Website Builds
Expert-led digital infrastructure · Since 2016
The website is the most visible part of what TDN builds.
It isn't the most important part.
A TDN build is not a deliverable. It's the beginning of a managed infrastructure relationship - built so your team can operate it, your analytics can read it, and your business doesn't depend on you to hold it together.
Most expert-led businesses don't need a better-looking website. They need a website that's connected to something - to their CRM, their automations, their checkout, their analytics, their team's publishing workflow.
When TDN builds a site, we're building the entry point into that system. The site is the most visible layer. The infrastructure behind it is the part that determines whether the business can operate.
Since 2016 Expert team Human support
The Infrastructure
Most website problems aren't website problems.
They're infrastructure problems that show up on the website.
— A plugin gets deprecated. Your page builder breaks. Your VA spends three hours trying to figure out why the hero section isn't rendering. Nothing is technically down - but nothing can be published.
— Or a core update rolls through automatically, and your checkout page goes white-screen on a Friday evening. Nobody finds out until a prospective client emails to say the page doesn't load.
— Or your VA builds a new campaign page in a drag-and-drop tool on a third-party subdomain - because that's the only way to move fast. It works. But it lives outside your domain, doesn't contribute to search, doesn't match the brand, and nobody can tell you the conversion rate.
— Or it's 72 hours before a launch and something in the automation is misfiring. Your VA can't isolate it. You're in your inbox and in the back-end simultaneously, trying to figure out whether it's the form, the tag, or the sequence - when you should be showing up for your audience.
— These aren't edge cases. They're the normal operational cost of infrastructure built reactively - one tool at a time, one problem at a time, with no one accountable for the whole system.
A TDN build is built for the system, not just the page.
"VA-friendly" doesn't mean simple. It means built for the people who actually use it.
On smaller builds, the CMS is a lightweight file-based editor. Your VA opens a file, makes a change, saves. No admin panel to navigate, no mystery plugin toolbar, no developer to call. Publishing a blog post means editing a structured file. That's the whole workflow.
On full platform builds, the CMS is a structured block builder inside a full admin panel. Your VA duplicates a sales page template, swaps the content, and publishes - the blocks come pre-configured from the design system. The layout can't break because it's structured, not assembled by hand.
Neither is a compromise for simplicity. Both are designed around the reality of how expert-led businesses operate: the founder isn't publishing. The VA is.
You own everything. Not "you can access everything." You own it.
Your GitHub repository is yours. Your content database is yours. Your analytics data is yours. Your site runs on private infrastructure - not inside a SaaS platform where a pricing change or a terms update becomes your operational problem.
If you ever bring on an internal developer, there's nothing to unwrap. If you need to migrate, you have everything you need. If TDN ever stops being the right fit, you leave with the code, the data, and the server configuration intact. Nothing is locked inside a proprietary platform.
Your design doesn't drift.
TDN builds every site from a Figma design system - a three-layer component library with design tokens at the core. When your VA builds a new landing page from a template, it comes from the same source as the rest of the site. Not from "matching it by eye" or duplicating a page and hoping the spacing is close.
The result: a site that stays visually coherent as it grows. Every new page, every new campaign asset, every new email template - it all comes from the same design source. Not from a different vendor who got the hex value approximately right.
Connected from day one.
Most website builds deliver a site. TDN builds deliver a site that's already working - analytics tracking behavior, forms connecting to your email list, data flowing where it needs to go.
Every TDN build includes private Matomo analytics, CRM form integration, SSL, and Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection. Not as add-ons. Not as a setup you figure out after launch. Part of every build, regardless of tier.
You don't go live and then wonder why your form submissions aren't showing up in your CRM. That's already handled.
THE BUILDS
Two groups. Nine packages. One question:
What does your business actually need to run?
The right build isn't the biggest one. It's the one that matches your current operational situation - and leads directly into the managed relationship that keeps it running.
Every package below ships with its entry retainer pairing. Not as an add-on - as the structure of how TDN works. If you're not sure which package fits, the scoping call is exactly for that.
Group A - Entry Builds
For businesses building a clean, operational web presence.
