Meta description: Compare 10 web design NZ studios for 2027, built around Best Design Awards winners, with verified clients and work.
Quick answer: For large, story-driven websites, look at Gladeye and Daylight. For Webflow builds you can edit yourself, Not Another, Psychoactive Studios and What IF Web are the strongest picks. Catch Design suits UX-heavy service platforms, and Summit Creative and Grafik suit smaller businesses and creative practices that want a close working relationship with the designer.
New Zealand has a small but highly decorated web design scene, and the best studios compete for work in New York and Sydney as often as in Auckland. Anyone searching for web design NZ options will find hundreds of agencies, but only a handful lead with design: studios that start with the brand story, the content and the user journey, and treat the build as the way to deliver that thinking. Those studios cluster in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and many of them hold Gold Pins from the Designers Institute of New Zealand’s Best Design Awards, the country’s main design honors.
The client mix is broad. Government agencies and crown entities buy through the All-of-Government and Marketplace panels, exporters and SaaS companies need sites that sell to offshore buyers, and a large tail of architects, galleries, hospitality venues and trades businesses want a site that looks as good as their work. This list focuses on design-led New Zealand web design companies headquartered here. We checked each studio’s own website, plus the Best Design Awards winner pages, for every fact below. Where a studio does not publish a detail (founding year, team size, prices), we have left it out rather than guess.
1. Gladeye: Auckland Studio With 216 Listed Awards
Gladeye describes itself as a creative digital agency in New Zealand “working for the world”, and its client list backs that up. The studio’s work page includes projects for National Geographic (“Into the Amazon”), the Walton Family Foundation (“Where Opportunity Takes Root”), Rolling Stone, HuffPost Highline and Bombas, alongside New Zealand names such as Allpress, Orcon, Serato, Aeroqual and MitoQ. Long-form, editorial storytelling is the specialty: big scrolling narratives, data stories and campaign sites where the design carries the argument.
The studio lists 216 awards on its about page. That total includes 13 Awwwards Sites of the Day, 11 CSS Design Awards Sites of the Day, 8 FWA Sites of the Day, a Webby winner, and 6 Gold Pins and 3 Purple Pins at the Best Design Awards. The Best Design Awards site confirms recent Golds for “Into the Amazon” for National Geographic (Large Scale Websites, 2025) and “Where Opportunity Takes Root” (Immersive and Experiential Websites, 2026).
Gladeye’s services go beyond the site itself, covering brand strategy, naming, identity, design systems, 3D, illustration and data visualization, which suits clients who want one team to handle both brand and build.
Services: Websites, digital storytelling, headless CMS, ecommerce, mobile app design, brand strategy and identity, AI training and content, art direction and 3D
Location: 29 Princes Street, Auckland 1010
Clients: National Geographic, Walton Family Foundation, Rolling Stone, HuffPost, Bombas, Allpress, Orcon, Serato, MitoQ
2. Daylight: Best Design Award Gold For The Billy Power Comparison Site
Daylight calls itself a creative and technology studio, and its portfolio leans toward public-interest work where the design has to serve every New Zealander. Its featured projects include Billy, the price comparison platform for the Electricity Authority, and the Safeswim app for Auckland Council, which helps people make safer swimming choices from live data.
The Best Design Awards record Daylight’s Billy as a 2026 Gold in Information and Service Websites (Large Scale), and its “The Delivery” work for the World Health Organization took Golds in both Digital Campaigns and Large Scale Websites in 2024. Daylight states that it is a supplier on the New Zealand Government’s All-of-Government Creative and Media services panel, which makes it easier for agencies to engage the studio without a full tender.
Other named work includes a project with the Human Rights Commission (“Honour The Promise”) and a music startup, Lume Music, showing range beyond government.
Services: Digital experiences, websites and platforms, apps, brand storytelling, campaigns
Location: 615 New North Road, Morningside, Auckland 1025
Clients: Electricity Authority, Auckland Council, World Health Organization, Human Rights Commission, Growing Up in New Zealand
3. Not Another: B Corp Webflow Enterprise Partner In Christchurch
Not Another is a full-service creative agency with studios in Christchurch and Sydney, and it builds its websites on Webflow. The studio states it is a Webflow Enterprise Partner and a certified B Corporation, so it suits brands that want a design-first site their marketing team can update without a developer, from a studio with published social and environmental standards.
Its Best Design Awards record is strong: “Discover Different” won Gold in Information and Service Websites (Small Scale) in 2026, and “Love Better”, made with Voyage, won Gold for Large Scale Websites in 2025. Love Better is a youth wellbeing campaign, and the studio has also built the Daily Te Reo Māori Slack app, which delivers daily reo to workplaces.
The client list mixes national and international brands: Polestar, ArchiPro, Swanndri, Bayleys, ChristchurchNZ, Netsafe, the Ministry of Social Development and the All Blacks all appear on its site.
