Site Launch Workshop / GUIDE
What a small website costs after launch
Count ownership costs across the same period before comparing proposals.
Start with the ownership period
A $400 setup fee and a $30 monthly subscription cannot be compared by looking at the first invoice. Choose a period, such as 24 months, and list setup, recurring services and your own maintenance work separately. Our cost planner uses months rather than an assumed website lifespan. You can change the period without rebuilding a spreadsheet.
Write down every recurring line
Record hosting, domain renewal, backups, premium software and outside support. For an annual expense, divide by 12 to allocate it across the comparison period. That allocation is a budgeting estimate: the actual cash payment may be due in full on day one. Keep a separate calendar of renewal dates so an affordable monthly average does not hide a large annual bill.
Worked comparison
Suppose setup is $600, hosting is $15 per month, software is $120 per year, domain renewal is $24 per year and maintenance is two hours per month valued at $35 per hour. Over 24 months, cash cost is $1,248: $600 + $360 + $240 + $48. The time allowance adds $1,680, producing a modeled ownership cost of $2,928. None of those inputs is a supplier quote.
Compare scope as well as price
Ask who supplies copy, resizes images, fixes broken forms and restores a backup. A lower quote with no content work may require more owner time. Record whether licenses belong to you and whether you can move the source files. Avoid treating a proprietary subscription and a portable website as identical purchases.
Use the result
Enter each proposal into the planner and download a separate CSV for each. Compare cash totals first, then inspect the time allowance. Before choosing, replace every assumed price with a current written quote and check introductory versus renewal pricing. Keep the calculation with the proposal so a later decision can be explained.
Prepared with AI assistance. Examples are constructed for explanation, not reported client results. Corrections are welcome.