In today’s digital world, having a website is essential for any business. A website can build credibility, increase visibility, and boost online sales.

However, with most web design agencies charging thousands upfront for a website, many small businesses turn to pay-monthly alternatives.

In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of using a pay monthly website service, helping you to decide if it’s the right option for you.

The Pros of a Pay Monthly Website

1. More Affordable for Small Businesses

A pay monthly website is more affordable for small businesses and start-ups. Instead of paying a large upfront fee, you can spread the cost over manageable monthly installments.

This model is particularly useful if you need a basic website on a limited budget. You can get a professional and modern website, without having to break the bank.

• Spread the cost with affordable monthly payments
• No need to invest hundreds or thousands upfront

2. Often Includes a Domain and Hosting

Most pay monthly website plans include a domain name and hosting. Therefore, you won’t need to purchase these separately or deal with multiple companies.

Moreover, if your plan does include a domain and hosting, it means the web design company is in charge of managing them. This includes dealing with the technical aspects of hosting to keep your site fast and reliable.

• All-in-one package with a domain name and hosting
• The agency will be responsible for managing hosting

3. Ongoing Maintenance and Updates

If you decide to pay for a website upfront, ongoing maintenance fees are not included.

Plus, you will need to pay an hourly rate for content or design edits. Simple tasks like changing your pricing, adding a new testimonial, or editing the wording on a page can be costly.

With a pay monthly website, however, maintenance and updates are usually included in the price. Depending on the provider, you may get unlimited content edits or a fixed number of hours of design work each month.

Your provider will also be responsible for updating your website and its software or components, as well as monitoring security to keep it safe, secure, and reliable. This is something that is not included with websites that are built for a one-time fee.

• No ongoing maintenance costs or issues
• Content and design edits are done for you
• Safe website and software updates
• Security monitoring and tweaking

4. Tech Support is Included

A website is a powerful tool for any business. However, it can also be a headache. It’s not uncommon for websites to develop bugs or conflicts, particularly when they’re poorly maintained or not updated.

Even the smallest of bugs can take hours to troubleshoot and fix. This can be costly and cause inconvenience for users. For example, an issue with a contact form on your website could result in you losing business.

With a pay monthly website, the cost of tech support is usually bundled with the price. This includes fixing bugs, as well as providing guidance and assistance when necessary.

• No additional costs for bug troubleshooting
• Get dedicated support, advice, and guidance
• Help to learn how to edit your website

5. Flexible and Scalable

As your business grows and changes, you may need new features added to your website. With a pay monthly subscription, you can often get these changes made without extra costs.

For example, if you want to add a page for customer reviews, upload video testimonials, or add a new integration such as live chat, popups, or banners. You have the flexibility to grow and scale your website quickly and easily. You won’t need to negotiate hourly rates, discuss timeframes, or try to make the changes yourself.

6. Easier Budgeting

Another big advantage of a pay monthly website is being able to budget more easily. You will know exactly how much you need to pay to keep your website online and working. You won’t need to worry about additional costs to maintain the site, fix bugs, or edit content.

You also won’t need to worry about paying separate companies for a domain, hosting, email, and essential tools or services like backups, security, and updates.

• One payment for all the essentials
• No unexpected or extra costs

7. Integrated Features

A pay monthly website will likely come with built-in tools or integrated features for SEO, marketing, email, and analytics. Everything from a contact form to widgets and sidebars will be enabled so your website functions like a well-oiled machine.

8. Time-Saving Solution

Time is one of your most important assets when running a small business. If you lack technical expertise, it could take weeks or months to learn how to create a website, even when using modern drag-and-drop builders. Yes! They still require knowledge and configuration.

By hiring a pay monthly web design agency, you can free up time to focus on growing your business. You won’t need to spend hours on end trying to figure out simple tasks. You also won’t need to deal with the hassle of bugs, errors, or configuration issues.

The Cons of a Pay Monthly Website

1. Higher Costs Overall

Over time, the cost of a pay-monthly website may exceed the price of a pay-upfront website. This means you’ll end up paying more for your website.

However, if the pay monthly provider includes a domain, hosting, tech support, and maintenance, it could be more cost-effective as you won’t need to pay additional fees to fix bugs, make changes to your website, or update the software or systems manually.

• Our Solution: We offer the cheapest pay monthly website service on the market. The monthly fee is for a domain, hosting, full management, and tech support.

2. Long-Term Contracts

Many pay monthly website providers require you to commit to a long-term contract. This means you need to pay the monthly fee for a certain number of months or years before you can cancel.

If you’re starting a new business and it doesn’t work out, you will still need to pay for the website. You will also need to keep paying even if your website generates little traffic or leads.

• Our Solution: We don’t have any long-term contracts. You can cancel anytime and with no questions asked.

3. Cancellation Fees

Cancellation fees are another disadvantage of pay monthly websites. You may be required to pay a fee if you want to cancel your subscription. It’s important to read the terms and conditions of a pay monthly website service before committing to subscribing.

• Our Solution: We don’t have any cancellation fees. You can cancel our service anytime without having to pay.

4. Ownership Issues

Ownership is also a concern when using a pay monthly website service. If you pay upfront, the website is usually transferred to your hosting provider. This means you fully own and control the website. If you pay monthly, the provider or agency typically manages hosting.

• Our Solution: While we host and manage your website, you retain 100% ownership. You have the freedom to cancel your subscription and move your website to another provider anytime.

5. Limited Control

Many pay monthly website providers use pre-designed templates or basic website builders with limited customisation options. In some cases, you may not be able to edit the website yourself. You also might not have the freedom to make advanced design changes or use third-party tools or integrations.

• Our Solution: We used WordPress which is one of the most popular content management systems in the world. You will be able to log in and easily edit your website anytime.

6. Recurring Costs

Although paying monthly for a website is more affordable than paying upfront, you need to make ongoing payments. If you miss a monthly payment, it could cause issues for your website. It’s important to review the missed payments policy of your pay monthly website provider.

• Our Solution: If you miss a payment, you will have the opportunity to resolve the issue with your payment provider. We will never cancel your subscription or delete your website without notifying you about any payment issues.

7. Price Increases

Some pay monthly website providers increase their prices over time. This results in you paying more than you originally expected. If you’re locked into a contract or subject to cancellation fees, switching services can sometimes be costly.

• Our Solution: We are committed to keeping our monthly fee as low as possible. While no company can guarantee that prices will never change, we have no plans to raise prices and give our clients the flexibility to cancel their subscriptions whenever they want.

Conclusion

A pay monthly website is the best solution for small businesses or start-ups with limited funds, whereas paying upfront is better for large corporations who need more complex websites.

The pros of a pay monthly website outweigh the cons. If you’re looking to get your business online quickly and without spending a fortune, a pay monthly website is the answer.