Buyer's guide
Monthly website plan or a one-off build?
Pay monthly if you would rather not find £3,000 or more up front and want someone else to keep the site updated. Buy outright if you have the budget, someone to look after the site, and you expect it to change rarely. Over three years the totals are often close; what really differs is cash flow, the tie-in, and who does the upkeep.
What each costs
One-off figures are typical UK ranges for a custom small-business site. The monthly column is our own website plan at £125 a month.
| One-off build | Bloodstone monthly plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | £3,000 - £10,000 | Nothing |
| Hosting and SSL | £200 - £500 a year | Included |
| Changes and maintenance | £100 - £500 a month, or paid per job | Included |
| Blog content | £300 - £800 a month if you buy it | Included |
| Three years, build and hosting only | £3,600 - £11,500 | £4,500, everything above included |
| Tie-in | None once paid for | 12-month initial term, then 30 days notice |
| Who owns the design and content | You | You, with the site files handed over if you leave |
A one-off build suits you if
- You can pay for the build at the start.
- Someone in the business can update and maintain it.
- The site will change a few times a year at most.
- You need a large shop or a complex application.
A monthly plan suits you if
- You would rather spread the cost than pay up front.
- Nobody in the business has time to maintain a website.
- You want regular content to help you rank on Google.
- You want one fixed monthly cost with no surprise invoices.
Five things to check in any monthly plan
- How long the minimum term is, and how much notice you give after it.
- Whether you own the design and content, and what you are handed if you leave.
- What counts as a change, and how quickly changes are made.
- Whether hosting, security updates and content are in the price or extra.
- Who you are contracting with, and whose name is on the invoices.
Our answers: a 12-month initial term, then 30 days notice. The design and content are yours, and we hand over the site files if you leave. Changes are included and usually done within 48 hours. Hosting, security, SEO and blog content are in the £125. Contracts and invoices are in the name of Lewis Banks trading as Bloodstone Projects.
Common questions
Is it better to pay monthly for a website or buy one outright?
Pay monthly if you have no budget for a build up front and want the site kept up to date for you. Buy outright if you can pay £3,000 or more at the start, have someone to maintain the site, and expect it to change rarely. Over three years the totals are often similar; the difference is cash flow and who does the upkeep.
How much does a website cost per month in the UK?
UK website plans range from tens of pounds a month for template builders you edit yourself to several hundred pounds for custom sites managed for you. Bloodstone's website plan is £125 a month and includes the custom build, hosting, changes, SEO and blog content.
Do I own my website on a monthly plan?
It depends on the provider, so check the terms. On Bloodstone's plan the design and content are yours, and if you leave we hand over the site files and help you move.
What is the catch with a monthly website plan?
Usually the minimum term. A custom site is built in the first weeks but paid for across the year, so most plans ask for an initial commitment. Bloodstone's is 12 months, after which it runs monthly and you can stop with 30 days notice.
Who offers monthly website plans in London?
Many agencies and platforms do. Bloodstone Projects, a business consultancy at 33 Cavendish Square, London W1, builds and manages websites for £125 a month with no setup fee, live in about two weeks.
See what £125 a month gets you
A custom website, live in about two weeks, with hosting, changes and content included.
See the website plan