A monthly website plan and a one-off website build price the same work in different ways. A one-off build asks for a larger payment up front and leaves hosting, updates and fixes to be arranged separately. A monthly plan, often called a pay-monthly website or a website subscription, spreads the cost into a regular payment that also covers looking after the site.
Neither is right for every business. This guide sets out what to compare so you can judge a quote from any provider. It uses kernelMob as one labelled example, because those are the plans and prices we can describe accurately.
The short version
- One-off build: you pay a build fee, then arrange hosting, updates and support yourself or buy them separately.
- Monthly plan: you pay a set amount each month that covers the build, hosting and an agreed amount of updates, for as long as you keep the plan.
- What decides it: who will look after the site after launch, how often it changes, and whether you want to own every part of it from day one.
Compare the cost over time, not the first payment
A one-off build looks cheaper or dearer depending on the length of time you measure. Put both options on the same timeline, such as three years, and add up everything you will pay.
For a one-off build, add:
- The build fee.
- Hosting and SSL, for each year.
- Whatever the provider charges for changes, or the cost of someone else making them.
- Domain registration and any paid tools, for each year.
For a monthly plan, add:
- The monthly fee, multiplied by 36.
- Any add-ons you expect to buy.
- Domain registration and any paid tools, for each year.
Here is the arithmetic for kernelMob's two plans over 36 months, before domain registration and paid third-party tools:
- Starter: USD $35 a month, which is USD $1,260 over 36 months.
- Pro: USD $95 a month, which is USD $3,420 over 36 months.
Prices on this page are shown in USD, for the market we detect from your location or the country you pick in the footer. Each market has its own approved prices, which are not exchange-rate conversions, and they include applicable taxes. The pricing section shows the same prices. When you compare a quote from anyone else, ask whether the amount includes tax. That is a question for the provider, not tax advice.
The total only helps if the two options include the same things. A cheap build with no hosting and no help is not the same product as a plan that covers both.
Updates: who changes the site when something changes
Prices, opening hours, photos and contact details change. Ask each provider what happens when they do, and how long it takes.
On kernelMob, an update request covers changes such as text, prices, photos, hours or contact details. Starter includes 3 requests a month with a 48-72hr turnaround. Pro includes unlimited requests, one active at a time, with a 24-48hr turnaround for each request and a priority support queue. Larger work is scoped separately. On Starter, an extra block of 3 update requests is USD $25.
Keep two timings apart when you read any offer. How quickly a provider makes a small change is not the same as how long the first build takes. For kernelMob, the first private preview is aimed at seven business days after your 10-minute brief, with no discovery call. Update turnaround is a different commitment.
Ownership and what happens if you leave
This is the question buyers most often forget to ask. For any provider, find out who owns each of these, and what you receive if you stop:
- The domain name
- The words and photos
- The code behind the site
- The hosting account and logins
For a one-off build, ask whether you receive the files and logins at handover and who pays for hosting after that.
For kernelMob, you own your content and your domain. We own and run the site build while you are subscribed, then transfer full ownership on request after 12 months. Both plans are monthly and you can cancel anytime. Contact us to arrange cancellation and confirm the service end date and any handover details. This is an explanation of our offer, not legal advice.
What neither option includes
Whichever route you take, check the lines that are easy to miss:
- Domain registration
- Paid third-party tools, such as a booking system
- Email provider subscriptions, such as Google Workspace
- Writing the copy from scratch
- Online shops, custom software and paid advertising
On kernelMob, domain registration and paid third-party subscriptions are separate, and email provider subscriptions are billed separately on both plans. We do not include custom software, ecommerce, complex booking systems, paid ads, brand strategy or copywriting from scratch.
When a one-off build is the better fit
A one-off build is worth a serious look when:
- You want to own the code and hosting outright from the first day.
- You already have a developer or team who will look after the site.
- Your site rarely changes and you are comfortable paying for changes when they come up.
- You need something a managed plan does not cover, such as an online shop or custom software.
When a monthly plan fits
A monthly plan tends to suit a business that:
- Wants to start without a large upfront build fee.
- Does not want to manage hosting, SSL and DNS.
- Makes small, frequent changes, such as hours, prices and photos.
- Prefers one predictable amount each month and the freedom to cancel.
Questions to copy into your next supplier enquiry
- What is the total cost over three years, with every line itemised?
- What does the price include: pages, hosting, SSL, contact form, mobile layout?
- Is tax included in the amount you quoted?
- How many changes can I request, and how quickly are they made?
- What does a change outside that allowance cost?
- Who owns the domain, the content, the code and the hosting account?
- What do I receive if I stop, and how long does the handover take?
- How do I cancel, and is there a minimum term?
- Which costs are separate, such as the domain, email and booking tools?
- How long until I see a first version?
How kernelMob works, as one example
Starter is for getting a small business online and looking current. It covers 2-3 pages, hosting, SSL and DNS setup, a contact form, a mobile-friendly layout, basic on-page SEO and 3 update requests a month, at USD $35 a month. Pro covers up to 10 pages, the same basics, booking tool integration, unlimited update requests (one active at a time), free custom email integration, free blog setup if required and a priority support queue, at USD $95 a month.
You start with a 10-minute brief. About seven business days later you get a private preview of your pages, contact form and mobile layout, and you can send one round of changes. After launch we connect your domain and keep the site running with small monthly edits.
If a monthly plan sounds like the right shape for your business, you can start the 10-minute brief . If a one-off build suits you better, the questions above will help you compare quotes from any provider.