Side-by-side comparison

CSS Design Awards vs The FWA

Criteria, pricing, judging, verdict.

Side-by-side comparison of CSS Design Awards and The FWA: how each program scores, what it costs, and who it's for.

All comparisons →Best for your audience ↗
— 01 / The matrix

The facts, side by side.

AttributeCSS Design AwardsThe FWA
Founded20092000
Headquarters——
Submission fee——
Acceptance rate——
Monthly traffic——
Judging systemJury panel scores each entry across UI, UX, and Innovation; aggregate score determines Special Kudos, Website of the Day, and Site of the Year.International jury panel selects FWA of the Day from submissions; FWA of the Month, of the Year, and Hall of Fame derive from FWA of the Day winners.
Award levels
  • Special Kudos
  • Website of the Day
  • Site of the Month
  • Site of the Year
  • FWA of the Day
  • FWA of the Month
  • FWA of the Year
  • FWA Hall of Fame
Categories
  • UI
  • UX
  • Innovation
  • E-Commerce
  • Mobile
  • FWA of the Day
  • FWA of the Month
  • FWA of the Year
Judging criteria
  • UI design
  • UX design
  • Innovation
  • Innovation
  • Design
  • Creativity
  • Content
  • User experience
Best for
  • UI craft
  • UX-led product sites
  • Experimental and interactive work
  • Motion-heavy launches
  • WebGL and immersive sites
Official sitewww.cssdesignawards.comthefwa.com
— 02 / Editorial verdicts

How each one reads.

  • CSS Design Awards
    Web design awards focused on UI design, UX, and innovation, with daily Website of the Day picks and curated specials.
  • The FWA
    One of the oldest digital design awards, with a long history of recognizing experimental, interactive, and motion-driven web work.
— 03 / Questions buyers ask

FAQ

  • What's the difference between CSS Design Awards vs The FWA?

    CSS Design Awards: Web design awards focused on UI design, UX, and innovation, with daily Website of the Day picks and curated specials. The FWA: One of the oldest digital design awards, with a long history of recognizing experimental, interactive, and motion-driven web work.

  • How is each program judged?

    CSS Design Awards: Jury panel scores each entry across UI, UX, and Innovation; aggregate score determines Special Kudos, Website of the Day, and Site of the Year. The FWA: International jury panel selects FWA of the Day from submissions; FWA of the Month, of the Year, and Hall of Fame derive from FWA of the Day winners.

  • Who is each award best for?

    CSS Design Awards — UI craft, UX-led product sites. The FWA — Experimental and interactive work, Motion-heavy launches, WebGL and immersive sites.

— 04 / Each program, on its own

Go deeper.

Sources for non-Web Design Awards facts: each program's official site. Last reviewed: CSS Design Awards (2026-05-13), The FWA (2026-05-13).