Portfolio conceptAn editorial, premium digital experience for a modern barbershop.
View ProjectAn editorial, premium digital experience for a modern barbershop.
View ProjectWeb design studio · South Africa
High-end websites for businesses that want to look as good online as they do in the real world.
Web design · Development · Strategy
NewManaged hosting & care — from R499/month(00) Based in South Africa
Design, development, support.
We design, build and support custom websites for businesses in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and beyond — wherever you are.
(01) Selected work
A few concepts from our studio.
Every project here is a self-initiated portfolio concept, designed and built end to end to show the standard we work to.
Portfolio conceptAn editorial, premium digital experience for a modern barbershop.
View ProjectAn editorial, premium digital experience for a modern barbershop.
View Project
Portfolio conceptA cinematic digital experience built around precision, performance and detail.
View ProjectA cinematic digital experience built around precision, performance and detail.
View Project
Portfolio conceptA warm editorial experience designed to turn online visitors into reservations.
View ProjectA warm editorial experience designed to turn online visitors into reservations.
View Project
Portfolio conceptA refined property experience designed around architecture and photography.
View ProjectA refined property experience designed around architecture and photography.
View Project
Portfolio conceptA professional digital presence built to communicate trust, quality and craftsmanship.
View ProjectA professional digital presence built to communicate trust, quality and craftsmanship.
View Project
Portfolio conceptA conversion-focused website designed to make it easy for customers to get in touch.
View Project
A conversion-focused website designed to make it easy for customers to get in touch.
View ProjectFour more portfolio concepts, each built from a blank page.
We don’t believe your website should look like everyone else’s.
View All Projects(02) Services
Custom interfaces designed around your brand, customers and goals.
Fast, responsive websites built with modern technology and attention to detail.
Every website is designed to look and feel exceptional on phones, tablets and desktops.
Hosting, updates, improvements and technical support after launch.
See Hosting & Care — from R499/month(03) Local knowledge
A website that works in Sandton and in Stellenbosch, on fibre and on a phone with limited data, for customers who would rather send a WhatsApp than fill in a form. That’s how we design.
Click-to-chat buttons and pre-filled messages, so customers can reach you on the app they already use every day.
Optimised images and lean code so your pages load quickly on mobile networks and don’t burn through your customers’ data.
Where your project needs them, we can connect South African gateways such as PayFast, Yoco and Ozow for online payments.
Enquiry forms with clear consent wording and a privacy page structure. (Compliance depends on how you handle data — we recommend a legal review of your policy.)
Google Business Profile guidance, local search basics, maps and suburb or city pages, so nearby customers can find you.
Quotes in ZAR with the scope spelled out. No dollar surprises and no vague “packages”.
We help you choose, register and point a .co.za or .com domain, and set up professional email on it.
Your website lives on professionally hosted servers, so it stays online even when the power at your office goes off.
(04) Website types
Pick a starting point.
Not sure which fits? Tell us about your business and we’ll recommend one.
01
Ideal for established and growing service businesses
A complete multi-page website: home, services, about, gallery or projects, and contact — designed to build trust and turn visitors into enquiries.
Discuss this project02
Ideal for a single offer, launch or campaign
One focused, fast page with a single job: get the visitor to call, book or message you. A great, affordable place to start.
Discuss this project03
Ideal for businesses selling products online
A store designed around your products, with a simple checkout and South African payment options and delivery details where needed.
Discuss this project04
Ideal for barbers, salons, clinics, trades and studios
Websites built around getting the appointment or the quote: clear services, pricing, opening hours and one-tap ways to get in touch.
Discuss this project05
Ideal for creatives, architects, builders and agencies
Image-led websites where the work does the talking — with project pages, galleries and an enquiry path for new clients.
Discuss this project06
Ideal for outdated, slow or hard-to-use websites
We keep what already works, fix what doesn’t and rebuild the rest — a modern design, a proper mobile experience and better performance.
Discuss this project(05) About the studio
Form & Frame is a small design and development studio in South Africa. We work with businesses locally and remotely, and every website we make starts from a blank page — never a template.
Every project on this page is a self-initiated portfolio concept. We don’t show client logos, awards or results we haven’t earned.
Every layout is drawn for your business. No templates, no recycled sections.
Typography, colour and imagery chosen so you’re recognisable at a glance.
Most of your customers are on phones, so we design for the phone first.
Clear paths to call, book, WhatsApp or enquire — without pushing.
Lean code and optimised images so pages load quickly on any connection.
Plain language, honest timelines and no surprises along the way.
Testing, polish and a proper handover before your website goes live.
No hidden extras for the essentials. Every website we build comes with:
Extras such as online payments, bookings, copywriting, photography, and ongoing hosting and support are quoted separately.
(06) Process
01
We learn about your business, audience and goals.
02
We create the visual direction and user experience.
03
We turn the approved design into a fast responsive website.
04
We test, polish and get your new website online.
(07) Who we work with
Whatever your industry, your website should feel like your brand.
(08) By industry
Every trade is different.
Here is what customers expect — and how we design for it.
Customers choose a barber or salon on how it looks and how easy it is to book. Your website should feel like your shop.