These packages build from a validated Astro starter repo and TDN's Figma component library. Efficient delivery. Professional results. The right foundation for a business that needs a connected web presence without full platform overhead.
Micro
One-time · 1–3 pages · Static · 3–5 business days.
A fast, clean static site for a single-offer presence, campaign page, lead magnet, or waitlist. Nothing extra that can break. Your team doesn't need to touch it - you point people to it and it works.
- You need a professional web presence fast - campaign, event, or waitlist
- You don't need to update content yourself regularly
- You're launching with a single offer or lead capture focus
- Your budget is under $1,000
- Up to 3 pages (e.g., Home, Lead Capture, Thank You)
- Lead capture form connected to your email list (Formbricks)
- External payment link - Knolyx, Teachable, or Stripe (no on-site checkout complexity at this tier)
- Private analytics setup (Matomo)
- Mobile-optimized, brand-matched responsive design
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
Managed hosting, uptime monitoring, SSL renewal, and task support when you need it. As task requests grow, most Micro clients upgrade to Gold ($200/mo) naturally.
Not the right fit if: You want to publish blog posts, video, or multiple content types regularly. → See Creator Starter.
Get Micro PlanCreator Starter
One-time · 4–8 pages · Astro + Keystatic · 5–8 business days.
A clean, professional site with a CMS your VA can actually use. Publish blog posts or videos without touching code - no developer involved. The right foundation for a business that's actively building its digital presence and needs one content type running reliably.
- Your business has 4–8 pages of content
- You want your VA to publish regularly without calling a developer
- You're establishing a clean professional presence with one active content type
- Your budget is $1,200–2,500
- Up to 8 pages
- Keystatic CMS - your VA edits a structured file, saves, and it's live. No admin panel to navigate, no formatting mystery.
- One content type: blog posts or video (not both - Creator Growth handles that)
- Lead capture form connected to your email list
- Basic SEO setup
- Private analytics (Matomo) with goal tracking
- External payment link option
- 30-day post-launch support
As VA publishing becomes regular and task requests grow, most Creator Starter clients upgrade to Gold ($200/mo) within 3–6 months.
Not the right fit if: You want both blog and video publishing. → See Creator Growth. You need your VA to create new pages, not just publish content. → See Pro Extended.
Get Creator Starter PlanCreator Growth
One-time · 8–12 pages · Astro + Keystatic · 7–12 business days
A fuller creator site - two content types publishing regularly. Blog and video library both active. Your VA publishes across both channels, connected to your CRM and email automations. For a business that's actively building its content library and growing an audience across formats.
- You publish actively across two formats - blog and video
- Your VA manages regular publishing across both
- You want your CRM connected to site behavior and form submissions
- Your budget is $2,000–4,500
- Up to 12 pages
- Keystatic CMS: blog and video library - two separate content types, both VA-publishable
- CRM integration: form capture connected to your email system with an n8n handoff workflow
- 1 n8n automation workflow (e.g., new subscriber → tag in CRM → sequence enrollment)
- Private analytics with goals (Matomo)
- Mobile-optimized responsive design
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
Regular publishing, CRM connections, and growing integration complexity warrant the expanded task capacity and SLA that Gold provides.
Not the right fit if: You're also running a podcast, need on-site payment, or your VA needs to build landing pages without developer help. → See Pro Standard or Pro Extended.
Get Creator Growth PlanAlready on WordPress?
If your business is built on WordPress - established content library, a team already trained in the admin, plugins you depend on - rebuilding into a new stack can create more disruption than value. TDN builds on WordPress where it makes sense.
WP builds run on TDN's private self-hosted infrastructure - same philosophy as the JS builds. Private server. Client-owned. Cloudflare-protected. Not WP Engine, not Flywheel, not any SaaS-managed hosting platform.
A straightforward note on platform choice: For new builds where you don't have a strong platform preference, TDN recommends the Astro or Next.js stacks. They build faster, carry lower ongoing maintenance overhead, and pair more naturally with the Martech plans. If you're not already on WordPress and don't specifically want it, there's a better option for you here. If you are on WordPress and want to stay - TDN supports that, and will build it well.
