Choosing the right web designer for your project is crucial. Should you work with a solo freelance designer, partner with a larger web design agency, or hire John Schuster (Company Chicago Inc.)? John Schuster is a Chicago-based freelance web designer & developer with the backing of Company Chicago Inc., offering a unique blend of personal service and broad expertise. This comparison will highlight how John stands out against typical freelancers and web design agencies in terms of experience, technical skills, tools, services, pricing, and more.

At a Glance: John Schuster vs Freelancers vs Agencies

To quickly illustrate the differences, the table below compares John Schuster/Company Chicago Inc. with a typical freelance web designer and a web design agency on key factors:

Aspect John Schuster
(Company Chicago Inc.)		 Freelance Web Designer Web Design Agency
Experience & Track Record 25+ years in web design (since 1997); hundreds of websites built. Deep expertise in both design & development. Varies widely (often 2–10 years). Portfolio size and longevity may be limited. Company experience ranges by team (often 5–15+ years per member), collective portfolio of projects.
Technical Skill Set Full-stack skills: front-end coding (HTML/CSS/JS), back-end (PHP/MySQL), server admin, DNS, and email configuration. Usually focused on front-end design/development; may lack server or IT skills. Team specialists for coding, IT, etc., but knowledge siloed by role.
Design & Creative Formal art/design background; expert in graphic design, illustration, UI/UX. Uses Adobe CC suite for pro design. Many have design skills; often use standard tools (Adobe or alternatives). Dedicated design team with advanced tools; strong branding capabilities.
SEO & Marketing SEO expert & online marketing experience (Google Ads, PPC, analytics). Offers content writing and on-page SEO with each project. Some offer basic SEO; marketing often not a core strength. Often have a marketing/SEO department, but services come at premium cost.
Tools & Subscriptions Invests in premium tools for clients: Adobe Creative Cloud, Gravity Forms, AI tools (ChatGPT & Claude), Zapier automation, Cloudflare CDN, stock photo libraries, etc. Many use personal or free tools to minimize cost; may not provide premium plugins or extras without added fees. Agencies have a wide range of tools and software, costs rolled into high project fees.
Range of Services One-stop shop: Web design & dev, custom code, graphic design, copywriting, photography (including drone), video editing & production, SEO, marketing strategy. No need to hire separate vendors. Focused on web design/development; limited extra services (might outsource or refer for things like video, SEO, etc.). Full in-house services (design, development, marketing, media), though often segmented and priced separately.
Communication & Support Direct one-on-one communication. You work directly with John for the entire project, ensuring personal attention and quick adjustments. Available and responsive. Direct communication (since they are the sole worker), but capacity can be limited if juggling multiple clients. Layered communication (account managers, project managers). Less direct access to the actual designers/developers.
Flexibility & Ownership Very flexible – can pivot quickly, adapt to client needs. No proprietary platforms – you own your site/code fully (no lock-in). Offers training so you can manage your site if desired. Flexible with smaller projects. Generally hands over files, but quality of documentation/training varies. No institutional lock-in (unless using proprietary tools). More formal process; changes require approvals. Some agencies use proprietary CMS or require hosting with them, causing lock-in.
Project Turnaround Efficient and prompt. Over two decades of refining a fast, quality-driven workflow. Projects often completed within ~30 days (for typical sites). May be fast for simple sites, but a single person can become a bottleneck for larger projects or multiple concurrent jobs. Can handle large projects, but timelines often longer due to multi-stage processes, meetings, and queue of clients.
Pricing & Value Affordable – website design packages starting around $695. Great value given the breadth of services included. Maintenance packages are low-cost. Often cheaper upfront than agencies; hourly rates ~$25–$100. However, may not include extras (SEO, maintenance) without additional fees. Expensive – agencies charge higher rates (often $150+/hr). A basic small-business site could cost several thousand dollars. Overhead and à la carte services increase costs.
After-Launch Support Offers 1-year warranty on code and free bug fixes. Ongoing support available via affordable maintenance or on-demand help. Long-term client relationships prioritized. Many freelancers offer limited support after project (some may charge hourly for updates; availability can vary if they move to new projects). Agencies offer support/maintenance contracts but at premium rates. Support may be less personal, routed through ticket systems.

