The headline number is the smallest part of the bill
When founders compare quotes for a new website, they fixate on the design-and-build invoice. That number — typically £3,000 to £10,000 for a small business site — is real, but it's only the first row in the spreadsheet. The full total cost of ownership (TCO) of a website includes hosting, SSL, security, maintenance, plugin updates, and the small change requests you'll inevitably need over the next three years.
Agency build: a typical 3-year cost
- Upfront design & build: £5,000 (mid-range small business site)
- Hosting & SSL: £25/month × 36 = £900
- Plugin / security updates: £60/month retainer × 36 = £2,160
- Ad-hoc change requests: ~10 per year at £80 each = £2,400
- Re-design / refresh in year 3: £2,000
Three-year total: roughly £12,460 — and you carry every renewal email, plugin breakage and "your SSL is expiring" notification yourself.
Website subscription: the same 3 years
Take our Growth Site plan at £47/month. It includes a 10-page website, fast managed hosting, SSL, security updates and 10 design credits each month for ongoing changes, landing pages, social graphics and SEO tasks.
- Upfront design fee: £0
- Hosting, SSL, maintenance: included
- 10 design credits / month: included (~120 tasks a year)
- Subscription: £47 × 36 = £1,692
Three-year total: £1,692 — with the website, hosting and ongoing changes all bundled.
Side-by-side
| Cost area | Agency build | Subscription (Growth) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront | £5,000 | £0 |
| Hosting & SSL (3 yrs) | £900 | Included |
| Maintenance (3 yrs) | £2,160 | Included |
| Change requests (3 yrs) | £2,400 | Included via credits |
| Year-3 refresh | £2,000 | Included via credits |
| Total (3 yrs) | ~£12,460 | £1,692 |
When does an agency build still win?
Honestly: when you need a highly custom build, deep integrations, or a fully bespoke design system, and you have the cash and an in-house team to maintain it. For the other 90% of startups and small businesses, the predictable monthly cost of a subscription wins on price, speed and stress.
Ready to skip the upfront invoice?
Browse our membership plans or see exactly what your monthly credits buy.