Website on subscription or a one-off build?
For most small business owners and freelancers a website on subscription is in practice smarter than a one-off build: a fixed amount per month with everything included, no big one-time expense and no messing about with technology.
A one-off build: what you get and what it costs
With a one-off build you pay a freelancer or agency a fixed amount to make your site. In the Netherlands that's usually between €500 and €3000, and for real custom work it quickly runs into the thousands. After that the site is yours, and that can be nice.
Where people often get stuck is what happens after the site goes live. The hosting, the security, the updates and small changes are then usually your job, or they cost money each time. A new bit of text? Change a price? Often a separate invoice, or you figure it out yourself. And a website that goes two years without updates starts to look dated and slowly slips down in Google. A one-off build is therefore rarely truly one-off; the bills just come later and spread out.
A website on subscription: everything in one fixed amount
With a subscription you pay a fixed amount per month and everything is included: the building, the hosting, the maintenance, the security and the copy. With us that starts at €49 per month for Website Start. Want a fresh article or piece of content every month so you get found better? Then you're at €89 per month with Website Groei. And with Website Compleet, €139 per month, you also get an online appointment planner and an AI customer service.
The big difference is that you never have one big hit all at once and never have to tinker yourself. Something breaks? We fix it. You want to change something? You just text or call. The site stays up to date without you thinking about it. Your domain name is also registered in your own name, and if you ever move on, you take everything with you: the site, the copy and the domain. No gilded cage.
Why a subscription is often nicer for a small business
For a small business or as a freelancer, cash flow is what really counts. Putting down €1500 at once for a website feels very different from €49 or €89 per month, especially when you're just starting out or want to take it slow. With a fixed monthly amount you know exactly where you stand and you keep money for the rest of your business.
On top of that, as an entrepreneur you'd rather put your time into your craft than into technology. With a subscription everything is arranged: hosting, updates, security and help the moment you want it. You simply have a number you can call, Nathalie's. And because the site keeps running and grows along, it also stays easy to find instead of standing still and getting dated. That's exactly why we deliberately chose the subscription.
When a one-off build does make sense
We like being honest, so: sometimes a one-off fits better. If you have a big budget ready, technical know-how in house or a regular web builder, and you want to manage everything yourself, a one-off built site can work fine. It can also work if you know exactly what you want and truly never need to change anything afterwards.
For most small business owners, though, that last bit almost never holds. A website isn't something you make once and forget, but something that lives and grows with your business. Still prefer to settle it all at once? That's possible with us too: you pay a year in advance via iDEAL, and then the one-off start fee of €195 even drops away completely.
Frequently asked questions
Won't a subscription cost me more in the long run?
Not necessarily. With a one-off build, hosting, maintenance, updates and changes come on top separately, and those costs keep running too. In a subscription that's all already in the fixed amount. You don't necessarily pay more, you just pay it clearly and spread out, without surprises afterwards.
What happens to my website if I stop?
Your domain name is in your name, and if you move on you take everything with you: the site, the copy and the domain. You're committed for the first year, after that your subscription is simply cancellable monthly. No fine print.
Can I also pay in one go with you?
Yes. You choose: monthly by direct debit, or a year in advance via iDEAL. If you pay per year, you pay no one-off start fee of €195.