WP Starter Clone
One-time · 5–8 pages · WordPress + Divi 5 · 10–14 business days
For clients who are already on WordPress, or who specifically want it. The same design token approach as the Astro builds - applied to the Divi 5 starter configuration. Same client ownership, same private infrastructure, same Cloudflare protection.
- You're already on WordPress and want to stay on WordPress
- You want a clean rebuild with brand-consistent design applied via Divi 5
- Your budget is $2,500–3,500
- 5–8 pages
- WordPress + Divi 5 configuration with design token application
- WordPress admin - your team manages content through the native WP interface
- Lead capture form integration
- Basic SEO setup
- Private analytics (Matomo)
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
WordPress builds require consistent maintenance attention - plugin updates, PHP compatibility checks, core updates, conflict monitoring. Gold is the appropriate baseline for any WP site with an active team.
Get WP Starter Clone PlanWP Growth
One-time · 10 pages + active blog · WordPress + Divi 5 · 12–16 business days.
A fuller WordPress site with an active blog. For established WP businesses that need a clean rebuild without a platform migration. Includes everything in WP Starter plus an active blog configuration, expanded Divi 5 setup, CRM integration, and a more complete SEO foundation.
- You're on WordPress and actively publishing a blog
- You want a clean rebuild with CRM connections
- Your team is trained in WP admin and wants to stay there
- Your budget is $3,500–5,000
- Up to 10 pages + active blog
- Full Divi 5 configuration with brand token application
- Blog CMS - standard WP post editor with Divi layout support
- CRM integration (form capture + n8n workflow)
- Expanded SEO setup with category structure
- Private analytics (Matomo) with goal tracking
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
An active blog, regular publishing, and CRM connections at this scale place consistent task and maintenance demand on the system. Platinum is the right floor.
Get WP Growth PlanGroup B - Full Platform Builds
For established creator businesses that need a fully connected digital platform.
At this tier, the conversation changes.
You're not building a website with some supporting features. You're building a connected digital platform - a CMS your team can operate, analytics that report on real behavior, automations that run without manual intervention, and infrastructure designed to scale.
Every Group B build ships with a defined entry retainer - starting at Gold for Pro Standard and Martech for Pro Extended and above. At Pro Extended and above - on-site payments live, automations running, CRM connected, VA publishing independently - the system requires proactive Martech management from day one. That's not an add-on or a suggestion. It's the correct starting point for a system this complex.
Pro Standard
One-time · 10–14 pages · Next.js + Payload CMS · 7–12 business days.
A fully connected creator platform - blog, podcast or video, CRM integration, private analytics with behavioral tracking, and automation workflows. Built on infrastructure that doesn't depend on plugins. Your team manages the content. TDN handles the rest.
- You have an active blog and one broadcast content type - podcast or video
- You want CRM behavioral tracking: site visits and form activity connected to CRM contact records
- You need a plugin-free, stable foundation for SEO-optimized content at scale
- Your budget is $4,500–6,000
- Up to 14 pages
- Payload CMS: blog + podcast or video library (3–4 structured collections)
- CRM integration with behavioral triggers - site events initiate CRM automation sequences
- Matomo private analytics with user ID tracking - site behavior connected to individual contact records
- Podcast RSS integration or YouTube playlist integration (auto-import on publish)
- 2–3 n8n automation workflows
- Basic SEO setup with structured data
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
Note on payments: On-site Stripe checkout redirect is available as an add-on at this tier ($800–1,500 one-time). Clients on Knolyx or Teachable don't need this - external checkout links are standard at every tier.
Get Pro Standard PlanPro Extended
One-time · 14–20 pages · Next.js + Payload CMS · 2–3 weeks.
Everything in Pro Standard - plus your VA can build new landing pages and sales pages without calling a developer. Podcast, blog, and video all publish automatically. On-site checkout included for clients not on an external course platform. CRM and analytics fully connected with user-level behavioral tracking. The right build for a business that's actively managing campaigns, running launches, and needs its team to move independently.
