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How long does a startup website take?

A small startup website, around three to eight pages, usually takes four to twelve weeks from kickoff to launch when it’s designed and built from scratch. The biggest variables aren’t the design or the code, but the words, the decisions and how quickly feedback comes back.

A typical timeline

• Outline and content, one to two weeks: what each page needs to say, and who writes it.
• Design directions, one to two weeks: a few looks for the homepage, then one to build on.
• Full design, two to four weeks: every page, on desktop and phone.
• Build, two to four weeks: coding the site and connecting it to an editor, so your team can update it.
• Review and launch, about a week: testing on real devices, fixes, then going live.

What slows it down

• Copy that isn’t ready. Design can start without final words, but it can’t finish.
• Feedback that takes longer than a few days, or comes from too many people at once.
• Changing the scope mid-way, like adding pages or features after design is approved.
• Waiting on photos, product shots or legal review.

If you also need a brand

If the logo and identity are being made at the same time, add a few weeks at the start. The website goes faster, and turns out better, once the brand is settled.

Plan backward from your launch

If the site has to be live for a raise, a product launch or a trade show, count back from that date and start at least a month earlier than the timeline suggests. That leaves room for feedback and a calm launch week.

How long ours take

A new brand with a website takes 4 to 14 weeks with Studio Massenzio, and a brand evolution with a new website takes 5 to 16, depending on the number of pages and how much writing we take on. Every site is coded and connected to Sanity, so your team can edit it. See our Offerings page or start a conversation.