Experience & Track Record

John Schuster (Company Chicago Inc.)
25+ years in web design (since 1997); hundreds of websites built. Deep expertise in both design & development.
Freelance Web Designer
Varies widely (often 2–10 years). Portfolio size and longevity may be limited.
Web Design Agency
Company experience ranges by team (often 5–15+ years per member), collective portfolio of projects.

Technical Skill Set

John Schuster
Full-stack skills: front-end coding (HTML/CSS/JS), back-end (PHP/MySQL), server admin, DNS, and email configuration.
Freelancer
Usually focused on front-end design/development; may lack server or IT skills.
Agency
Team specialists for coding, IT, etc., but knowledge siloed by role.


Would you like me to continue and complete the remaining sections in this same inline format? (It’s a longer output, so I’m happy to break it into blocks or deliver a downloadable file if needed.)

Design & Creative

John Schuster
Formal art/design background; expert in graphic design, illustration, UI/UX. Uses Adobe CC suite for pro design.
Freelancer
Many have design skills; often use standard tools (Adobe or alternatives).
Agency
Dedicated design team with advanced tools; strong branding capabilities.

SEO & Marketing

John Schuster
SEO expert & online marketing experience (Google Ads, PPC, analytics). Offers content writing and on-page SEO with each project.
Freelancer
Some offer basic SEO; marketing often not a core strength.
Agency
Often have a marketing/SEO department, but services come at premium cost.

Tools & Subscriptions

John Schuster
Invests in premium tools for clients: Adobe Creative Cloud, Gravity Forms, AI tools (ChatGPT & Claude), Zapier automation, Cloudflare CDN, stock photo libraries, etc.
Freelancer
Many use personal or free tools to minimize cost; may not provide premium plugins or extras without added fees.
Agency
Agencies have a wide range of tools and software, costs rolled into high project fees.

Range of Services

John Schuster
One-stop shop: Web design & dev, custom code, graphic design, copywriting, photography (including drone), video editing & production, SEO, marketing strategy.
Freelancer
Focused on web design/development; limited extra services (might outsource or refer for things like video, SEO, etc.).
Agency
Full in-house services, often segmented and priced separately.

Communication & Support

John Schuster
Direct one-on-one communication. You work directly with John. Personal attention and quick adjustments.
Freelancer
Direct but limited if juggling multiple clients.
Agency
Less direct access to designers. Account managers handle most interaction.

Flexibility & Ownership

John Schuster
Very flexible – no lock-in. You own your site/code. Training offered to manage it yourself.
Freelancer
Generally hands over files, but quality of documentation varies.
Agency
Some lock you in via proprietary CMS or required hosting.

Project Turnaround

John Schuster
Efficient and prompt. Refined process. Most projects delivered in ~30 days.
Freelancer
Can be fast, but bottlenecks occur with larger workloads.
Agency
Timelines often longer due to multi-stage processes and internal delays.

Pricing & Value

John Schuster
Affordable – Packages start at ~$695. Premium features included. Low-cost maintenance available.
Freelancer
$25–$100/hr. Extras often billed separately.
Agency
Expensive – $150+/hr. Most small business sites start in the thousands.

After-Launch Support

John Schuster
1-year warranty on code and free bug fixes. Affordable ongoing support. Long-term client relationships encouraged.
Freelancer
Support varies. Some disappear post-project.
Agency
Premium maintenance plans usually required. Support handled via ticket systems.

Key Takeaway: John Schuster combines the personal dedication and cost-effectiveness of a freelancer with the broad skill set and services of an agency, delivering a unique value proposition.

Contact John for a Free Website Design Estimate!