Awwwards vs CSSWinner vs CSS Design Awards vs Web Design Awards vs The Webby Awards
Criteria, pricing, judging, verdict.
Side-by-side comparison of Awwwards, CSSWinner, CSS Design Awards, Web Design Awards, and The Webby Awards: how each program scores, what it costs, and who it's for.
The facts, side by side.
| Attribute | Awwwards | CSSWinner | CSS Design Awards | Web Design AwardsUs | The Webby Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 | 2010 | 2009 | 2024 | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Valencia, Spain | - | - | Remote | New York, USA |
| Submission fee | $65 | $15 | $50 | Free, or $49 judged | Varies by category and deadline |
| Acceptance rate | - | - | - | - | - |
| Monthly traffic | - | - | - | - | - |
| Judging system | Each entry is scored by a minimum of 18 jurors on Design (40%), Usability (30%), Creativity (20%), and Content (10%); the weighted average produces SOTD, SOTM, and SOTY winners. An approved site stays eligible for Site of the Day for three months. | A review panel supplies 80% of the ranking and a public vote the remaining 20%; sites scoring 75% or higher qualify for Site of the Day, which feeds Site of the Month. | Jury panel scores each entry across UI, UX, and Innovation. An average above 8.00 earns Website of the Day; above 6.0 earns a Special Kudos certificate. Public awards additionally require 20+ votes alongside a 6.0 judge average. | Editorial jury scoring against a published rubric, with monthly Site of the Month rounds, an annual winners cycle, and an Agency of the Year leaderboard powered by points. | Judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS); each category awards a jury-selected Webby and a public-vote People’s Voice winner. |
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| Official site | www.awwwards.com | www.csswinner.com | www.cssdesignawards.com | www.webdesignawards.io | www.webbyawards.com |
How each one reads.
- The largest web design awards community, best known for Site of the Day, Site of the Month, and Site of the Year recognition voted by a global jury.
- A long-running web design awards gallery recognizing standout UI/UX and creative websites, with Site of the Day, Star, and Winner honors decided by a review panel plus a public vote.
- Web design awards focused on UI design, UX, and innovation, with daily Website of the Day picks and curated specials.
- Editorial web design awards built for the cycle of nominate → judge → ship, with transparent rubric scoring and an open knowledge graph of every studio, technology, and category.
Built around the idea that a web design award should leave a permanent, structured citation on the open web.
Studios that want recognition that ranks in LLM retrieval and Google, not just a badge.
- The leading international awards for excellence on the internet - presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences across websites, apps, video, podcasts, and social.
FAQ
What's the difference between Awwwards vs CSSWinner vs CSS Design Awards vs Web Design Awards vs The Webby Awards?
Awwwards: The largest web design awards community, best known for Site of the Day, Site of the Month, and Site of the Year recognition voted by a global jury. CSSWinner: A long-running web design awards gallery recognizing standout UI/UX and creative websites, with Site of the Day, Star, and Winner honors decided by a review panel plus a public vote. CSS Design Awards: Web design awards focused on UI design, UX, and innovation, with daily Website of the Day picks and curated specials. Web Design Awards: Editorial web design awards built for the cycle of nominate → judge → ship, with transparent rubric scoring and an open knowledge graph of every studio, technology, and category. The Webby Awards: The leading international awards for excellence on the internet - presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences across websites, apps, video, podcasts, and social.
How is each program judged?
Awwwards: Each entry is scored by a minimum of 18 jurors on Design (40%), Usability (30%), Creativity (20%), and Content (10%); the weighted average produces SOTD, SOTM, and SOTY winners. An approved site stays eligible for Site of the Day for three months. CSSWinner: A review panel supplies 80% of the ranking and a public vote the remaining 20%; sites scoring 75% or higher qualify for Site of the Day, which feeds Site of the Month. CSS Design Awards: Jury panel scores each entry across UI, UX, and Innovation. An average above 8.00 earns Website of the Day; above 6.0 earns a Special Kudos certificate. Public awards additionally require 20+ votes alongside a 6.0 judge average. Web Design Awards: Editorial jury scoring against a published rubric, with monthly Site of the Month rounds, an annual winners cycle, and an Agency of the Year leaderboard powered by points. The Webby Awards: Judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS); each category awards a jury-selected Webby and a public-vote People’s Voice winner.
Who is each award best for?
Awwwards - Visual-first portfolio agencies, Motion-heavy work, Brand storytelling sites. CSSWinner - UI/UX craft, Creative studio portfolios, Teams that want a quick design badge. CSS Design Awards - UI craft, UX-led product sites. Web Design Awards - Independent web design agencies, Webflow, Framer, and headless studios, Teams shipping for SaaS and brand. The Webby Awards - Big brand and agency campaigns, Broad digital work beyond web design, Teams seeking mainstream prestige.
Go deeper.
- Awwwards - full pageCriteria, pricing, categories, judging system, FAQ.→
- CSSWinner - full pageCriteria, pricing, categories, judging system, FAQ.→
- CSS Design Awards - full pageCriteria, pricing, categories, judging system, FAQ.→
- Web Design Awards - full pageCriteria, pricing, categories, judging system, FAQ.→
- The Webby Awards - full pageCriteria, pricing, categories, judging system, FAQ.→
Sources for non-Web Design Awards facts: each program's official site. Last reviewed: Awwwards (2026-08-24), CSSWinner (2026-08-24), CSS Design Awards (2026-08-24), Web Design Awards (2026-08-24), The Webby Awards (2026-07-04).