Choosing the best web design in Dunedin comes down to who will still be answering your emails a year after the site goes live. Web design in Dunedin now spans Webflow and Shopify builds, hand-coded sites and custom business systems, so the right studio depends on what you actually need the site to do. Firebrand and Dot The i Studio both work from offices in the central city.
1Firebrand
Firebrand is a marketing and digital transformation agency whose journey began in Ōtepoti Dunedin, working now from Dowling Street with a second office in Invercargill. The team covers UX and UI design, website build, eCommerce and custom application development, with hosting and support handled in house. Its client work includes Otago University, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Port Otago, Oritain and the Highlanders.
Services
- UX and UI design with prototyping
- Website design and development on Silverstripe, CloudCannon and Shopify
- eCommerce builds, subscriptions and third party payment integrations as a Shopify Partner
- Custom application development and API integrations
- SEO, analytics and reporting
Highlights
- Offices at 4 Dowling Street in Dunedin and Hargest House in Invercargill
- Accredited supplier for All-of-Government, the Ministry of Social Development, the Department of Internal Affairs and Regional Business Partners
- Excellence in Marketing finalist, Grand Business South Awards, 2023
- Small Business Award, White Camellia Awards, 2021
- Hosting, security and continuous updates run on Amazon Web Services infrastructure
Location & Contact
Name: Firebrand
Address: 4 Dowling Street, Dunedin 9016
Phone: 03 477 3473
Website: firebrand.nz
2Dot The i Studio
Dot The i Studio is a Webflow Certified Partner working out of Burns House on George Street, with design lead Jamie based in Dunedin and technical lead Alec in Melbourne. The studio builds bespoke Webflow sites and Webflow to Shopify integrations, and deliberately takes on fewer projects so it can keep improving them after launch. Local work includes Glenfalloch Gardens, Hot Yoga Dunedin, Moi on George and The Surgery Dunedin.
Services
- Bespoke website design and development in Webflow
- Webflow and Shopify integrations for online stores
- Migration from WordPress and older platforms into Webflow
- Website Evolution retainers covering content, performance and functionality after launch
- AI Search Readiness audits
Highlights
- Webflow Certified Partner
- Office at Burns House on George Street, with in person meetings available for local clients
- Senior led two person studio, so clients deal directly with the design and technical leads
- Published project work for Glenfalloch Gardens, Feldspar and Moi on George
Location & Contact
Name: Dot The i Studio
Address: Burns House, Ground Floor Mezzanine, 10 George Street, Central Dunedin 9016
Website: dotthei.studio
3Lawford & Co
Lawford & Co is a Dunedin web design agency working from ground floor premises on Stuart Street, and is now part of the Caddie Digital group. The team designs and builds custom websites with search optimisation worked into the structure from the start, and also runs Google Ads and wider marketing strategy. Published work includes sites for Dunedin Airport, Dunedin Gaol and Film Otago Southland.
Services
- Custom website design and development
- Website redesigns and rebuilds of underperforming sites
- Local and on-site SEO
- Google Ads management
- School website development
Highlights
- Ground floor premises at 52 Stuart Street in Central Dunedin
- Part of the Caddie Digital group
- Every build laid out for search optimisation, from site structure through to page speed
- Ongoing support, updates and performance work after the site goes live
Location & Contact
Name: Lawford & Co
Address: Ground Floor, 52 Stuart Street, Central Dunedin 9016
Phone: 021 0299 7040
Website: lawfordandcomarketing.co.nz
4Core Development
Core Development is Blair Hughson’s Dunedin studio, writing every site from scratch rather than assembling it from templates, alongside custom databases and business systems. Much of the work involves connecting a website to the platforms a business already runs on, such as Xero, Palace or Unleashed. Clients include Night ‘n Day, Otago Boys’ High School, Edinburgh Realty, Webb Farry Lawyers and the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust.
Services
- Custom website design and build, hand coded rather than templated
- Online stores working with secure payment platforms
- Custom databases and CRM systems built from the ground up
- API integrations with platforms such as Xero, Palace and Unleashed
- Website hosting and ongoing support
Highlights
- Blair Hughson has been building websites in Dunedin for more than 20 years
- Sites run on local servers with one person handling design, build, hosting and support
- Work spans schools, law firms, health organisations and community trusts
- Free consultation offered before any project starts
Location & Contact
Name: Core Development
Address: Dunedin
Phone: 021 225 2474
Website: coredev.co.nz
5Meddle Web Studio
Meddle is a Dunedin website development studio building custom sites on the CloudCannon content management system, with a visual editor clients use to update their own pages. Pricing is published openly on the site rather than quoted only on request. Recent work includes Discover Dunedin, Lanark Bathrooms, Sam I Am Electrical and the Spellcaster literacy platform.