- You need all three content types publishing: podcast, blog, and video
- Your VA needs to create new sales and campaign pages - not just publish content
- You want on-site checkout, not an external redirect
- You're ready for proactive managed infrastructure from day one
- Your budget is $6,000–9,000
- 14–20 pages
- Payload CMS with VA block builder - duplicate a pre-built sales page template, swap the content, publish. No developer. No code. No waiting.
- 3 pre-built sales page templates configured in the block builder at launch
- Podcast RSS auto-import + YouTube playlist auto-import
- On-site payments: Stripe checkout (redirect or Stripe Elements embedded, scoped at build). For clients on Knolyx or Teachable - external link; checkout dev time redirected to additional integrations.
- Advanced CRM integration with bidirectional behavioral triggers
- Matomo user ID tracking - site behavior mapped to CRM contact records
- 2–3 n8n automation workflows
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
At Pro Extended, the system has enough operational complexity - automations, on-site payments, CRM connections, VA publishing - that proactive stewardship is the right starting point, not an upgrade. A system this connected needs someone watching it.
Get Pro Extended PlanEnterprise Standard
One-time · 20–25 pages · Next.js + Payload CMS · 3–5 weeks.
A full creator platform with an affiliate program built in - commissions tracked, payouts calculated, program managed on-site. Embedded checkout, deep CRM bidirectional integration, and full Matomo behavioral event mapping. For established creator businesses with revenue complexity, a large content library, and active affiliate relationships.
- You run an active affiliate program and need it fully tracked and managed on-site
- You have 20+ pages of content, multiple offers, and multiple active content types
- You need deep bidirectional CRM integration - not just form capture, but behavioral data flowing both directions
- Your budget is $9,000–12,000
- 20–25 pages
- Payload CMS: full standard collections (blog, podcast, video, offers, events, testimonials, team, press, FAQs, and more)
- Affiliate tracking via Rewardful - global rate + product override + per-affiliate override. *(Client pays Rewardful $49–149/mo separately.)*
- On-site Stripe Elements embedded checkout - no redirect, payment completes on your site
- Deep bidirectional CRM integration - behavioral data flows from CRM to site and from site back to CRM
- Matomo bidirectional event mapping - CRM events trigger Matomo custom events; site behavior triggers CRM actions
- 3–5 n8n automation workflows
- All Pro Extended features included
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
Enterprise Full
One-time · 25–30+ pages · Next.js + Payload CMS · 4–6 weeks · Requires scoping call.
TDN's maximum build scope. Includes TDN's proprietary Payment Module and Affiliate Module - not third-party SaaS tools that charge per-transaction fees or impose commission logic constraints. Custom Payload admin panel configured to the team's actual workflow. Everything fully owned, fully connected, and built specifically for the business that will run it.
This package can't be accurately quoted without a scoping call - the scope varies too significantly between businesses to estimate without understanding the full system.
- You need a custom payment and affiliate infrastructure - not a third-party tool
- Your team needs a custom admin interface configured to how the business actually operates
- Your business has deep operational complexity: multiple offers, a large affiliate network, advanced automation requirements, and integration depth that exceeds what any standard package can define
- You've outgrown what off-the-shelf payment and affiliate tools can do
- 25–30+ pages
- TDN Payment Module - TDN's proprietary internal layer: product catalog + Stripe + webhooks + webhook registry. Not a SaaS. Not a third-party tool. Built and maintained by TDN, deployed to your infrastructure.
- TDN Affiliate Module - custom commission logic: global rate + product-level override + per-affiliate override. Full commission tracking and reporting.
- Custom Payload admin panel - configured to the team's workflow, not a standard template
- Full bidirectional CRM and Matomo event mapping
- 5+ n8n automation workflows
- All Enterprise Standard features included
- SSL + Cloudflare CDN and DDoS protection
- 30-day post-launch support
Enterprise Full is scoped on the call - it can't be quoted accurately without understanding the full system.
Book your Enterprise scoping callWHAT MAKES TDN BUILDS DIFFERENT
Five things that look like technical decisions.
They're actually operational ones.