Services: Branding, campaigns, Webflow websites, content production
Location: Christchurch (with a Sydney studio)
Clients: Polestar, ArchiPro, Swanndri, Bayleys, ChristchurchNZ, Netsafe, Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Social Development
4. Psychoactive Studios: Webflow Enterprise Partner Since 2022 For Global Brands
Psychoactive Studios is a design and development agency based in Wellington and working globally, with presences listed in Melbourne and Singapore as well. The studio has worked since 2018 and states it has been a Webflow Enterprise Partner since 2022, so most of its builds are high-end Webflow sites with heavy motion and interaction.
The portfolio is unusually international for a New Zealand studio. Named work includes the adidas and All Blacks jersey launch, World of WearableArt, the SuperAI conference, Blackbird VC, Summer Game Fest, Hellboy Web of Wyrd, TOKEN2049, Woolf University and BurgerFuel. The studio claims more than 50 international awards and recognitions, and it shows Awwwards, CSS Design Awards, Best Awards and W3 Awards among its award sources.
Services: Website design and development, Webflow Enterprise builds, motion and interaction design
Location: Wellington
Founded: 2018
Clients: adidas, All Blacks, World of WearableArt, Blackbird Ventures, SuperAI, TOKEN2049, BurgerFuel
5. Catch Design: UX-Led Agency Founded In 2005 With Auckland And Wellington Offices
Catch Design is an independently owned digital experience agency founded in 2005, with offices in Ponsonby, Auckland and on Blair Street in Wellington. Where some studios on this list lead with visual storytelling, Catch leads with user insight, information architecture and accessibility, which makes it a good fit for complex service websites and apps used by large customer bases.
Its featured case studies include bringing Mercury and Trustpower together, the Mercury mobile app, the Burger King Royal Perks loyalty program, the IAMMI mobile app and an ANC website redesign and build. Catch states it is an approved supplier on Pae Hokohoko, the government Marketplace, so registered New Zealand government agencies can engage it directly.
Beyond design, Catch offers performance marketing, technology and development, testing and assurance, and staff and team augmentation, so it can either deliver end to end or embed designers inside a client’s own team.
Services: Strategy, user insight, design, accessibility, information architecture, development, testing, team augmentation
6. What IF Web: Webflow Premium Partner Building Sites For High-Growth Companies
What IF Web is a Christchurch creative studio building brands, websites, web apps and AI search strategies for high-growth companies. The studio designs in Figma and develops about 90 percent of its websites in Webflow, and it is a Webflow Premium Partner. It also holds a Relume Expert badge and Finsweet’s Client First certificate, both signs of a disciplined, reusable Webflow build system.
Named clients include Carepatron, Izon Science, NextMinute, LIGR Systems, Throughline, Invicta Financial, Medworld Institute and the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, and the studio says it is trusted by more than 50 companies globally. It lists a Web Excellence Awards win and a partnership with Otterly AI for AI search visibility.
The studio is open about process: its FAQ says an average project, including onboarding, content strategy, design, development and testing, takes 8 to 10 weeks.
Services: Branding, marketing websites, web applications, AI search, ongoing support
7. Wildlabs: Bespoke Websites, Ecommerce And 3D Product Configurators
Wildlabs is a digital studio with a base at Beresford Square in Auckland and a second studio in Melbourne. It designs and builds bespoke websites, ecommerce and interactive tools, with a particular strength in product configurators, estimation tools and 3D or motion-based experiences, which suits manufacturers, property developers and design-led product brands.
Its collaboration with Milk on the Forté timber site won Gold in E-Commerce (Large Scale) at the 2026 Best Design Awards. Other named work includes the International Art Centre, HikoTerra, Headwaters Eco Lodge (with Richards Partners), Public Trust and Precinct Flex, and the studio lists art and culture, technology, industrial, hospitality, law and finance, and real estate as its sectors.
Wildlabs often works alongside branding agencies, building the digital side of a brand another studio has created, so it is worth shortlisting if you already have a brand partner.
Location: Studio C5, 1 Beresford Square, Auckland (with a Melbourne studio)
Clients: Forté Timber, International Art Centre, HikoTerra, Headwaters Eco Lodge, Public Trust, Precinct Flex
8. Skyrocket: Award-Listed Webflow And Shopify Studio In Newmarket And Arrowtown
Skyrocket is a small specialist studio with bases in Newmarket, Auckland and Arrowtown near Queenstown. It designs and builds on Webflow for marketing sites and Shopify for stores, and lists new builds, redesigns, migrations, audits, landing pages and white-label development for other agencies.
The studio’s trophy section lists FWA, Awwwards, CSS Design Awards and CSS Site of the Day recognition, and its Slight Twist project received CSSDA Special Kudos plus Best Innovation and Best UI Design. Named clients include Deadly Ponies, Clean Collective, Heritage Saunas, Grandpa’s, Outlier Space, Robomate and Flatz Construction.
Skyrocket publishes its process: discovery and strategy, wireframes, design in Figma, then build, launch and training, with most projects taking 8 to 12 weeks from signed brief to launch. Redesigns include URL mapping and redirect planning to protect existing search rankings.
