Another year has passed, and it’s time to take stock and look ahead—welcome to our annual roundup of the best web designs of 2021.
We’ve put together our own curated selection of 20 of the most outstanding websites we’ve seen so far.
We’ll break down what makes each one unique and worthy of this list, sharing our personal insights along the way.
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Here’s what we value most when considering a website for our annual list:
- Originality or a fresh approach
- Alignment with the latest trends in graphic and web design
- Use of cutting-edge technology
- That “wow” factor—the kind of site that leaves you speechless
In short: it has to seriously impress us.
As we mentioned, this year’s roundup is packed. We’re bringing you 20 in-depth reviews, each with extra screenshots. Please note: the order in which sites appear has nothing to do with their ranking or quality. This is simply a showcase of the very best in web design.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Previous Editions
- Best Web Designs 2019-2020
- Best Web Designs 2018-2019
- Best Web Designs 2017-2018
- Best Web Designs 2016-2017
Best Web Designs 2021
Fledge TV
The first entry in our best web designs of 2021 goes to this website.
It’s a fresh, contemporary web design that clearly embraces this year’s creative trends.
What stands out is the color palette and the thoughtful selection and treatment of images.
We also can’t overlook the typography—bold and oversized, giving the website a distinctive personality.
The website features a central burger menu that opens to reveal all site sections.
On the technical side, the web design delivers smooth, dynamic transitions that don’t disappoint.
Take a few minutes to explore it yourself—I’ll be here when you’re ready for the next highlight.
2-C Earth
This website is an interactive visual guide to global warming, focusing on five locations where rising temperatures threaten both cultural and natural environments.
It features a minimalist design that’s highly functional. At first glance, design may seem secondary, but a closer look reveals a site of real quality.
The result is a seamless blend of website and web experience—you won’t miss a single detail.
Witnesstohistory
This site gives a voice to Holocaust survivors from World War II, as part of the Montreal Holocaust Museum.
The website features a refined, elegant web design paired with modern development techniques, leveraging the latest web development technologies for an outstanding final product.
We especially appreciate how information is presented on screen, the subtle, calm navigation, and the overall style that’s perfectly in tune with the subject matter.
I encourage you to spend some time exploring this website—you’ll quickly see why it made our best web designs of 2021 list.
Space Force Design
Created to unveil the full visual identity for the U.S. Army’s space operations division, this is one of the web designs that truly caught my eye.
The design is deeply rooted in the brand’s visual identity, with a striking blue palette reminiscent of our planet and a carefully chosen typeface that evokes the best of modern sci-fi films.
But for me, the highlight is the subtle intro and the appearance of the burger menu, making this an excellent website and, without a doubt, one of the best web designs of this year and beyond.
TWKS
I’m usually hesitant to include digital agencies in our best web designs 2021 list. Why? Because great web design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s also about functionality.
As web designers, we know that achieving a great design isn’t solely up to us; there’s always some back-and-forth with the client. So, pulling off a stellar web design after navigating client feedback is no small feat and deserves recognition.
So why is this entry here?
The web design on this site is so good it breaks all our previous rules. Leaving it out would be a disservice to web design and to this article—it’s a true gem.
Rose Maggie
To show that it’s not all about science, technology, culture, and creativity, here’s a website with a more down-to-earth purpose.
This web design for a cosmetics brand is a masterclass in design and development, with every detail considered for a stunning end result.
The typography is bold and distinctive, yet maintains the sense of intimacy the product requires.
Beautifully chosen images and a right-hand burger menu provide easy navigation, with all sections clearly organized and accessible.
Kieran Baybutt
This is another standout from web design in 2021.
Every inch of this site radiates creativity, reflecting all the latest web design trends for a truly exceptional result.
The use of typography is bold and expressive, transitions are smooth and dynamic, and the content is perfectly structured—making it a strong contender for best web design 2021.
The website is a “one page” format, so scrolling down gives you a full overview of the content.
Don’t miss the dynamic animations and the user experience—it’s so engaging you might need to catch your breath when you’re done.
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Discovered foods
We’ve just explored the website for Discovered Wildfoods from Australia.
This is a modern web design with a clear goal: to captivate users and deliver a flawless experience through excellent design and development.
The color palette and messaging are inspired by the wild outdoors, yet the overall feel is distinctly contemporary.
Navigation is vertical scroll, enhanced with detail buttons for specific content. A fantastic right-hand sidebar guides your journey, and a slide-out menu offers even more content.
A true web design marvel, fully deserving its spot among the best web designs of 2021.
Chiara Luzzana
