Pay Monthly Websites, Explained

By James Folk, principal software engineer and founder of NJLIGames Ltd (building software on Long Island since 2015). Every number on this page is our own pricing, taken from our pricing page and FAQ on October 26, 2026. The month by month tables are my arithmetic on those prices.

What you pay, in order

You describe the business and send a logo and whatever photos you have. We design the homepage and show it to you. If you do not love it, you walk away and owe nothing. If you do, we build the site, and billing starts at $175 a month. There is no deposit.

That $175 covers custom design, custom-coded pages (up to five), hosting, unlimited content edits, support from the person who built the site, and lifetime updates. Edits are usually done within a couple of business days.

The catch, all of it

Here is every condition that comes with $0 down. None of them are hidden in a contract you read after you sign.

• A 12 month minimum. After that the plan runs month to month and you can cancel any time with notice.
• Cancel early and you owe a balance. Early cancellation owes the site's lump sum value ($3,800) minus what you have already paid. At the end of month 6 you would have paid $1,050, so the balance would be $2,750. Ask us before you cancel, because we would rather talk it through.
• The site is a service. If you cancel, the site comes down. You keep your domain name and your content, but not the code.
• The domain name is extra. You register it from a registrar in your own name, which is what keeps control with you.
• Pages after five cost $100 each, one time. It is never a recurring charge.

What you get for accepting those: no money before you have seen the design, no surprise invoices, and one person to call.

Monthly or buy it outright: the math

The other way to buy the same site is $3,800 once, plus $25 a month for hosting. You own the code from day one. Edits are not included, and unlimited edits are a $50 a month add-on.

Monthly is cheaper for the first 25 months. In month 26, buying outright pulls ahead, and by month 36 it is $1,600 cheaper. If you rarely change your site, that is the better deal.

If you do change your site now and then, here is the same comparison with the edits add-on on the owned site:

With edits included on both sides, the break-even moves to month 38. Neither path is a trick. Monthly spreads the cost and keeps edits and support included. Owning is the better deal if you are sure you will keep the site for more than three years.

Who the monthly plan is for

• You do not have $3,800 sitting around, and you would rather put it into the business.
• You change prices, hours or photos often and do not want to track edits.
• You want one monthly number you can put in the budget.

If you are certain you will keep the same site for years and rarely touch it, buy outright.

Questions to ask any pay monthly provider

These apply to us and to anyone else. Get the answers in writing before you pay.

• How long is the minimum, and what exactly do I owe if I leave early?
• If I cancel, does the site stay up, come down, or move with me?
• Is the domain registered in my name?
• Do edits cost extra, and what is the turnaround?
• Who answers the phone when something breaks?

Common questions

What is the catch with a $0 down website?

There are four, and they are all written down. There is a 12 month minimum. The site is a service, so it comes down if you cancel. The domain name is not included. Pages beyond the five included are $100 each, one time. In return the design is free to look at, you pay nothing until you approve it, and the $175 a month covers hosting, unlimited edits and support.

How much does a pay monthly website cost over time?

At $175 a month it is $2,100 for the first year and $6,300 over three years. Buying the same site outright is $3,800 plus $25 a month for hosting, which is $4,700 over three years. Buying becomes the cheaper path in month 26. If you add the $50 a month edits option to the owned site, buying wins in month 38.

What happens if I cancel before 12 months?

Early cancellation owes the balance of the site's lump sum value minus what you have already paid. The monthly plan is a service, so the site comes down when you cancel, and you keep your domain and your content.

Do I own a site I pay for monthly?

You own your domain name and your content. On the monthly plan the site itself is a service we host, so it does not leave with you. Buying outright for $3,800 means you own the code from day one.

What does the $175 a month include?

Custom design, custom-coded development of up to five pages, hosting, unlimited content edits, direct support from the engineer who built it, and lifetime updates. The domain registration is paid separately, to a registrar, in your name.

Related reading: what a website actually costs on Long Island, the Squarespace three year math, and our affordable web design plans.