A monthly fee and an upfront price describe billing schedules, not necessarily ownership or value. Compare the whole agreement over the period you expect to use the website.
Three-year arithmetic examples
| Example | Year one | Three years |
|---|---|---|
| Hypothetical $99/month plan | $1,188 | $3,564 |
| Hypothetical $150/month plan | $1,800 | $5,400 |
| Hypothetical $99/month + $499 setup | $1,687 | $4,063 |
| 11:11 Starter, $396/year | $396 | $1,188 |
| 11:11 Business, $639/year | $639 | $1,917 |
Examples assume unchanged prices, continuous service and no extras or applicable taxes. They are not competitor quotes. Our Starter and Business include the first year of domain and hosting, and renew annually at the same package price. They are not lifetime hosting offers or a single payment covering three years.
What a recurring fee can include
Hosting, domain renewal, security maintenance, edits and support can all have ongoing costs. Ask which are included and how many changes are covered. Starter includes six small content updates in year one; Business includes twelve. Confirm later-year update allowances and any integration costs in your written scope.
Ownership is a separate question
A monthly provider may allow a buyout or transfer, while an upfront build may depend on software that cannot be exported. Ask who controls the domain, which files you receive, which licences are transferable and whether the site needs a proprietary service to work. Do not infer ownership from the billing schedule.
Cancellation questions
- Is there a minimum commitment or early cancellation charge?
- When does hosting stop after cancellation?
- Can you export pages, images and customer data?
- Who controls domain renewal and transfer?
- What work is needed to move to another host?
Choose around the work you need
A business changing menus or stock every week may value ongoing editing support. A service business with stable information may prefer a defined package and occasional changes. Compare response times, responsibilities and the amount of work included alongside the price.
Keep a simple worksheet with setup cost, annual recurring cost, paid add-ons and cancellation terms. Save the quote so you can check renewal notices against the agreed terms. Review it when your business needs change.