Web design guide
Own Your Website, Don't Rent It: What Renting Really Costs
Most website builders rent you a site instead of selling you one. You pay every month, and the day you stop, it's gone. Here's the real cost of renting, and why owning your website files is the smarter call for a small business.
What "renting" your website actually means
When you build on Wix or Squarespace, you don't own anything. You pay a monthly fee to use their platform. Stop paying, and your site disappears. No site, no pages, no online presence.
It feels cheap at first. A small monthly fee is easy to say yes to. But you're not buying a website. You're renting one, and the meter never stops running.
Think of it like leasing a storefront versus owning the building. Rent forever and you have nothing to show for it. Own it, and it's yours.
The multi-year cost math
Wix runs $17 to $159 per month. Squarespace runs $16 to $99 per month. Take a middle Wix plan around $29 per month. Over three years that's roughly $1,000, and you still don't own your site.
Keep renting for five or ten years and the numbers climb fast. You could pay several thousand dollars over the life of your business and walk away owning nothing.
Compare that to a one-time website from GetFavours, starting at $249. You pay once and keep the finished files. No monthly fee from GetFavours chipping away at your bottom line.
The lock-in problem nobody mentions
Wix is a closed platform. You cannot export your site's design if you leave. You can pull some content like your contacts or store data as a CSV file, but the actual design stays behind. Switch providers and you start over.
Squarespace is similar. Its export is limited XML with no images, and Squarespace 7.1 doesn't support XML export at all. Your site is built to keep you paying, not to let you go.
That's the trap. The longer you rent, the harder it is to leave, and the more it costs to stay.
What owning your website actually gets you
With GetFavours, you get the finished site files and keep your own domain. You get a plain-English PDF guide that walks you through editing the site yourself, no tech background needed.
You can host it anywhere, even on your own computer. No monthly subscription from GetFavours; your domain and hosting are paid directly to those companies. No lock-in. If you ever want to move, you just take your files and go.
Starter is a single page from $249 one-time. Business adds multiple pages plus online booking or a quote form from $599 one-time. Custom builds start at $1,200 one-time. An optional care plan to manage and host the site runs from $39 per month if you want it, but it's never required.
Owning costs less than you'd think
A one-time custom site elsewhere isn't cheap. Freelancers typically charge $500 to $5,000. Agencies charge $5,000 to $50,000 or more. That scares a lot of local owners back into renting.
GetFavours sits well under that, starting at $249, while still handing you the finished site files. You get the freedom of owning without the agency price tag.
Over a few years, owning your website almost always beats renting one. You pay once, you keep the files, and your only ongoing costs are your own domain and hosting.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between owning and renting a website?
Renting means paying a monthly fee to a platform like Wix or Squarespace to keep your site online. Stop paying and it's gone. Owning means you get the finished site files and keep your domain, with no monthly fee to us, and you can host it anywhere; you pay your host and domain registrar directly.
Can I take my Wix or Squarespace site with me if I leave?
Not really. Wix is a closed platform and you cannot export your site's design. You can pull some content like contacts as a CSV, but not the design. Squarespace only offers limited XML export with no images, and Squarespace 7.1 doesn't support XML export at all.
How much does a website actually cost over a few years?
A mid-tier Wix plan around $29 per month adds up to roughly $1,000 over three years, and you still don't own the site. A one-time GetFavours website starts at $249 and the files are yours to keep, with no monthly fee from GetFavours.
What do I get when I own my website with GetFavours?
You get the finished site files, your own domain, and a plain-English PDF guide so you can edit the site yourself. You can host it anywhere, including locally, with no GetFavours subscription and no lock-in. Section 8 of our Terms (getfavours.com/terms) sets out exactly what is handed over.
How much does a GetFavours website cost?
Starter (single page) is from $249 one-time. Business (multiple pages plus online booking or a quote form) is from $599 one-time. Custom builds start at $1,200 one-time. An optional care plan to manage and host your site is from $39 per month, but it's never required.
Is owning cheaper than hiring a freelancer or agency?
Usually, yes. Freelancers typically charge $500 to $5,000 and agencies charge $5,000 to $50,000 or more for a one-time build. GetFavours starts at $249 and still hands you the finished site files.
Own your website — from $249
Pay once, keep the finished site files, and edit it yourself with a plain-English guide. Tell us what you need and we’ll build it — for any local business.