Services: Website design, Webflow builds, Shopify and Shopify Plus, redesigns, migrations, audits, white-label development
Location: Newmarket, Auckland and Arrowtown, Queenstown
9. Grafik: Solo Wellington Studio Making Websites For Artists And Architects
Grafik is a studio making websites that define brands, run by solo designer and developer Nick de Jardine from Te Aro, Wellington. Clients deal directly with the person building their site.
The client list is heavy on creative practices: Patchwork Architecture, Michael McManus Architects, Jhana Millers Gallery, Agnes Lloyd-Platt, Marx Design, Today Design, Match Artists and Porter Packaging all appear, along with Impossible Toronto and Beings in 2025. The studio’s site for Motion Sickness, made with that agency, won Gold for Small Scale Websites at the 2024 Best Design Awards.
Services cover digital design, digital development, identity design and animation, so a small practice can get a mark and a site from the same hands.
Services: Digital design, digital development, identity design, animation
Location: Level 1, 85 Victoria Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011
10. Summit Creative: Lower Hutt Web And Brand Studio For Small Businesses Since 2011
Summit Creative is a web design and branding studio in Lower Hutt, Wellington, led by founder Jen Crehan, who has almost 20 years of experience as a branding and web designer and a background in PR. The studio has helped businesses with websites and brands since 2011.
Summit names its specialist sectors clearly: service-based businesses, family-owned businesses, builders and construction, food service, and wellness and lifestyle. Named projects include Zeal Commercial Interiors, BK Patterson Builders, Absolute Bliss, Mei Ling Acupuncture and Ovio Mindfulness. That makes it a practical choice for owner-operated businesses that want a polished site and brand without agency overheads.
Services: Web design, brand identity design, logo design, creative strategy
Location: Lower Hutt, Wellington
Clients: Zeal Commercial Interiors, BK Patterson Builders, Absolute Bliss, Mei Ling Acupuncture, Ovio Mindfulness
How To Choose A Web Design Company In New Zealand
The best New Zealand web design companies differ more in working style and platform than in talent. These questions will narrow your shortlist quickly.
Do You Need Storytelling Or Service Design?
Studios like Gladeye and Daylight excel at narrative and campaign sites that win awards and get shared. Catch Design and Daylight’s public sector work focus on service journeys, where success means people complete a task. Be honest about which you need: a brand launch and a customer self-service portal call for different strengths.
Which Platform Will Your Team Edit?
Not Another, Psychoactive Studios, What IF Web and Skyrocket build mainly on Webflow, which marketing teams can edit visually. Larger custom builds may use a headless CMS. Ask who will update the site after launch, and choose the platform around them, not around the agency’s preference alone.
Has The Studio Done Work Like Yours?
Look for named projects in your sector. Grafik’s portfolio is mostly architects and artists, Summit Creative’s is trades and family businesses, and Wildlabs has industrial and property clients. A studio with relevant work will ask better questions in discovery.
Can They Buy Through Government Panels?
If you are a public sector agency, check panel status early. Daylight is on the All-of-Government Creative and Media panel and Catch Design is on the Pae Hokohoko Marketplace, which can save weeks of procurement.
What Happens After Launch?
Ask about training, support periods and retainers. Skyrocket, for example, publishes a one-week post-launch support window and redirect planning for redesigns. Get these terms in writing before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does Web Design Cost In New Zealand?
Most design-led studios on this list quote per project and do not publish prices. Budgets depend on page count, custom illustration or 3D, integrations and content work. A small brochure site from a boutique studio will cost far less than an award-level storytelling build. For indicative ranges based on prices New Zealand companies publish, see our guide to how much a website costs in New Zealand.
How Long Does A New Website Take?
The studios that publish timelines give similar numbers: What IF Web averages 8 to 10 weeks, and Skyrocket says most projects take 8 to 12 weeks from signed brief to launch. Large sites with many stakeholders, content migration or custom integrations take longer.
Should I Hire A Local Studio Or Work Remotely?
All of these studios work with clients across the country, and several work mostly for offshore brands. A local studio helps if you want in-person workshops, but location matters less than portfolio fit and communication. Wellington and Christchurch studios regularly serve Auckland clients and the reverse.
What Is The Difference Between Web Design And Web Development?
Web design covers strategy, content structure, user experience and visual design. Web development is the engineering that makes it work: CMS setup, integrations and custom functionality. Many studios do both, but if your project is mostly complex software, a development firm may be a better lead partner.
For ambitious storytelling and international-grade craft, Gladeye, Daylight and Not Another have the strongest award records among New Zealand web design companies. If you want a Webflow site your team can run, Psychoactive Studios, What IF Web, Not Another and Skyrocket are the natural shortlist. Catch Design is the pick for UX-heavy service platforms, Wildlabs for configurators and interactive product tools, and Grafik and Summit Creative for smaller practices that want to work directly with the designer.
Bookmark this guide to make a well-informed decision. If you want to add your company to this list, drop us a line or submit a form in the Top Choices section. After a thorough review, we will decide whether it is an appropriate addition.