Services
- Custom website design and development
- CloudCannon content management setup so clients can edit their own pages
- Premium hosting, SSL protection and regular backups
- Contract development, maintenance and ongoing website support
Highlights
- Pricing published on the site, from $1,499 for a business website and from $5,490 for an organisation build
- Every site delivered with a visual editor and an on-site demo showing how to make changes
- Custom integrations and prioritised development hours available on a retainer
Location & Contact
Name: Meddle Web Studio
Address: Dunedin
Website: meddle.co.nz
Web Design in Dunedin at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Firebrand | Dunedin | Offices at 4 Dowling Street in Dunedin and Hargest House in Invercargill |
| Dot The i Studio | Ground Floor Mezzanine | Webflow Certified Partner |
| Lawford & Co | Central Dunedin | Ground floor premises at 52 Stuart Street in Central Dunedin |
| Core Development | Dunedin | Blair Hughson has been building websites in Dunedin for more than 20... |
| Meddle Web Studio | Dunedin | Pricing published on the site |
How to Choose the Right Web Design Company in Dunedin
- Decide what the site has to do before you ask for prices. A brochure site, an online store and a booking system are three different projects with three different budgets.
- Ask which platform they build on, and what happens if you want to move later. Webflow, Shopify, Silverstripe, WordPress and hand coded builds all behave differently when the time comes to change something.
- Check that you can edit the site yourself. A content management system you can actually use saves paying someone every time a price or a phone number changes.
- Ask what happens after launch. Find out whether hosting, updates and support are included, charged by the hour, or sold as a monthly retainer.
- Look for work in your own sector. A studio that has built for schools, clinics or trades already understands the content, the integrations and the compliance those sectors need.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dunedin Web Design
How much does a website cost in Dunedin?
The published range is wide. A small business site on a managed platform can start around $1,500 plus a monthly hosting fee, while a bespoke Webflow build with a content management system, integrations and custom functionality is commonly quoted from $15,000 upwards. Cost tracks scope more than anything else, so the number of pages, the integrations and whether you need eCommerce will move it more than the studio you pick.
What is the difference between a web designer and a web developer?
A web designer works on the visual side: layout, colour, typography and how the pages are structured for a visitor. A developer builds that design into a working site, handles the content management system, and connects it to anything else your business runs on. Some studios do both under one roof, which removes the translation step between the design and the finished build.
Which platform should my website be built on?
It depends on who maintains it. Webflow and Shopify give you a hosted platform with less to patch and update; Silverstripe, CloudCannon and WordPress give you more room to customise; a hand coded build removes template limits altogether when a site has to do something unusual. Ask any studio why they recommend their platform, and what your options are if you ever want to move.
Can I update the website myself once it is live?
In most cases yes. Nearly every current build ships with a content management system for text, images and news, and several studios include a walkthrough video or a live demo so you can see how editing works before you commit. Structural changes, new page types and integrations usually still need the developer.
I am not in the central city. Can I still meet a web designer in person?
Yes. Several of the studios here keep offices in Central Dunedin, on Dowling Street, George Street and Stuart Street, and are happy to meet locally rather than work entirely over email. Others operate without a public street address and work remotely across Dunedin and wider Otago, which is common in this trade and does not change how the project runs.
Who owns my domain name and website files?
You should. Make sure the domain is registered in your business name rather than the agency’s, and that you are named as the registrant, so you keep control if you ever change providers. The Domain Name Commission oversees .nz domain names and explains registrant rights and how to check or transfer a domain at dnc.org.nz. Ask the same question about hosting access and design files before work starts.
What should a web design quote include?
A clear quote sets out the number of pages or templates, who writes the content and supplies the photography, which integrations are in scope, how many rounds of revisions are covered, and what hosting and support cost after launch. Getting that in writing before work begins is the single best protection against scope creep. There is practical guidance on contracts and quotes for small businesses at business.govt.nz.
Do web designers in Dunedin handle SEO as well?
Most studios offering web design in Dunedin build the technical groundwork in as standard, covering site structure, page speed, headings and metadata. Ongoing search work such as content, local listings and link building is usually a separate monthly service, and some studios run Google Ads alongside it. Worth asking which parts are included in the build price and which are billed separately.
How We Chose the Best Web Design in Dunedin
Every business in this guide was found by searching for web design in Dunedin, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Dunedin, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.