rent or own • with a calculator
Rented Website vs Owning One: What You Really Pay
A rented website is one you pay for monthly but do not own, so when you stop paying it goes offline and the design usually stays with the provider; an owned website is one where the domain, content and code are yours to move. Renting can make sense for a short time or a very small business, but over years the total adds up, so use the calculator below with your own numbers.
This page does not quote anyone's prices. Prices differ by company, package and country. Use the numbers on your own invoices.
01 • your numbers
How much have I paid for my rented website?
What have you paid so far?
Use the numbers from your own invoices. Nothing is saved or sent.
Total paid
—
Enter a monthly fee and months.
Every 12 months
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What one more year of renting costs at this fee.
Look at the total, then ask one question: if I stopped paying tomorrow, what would I have? If the answer is "not much", that is the real cost of renting.
02 • the difference
What is the difference between renting and owning a website?
| Rented | Owned | |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Often registered to the provider | In your name, at your registrar |
| Design and code | Usually the provider's property | Yours, on standard technology |
| If you stop paying | Site is taken down | Site keeps running wherever you host it |
| Moving | Rebuild from scratch | Move files to any host |
| Ongoing cost | Monthly, for as long as you stay | Hosting, plus updates when you want them |
Owning still has costs. Hosting and the domain renew every year, and someone has to keep the site updated. The difference is that what you pay for keeps working for you if you change provider.
03 • from real terms
What do website companies' terms say about ownership?
Here is how three well-known US providers describe it in their own published terms. These are not criticisms. They are the deal, written down.
- Hibu: a domain Hibu provides is registered to Hibu, Hibu owns the IP in what it creates, and it is not responsible for storing your data or content after cancellation. Details.
- Thryv: content Thryv creates and the website design are Thryv's property; your own content is released when you leave. Details.
- Scorpion: you own your domains, content and imagery, but not the system, and you rebuild elsewhere when you leave. Details.
04 • being fair
When does renting a website make sense?
- You are testing a new business idea for a few months
- The package includes services you actively use, like ads or listings
- You do not have the budget for an upfront build right now
- You have read what you keep when you leave, and you are fine with it
The trouble starts when renting continues for years by default, and nobody checks what the business owns. If that sounds familiar, take the ownership check.
05 • before you sign
What should I ask before signing a monthly website deal?
- Whose name will the domain be registered in?
- If I leave, what files do I get, and in what format?
- Who owns the design and the text you write for me?
- How long is the minimum term, and how does it renew?
- How much notice do I give to cancel, and how?
- What happens to my Google Business Profile and phone numbers if I leave?
A good provider will answer all six without fuss. If the answers are vague, treat that as your answer.
06 • if you switch
How do I switch from a rented website to one I own?
- 1Find your contract end date and notice period.
- 2Get your domain into your name. How.
- 3Become primary owner of your Google Business Profile. How.
- 4Save all your content.
- 5Build the new site and get it ready.
- 6Point your domain to it, then cancel the old service.
Want to see what an owned website could look like first? I will design your homepage in 48 hours, free, before you pay anything.
Free homepage demobefore you pay anything
Free homepage demo in 48 hours
I design a new homepage for your business. You see it first. You only pay if you want the full website.
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questions
Frequently asked questions
01. What is a rented website?
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A website you pay for monthly from a provider that owns the design and often the domain. When you stop paying, it is taken down.
02. Is it cheaper to rent or own a website?
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It depends on your numbers and how long you stay. Renting spreads the cost; owning usually costs more up front and less over time. Use the calculator with your own figures.
03. If I own my website, do I still pay monthly?
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Usually a little, for hosting and the domain. But if you change provider, the site moves with you.
04. Can I buy my rented website from the provider?
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Some providers may offer it; many do not. Ask in writing what they will hand over, and what you can do with it.
Sources
Checked on 15 October 2026. Company pages change, so read the current version before you act.
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This is general information, not legal advice. Your own contract decides what applies to you.
PrimeBuild is not affiliated with Weebly, Square, Hibu, Thryv or Scorpion. Company names are used only to describe their published terms and notices.