There are three common ways to pay for a professionally built website: a one-off build that you then look after yourself, an all-in monthly plan with no build fee, or a build price followed by a smaller monthly fee for hosting and care. Each suits a different business. Here is how to decide.
The three models
One-off build, then you look after it. You pay for the design and build, usually in stages, and then arrange hosting, updates and changes yourself or with someone else.
All-in monthly plan. There is no build fee. A fixed monthly amount covers the design, build, hosting and some changes, usually with a minimum term of a year or more. The website often only becomes yours once that term is over.
Build plus care. You pay for the build in stages, and a monthly care plan covers hosting, security, backups and small changes from launch.
Comparing them over time
Compare the total over two or three years, not just the first invoice. As a simple illustration:
- A one-off build of £2,000, looked after by you: £2,000, plus your time and any hosting and plugin costs.
- An all-in plan of £150 a month: £1,800 a year, £5,400 over three years, with nothing upfront.
- Our model for a 5-page website: £1,600 for the build plus £79 a month for care, which is £2,548 in the first year and £948 a year after that, or £4,444 over three years.
The difference is not only the total, but when you pay, what is included and when the website becomes yours.
When each model makes sense
- One-off build: your website rarely changes and someone in your team can look after hosting, security and updates.
- All-in monthly plan: you cannot pay anything upfront and you are happy with a longer commitment.
- Build plus care: you want a website that is yours from the start, with one team responsible for keeping it fast, secure and up to date.
What to check before you sign
- What is included in the build: pages, forms, booking, set-up for search.
- Ownership: when does the website become yours, and can you take it elsewhere?
- The care plan: how much change each month, response times, and what costs extra.
- The minimum term and notice period for the monthly part.
- Payment stages: what you pay before work starts and what you pay at launch.
How we do it
A website of up to 5 pages starts at £1,600, paid in three stages: 25% to start, 25% when you approve the design and 50% before launch. Once the build is paid, the website and its code are yours. From launch, the Wisecoda Care Plan from £79 a month covers hosting, security, backups, monitoring and up to 30 minutes of changes every month, with a 12-month minimum and then 30 days' notice.
If you are weighing up the options, get in touch and we will give you an honest view, even if another model suits your business better.