Most of what differentiates a TDN build isn't visible when the site launches. It shows up six months later - when the VA needs to publish without calling a developer, when a plugin would have broken another site and didn't break this one, when the brand needs to grow and the design system absorbs it, when ownership actually matters because the business has changed.
01 - Your site runs on private infrastructure you own. Not on a SaaS platform.
Every TDN site is deployed on TDN-managed private server infrastructure - not inside a SaaS deployment platform. No Vercel. No Netlify. No Render.
This isn't a technology preference. It's an ownership decision.
When your site lives on a SaaS deployment platform, their pricing decisions become your pricing decisions. Their terms changes become your compliance problem. Their infrastructure bottlenecks become your performance problem. On TDN-managed private infrastructure, TDN controls the environment and you own everything in it. If you ever leave TDN, you leave with your code, your data, and your server configuration. Nothing is locked inside a platform you can't export from.
02 - You own everything. Not "you can access everything." You own it.
Your GitHub repository is yours from the day the build is done. Your content database is yours. Your analytics data is yours. TDN retains no ownership over any work product.
This matters most when something goes wrong - or when something needs to change. A new developer can read your code. An internal hire can take over the system. A future migration has everything it needs already. Nothing is inside a proprietary abstraction that requires TDN to decode.
Ownership isn't a policy clause. It's a structural decision built into every TDN build.
03 - The design system is the source of truth for everything. Not just the homepage.
TDN builds every site from a three-layer Figma design system with design tokens at the core. One token update - a brand color, a type scale, a spacing change - propagates through every component simultaneously.
When your VA builds a new landing page six months after launch, it comes from that same design system. Not from a duplicate of last year's page that someone tried to match by eye. Not from a template a different contractor put together that's close-but-not-quite. From the same source as the rest of the site.
The result: a brand that stays coherent as it grows. Every new page, every new campaign asset, every new template - built from the same foundation.
04 - The CMS was built for the people who actually use it.
For smaller builds (Astro + Keystatic): a lightweight, Git-based file editor. Your VA opens a structured file, makes changes, saves. No admin panel to learn, no plugin toolbar to navigate. Publishing a blog post is editing a file. That's the full workflow.
For full platform builds (Next.js + Payload): a structured admin panel with a block builder. Your VA duplicates a pre-built page template, swaps the content blocks, and publishes. The blocks come from the design system - the layout doesn't drift because it can't. It's structured from the source.
Neither is a compromise. Both are designed for the person who's actually going to publish - the VA, the OBM, the team member who needs to move fast without calling a developer.
05 - The starter repo already exists. You're not paying TDN to figure out your stack.
TDN has built and validated a starter repo for each stack tier. Every Astro build starts from that repo - brand tokens applied, components assembled, staging deployed. Every Next.js build starts from the same validated foundation.
You're not paying for the first 10–15 hours of any project to be spent figuring out how to configure a tech stack from scratch. That work was done before your project started.
The result: faster delivery, more consistent quality, and a codebase that has already been tested in production. Not on your project - before your project.
THE BUILD → RETAINER BRIDGE
The build is the door.
The retainer is the room.
This is the structure of how TDN works - not an upsell layered on at the end of a proposal.
A TDN build delivers the infrastructure. One-time investment. The site is built, the CMS is configured, the analytics are tracking, the automations are running, the team is handed off with documentation. That's the door.
The retainer is what keeps it running. Proactive monitoring, monthly system health, task support within SLA, CRM hygiene, automation oversight, and someone actively watching the system - not waiting for a client to report a problem. That's the room.
Without the retainer, you have a very well-built site and nobody watching it. That's the equivalent of having a great alarm system and never turning it on.
Why the retainer isn't negotiable at the full platform tier.
At Pro Extended and above - on-site payments live, automations running, CRM connected, VA publishing independently - there is always something that needs attention. A sequence changes. A checkout flow behaves differently after a Stripe update. An automation starts double-firing because a new tag was added to the CRM. None of these are disasters on their own. All of them are invisible without someone actively watching the system.
The entry retainer for any full platform build reflects the minimum appropriate level of oversight for that system's complexity - not a sales target.
