Looking for a Chicago web designer who builds custom websites without the agency price tag? I’m John Schuster, a freelance web designer and developer based right here in Chicago, helping local businesses turn an outdated or DIY site into one that looks professional, loads fast, and actually brings in customers. You work directly with me from the first conversation to launch day, no account managers, no hand-offs, no surprises.

For more than 25 years I’ve designed and built websites for Chicago small businesses, contractors, restaurants, artists, and service providers. Whether you need a brand-new site or a redesign of one that’s no longer pulling its weight, you get a site that’s built around your goals, not squeezed into a generic template.

Who I work with

Most of my clients are Chicago small and local businesses that need a site to win trust and book work: home-service contractors, restaurants and venues, retailers, creatives, and professional service providers. If your customers are searching for you online and finding a slow, dated, or hard-to-use website, that’s exactly the problem I fix.

How the design process works

I keep things simple and collaborative:

  1. Discovery — a quick call to understand your business, your customers, and what a “win” looks like (more calls, more bookings, more quote requests).
  2. Design — I map the pages and design a clean, on-brand look you approve before any heavy lifting begins.
  3. Build — I develop the site in WordPress so it’s easy for you to update later.
  4. Review & launch — you review on a live preview, we refine, and I handle the launch.
  5. Support — I’m still here after launch for updates, edits, and questions.

Because you’re working with one person who does both the design and the development, nothing gets lost in translation and the timeline stays tight.

What’s included in every custom website

Every site I build for Chicago businesses comes standard with:

  • Mobile-friendly, responsive design that looks right on phones, tablets, and desktops
  • Fast load times so visitors don’t bounce before the page appears
  • SEO-ready structure — clean code, proper headings, and titles so Google can rank you
  • A WordPress foundation you can edit yourself, plus easy contact and quote forms
  • A design tailored to your brand, not a recycled template

Recent Chicago web design work

Featured Chicago web design work

Figure 8 Painting Logo

Figure 8 Painting

a clean, conversion-focused site for a painting contractor, built to turn local searches into quote requests.

Ann_Frances_logo

Ann Frances Music

a polished, mobile-friendly site for a Chicago creative, with an easy-to-update layout for new releases and events.

BP_Logo

Work Life of Brian

Portfolio Website for a Video Producer

Jon Haines Logo

Jon Haines Cybersecurity

His site serves dual purposes, showcasing his cybersecurity consulting services and a philosophy blog.

See more in the full portfolio, a range of contractors, restaurants, retailers,
and creatives, all built to fit the business behind them.

Affordable, transparent pricing

You don’t need an agency budget to get a great website. As a freelance Chicago web designer, my overhead is low, so your investment goes into the site itself, not a big agency’s office. Every project is quoted up front with no hidden fees, so you know exactly what you’re paying before we start. See pricing or just reach out and I’ll put together a quote for your specific project.

Wordpress

Need development or WordPress specifically?

If you’re after heavier custom functionality, see my Chicago web developer page. If you specifically want WordPress design and theme work, head to WordPress web designer in Chicago. And you can always start from the home page for the full picture of what I do.

Let’s build your website

Ready to work with a Chicago web designer who actually answers the phone? Tell me about your project and I’ll get back to you with ideas and a free quote — no pressure, no obligation.

Get a Free Quote