Your website is often the first interaction your customers have with your brand, and first impressions count. Not only does a website need to function smoothly, as slow load times or clunky navigation can drive visitors away instantly, but it also needs to feel current, engaging and on-brand. That’s why staying up to date with web design trends 2026 is a smart move for small businesses. Trends help ensure your website stands out and encourages visitors to stay longer.
After speaking with our global community of freelance designers at 99designs by Vista, as well as our in-house design experts, we learned that web designers and business owners are utilizing more personal and human-centered web design. AI is in the mix, but instead of making web pages feel cold and machine-led, it’s sparking a push for designs that are warm, imperfect and full of character. Evolving from the 2025 web design trends, the theme that connects this year’s trends is a meaningful and human touch. In this guide, we’ll explain each web design trend and how you can incorporate it into your own business site to attract and connect with customers today.
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1. Cute-alism
The Cute-alism trend combines cute, playful kawaii-inspired details with the stripped-back, utilitarian harshness of brutalist web design. Apply this trend using asymmetrical grids, blocky layouts, stark system fonts and a lack of polish. Then lean into cheerful design with soft shapes, bright colors and cartoon icons.
Source: Web design combining the simplicity of brutalism with fun graphics by Aleksey Kostiuk via Dribbble
Source: Website design by weare.wildstudio via Dribbble
On paper, these contrasting aesthetics shouldn’t work together. But that’s exactly what makes Cute-alism web design so eye-catching. Combine raw, “ugly” boxes and functional Courier text with neon pinks, glitter effects, smiling emojis, rounded buttons and sticker graphics. The clash between brutalism’s simplicity and the candy-colored energy of cute design creates websites that feel both chaotic and charming. Cute-alism websites lean into imperfection, fun and visual overload, turning browsing into the online equivalent of stepping into a messy, sticker-covered scrapbook. It’s equal parts raw HTML and bubblegum pop.
Source: Cute-alism web design by Osama Dawood via Dribbble
Source: Landing page design by Seative Digital via Dribbble
To try this web design trend, start with a simple brutalist-style structure, then layer in colorful, imperfect visuals that feel playful and a bit random.
Source: Cute-alism web design by Teja Salangka Dermawan via Dribbble
Source: Mental health app design by Septiannisa via Dribbble
Source: Financial management app design by Bacancy via Dribbble
Use this fun web design trend to show your small business personality and break away from basic templates. A cafe could layer doodle-style stickers over a bold grid menu, while a beauty brand might use bright icons to bring a splash of cutesy charm to their product pages.
Source: Web design by Hanna Prydanchuk via Behance
But not all design trends work for all businesses. Cute-alism will suit independent brands with younger audiences like Gen Z and Gen Alpha, but won’t work as well for businesses wanting to display a high level of professionalism, like law firms or accountants.
Source: Web design combining cute aesthetics with functional fonts by Anastasiia Stovba via Behance
2. Dial-up Delight
The Dial-up Delight trend taps into the chaotic energy of the late ’90s and early 2000s, remixing it for a Gen Z audience. To apply this nostalgic web design trend, mix gothic fonts and candy-colored gradients, and use stacked images, shiny metallics and bright visuals combined with gritty textures.
Source: Y2K-inspired graphics by LAGRESSIF TIKHIY via Behance
“What started as pure internet nostalgia just a few years ago is now mutating into something bolder – blending gothic grit in with the sweetness of Y2K sparkle, giving Gen Z a moodier take on digital memory.”—Moran Kadussi, Content Strategy & Trends Research, Wix Content
Source: Website design by Mathew Lucas ✌︎ via Dribbble
Source: Website design with pixelated graphics by kalyan via Dribbble
The look is busy and unapologetic, like a MySpace profile reimagined for 2026. Layouts are intentionally messy with layered text and visual noise, creating a sense of overload that feels nostalgic, maximalist, attitude-driven and edgy. This trend is cutesy but goth—cyber-inspired futurism and underground grunge.
Source: Dial-up Delight is cute with a gothic edge by Julian Graphics Design via Behance
This web design trend is ideal for music, fashion and nostalgia or subculture-driven brands, while small businesses can apply this trend to add an edge to their online presence. For example, a fashion brand could create aesthetic clash using layered graphics and bold Y2K fonts, while a record store might lean into glitchy textures and neon gradients.
To try this web design trend 2026, overlay text on imagery, mix nostalgic fonts and embrace a visual clash to create energy and intrigue.