How the retainer scales with the build:
| Build Package | Entry Retainer Starting support plan | Natural Upgrade Path As the system grows Ongoing Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Micro | Essentials $100 / mo | → Gold $200/mo as task requests grow |
| Creator Starter | Essentials $100 / mo | → Gold $200/mo as VA publishing grows |
| Creator Growth | Gold $200 / mo | → Platinum $300/mo as integrations deepen |
| WP Starter Clone | Gold $200 / mo | → Platinum $300/mo as site complexity grows |
| WP Growth | Platinum $300 / mo | → Diamond $500/mo as large tasks become regular |
| Pro Standard | Gold $200 / mo | → Diamond → Martech as monitoring needs grow |
| Pro Extended | Martech $900 / mo | → Martech Pro $1,400/mo as funnel reporting matures |
| Enterprise Standard | Martech $900 / mo | → Martech Pro → Elite as ops complexity grows |
| Enterprise Full | Martech Pro $1,400 / mo | → Martech Elite $2,300/mo |
What the relationship looks like over three years:
A Creator Starter build at $1,200 + Essentials at $100/mo - $4,800 over 3 years.
A Pro Extended build at $7,500 + Martech at $900/mo - $39,900 over 3 years at conservative retainer.
An Enterprise Full build at $15,000 + Martech Pro at $1,400/mo - $65,400 over 3 years.
At any full platform tier, the build fee is a fraction of the 3-year relationship value. The retainer is where the long-term value lives - for the client and for the business.
Starting with a smaller build?
Essentials and Gold plans are the natural retainer match for Micro through Creator Growth. If you want the full detail on task scope, SLA, and what managed hosting includes.
Ready for full managed infrastructure?
Martech, Martech Pro, and Martech Elite are the retainer layer for full platform builds. If you're also thinking about funnels, CRM stewardship, automations, and analytics.
CLIENT PROOF
What the infrastructure looks like in practice.
Not what the site looks like on a screen. What it means for the business.
"I want to extend my gratitude for the work your team did on my website."
I appreciated every part of it: the copy, the design, the expertise, and the care you brought to the whole process. It was a genuine pleasure to work with you.
Trish KeillerM.S. Ed., Founder, Roots Education
"TDN manages more of our operation than most people realize."
The lead pipeline, the automated appointment systems, the SMS and calling infrastructure, the ad management, the GHL integrations. Over five years and 21,000 qualified leads, the system has never stopped performing. That is what an operational technology partner actually looks like.
Sean ThomasCEO, Elevated Advisors
"Whenever I run into a challenge on a client project, I know I can bring The Digital Navigator in and it gets handled."
TDN's knowledge of the full stack is genuinely rare, and the team is easy to work with. I cannot imagine building at this level without them.
Mariah VelasquezFounder, Life By Design
FAQ
Questions we actually get asked.
Can I skip the retainer after the build is done?
You can - but you'll be the one watching it.
TDN builds connected systems. Those systems have moving parts - automations, CRM integrations, form capture, analytics events, maybe checkout and affiliate tracking. Connected systems need maintenance, monitoring, and someone accountable when something drifts. Without an active plan, you lose proactive oversight, priority task support, and the managed attention that catches problems before they cost you sales, subscribers, or launch revenue.
The build is the infrastructure. The retainer is the operational layer. Without it, you have a well-built site and no one inside it.
At Pro Extended and above, the entry retainer isn't optional at launch - the complexity of the system requires it from day one. At entry tiers (Micro, Creator Starter), it's a genuine choice - and TDN will tell you honestly on a scoping call if a support plan makes sense for where you are now.
Do I own my code, my data, and my hosting?
Yes. Fully.
Your GitHub repository is yours. Your content database is yours. Your analytics data is yours. Your site runs on TDN-managed private infrastructure - not inside a SaaS platform. TDN holds no ownership over work product after the build.
If you bring on an internal developer, they can read the code. If you ever leave TDN, you take everything with you. Nothing is locked inside a proprietary system that only TDN can access.
What happens after the site launches?
