IN THIS ARTICLE · 6 PARTS
There are two ways to pay for a business website. You pay once for the build, or you pay a monthly fee that covers the build and everything after it. Both are legitimate. They suit different businesses, and the choice affects much more than your cash flow.
How a one-off payment works
You pay a larger sum for the design and build. When the site is finished, it is handed over. Hosting, the domain, the security certificate, updates and changes are then either billed separately, bundled in a separate maintenance contract or left to you. After the handover, keeping the software updated is your job, as WordPress's own documentation explains [1].
Good for: large or unusual projects, businesses with their own technical team, or owners who want to manage everything themselves.
Watch out for: the costs after launch, and the question of who you call when something breaks.
How a subscription works
You pay a monthly fee. The studio designs, builds, launches, hosts and maintains the site. Small updates and fixes are included, and there is always someone to contact. This is what economists call a subscription business model [2].
Good for: small businesses that want a professional site without a big upfront investment and without dealing with the technical side.
Watch out for: the minimum term, what counts as an included change, and what happens with the domain and content if you leave. Ask about these in writing.
Comparing them fairly
Some running costs have fallen: Let's Encrypt, a non-profit certificate authority, issues security certificates at no cost [3].
Look at the total over two or three years:
- Up front: a one-off build needs a large payment; a subscription does not.
- Hosting, domain, SSL: often extra with a one-off build; included in most subscriptions.
- Updates and security: extra or your responsibility with a one-off build; included in a subscription.
- Small changes: often billed per change with a one-off build; included up to an agreed level in a subscription.
- Support: depends on the agency with a one-off build; part of the service in a subscription.
The upfront price of a one-off build can look lower or higher depending on the offer. What matters is everything you will pay, and get, over time. More in how much a website really costs a small business.
Why we chose the subscription model
We built Studio V1 around a monthly plan because we saw the same problem again and again: small businesses either could not afford a good site up front, or got one and were then left alone with it. For about €50 a month you get a design for your brand, a build reviewed by a real developer, hosting, maintenance, minor updates and a real person to contact. The site goes live within 7 business days and keeps improving after that: see what is included.
A one-off payment buys a website. A subscription buys a website and someone who keeps it working.
How to decide
Ask yourself who will look after the site in a year. If the answer is "me" or "our IT team", a one-off build can work. If the answer is "I have no idea", a subscription is probably the safer choice. See also what website maintenance includes and what it costs and how to choose the right web agency.
References
- WordPress.org. "Updating WordPress." wordpress.org
- Wikipedia. "Subscription business model." en.wikipedia.org
- Let's Encrypt. "About Let's Encrypt." letsencrypt.org