Source: Web design inspired by retro internet aesthetics by Mylaidy Cristiny via Behance
Source: Web design inspired by retro internet aesthetics by Quang Minh Dinh via Behance
3. Resonant Stark
After years of loud, maximalist trends, clarity and purpose-driven design is back, but this time with feeling. The Resonant Stark design trend strips websites to their essentials while layering in subtle emotional details. To apply this trend, use ultra-thin fonts, soft gradients and plenty of whitespace, incorporating animation and micro-interactions to bring life to web pages without adding clutter. This look is clean and designed to strip away excess while still feeling human and engaging.
The Resonant Stark look is calm, elegant and intentional; this is web design that speaks softly but confidently. This style thrives on simplicity as a storytelling tool, using neutral color fades, negative space and motion to guide the user’s eye and emphasize meaning. The trend is perfect for tech, healthcare and innovation-driven brands, signalling clarity, trust and modernity in an overstimulated digital world.
Source: Resonant Stark web design by Elicoleman via Dribbble
For small businesses, this is a practical and budget-friendly way to tap into web design trends 2026. For example, a wellness studio could use spacious layouts and calming tones to guide visitors to class bookings, while a tech start-up might use subtle animation to emphasize its innovation. To try this trend, focus on using fewer design elements but make each one intentional, from the font you choose to the way a button animates when hovered over. Thanks to its simplicity, this is a website trend that almost any company in any industry can make its own.
Source: Resonant Stark interface design by Akshay Hooda via Dribbble
Source: Purpose-driven, simple and uncluttered interface design by Akshay Hooda via Dribbble
4. Frosted Touch
Frosted glass panels, translucent layers and diffused shadows are making a comeback, and this time they’re seamlessly integrated into tools, making this look easier to execute. Frosted Touch creates interfaces that feel soft, tactile and futuristic all at once. The frosted glass aesthetic gives web designs depth, while rounded edges, soft shadows and subtle gradients enhance a sense of touch. This is tactile web design that’s evolved to become more refined and accessible.
“I think the Frost Glass effect is taking web design by storm, turning sites into sleek, see-through designs that feel fresh and futuristic. I see this trend everywhere now. Big companies will follow this trend. It’s been tweaked to be easy on the eyes, and trust me, this stylish vibe is here to stay for years!”— deandesign, Designer on 99designs by Vista
Source: Frosted Touch web design by Iconic Graphics via 99designs by Vista
Source: Website design by Ramotion via Dribbble
Apply this website trend for a sleek and futuristic look that’s also calm and approachable. This trend extends beyond UI into broader digital design and even photography, where frosted overlays and soft lighting effects add dimensionality. Frosted Touch communicates modernity, tactility and elegance, making it ideal for brands seeking interfaces that feel both cutting-edge and human. A tech start-up could use frosted overlays on product visuals, while a consultancy business might create sleek, layered dashboards for its client portals.
Source: Glassmorphism icon design by Kihong Kim via Behance
Source: Business website design by Spoonlancer via 99designs by Vista
Source: Website design by Kwame & Co. via 99designs by Vista
Source: Website design by Pin Shen via Dribbble
To apply this trend, look for web builders or design platforms that now offer frosted-glass effects and soft shadow options built in.
Source: Website design by Udovyk.Design via 99designs by Vista
Source: Website design by Bayu Wiranagara via 99designs by Vista
5. Light Skeuomorphism
Skeuomorphism—when digital elements mimic real-world objects—is making a subtler return as a web design trend in 2026. Instead of heavy textures and bulky realism, the Light Skeuomorphism design trend involves a lighter, more refined touch with subtle shadows, delicate gradients, soft surfaces and lightly embossed effects to suggest depth and tactility. The design revival combines a stripped-back version of Apple’s early UI aesthetic with a sleeker, brighter 3D realism.
Source: Light Skeuomorphism design by pland via Dribbble
Source: Light Skeuomorphism digital screen display mockup by Pixelbuddha via Dribbble
Light Skeuomorphism is tactility for a new era, offering brands a way to balance usability with approachability, warmth and a hint of nostalgia. For example, a bakery website could use buttons that look lightly pressed like dough, while a creative agency might incorporate textured surfaces to make past projects more engaging.
Source: Light skeuomorphism gives websites a tactile feel by Deyae Cherkaoui via Dribbble
To apply this web design trend, use embossed-looking icons or add subtle shadows to clickable elements to make them feel approachable and interactive. Gently raised buttons and cards invite clicks, while maintaining elegance. The point here is to encourage interaction, not overwhelm users. So take the ‘light’ in Light Skeuomorphism seriously and don’t overdo this website trend!