Thirty days of post-launch support are included with every build. During that window, TDN addresses bugs, configuration issues, and anything that surfaces from real usage.
After 30 days, the retainer takes over. Your site is monitored, maintained, and managed on the plan you selected. New tasks are scoped and handled within the SLA for your retainer tier. TDN doesn't disappear after launch - that's the whole model.
How long does a build take?
It depends on the tier:
- Micro: 3–5 business days
- Creator Starter: 5–8 business days
- Creator Growth: 7–12 business days
- WP Starter Clone: 10–14 business days
- WP Growth: 12–16 business days
- Pro Standard: 7–12 business days
- Pro Extended: 2–3 weeks
- Enterprise Standard: 3–5 weeks
- Enterprise Full: 4–6 weeks
The faster timeline on JS builds (Astro/Next.js) versus WP is real - the validated starter repo significantly reduces setup time. Timelines start from the date content and brand assets are delivered.
Do you do WordPress?
Yes - for clients who are already on WordPress or specifically want it.
TDN offers two WordPress packages: WP Starter Clone ($2,500–3,500, 5–8 pages) and WP Growth ($3,500–5,000, 10 pages + blog). Both run on TDN's private self-hosted infrastructure - same ownership model, same client control, same Cloudflare protection as the JS builds.
If you're starting from scratch and don't have a platform preference, TDN recommends the Astro or Next.js stacks - they build faster, deliver better performance, require less ongoing plugin maintenance, and pair more naturally with the Martech plans. If you're already on WordPress and want to stay there, TDN will build it well.
My site is already on WordPress. Should I migrate?
It depends on what "migrate" would cost you versus what staying costs you.
If your WordPress installation is reasonably maintained, your team is trained on it, and the plugin overhead is manageable, staying on WordPress is a legitimate choice - especially if the rebuild goal is visual and operational quality, not stack replacement.
If your site breaks frequently because of plugin conflicts, your VA avoids the admin panel because it's unpredictable, and you're running an active set of funnels and automations, a migration to Next.js + Payload can eliminate significant ongoing friction.
The scoping call is the right place to have this conversation. TDN reviews the current setup and gives a direct recommendation - not a sales pitch for the most expensive option.
What does "VA-friendly" actually mean in practice?
It means the CMS is structured for the person who actually uses it - not for the developer who built it.
For Astro + Keystatic builds: your VA opens a markdown file in a simple interface, edits the content fields, saves, and it's live. No admin panel to learn, no formatting toolbar to decipher. Publishing is a structured editing task.
For Next.js + Payload builds: your VA opens the block builder in the Payload admin, duplicates a pre-built page template, replaces the content blocks, and publishes. The blocks are configured from the design system - the layout doesn't break because it's structured, not assembled by hand.
"VA-friendly" specifically means: your VA can publish content, build pages from templates, and manage regular updates without needing to call a developer or wait for TDN to do it.
Do you do design, or just development?
Both. Every TDN build includes design - starting from TDN's Figma component library, customized to the client's brand tokens. The design system is the source of truth. Development implements it directly from that system.
TDN is not a pure development shop that takes a design file and builds to it. The Figma design system, the code pipeline, and the brand token configuration are all part of every build.
Can I just hire a freelancer for less?
You can, and many founders do - especially at smaller build tiers where budget is the binding constraint.
The difference is not price. It's what happens after the build.
A freelancer builds the site. TDN builds the site and stays. The retainer, the monitoring, the proactive management, the team who knows your setup and can respond within SLA - that's the ongoing relationship a freelancer typically doesn't provide.
At the entry tier (Micro, Creator Starter), the price gap between TDN and a competent freelancer is real but narrow. At the full platform tier, the operational complexity of the system means the build is only the beginning of what the business actually needs. A freelancer who builds a $7,500 platform and then hands it off has delivered a site. TDN delivers a site and a managed operational layer that keeps it running.
If your primary constraint is build budget and you don't have immediate managed support needs, that's worth saying on a scoping call - TDN will tell you honestly whether the fit is right at this stage.
Still have a question? Send us a message → - we'll answer it before you commit to anything.
Ready to move forward? Choose your plan
