Number of revisions

How many revisions do you usually get when building a website?

There's no industry-wide standard for the number of revisions. It varies by agency and plan, and plans with more pages or complex features tend to allow more.

More important than the number is "how one revision is counted." Even with the same 5 revisions, an agency that counts a batch of comments sent together as one revision and one that counts each individual fix as one revision give you very different amounts of actual changes.

Also check whether the number of revisions applies only to the design draft stage or also covers the finished-site stage.

When choosing a number, also consider how many people are involved in decisions. A business deciding with partners or family may need more revisions to reach agreement, so it's wise to choose the more generous option or settle first on how you'll gather opinions.

What's the difference between a revision and additional work?

A revision is a change within the scope already agreed on, while additional work means creating something new outside that scope. Additional work usually needs a separate fee or quote, even if you still have revisions left.

The line is often blurry, so the surest approach is to ask "Is this a revision or additional work?" before making the request.

As a borderline example, if a restaurant asks to "add photos to the menu," it could be a revision that just swaps existing photo spots, or it could be work that creates a new photo slot for every menu item. Asking before you request lets you know the revision count and cost in advance.

When a craft studio asks to "feature one more class," adding content in the same format to an existing template, some agencies treat it as a revision and others as additional work. There's no fixed answer, so go by the standard written in your contract.

How can I make the most of my revisions?

The key to saving revisions is gathering your comments all at once and finishing big decisions at the earlier stages.

If you add a few new comments every time you get a revised version, it never ends. In each review, focus on whether your last requests were applied correctly, and save new ideas for the next batch.

It helps to group revision requests by screen. When they're organized like "3 for the home screen, 2 for the menu screen," the developer won't miss any, and you can easily check whether they were applied.

1. 01Lock in the page list and order at the wireframe stage.
2. 02Send real materials such as photos, price lists and introduction text before the design draft.
3. 03When you get a draft, look it over for a day or two and gather your comments in one list.
4. 04Consolidate your family's and staff's comments yourself into one final version.
5. 05Before sending, separate "must change" from "nice to have."
6. 06When you get the revised version, check it against your list to confirm every requested item was applied.

Why are changes harder to make at later stages?

Because at each later stage, more work is stacked on top of earlier decisions. Moving one box in a wireframe becomes, on the finished site, re-fitting the phone layout, spacing and connected buttons too.

For example, if a craft studio says right before completion "We'd also like to take class bookings," a booking screen and notification feature have to be built from scratch, so it becomes additional work rather than a revision. Had the same request come up in the first consultation, it could have been worked in naturally at the planning stage.

So it's a good idea to mention "features you might need later" in the first consultation. Even if they aren't built right away, the site can be structured so they're easy to add later.

What should the contract say about revisions?

Revision terms agreed only verbally are easy to remember differently, so it's best to write them into the contract or quote with numbers and clear criteria. Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT also publishes standard contracts for the software industry, which you can use as a reference for what belongs in a contract.

It helps to write down exceptions along with the numbers. For example, a line like "Text-only edits such as typos or contact details don't count toward revisions" lets you request small fixes without hesitating.

If you lose track of how many revisions are left, ask the agency how many you've used so far. Labeling each request with its round, like "Revision round 2," keeps both sides' records in sync.

• Number of revisions (as a number)
• How 1 revision is counted (1 batch of comments, or 1 item)
• Which stages it covers (design draft, finished site, after launch)
• How costs are set if you go over the limit
• How long it takes to receive a revised version
• Whether fixing the developer's own errors is separate from the revision count

What if I want to make changes after launch?

Edits after launch are usually handled separately from the revisions during the build. Things that keep changing while you run your business, like opening hours, prices and photos, are often updated through a maintenance contract or the admin panel.

If you run a business with frequently changing seasonal menus, like a cafe, it's good to decide before the build "who updates the menu and how." Which plan you choose depends on whether you need an admin panel to edit things yourself or whether having the agency make changes on request is enough.

If you adjust service prices regularly, like a hair salon, roughly count how many edits a month you'll need after launch. Depending on the number, it may be easier to edit things yourself or to hand them off.

In the first few weeks after launch, things to fix tend to come up as you see how customers react. It's good to check in advance whether edits during this period are covered by the build scope or move over to maintenance.