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Planning

How Long Does It Take to Build a Website

January 2026 7 min read

You need a website. The question is: when will it actually be live? Here’s the honest truth about website timelines in 2026.

The Quick Answer

  • DIY builders (Wix, Squarespace): 1-3 days if you do it yourself
  • Freelancers: 2-8 weeks (often longer)
  • 🐌 Agencies: 3-6 months
  • 🚀 Wyrestack: 7 days, guaranteed

Option 1: DIY Website Builders

⏱ Timeline: 1-3 Days

Technically, you can launch a Wix or Squarespace site in an afternoon. But here’s the reality:

  • Day 1: Pick a template, add content
  • Day 2: Realize the template doesn’t work how you thought
  • Day 3: Try to customize it, get frustrated
  • Week 2: Still tweaking because it doesn’t look right

Hidden truth: Most DIY sites take 2-4 weeks because you’re learning as you go. And the result looks DIY.

Option 2: Freelancers

⏱ Timeline: 2-8 Weeks (Often Longer)

Typical Freelancer Timeline:

  • Week 1: Initial call, send brief
  • Week 2: Wait for proposal
  • Week 3: They start (maybe)
  • Week 4-5: First draft
  • Week 6: Revisions
  • Week 7: “Sorry, family emergency” (they ghost)
  • Week 8: Find new freelancer, start over

Reality check: Good freelancers are booked 4-6 weeks out. Cheap ones disappear mid-project. Budget 2-3 months to be safe.

Option 3: Web Design Agencies

⏱ Timeline: 3-6 Months

Typical Agency Timeline:

  • Month 1: “Discovery phase” (kickoff meeting, strategy doc, more meetings)
  • Month 2: Wireframes and design mockups
  • Month 2.5: Revisions on designs
  • Month 3: Development starts
  • Month 4: More meetings about content
  • Month 5: Testing and revisions
  • Month 6: Launch (maybe)

Why so long? Agencies have processes. Lots of processes. And lots of meetings.

  • Account managers need to justify their existence
  • Designers wait for developers, developers wait for designers
  • Everything needs approval from multiple people
  • You’re not their only client

Real talk: Agencies are slow because they’re expensive to run. More overhead = more meetings = longer timelines.

Option 4: Wyrestack (Modern Approach)

⏱ Timeline: 7 Days, Guaranteed

Our 7-Day Process:

  • Day 1: You order, send brief & assets
  • Days 2-3: We design & build
  • Days 4-5: Add content, integrate features
  • Day 6: You review, request changes
  • Day 7: Final tweaks, launch 🚀

How are we so fast?

  • No meetings marathon: One kickoff call, then we work
  • Modern tech: Astro builds 10x faster than WordPress
  • Fixed scope: We know exactly what to build (no scope creep)
  • Focused team: No account managers, just builders

What Slows Down Website Projects?

🐌 Slow: Waiting for Feedback

Most projects stall because the client is slow to respond. With Wyrestack, we build it, you review once, done.

🐌 Slow: Technology Choices

WordPress requires plugins, configurations, updates. Astro is simpler and faster to develop.

🐌 Slow: Scope Creep

“Can we add just one more thing?” Fixed packages prevent this.

🐌 Slow: Too Many Stakeholders

Agencies have designers, developers, PMs, account managers. More people = more delays.

The Comparison Table

OptionTimelineReality
DIY1-3 daysActually 2-4 weeks, looks DIY
Freelancer2-8 weeksOften 2-3 months, may ghost
Agency3-6 monthsLots of meetings, expensive
Wyrestack7 daysActually 7 days, guaranteed

Bottom Line

If you need a website this month, not in 6 months:

  • ❌ Don’t use an agency (you’ll wait forever)
  • ❌ Don’t gamble on freelancers (too risky)
  • ❌ Don’t settle for DIY builders (looks cheap, ranks poorly)
  • ✅ Get it built right, fast (that’s us)

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