Free Test Sites: How Dirt River Design Proves Value Before You Pay a Dime
Most designers won't build you a free test site. Too time-consuming, too risky. Here's how AI makes it possible, what you actually get, and why there's zero risk to trying.
The Traditional Web Design Model (And Why It Sucks)
Here's how most web design projects work:
- You meet with a designer
- They show you their portfolio
- You sign a contract and pay a deposit (usually 50%)
- They build your site
- You see it for the first time
- You either love it, hate it, or need expensive revisions
You're committing thousands of dollars before seeing what you're actually getting. That's backwards.
It's like buying a truck without a test drive. Sure, the salesman showed you pictures of other trucks they sold, but you don't know if your truck will feel right until you're already committed.
The Free Test Site Approach
I flip that model on its head:
- You fill out a simple onboarding form (5-10 minutes)
- I build a working draft of your site
- You review it, click through every page, and decide if you like it
- We make tweaks together until it's right
- Only then do you decide whether to pay and go live
You see exactly what you're getting before you spend a dime.
No deposit. No contract. No commitment. Just proof that this will work for your business.
How Is This Possible?
Traditional designers can't afford to do this. Building a 5-7 page website prototype takes 20-30 hours of work. At $75-150/hour, that's $1,500-4,500 of unbilled time. If half the people who request a test site don't move forward, the designer loses money.
For me, AI changes the economics.
I can build a solid working prototype in 4-6 hours instead of 20-30. That makes free test sites sustainable as a business model. AI handles the repetitive structural work, I handle the customization and strategy, and you get a real website to review.
What You Actually Get
This isn't a mockup or wireframe. It's a fully functional website:
- Real pages with your business name, services, and content
- Working navigation-click between pages, just like the live site
- Responsive design-works on desktop, tablet, and phone
- Your branding-colors, fonts, logo placement (if you provide a logo)
- Contact forms-not live yet, but visually complete
- Placeholder photos-or your real photos if you provide them
It's hosted on a private URL. You can view it, share it with your team, and click through it like a real website.
The only difference from a live site: it's not on your domain yet, and the contact form doesn't send emails. Everything else works.
The Review Process
Once the test site is ready (usually 3-5 days after you submit the form), I send you the link.
You review it and tell me:
- What you like
- What you want changed
- What's missing
I make revisions. We go back and forth until you're happy with it.
There's no limit to the number of revision rounds, but most projects only need 1-2 rounds. Usually the first draft is 80-90% there, and we're just fine-tuning.
When You Decide to Move Forward
If you're happy with the test site, we finalize two things:
- Invoice: You pay for the build (starting at $600 for semi-static sites)
- Hosting setup: I move the site to your domain and connect everything
Usually takes 1-2 days from payment to live site. Then you're up and running.
Annual hosting and maintenance starts at $40/month, billed annually. That includes:
- Secure, fast hosting on my VPS
- SSL certificate
- Regular backups
- Software updates
- Small fixes and tweaks
- Direct support from me
What If You Don't Like It?
Then you don't pay. Simple as that.
No hard feelings. No pressure. You tried it, it wasn't a fit, and we both move on.
This isn't some bait-and-switch where I build a terrible site to pressure you into paying for fixes. If the test site isn't working for you, either we fix it or we part ways.
I'd rather spend 6 hours building a site you don't buy than 40 hours building a site you're unhappy with but feel obligated to pay for.
Why Only Semi-Static Sites?
Free test sites are only available for semi-static projects, not WordPress.
Here's why:
A semi-static site prototype takes 4-6 hours. That's sustainable as a free offering.
A WordPress site takes 15-25 hours just for the initial setup-theme configuration, plugin installation, database setup, content migration, etc. I can't afford to give away that much time.
If you need WordPress (e-commerce, frequent content updates, complex features), we'll do mockups and wireframes during a paid consultation. But no free working prototype.
Typical Timeline
Here's what the process usually looks like:
- Day 1: You fill out the onboarding form
- Days 2-5: I build the test site
- Day 6: I send you the link for review
- Days 7-10: You review, I make revisions
- Day 11: You approve, I send invoice
- Days 12-14: Payment clears, site goes live on your domain
Total: 2-3 weeks from form submission to live site. Faster if you're quick with feedback.
What I Need From You
The onboarding form asks for:
- Business name and basic info
- Services you provide
- Target audience
- Design preferences (colors, style)
- Examples of sites you like
- Content (or I can draft it for you)
The more detail you provide, the better the first draft will be. But even minimal info is enough to get started.
If you have a logo, photos, or specific copy you want used, send those along. If not, I'll use placeholders and we can swap them out later.
Common Questions
Is this really free?
Yes. No credit card required. No deposit. No catch.
What's the quality like?
Same quality as a paid project. I'm using the same tools, same process, same standards. The only difference is you haven't paid yet.
How many revisions do I get?
As many as it takes to get it right. Usually 1-2 rounds is enough.
Can I use this for a WordPress site?
No, only semi-static. WordPress takes too long to prototype for free.
What if I want to make changes after it's live?
Small tweaks are included in your monthly maintenance. Bigger changes (new pages, redesigns) are billed separately at my hourly rate.
Can I cancel hosting anytime?
Yes. Hosting is billed annually, but there's no long-term contract. If you want to move your site elsewhere, I'll help you export everything.
Ready to See What You're Getting?
Most designers ask you to commit before you see results. I'd rather prove I can deliver before asking for payment.
It's simple: fill out the form, I build your test site, you decide if it works for your business. Zero risk.
Start Your Free Test Site
Takes 5-10 minutes to fill out the form. You'll have a working website to review within a week.