Hungry people decide fast. A great restaurant website makes the menu, the mood and the booking impossible to miss.

Property is a visual, high-trust decision. The website has to show homes beautifully and make it easy to enquire.

People hiring a builder are trusting you with their money and their home. Your website has to communicate quality and reliability.

When something breaks, customers want a trustworthy tradesperson now. Speed, clarity and one-tap contact win the job.

Detailers, dealers and workshops sell precision. The website should look as good as the work you do to a car.

Fitness is emotional. Your website should give people the energy and the confidence to walk in the door.

Patients look for calm, clarity and trust. The website must reduce anxiety and make booking simple, without overpromising.

For creatives, the website is the portfolio. It should get out of the way of the work and still turn admirers into clients.

(09) Local SEO
A beautiful website only helps if customers can find it. Every site we build has the technical foundations of search engine optimisation (SEO) in place from day one — especially for local, “near me” searches.
Nobody can honestly promise a number-one ranking. What we can do is build the foundations properly, so your website has every chance of being found.
See our full SEO service — from R1,500/monthnorthstarelectrical.example › services
Electrician in Johannesburg | Northstar Electrical
Licensed electrical services for homes and businesses across Gauteng. Fast call-outs, clear quotes and a WhatsApp line that gets answered.
Illustration using a portfolio concept — not a real search result.
(10) Where we work
We work with businesses across the country — and beyond — entirely remotely. Video calls, WhatsApp and shared previews mean your location never gets in the way of a great website.
Looking for a web designer in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria or Gqeberha? Get in touch — we’ll set up a call at a time that suits you (SAST).
(11) Honest comparison
Which is right for you?
Do-it-yourself builders are fine for some jobs. Here is when a custom website is worth it.
| Feature | DIY template builder | Form & Frame custom |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Pick a template that many others also use | Drawn around your brand, customers and goals |
| Mobile experience | Responsive, but generic | Designed mobile-first, checked on real screen sizes |
| Speed | Often weighed down by heavy scripts and themes | Lean code and optimised images |
| SEO foundations | Basic settings, limited control | Structured content, schema, sitemap and local SEO set up |
| Flexibility | Limited to what the platform allows | Any layout or feature your business needs |
| WhatsApp & local payments | Depends on available plugins | Built in where your project needs them |
| Support | Help articles and tickets | A real person who knows your website |
| Upfront cost | Lowest | Higher — from R3,000, depending on scope |
When a template is enough: if you need something very simple, quickly, and you’re happy to do the work yourself, a builder can be a sensible choice. When you want your business to stand out, convert more enquiries and feel professional, custom is worth it.
(12) Investment
We build around your business, your goals and the experience your customers need.
Websites from
R3,000
A starting point for a simple, focused website — not a fixed price for every project. Larger and more custom builds cost more, and we quote them clearly upfront.
Final pricing depends on
Need hosting too? Managed hosting & care from R499/month
(15) Guides
Plain-English advice.
Three short guides for South African business owners thinking about a new website.
There is no single price, because “a website” can mean anything from a one-page landing page to a large online store. In South Africa, the cost usually comes down to five things: the number of pages, the functionality you need, how much content has to be written or photographed, the integrations (payments, bookings, CRM), and how custom the design is.
At Form & Frame, websites start from R3,000. Simple, focused projects sit near the start; larger, more custom or more technical builds cost more. We always quote in rand, with the scope written down, so you know exactly what you are getting.
Most websites also have modest ongoing costs: your domain name (for example a .co.za), hosting and, if you want it, professional email. Optional support covers updates and improvements. We itemise these in your quote so there are no surprises.
