Advantages and Disadvantages of being a Freelance Web Designer

There are advantages and disadvantages of being a freelance web designer, as opposed to working for an agency. Here we take a look at some of the benefits and negatives of working freelance.

TIME OFF

Freelancers can have time off whenever they please. They can take work and turn down work when they like, meaning they can fit in extra time off should they choose to do so. They get paid for the work they do and don’t get paid when they aren’t working. This is an advantage if they would like more time off than the average agency employee, but it does mean that they won’t be getting paid for any time off. Employees are legally entitled to at least four weeks paid holiday per year, but a freelancer will not be receiving any income while not working. This also means they receive no sick pay, unless they are signed off and are able to claim benefits.

STRESS

Depending on how you look at it and the particular situation someone finds themselves in, working as a freelancer can either be more or less stressful than working for an agency. You may not have targets set by someone else so if something takes a little longer than expected it may not matter as much. In some ways you can work to your own time scales, although this is dependent on the clients’ expectations. The problem is that you are reliant on only yourself. There is no back up if there are issues to resolve, so difficulties in the job can be more stressful.

FINDING WORK

The work you take on is completely up to you if you work freelance. If you don’t like the sound of a project, or don’t have the skills necessary to undertake it, you can simply turn it down. You wouldn’t have this choice if working for a web design agency. Finding work can also be one of the main negatives of a freelancer though. There is no guarantee of the work flooding in, and any time when there is no work will mean no income. Many freelancers, especially those just beginning their career, will not have the same contacts as an experienced agency with a good reputation. Of course, this may change as your reputation grows.

STARTING OUT

Your start up costs will not be too significant. If you are working alone there will be no salaries to pay (although you will want to be earning yourself), and you can work from home, thus making the requirement for an office redundant. The disadvantage will be the lack of experience, making it difficult to find clients who trust you. Without any evidence of the work you can provide you may have to work for little, or even nothing, early on.

OTHER SERVICES
A web design agency may offer more than just web design. They may cross over to other services such as web hosting, graphic design and SEO (search engine optimisation). This can help get the agency work if clients need one of these other services as well as web design, as many clients prefer to keep all these services within one company. Freelancers lack this backup. It is possible that you could manage these services though, and outsource them.

WORKING ALONE VS. WORKING WITH OTHERS

If you are not good at working with other people then freelancing could be very beneficial. Although you have to work with clients, for the main part you be left alone to get on with the job. Some prefer to have others as backup though and find it difficult to stay motivated when working alone. For these people working for an agency is likely to be preferable to working as a freelance web designer.

Agencies often have their specific ways of doing things. To some, not having to work within their rules and not having to follow their processes will be a plus point; you can get on with the job as you see fit. On the other hand, companies’ structures can be a good framework to work within, meaning everyone works to their full productivity.

MONEY

If you are a freelancer you will keep one hundred per cent of the income. If you are successful there will be no limit to how much you can earn. You may want to grow into a larger business if you become successful, but you will be able to choose your own salary, as long as it is affordable. The disadvantage on the money front is that you won’t earn anything until you have completed some chargeable work. If you are struggling to find work you won’t be earning an income. However, if you are working for an agency they have to pay you.

Andrew Marshall (c)

For Web Design London visit the Moore-Wilson website.