performance reports.
Enterprise
$2,500-$10,000+
Dedicated development hours (10-30+ hrs), priority support, ADA compliance audits, and conversion rate optimization (CRO).
Why is a Chicago website development company more expensive than an offshore one?
While offshore teams in regions like Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, or Latin America offer lower headline rates, the price gap is driven by economic, legal, and operational realities. United States developers require significantly higher wages due to the higher cost of living, taxes, benefits, and competitive demand. On the other hand, many offshore regions have lower labor costs, which is why offshore hourly rates can be 40–70% lower.
Working with a Chicago web development agency eliminates large time-zone gaps and language or cultural friction that can slow decision-making, require more project management, and increase rework costs when teams are offshore. Onshore firms are also more likely to be aligned with U.S. data privacy, accessibility, industry compliance, and contract law expectations. Offshore providers often win on headline hourly rates, but local Chicago development companies tend to deliver better alignment, clearer communication, fewer delays, and lower total effort risk.