Website costs
Pay once or pay monthly: which is cheaper over 3 years?
The short answer: paying once is usually cheaper. On every one of our plans, monthly payments pass the one-off price by month 5 or 6. By month 12, the monthly route has cost $689 to $3,498 more.
Paying monthly still wins in two cases:
- Cash flow: you need the site now and would rather not pay hundreds or thousands of dollars upfront.
- Uncertainty: you are not sure the business will still need the site in a year.
Why we use our own prices
Every builder prices differently, so we worked the numbers on the one price list we can vouch for: ours. The method works for any two quotes.
Both routes get you the same website. Pay once is one payment, with the first year of hosting, domain, mailbox, Google setup and small updates included. From year two it is a monthly fee to keep us running it, or you take your files. Pay monthly is $0 upfront, cancel anytime, and the site and domain are yours after 12 paid months.
Pay once: the 3-year total
Year one is the plan price. Years two and three assume you keep us running the site at the year-two rate. That part is optional.
| Plan | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $499 | $468 ($39 a month) | $468 | $1,435 |
| Business | $899 | $708 ($59 a month) | $708 | $2,315 |
| Pro | $1,650 | $1,068 ($89 a month) | $1,068 | $3,786 |
| Store | $2,490 | $1,548 ($129 a month) | $1,548 | $5,586 |
Pay monthly: the first 12 months
Stay 12 paid months and the site and domain become yours.
| Plan | Monthly | First 12 months | After month 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $99 | $1,188 | Yours; terms agreed then |
| Business | $179 | $2,148 | Yours; terms agreed then |
| Pro | $329 | $3,948 | Yours; terms agreed then |
| Store | $499 | $5,988 | Yours; terms agreed then |
After month 12 you either keep us running the site on terms agreed at that point, or you take your files and host the site yourself. Years two and three on the monthly route depend on that choice, so we leave them out.
On Pro and Store, 12 monthly payments ($3,948 and $5,988) already cost more than three full years paid once ($3,786 and $5,586). On Launch and Business, 12 monthly payments ($1,188 and $2,148) cost less than the pay-once 3-year totals ($1,435 and $2,315), but those totals include two more years of us running the site. If you take your files instead, budget for shared hosting at about $40 to $150 a year, a .com at about $12 to $25 a year, and someone to maintain the site if you will not do it yourself. Freelance maintenance runs about $50 to $150 a month.
The break-even month
This is the month in which your total monthly payments pass the pay-once price.
| Plan | Pay once | Pay monthly | Monthly costs more from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $499 | $99 | Month 6 ($594 paid) |
| Business | $899 | $179 | Month 6 ($1,074 paid) |
| Pro | $1,650 | $329 | Month 6 ($1,974 paid) |
| Store | $2,490 | $499 | Month 5 ($2,495 paid) |
Cancelling earlier costs less in cash, but cancel before 12 paid months and the site comes down, leaving nothing to keep.
What you own, and when
- Pay once: the site and domain are yours from day one. From year two you keep us running it, or you take your files.
- Pay monthly: the site and domain are yours after 12 paid months. Cancel earlier and the site comes down.
Compare that with a builder subscription. On Squarespace, for example, plans cost $12 to $36 a month, and the subscription runs for as long as the site is live.
Who should pick which
- Pick monthly if you are a new business with little cash to spare, if you are testing an idea, or if you need the site live before you can pay for it in one go.
- Pick once if the business is established, if you plan to keep the site for years, or if you want to own it from day one. On Pro and Store the case is strongest, because a year of monthly payments costs more than three years paid once.
Questions to ask any builder
Get these answers in writing before you sign:
- What happens at month 12, and what does month 13 cost?
- Is the domain registered in your name, and do you keep it if you leave?
- Who owns the website files, and can you take them with you?
- What happens if you cancel early?
- What is included each month after launch?
For the monthly side in more detail, see how much a website costs per month. For what DIY builders, freelancers and agencies charge to build a site, see how much a small business website costs.
What we charge
At KN Services our team designs your website, puts it live and looks after it. Every plan is priced up front, with $0 setup, and you can pay either way.
| Plan | Pay once | Or pay monthly | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | $499 | $99 a month | 5 |
| Business | $899 | $179 a month | 10 |
| Pro | $1,650 | $329 a month | 20 |
| Store | $2,490 | $499 a month | Online store, up to 100 products |
Pay once includes the first year of hosting, domain, mailbox, Google setup and small updates. From year two it is $39 to $129 a month to keep us running it, or you take your files. Pay monthly is $0 upfront, cancel anytime, and the site is yours after 12 paid months.
Sources (checked 31 October 2026)
- WebsiteSetup.org, "Small Business Website Costs (What to Expect in 2026)", last updated 22 November 2025: shared hosting and domain prices.
- Levitate, "Average Website Design Cost for Small Businesses in 2026", 24 February 2026: freelancer maintenance range.
- Squarespace, "Squarespace Pricing Plans & Features", undated, checked 31 October 2026: Basic, Core and Advanced monthly prices.
Our own prices are from our website plans page.