Webkey

What Webkey does

Webkey is a privately held web design and development firm headquartered in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1994 by Cory Crocker, a reformed architect with a decade of green building experience. The company builds dynamic, database-driven websites and custom web applications primarily for Pacific Northwest-based organizations, with clients spanning sustainability nonprofits, membership associations, education, hospitality, and small-to-mid-market businesses across multiple U.S. states and countries. Its core platform is a proprietary content management system (Webkey Publisher) built on a MySQL/PHP stack with the Django CMS framework, augmented by modular add-ons including Integrated Online Sales, Online Registration, Rating Systems, and Application Integration Services, plus professional services in usability testing, accessibility compliance, and website assessments.

Webkey monetizes through a combination of non-refundable one-time setup fees, recurring monthly subscriptions (with annual prepayment discounts and rate locks up to one calendar year), and hourly billing for additional support, email accounts, security certificates, and custom development. The go-to-market is sales-led and direct, with dedicated project managers working one-on-one with clients from inception through delivery, supported by client referrals, an extensive project portfolio website, LinkedIn presence, and quarterly client newsletters. The company holds three registered trademarks (Webkey, Webkey.us, Webkey LLC) and is an official Django CMS marketplace partner; it recently merged with Well Built Web to broaden its design and development offering. With approximately eight named team members and no disclosed outside funding, Webkey operates as a bootstrapped, sustainability-oriented digital agency serving long-tail SMB and nonprofit clients.

Name

Webkey

Legal name

Webkey LLC

Website

https://webkey.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Webkey is a Seattle-based web design and development firm, founded in 1994, that builds custom database-driven websites and web applications primarily for Pacific Northwest nonprofits, membership organizations, and small-to-mid-market businesses, monetizing through setup fees, monthly subscriptions, and hourly services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Web Development Services

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

General Web Portals & Start Pages (BPAMAAAA)

Keywords

• Custom web development
• Web application development
• Content management systems
• Database-driven websites
• Web design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Monthly Subscription: Recurring monthly subscription fees for website hosting and content management services. Subscription is billed monthly in advance and non-refundable.
2. Setup Fees: One-time setup fees for Basic Package and additional contracted modules. Setup fees are non-refundable once account is established.
3. Additional Services: Hourly billing for technical support beyond included amounts, additional email account configuration, security certificates, and custom development services.
4. Annual Prepayment Discounts: Discounts available when subscription is paid annually rather than monthly, with rates locked for up to one calendar year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Webkey is a Seattle-based web design and development firm that builds custom database-driven web applications for organizations. Its core offering combines proprietary CMS technology with custom development, supplemented by modular add-ons for online payments, registration, rating systems, and application integration, delivered through dedicated one-on-one project management.

Product overview

Webkey is a full-service web design and development firm offering a platform-plus-modules architecture built around its core Custom Web Applications platform. The platform includes a proprietary content management system (Webkey Publisher) with standard components such as File Manager and Directory, supplemented by optional add-on modules including Integrated Online Sales (payments), Online Registration (events/memberships), Rating Systems (custom surveys with scoring), and Application Integration Services. Supporting professional services include Usability Testing, Accessibility Services, and Website Assessments. The company specializes in dynamic, database-driven websites and collaborative project management tools, primarily serving clients in the Pacific Northwest with a focus on sustainability, education, and membership-based organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Web Applications

Quantifiable outcome

• Seattleites Help Japan raised $13,000 in disaster relief through website built in 24 hours
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Django CMS MarketplacecoreTechnology or IntegrationWebkey is an official partner of Django CMS as shown on their official partner badge from marketplace.django-cms.org. This partnership indicates their expertise and official status as a Django CMS implementation partner.
• Well Built WebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWell Built Web recently merged with Webkey to offer a wider range of web services. This merger combines Webkey's custom application development with Well Built Web's web design capabilities.
• Asia SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWebkey designed, programmed, and provides technical support for the online application and registration system for the Asia 21 Young Leaders Program. The main website was designed by the Asia Society, indicating collaborative web development partnership.
• Davis DesignminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDavis Design collaborated with Webkey on several projects including The Savvy Gardener newsletter and Alison Peters Consulting website, where Davis Design handled design while Webkey provided programming and technical implementation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thoughtbot: Thoughtbot is a web and mobile product design and development consultancy offering custom application builds and strategy work, comparable to Webkey's custom web applications, usability testing, and website assessment services.
• Six Feet Up: Six Feet Up is a Python/Django consulting and development firm that builds custom web applications and integrations for enterprise clients, directly comparable to Webkey's custom application development and application integration services practices.
• 10up: 10up is a distributed web engineering agency specializing in content-driven, CMS-based websites and custom digital experiences — closely comparable to Webkey's database-driven web application and CMS implementation work, though 10up operates at significantly larger scale on WordPress rather than Django CMS.
• Caktus Group: Caktus is a custom web application development shop built on Django/Python, directly comparable to Webkey's MySQL/PHP/Django CMS technology stack and custom-database-driven application focus, and serving a similar nonprofit, association, and mission-driven client base.
• Imaginary Cloud: Imaginary Cloud is a custom software and web development agency building bespoke digital products for clients, comparable in service model to Webkey's custom web application and database-driven site work.
• DockYard: DockYard is a digital product consultancy that designs, builds, and integrates custom web applications, comparable in custom-development delivery model and client-engagement style to Webkey's project-manager-led, custom-application approach.

Emerging players

• Wildbit: Wildbit is a small, founder-led software company building workflow and communication products, comparable to Webkey in size, philosophy, and longevity as a self-funded small software/agency hybrid — though Wildbit is product- rather than service-led.

Broad incumbents

• Web.com: Web.com is an established SMB website builder, hosting, and online marketing platform — a broader incumbent competing for the same small-business and nonprofit website customers Webkey serves, with a much more productized, lower-cost model.
• Netguru: Netguru is a much larger software development and design consultancy with a global delivery model covering web applications, mobile apps, and integrations — operates in the same custom web development space as Webkey but at enterprise scale and with broader technology coverage.

Others

• Webflow: Webflow is a no-code visual web development platform that competes for the same small-business and mid-market website-building budget as Webkey, but as an enabling/alternative tool rather than a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/webkey

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Webkey