I’m very open about pricing on my website. Not exact figures for every project (because that would be nonsense), but real ranges, real context, and real expectations. You can get a rough idea of what working with me costs without booking a call, filling out a form, or pretending you’re “just browsing (I see you!)”.
Some people think that’s risky.
Here’s why I do it anyway.
1. To Be Transparent
If you’re running a business, you already know budgets matter. Pretending money doesn’t exist until the last possible second is weird behaviour. The amount of times I would be on a call for a good 45 mins only to ask about budgets at the end and find out they only have £500 is just maddening.
Being upfront about pricing says:
- This is roughly what things cost
- This is how I work
- This is the level I operate at
It removes the smoke and mirrors. No “let’s jump on a call and see if we’re aligned” nonsense when we both know the budget might be £2k and the project is clearly £8k+.
Transparency isn’t a tactic. It’s basic respect.
2. Not to Waste Time (Yours or Mine)
Time is the one thing you don’t get back. I’ve got kids, side projects, client work, and a dangerously optimistic to-do list. You’ve got a business to run.
Pricing clarity filters out:
- People who are nowhere near the right budget
- Projects that were never going to work
- Awkward calls where everyone dances around numbers like they’re radioactive
If my pricing scares you off because it’s too high, that’s fine. We’ve both just saved an hour of our lives.
And if it’s comfortably within range? Great. We can talk about the actual work instead of playing Budget Bingo.
3. It Builds Trust (Before We’ve Even Spoken)
Trust doesn’t start on the kickoff call. It starts when someone lands on your site and thinks:
“Oh. This feels… honest.”
Clear pricing signals confidence. I’m not hiding anything. I’m not waiting to see how much I can squeeze out of you based on how nice your logo is or what car you drive.
Clients who come in through transparent pricing tend to be better to work with too. Fewer surprises. Fewer weird power games. Less “can we just quickly add this one thing” energy.
Trust upfront = smoother projects later.
4. It Filters for the Right Kind of Client
This one’s underrated.
Open pricing repels the wrong people and attracts the right ones.
The right clients:
- Care about quality over bargains
- Understand that good work costs money
- Aren’t looking to “just get something up quickly” (shudder)
The wrong clients see pricing and immediately ask:
- “Can you do it cheaper?”
- “What if we remove all the important bits?”
- “My cousin’s mate said Squarespace is £12 a month?”
Pricing acts like a bouncer on the door. Not everyone gets in, and that’s the point.
5. It Forces Me to Stand by My Value
This one’s personal.
When you put pricing out there, you can’t hide behind vagueness. You’re publicly saying: this is what my work is worth.
That keeps me honest. It stops me drifting into underpricing “just this once”. It reinforces that I’m selling outcomes, not hours or templates or vibes.
Every time I tweak my pricing page, it makes me ask:
- Am I still delivering on this?
- Is the value clear?
- Would I pay this if I were the client?
It’s uncomfortable in a good way. Like stretching. Or telling the truth.
“Aren’t You Scared You’re Scaring Potential Leads Away?”
I’m not trying to attract everyone here. I’m trying to attract people who are a good fit - for my work, my process, and my sanity.
If someone sees my pricing and bounces, one of three things is true:
- They were never going to hire me
- The project wasn’t viable anyway
- They wanted something cheap, fast, and magical (pick two)
None of those are losses.
Pricing clarity doesn’t reduce leads - it improves them. Fewer tyre-kickers. More serious conversations. Better projects. Better outcomes.
If being upfront about money scares someone away, the project was probably going to be a non-starter anyway!