WEBSITE BY SUBSCRIPTION: GOOD IDEA OR TRAP?

Many agencies sell websites “from €49 a month”. Some offers are sound, others lock you in. The difference comes down to four questions.

1. Who owns the site at the end?

This is the question that matters. In a sound subscription, at the end of the commitment the site, the code, the domain name and the content are transferred to you. In a trap, you rent forever: if you stop paying, the site disappears and you start from zero.

2. What does the monthly fee include?

It must include hosting, maintenance (updates, backups, security) and a minimum of evolutions. If the monthly fee only covers “access to the site”, you are paying rent without service.

3. How much does setup cost?

A serious website takes work at the start: scoping, design, content, SEO. An honest subscription bills part of it (a reduced setup) and spreads the rest. A “no setup fee” subscription over 48 months hides the cost over time, or delivers a template with no work on it.

4. What happens if you terminate early?

The rule must be written: balance of the remaining instalments, or buy-out of the site at a price known in advance. If it is not in the contract, you will find out the day you want to leave.

How I do it

Reduced setup, monthly fee with a 24-month (brochure site) or 36-month (business tool) commitment, hosting and maintenance included, and ownership transferred at the end. You can terminate early by paying the balance, or buy out. The figures are on the Subscription. It is the right format for a business that is starting out or prefers to smooth its cash flow.

When to prefer paying as a project

If you have the cash and the site will not change much, paying once costs less over three years. In both cases, a free scoping and a firm quote first.

Frequently asked questions