Source: Light Skeuomorphism website design by Shakuro via Dribbble
6. AI-powered Personalization
AI is moving beyond buzzword status and becoming a practical element of web design. The best website designs in 2026 will incorporate the AI-powered Personalization trend, replacing static websites with adaptive experiences. Instead of showing every visitor the same landing page, AI can analyze real-time data like browsing history and on-site interactions to curate layouts, content and visuals that match each user’s preferences and behaviors.
Source: AI-powered website design via convertcart.com
The AI-powered Personalization trend is intelligent and deeply user-centric. Visitors get customized journeys, whether it’s product recommendations tailored to their past purchases or dynamic blocks that shift to highlight the most relevant content based on their browsing history. By making every interaction feel more unique and adaptive, engagement and impact will increase.
Small businesses can use this trend to create digital experiences that feel tailored and relevant. For example, a fitness studio could use AI-driven booking tools combined with a pastel-colored interface, while an e-commerce business could offer personalized recommendations in a warm, conversational tone.
To match this trend to your brand, look for affordable website builders with AI features that let you personalize layouts and content for different visitors.
Source: AI-powered website design via wisepops.com
7. Snug Simple
The Snug Simple web design trend transforms digital interfaces into inviting, human-centered spaces. It’s all about making websites feel like a friendly digital companion rather than a cold, impersonal tool. To apply this trend, use simple layouts and pair soft neutral backgrounds with pastel color blocks, playful icons, rounded edges and chunky typography. Add light textures and subtle gradients for tactility, and you create a digital space that feels cozy, human and approachable, aligning technology with the aesthetics of comfort.
Source: Web design using pastel colors and rounded fonts by NIMBUS via Behance
Source: Snug Simple website design by Bortoletto ® Studio via Behance
Snug Simple web design prioritizes emotional resonance and usability equally. The trend is a perfect fit for wellness, lifestyle and community-driven brands, where emotional connection matters. For example, a yoga studio could use muted pastels and rounded fonts to create a calm, inviting website, while a coffee shop might use chunky type and warm color palettes to make visitors feel at home before they’ve even set foot inside the brick-and-mortar business.
Source: Cozy design with pastels and round edges by Florencia Souto and Nano Armanini via Behance
To apply the Snug Simple look to your website, focus on UI design that feels warm and personal, using soft tones and rounded features.
Source: App design by Tino via Dribbble
Source: Meal planner app design by Spoonlancer via 99designs by Vista
“Blends structured layouts with gentle curves or natural textures for a more human, relatable feel.”— nymnF, Designer on 99designs by Vista
Source: Tracker app design by Ronas IT | UI/UX Team via Dribbble
Source: Self-care app design by Ronas IT | UI/UX Team via Dribbble
Source: App design by Vinterface via 99designs by Vista
8. Human Scribble
One trend Wix Studio experts are tipping to see everywhere in 2026 is Human Scribble. This trend pushes back against AI-driven, hyper-polished and machine-generated aesthetics with scribbles on logos, doodles over photos and sketch-like overlays that inject spontaneity and a distinctly human presence. Apply this web design trend to bring a tactile quality to digital design.
Source: Human Scribble font design by Alexander Lame via Dribbble
“Sketching layers a raw, human touch onto computerized designs, making them feel personal and alive in the hyper-digital era of AI-driven creations”—Moran Kadussi, Content Strategy & Trends Research, Wix Content
Source: Human Scribble design with handwritten elements by Pixelbuddha via Dribbble
Source: Human Scribble bakery branding design by Nicky Laatz via Dribbble
Script fonts, handwritten notes and signature-style typography evoke the intimacy of journals, handwritten letters and personal messages. The result is deliberately imperfect—this aesthetic is warm, authentic, expressive and unmistakably human, celebrating the designer’s hand in a world increasingly shaped by AI.
Source: Web design by KashiArts via 99designs by Vista
The Human Scribble trend is perfect for brands seeking authenticity, individuality and emotional resonance, or that want to reclaim digital spaces with a human touch that feels crafted, personal and alive. For example, food, beverage and hospitality brands can apply this trend with handwritten menus and doodle illustrations.
Source: Human Scribble design from Wix Studio
Source: Human Scribble design from Wixel
How to incorporate web design trends 2026
The 2026 website trends highlight one clear theme: people want connection. AI may be changing how sites are built, with the AI-powered Personalization trend creating adaptive experiences for each visitor, but people still value clarity, trust and warm designs that feel personal and approachable. Whether the playful Cute-alism or sleek Light Skeuomorphism trend better suits your brand, this year’s trends are full of inspiration for small businesses and offer practical ways to stand out and make a lasting impression online.