Very cheap websites often reuse a crowded template, load slowly, aren’t properly checked on phones and are hard to change later. If the website doesn’t bring in enquiries, it isn’t cheap — it’s just inexpensive. Ask what you are getting, not only what you are paying.
Whether you choose us or someone else, these questions will help you find a designer who will do right by your business.
Prefer to talk it through? Send us a message — we’re happy to answer honestly, even if we aren’t the right fit.
Before any website goes live, make sure these basics are covered.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Have your privacy policy reviewed if you handle personal information.
(16) Questions
Can’t see yours? Ask us directly.
Websites start from R3,000. The final price depends on the number of pages, functionality, content, integrations and design requirements. Tell us about your business and we’ll send a clear quote.
A typical small-business website takes a few weeks once we have your content. Larger or more custom projects take longer. You’ll get a realistic timeline in your quote.
Yes — small and growing businesses are exactly who we build for. A focused, well-designed website is often the best first investment.
Absolutely. We’ll review what you have, keep what works and rebuild the rest — new design, better mobile experience and faster performance.
Yes. We offer managed hosting from R499 a month, including cPanel, business email, SSL, backups, security and uptime monitoring and support. When we’ve built your website and it is hosted with us, reasonable minor updates and maintenance are included at no extra charge. See Hosting & Care.
Yes. We can add click-to-chat WhatsApp buttons and pre-filled messages so customers reach you in one tap.
Every website we build is designed mobile-first and checked across phone, tablet and desktop sizes before launch.
Yes. Depending on the project we can set things up so you can edit content yourself, or you can send changes to us and we’ll handle them. If we built your website and it is hosted with us, reasonable minor updates — text, images, contact details, opening hours — are included.
Yes. We work with businesses across South Africa and beyond, entirely remotely — using calls, WhatsApp and shared previews. Whether you are in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Gqeberha or a smaller town, the process is the same.
A .co.za signals a South African business and is a great choice for local customers. A .com works too, and many businesses register both. We can help you choose, register and connect your domain, and set up email on it.
We build with POPIA in mind: forms with clear consent wording, a privacy page structure and careful handling of enquiries. Compliance ultimately depends on how your business collects and uses personal information, so we recommend having your privacy policy reviewed by a legal professional. Read our full POPIA guide.
Yes. Your website is hosted on professional servers, not in your office, so it stays online when your power is off. We also keep pages light, so visitors on mobile data can still load them quickly.
Yes. Where a project needs it, we can integrate South African payment gateways such as PayFast, Yoco and Ozow, and set up a simple, secure checkout. Online payments are quoted as part of the project scope.
We build the technical foundations of SEO into every website — titles, structure, speed, schema, sitemap and local search basics — and guide you through Google Business Profile. No one can honestly guarantee rankings, but a well-built website has the best chance of being found.
You should. Your domain is registered in your name, and ownership of the design and code you have paid for is agreed clearly in writing before we start, so you are never locked in.
Just a conversation to begin with. After that we will ask for your logo and brand colours (if you have them), a list of your services, photos and contact details, and examples of websites you like. If you don’t have content yet, we can help you plan it.
We walk you through your website and stay available for questions. If you host with us, our managed hosting covers hosting, backups, security monitoring, technical maintenance and reasonable minor updates, so your website keeps working as hard as your business does. See how Hosting & Care works.
Tell us about your business and we’ll show you what your website could become.
(17) Contact
The fastest way to reach us is WhatsApp. Prefer email or a form? Those are here too.
Working with businesses across South Africa and remotely. Replies within one working day.
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