How Do You Find Out Who Designed A Website?
You visit a website and immediately notice how well it’s built. The layout feels clean, the pages load fast, and everything works smoothly. Naturally, the question comes up: how do you find out who designed a website?
This is a common question for business owners, marketers, developers, and designers. You may want to hire the same designer, research competitors, verify credibility, or simply give credit where it’s due.
This guide walks you through clear, ethical, and practical ways to discover who designed a website. You don’t need advanced technical skills. You just need to know where to look.
Why People Want to Know Who Designed a Website
Understanding the reason helps you choose the right method.
Most people look for a website designer to:
- Hire the same designer or agency
- Research competitors’ digital partners
- Study design quality and structure
- Verify the professionalism of a business
- Find inspiration for their own website
In many cases, the designer information is publicly available. It’s just not always obvious.
Start With the Website Footer
The footer is the easiest and most common place to check.
Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for text such as:
- “Designed by”
- “Website by”
- “Developed by”
- “Built by”
Often, the name links directly to the designer’s or agency’s website.
Why this works
Many designers include footer credits for visibility and referrals. It’s a professional signature and the fastest way to get your answer.
Check the About Page, Contact Page, or Legal Pages
If the footer doesn’t show anything, explore internal pages.
Good places to look:
- About Us
- Contact
- Credits
- Legal notice or imprint
Some companies acknowledge their web design agency in these sections, especially for larger or corporate websites.
View the Website’s Page Source (Beginner Friendly)
You don’t need coding experience to do this.
How to check
- Right-click anywhere on the webpage
- Click “View Page Source” or “Inspect”
- Press Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F)
- Search for keywords like:
- design
- designer
- developer
- agency
- copyright
Designers sometimes leave comments, metadata, or author details inside the code.
Look for Meta Tags and Copyright Information
Some websites store designer information in meta data.
You may find:
- Author meta tags
- Generator tags
- Copyright comments
This is more common on professionally built or custom websites and can reveal the individual or agency responsible.
Identify the Platform and Website Builder
Knowing how a website was built can point you toward the designer.
Common platforms include:
- WordPress
- Webflow
- Shopify
- Squarespace
Clues often appear in:
- Page source code
- File names
- URLs
Custom-built themes or templates sometimes include the agency name inside the structure.
Use Website Technology Detection Tools
Technology lookup tools can help identify:
- Content management system (CMS)
- Theme or framework
- Page builder
- Hosting provider
Once you know the platform, you can:
- Search for agencies that specialize in it
- Check theme developer credits
- Match design patterns with known portfolios
This doesn’t give a direct name every time, but it narrows the search.
Search the Website Domain on Google
Sometimes the designer has already shared the project publicly.
Try search phrases like:
- “example.com website design”
- “example.com web design agency”
- “example.com site redesign”
You may find:
- Agency portfolio pages
- Case studies
- Blog posts
- Press releases
Many agencies proudly showcase their client work online.
Check Social Media Announcements
Businesses often announce new website launches.
Look on:
- Company blogs
Search for posts mentioning:
- “New website launch”
- “Website redesign”
- “Our new online presence”
Designers and agencies are often tagged or thanked in these posts.
Review Image and File Names (Advanced but Useful)
This method takes a bit more effort.
In the page source or developer tools, look at:
- Image file names
- CSS files
- JavaScript folders
Sometimes designers include:
- Agency initials
- Project identifiers
- Brand references
This is more common with custom-built websites.
Use WHOIS Domain Information Carefully
WHOIS data shows who registered the domain.
This method works best when:
- The designer registered the domain
- The business owner and designer are the same
WHOIS records may show:
- Organization name
- Email address
- Registration company
Keep in mind that privacy protection often hides this data.
Compare With Known Agency Portfolios
If you suspect a certain agency:
- Visit their website
- Review their portfolio
- Compare layouts, navigation, and style
Designers often have consistent design patterns across projects.
Ask the Website Owner Directly
If you still can’t find the answer, the simplest option is to ask.
Send a polite message:
- Compliment the website
- Ask who designed or developed it
- Explain your interest briefly
Most businesses are happy to share when approached respectfully.
Reasons You May Not Find the Designer
Sometimes, designer information is unavailable.
Common reasons include:
- The site was built in-house
- A generic template was used
- Credits were removed over time
- The designer chose not to be listed
In these cases, focus on learning from the structure and user experience instead.
Ethical Use of Designer Information
Finding out who designed a website is normal. Misusing the information is not.
Avoid:
- Copying designs exactly
- Claiming someone else’s work as your own
- Removing credits from websites
Use the information for learning, hiring, or inspiration only.
Final Thoughts
Understanding how do you find out who designed a website is a valuable skill for anyone working online. Most websites leave digital clues, whether in the footer, code, content, or public announcements.
Start with the simple steps, move to deeper research if needed, and always approach the process ethically. With patience and the right approach, you can often identify the creative team behind a well-designed website and make smarter decisions for your own online projects.
