I have been working with React and Next.js for a while, and I decided to start a side project by launching a studio.
I learned Astro and Gsap for the first time to recreate some animations I really liked. What do you think
I have been working with React and Next.js for a while, and I decided to start a side project by launching a studio.
I learned Astro and Gsap for the first time to recreate some animations I really liked. What do you think
Looks great on mobile. I was surprised at how low your pricing is for such quality work. Maybe consider removing the dollar cost altogether and provide quotes per client instead
Luca said:
Looks great on mobile. I was surprised at how low your pricing is for such quality work. Maybe consider removing the dollar cost altogether and provide quotes per client instead
Thanks for the reply. I’m not a business grad, but we also serve clients in Southeast Asia where web service prices are lower. We want consistent pricing across regions for simplicity. Of course, we’ll adjust based on client needs, but for display purposes, we opted for a price more suitable for the Asian markets
@Zen
Instead of that, it’s better to hide the pricing. Countries outside Asia might take advantage of it. You need to understand your value based on each country’s economy and quote accordingly
Luca said:
Looks great on mobile. I was surprised at how low your pricing is for such quality work. Maybe consider removing the dollar cost altogether and provide quotes per client instead
I completely agree. You’re undervaluing yourself.
If your websites are priced at 780 dollars, you’re missing out on decent pay and a better life
You’re telling me (and future clients) that you only work for low-budget projects. Are you running a charity? It’s noble, but websites with gsap or other animations should easily start at 2k, possibly 5k.
Don’t price yourself too low, you have skills.
https://www.udemy.com/course/how-to-be-a-successful-freelancer-in-the-modern-gig-economy/
You might want to check this out. It has great advice on how to market yourself and avoid competing for clients who only want cheap work.
@Sydney
Thank you for the insights. I know our pricing is below average in the US, and we are adjusting our business model. When we set the price, our goal was to price fairly for Southeast Asian markets where we have most connections (we are based in Hong Kong). Anything over 1k/1.5k wouldn’t work unless you are providing a complete branding or product design service. We’re working on developing better pricing for each region, but it takes time and some market knowledge. We’ll definitely improve on it
@Zen
I’ve checked the cost of living in Hong Kong; it’s almost the same as in the USA (I’m located in Europe). Pricing isn’t about what you think clients want to pay—set a standard for yourself. Are you selling cars, bread, or shoes? What type of car are you offering? If you sell a Bentley for a Fiat Panda price, people will suspect something is wrong. Price according to the customers you want, not just the ones you think you can attract.
You owe it to yourself and others in your field to ensure fair pay for everyone, no matter where they are located.
What resources did you use to learn gsap
Morgan said:
What resources did you use to learn gsap
Gsap is a pretty extensive library with many plugins. I recommend watching a couple of videos about the fundamental functions in gsap on YouTube (gsap.to and gsap.timeline). Set a personal target for animations you want to make or recreate. With a goal in mind, you can search for guides and code snippets online to learn other properties and plugins for achieving desired effects
This is wild! I loved it. Those scrolling animations are so smooth. How can anyone create something like this and still call it a side project
Dru said:
This is wild! I loved it. Those scrolling animations are so smooth. How can anyone create something like this and still call it a side project
With the power of unemployment, anything is possible
(Just kidding, please don’t take it seriously haha)
As others have mentioned, listing your prices may undervalue your work. My first reaction to seeing your pricing was, ‘Okay, they probably just produce themes and do high volumes to make a profit.’ Even if that’s not the case, people often connect value with quality. Your target market may be price-sensitive, but you could scare off larger companies that might be interested but are put off by low prices.
Here are some suggestions based on my experience growing from $700 web projects to million-dollar engagements:
Remove Pricing: Develop an internal pricing structure based on regions. Group rates for APAC, EU, and the US. Project-based pricing can create complications. Instead, keep a loose package structure that includes a set number of hours. For example, instead of a $750 one-off, position it as a package with 38 hours at $20 per hour. A standard five-page site with no customization could fit this time estimate (even if that’s optimistic). For EU clients, raise the rate to $35 per hour, and for the US, $50 per hour. Add hours for extra pages or features, adjusting based on region. This way, you have competitive pricing while ensuring you’re not underpricing or risking scope creep.
Position Your Agency as a Service: Your current layout makes your agency feel like a SaaS product. Use visuals, animations, and content to showcase who you are—your experience and personality. Presenting as a SaaS may come off as rigid and impersonal, making it harder to connect with clients.
Specialize in a Niche: Right now, you offer a wide range of services. As a small agency, it’s better to focus on a few areas. Based on your site, consider a niche like ‘We create highly interactive websites for early-stage tech companies.’ Make that your focus and show how you can help startups impress investors with impactful websites. Other services can still be offered, but as added-value options, allowing you to charge separately.
Hijacking scroll behavior is usually a bad UX decision.
Looks great, though
Presley said:
Hijacking scroll behavior is usually a bad UX decision.
Looks great, though
In most cases, I’d agree, but this site is an exception. I think it was very well done
All wrongs reserved
Loved that
Not criticizing your skills, but am I the only one who dislikes websites where scrolling triggers animations instead of scrolling normally
Soren said:
Not criticizing your skills, but am I the only one who dislikes websites where scrolling triggers animations instead of scrolling normally
You’re not alone. It looks nice but disrupts navigation, especially if you want to go to a specific section.
That said, the design and implementation are great, even if I don’t like the functionality